Devices, systems and methods for detecting and evaluating impact events

• US 9,380,961 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2013
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackbox Biometrics, Inc. (AirBoss of America Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Blackbox Biometrics, Inc. (AirBoss of America Corp.)
• Inventors: Borkholder, David A., Kenyon, Matthew, Ramplin, Ryan, Ostertag, Michael H., Sherman, Kim, Wellman, Matthew, Harrison, Micah
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Tran M
• Application Number:
  US14/140,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20150040669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 735/140.1, 735/143.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/046 Means for detecting hazards or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4064 Evaluating the brain A61B5/031, A61B5/369, A61B5/14553 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/10 for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0052 measuring forces due to impact G01L5/0061, G01L5/14 take precedence; impact testing of structures G01M7/08; impact testing of material G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/14 by making use of gyroscopes gyroscopes per se G01C19/00

Abstract

An impact detection device for detecting impacts to a body part of a user and various supporting systems are discussed. In an example, an impact detect device can include a circuit board, a component having a first section and a second section, a battery, and a molding for housing the circuit boat, the battery and the component. The circuit board can include impact detection circuitry including at least two sensors and a communication circuit. A zone of reduced rigidity can connect the first and second sections of the component, with the circuit board secured to the first section. The battery can be secured to the second section of the component allowing for flex relative to the circuit board. The molding can be shaped and dimensioned for mounting to a body part of the user.

Claims

1. An impact detection device for detecting impact to a body part of a user, the device comprising:

a single circuit board including impact detection circuitry comprising;

at least two sensors, the at least two sensors comprising a first accelerometer and at least one of a gyroscope and a second accelerometer;

a processor to process input signals received from the at least two sensors; and

a memory device coupled to the processor and including instructions that, when executed on the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

detecting, based at least in part on analysis of a first input signal of the input signals, that the user is in a period of sustained movement in a known predetermined direction relative to the user;

determining, in response to detecting the period of sustained movement, a heading of the user based at least in part on acceleration vectors derived from the input signals, wherein the heading of the user corresponds to the direction of sustained movement detected from analysis of the first input signal; and

determining an orientation of the impact detection device relative to the body part of the user based on the heading and at least one of the acceleration vectors;

a battery mounted adjacent to the single circuit board; and

a housing for the single circuit board and the battery, wherein the housing is shaped and dimensioned for securing adjacent to a portion of the body part of the user.

2. The impact detection device of claim 1, wherein detecting the period of sustained movement includes determining a gait and frequency of movement of the user to determine that the user is moving forward.

3. The impact detection device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions that cause operations comprising:

receiving, from a gyroscope within the impact detection device, a gyroscope signal; and

wherein detecting the period of sustained movement includes filtering, using the gyroscope signal, extraneous movements of the user.

4. The impact detection device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions that cause operations comprising:

determining whether additional measurements are needed to calculate the heading; and

wherein the detecting the sustained movement includes gathering an additional duration of the plurality of input signals from the one or more sensors within the impact detection device.

5. The impact detection device of claim 4, wherein the determining the heading includes using statistical methods to incorporate new acceleration vectors derived from the additional duration of the plurality of input signals.

6. The impact detection device of claim 1, wherein determining the heading operation is performed periodically during detected periods of sustained movement.

7. The impact detection device of claim 6, wherein determining the orientation uses a dataset containing a plurality of heading measurements, the plurality of heading measurements added to the dataset periodically during the detected periods of sustained movement.

8. A method for detecting and communicating traumatic impacts to a body part of a user, the method comprising:

providing an impact detection device including a single circuit board populated with a plurality of sensors and a processor and a battery coupled to the circuit board, the circuit board and battery contained within a housing adapted to be secured adjacent to a portion of the body part of the user;

receiving input signals from the plurality sensors within the impact detection device;

detecting, based at least in part on analysis of a first input signal of the input signals, that the user is in a period of sustained movement in a known predetermined direction relative to the user;

determining, in response to detecting the period of sustained movement and while the period of sustained movement continues, a heading of the user based at least in part on acceleration vectors derived from the input signals, wherein the heading of the user corresponds to the direction of sustained movement detected from analysis of the first input signal; and

determining, using the processor, an orientation of the impact detection device relative to the body part of the user based on the heading and at least one of the acceleration vectors.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting, from the plurality of input signals, an occurrence of a potential traumatic impact event; and

analyzing the occurrence of the potential traumatic impact event based on the orientation of the impact detection device and at least one of linear acceleration data and rotational acceleration data to determine whether the potential traumatic impact event transgresses a pre-defined threshold.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing, in response to determining that the potential traumatic impact event transgresses the pre-defined threshold, data representative of the potential traumatic impact event.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting the period of sustained movement includes determining a gait and frequency of movement of the user to determine that the user is moving forward.

12. The method of claim 8, further including:

receiving, from a gyroscope within the impact detection device, a gyroscope signal; and

wherein detecting the period of sustained movement includes filtering, using the gyroscope signal, extraneous movements of the user.

13. The method of claim 8, further including:

determining whether additional measurements are needed to calculate the heading; and

wherein the detecting the sustained movement includes gathering an additional duration of the plurality of input signals from the one or more sensors within the impact detection device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining the heading includes using statistical methods to incorporate new acceleration vectors derived from the additional duration of the plurality of input signals.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the heading operation is performed periodically during detected periods of sustained movement.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the orientation uses a dataset containing a plurality of heading measurements, the plurality of heading measurements added to the dataset periodically during the detected periods of sustained movement.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device including instructions that, when executed on an impact detection device including a single circuit board with at least two sensors and a processor and a battery coupled to the circuit board, the circuit board and battery enclosed in a component encasing the circuit board and the battery, cause the impact detection device to perform operations comprising:

receiving input signals from the at least two sensors within the impact detection device;

detecting, based at least in part on analysis of a first input signal of the input signals, that the user is in a period of sustained movement in a known predetermined direction relative to the user;

determining, in response to detecting the period of sustained movement and while the detecting of the period of sustained movement continues, a heading of the user based at least in part on acceleration vectors derived from the input signals, wherein the heading of the user corresponds to the direction of sustained movement detected from analysis of the first input signal; and

determining an orientation of the impact detection device relative to a body part of a user adjacent to the impact detection device based on the heading and at least one of the acceleration vectors.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting, from the plurality of input signals, an occurrence of a potential traumatic impact event; and

analyzing the occurrence of the potential traumatic impact event based on the orientation of the impact detection device and at least one of linear acceleration data and rotational acceleration data to determine whether the potential traumatic impact event transgresses a pre-defined threshold.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise storing, in response to determining that the potential traumatic impact event transgresses the pre-defined threshold, data representative of the potential traumatic impact event.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein detecting the period of sustained movement includes determining a gait and frequency of movement of the user to determine that the user is moving forward.