Wearable system and method for monitoring intoxication

• US 9,788,772 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2016
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KHN Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: KHN Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Nothacker, Keith Harry, Tammen, Will, Aziz, Imraan
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US15/375,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20170086714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 340576, 340439, 34053912, 600300, 600309
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0064 for taking sweat or sebum samples measuring sweat production A61B5/4266
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0009 Testing for drug or alcohol abuse
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/22 Motor vehicles operators, e.g. drivers, pilots, captains
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1477 non-invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4023 Evaluating sense of balance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4845 Toxicology, e.g. by detection of alcohol, drug or toxic products A61B5/4848 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4863 Measuring or inducing nystagmus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/416 Systems G01N27/27 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4972 Determining alcohol content for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A system for transdermal alcohol sensing to be worn near a skin surface of a user, including: an alcohol sensor; a microporous membrane; a housing coupled to the alcohol sensor and the membrane, defining a volume between the alcohol sensor and a first membrane side, and fluidly isolating the volume from a second membrane side opposing the first membrane side; an electronics subsystem electrically coupled to the alcohol sensor, operable to power and receive signals from the alcohol sensor; and a fastener operable to position the second membrane side proximal the skin surface.

Claims

1. A system for transdermal alcohol sensing to be worn near a skin surface of a user, the system comprising:

an alcohol sensor comprising a fuel cell, the fuel cell comprising a sensing electrode and a counter electrode;

an inlet providing a path for a sample from the skin surface of the user to the alcohol sensor;

a housing coupled to the alcohol sensor and comprising a barrier defining an aperture proximal the inlet, the aperture and the inlet cooperatively controlling flow of the sample to the alcohol sensor;

an electronics subsystem electrically coupled to the alcohol sensor by way of the housing, the electronics subsystem operable to receive signals from the alcohol sensor and power the alcohol sensor; and

a fastener coupled to the housing and operable to position the aperture proximal the skin surface.

2. The system of claim 1, the fuel cell further comprising a reservoir wafer and a primary wafer, the primary wafer comprising a first catalytic coating and a second catalytic coating opposing the first catalytic coating, wherein:

the counter electrode is electrically coupled to the first catalytic coating; and

the sensing electrode is electrically coupled to the second catalytic coating and to the reservoir wafer.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first catalytic coating and the second catalytic coating each comprise platinum.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a microporous membrane comprising a first membrane side and a second membrane side opposing the first membrane side wherein the microporous membrane is permeable to ethanol vapor.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the microporous membrane is substantially impermeable to water.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the fastener is further operable to position the second membrane side proximal the skin surface.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the housing further defines a volume between the alcohol sensor and the first membrane side, wherein the volume is fluidly isolated from the second membrane side.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the barrier comprises a first barrier side coupled to the microporous membrane, wherein the microporous membrane covers the aperture.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the housing further defines a volume between the alcohol sensor and the microporous membrane;

the barrier further comprises a second barrier side opposing the first barrier side;

the system further comprises a second microporous membrane coupled to the second barrier side and covering the aperture; and

the second microporous membrane is fluidly isolated from the volume.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the fastener is further configured to retain the second membrane side against the skin surface.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the fastener is operable to be repeatedly fastened and unfastened by the user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the fastener comprises a strap operable to encircle a forearm of the user, wherein the forearm comprises the skin surface.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronics subsystem comprises a processor operable to continuously determine a time series of blood alcohol content levels of the user based on a time series of signals received from the alcohol sensor.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the electronics subsystem further comprises a light-emitting element;

the processor is further operable to control the light-emitting element based on the time series of blood alcohol content levels; and

the fastener comprises a translucent region optically coupled to the light-emitting element and operable to conduct a light signal emitted by the light-emitting element.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the electronics subsystem further comprises an electronic display, the processor further operable to control the electronic display based on the time series of blood alcohol content levels.

16. A system for transdermal alcohol sensing to be worn near a skin surface of a user, the system comprising:

an alcohol sensor;

a housing;

a microporous membrane comprising a first membrane side and a second membrane side opposing the first membrane side;

an electronics subsystem electrically coupled to the alcohol sensor by way of the housing, the electronics subsystem operable to receive signals from the alcohol sensor and power the alcohol sensor;

an electrical jack electrically coupled to the electronics subsystem, the electrical jack operable to receive an electrical power input and to transmit the electrical power input to the electronics subsystem; and

a fastener configured to position the second membrane side and the electrical jack proximal the skin surface, the fastener operable to be repeatedly fastened and unfastened by the user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the housing defines a volume between the alcohol sensor and the first membrane side; and

the volume is fluidly isolated from the second membrane side.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the alcohol sensor comprises a fuel cell.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the alcohol sensor comprises a water reservoir.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the fastener comprises a strap operable to couple a forearm-mountable computing device to the user.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the forearm-mountable computing device is electrically isolated from the electronics subsystem.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the electronics subsystem comprises a processor operable to:

continuously determine a time series of blood alcohol content levels of the user based on a time series of signals received from the alcohol sensor; and

control the forearm-mountable computing device to provide an intoxication notification based on the time series of blood alcohol content levels.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the system further comprises a gasket opposing the volume across the microporous membrane, the fastener further configured to retain the gasket against the skin surface.