Method and device for monitoring body movement by detecting pattern changes in the distance variations between proximity sensors and their respective sensor zone
First Claim
1. A device for monitoring movement of a body of a human subject, said device comprising:
- electronic circuitry including at least one alarm;
a connector for releasably attaching the device to the subject'"'"'s body in a groin area of said subject'"'"'s body; and
at least one first proximity sensor,wherein said first proximity sensor is configured and directed to measure a distance between the device and a part of a stomach of the subject that is in a first sensor zone, when the device is attached to the subject'"'"'s body in the groin area;
and wherein said device includes at least one second proximity sensor that is configured and directed to measure a distance between the device and a part of the stomach of the subject that is in a second sensor zone, when the device is attached to the subject'"'"'s body in the groin area;
said connector and said first proximity sensor and said second proximity sensor being configured such that the second sensor zone is disposed farther from the connector than the first sensor zone; and
said circuitry being configured to activate the alarm if a pattern by which the distance measured by at least one of the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor varies, changes to a predetermined extent;
wherein the device is a one-piece unit, and wherein said first proximity sensor and second proximity sensor are configured such that when the device is attached to the subject'"'"'s body, a bottom of the second sensor zone is above the device along the stomach, and a top of the second sensor zone is above a top of the first sensor zone along the stomach.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and device (10) are provided for monitoring regular movement of the body (20) of a human subject, such as an infant. The device (10) includes electronic circuitry, an alarm and attachment means (14) for attaching to the subject'"'"'s body (18), a first non-contact proximity sensor (22), and a second proximity sensor. When the device (10) is attached to the subject'"'"'s body, the two proximity sensors (22,24) monitor movement of the subject'"'"'s body in two sensor zones a first sensor zone (23) and a second sensor zone (25) that is father from the device than the first sensor zone (23). If a pattern in the distances monitored in either sensor (22,24) changes by a predetermined extent, that alarm is activated.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A device for monitoring movement of a body of a human subject, said device comprising:
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electronic circuitry including at least one alarm; a connector for releasably attaching the device to the subject'"'"'s body in a groin area of said subject'"'"'s body; and at least one first proximity sensor, wherein said first proximity sensor is configured and directed to measure a distance between the device and a part of a stomach of the subject that is in a first sensor zone, when the device is attached to the subject'"'"'s body in the groin area; and wherein said device includes at least one second proximity sensor that is configured and directed to measure a distance between the device and a part of the stomach of the subject that is in a second sensor zone, when the device is attached to the subject'"'"'s body in the groin area; said connector and said first proximity sensor and said second proximity sensor being configured such that the second sensor zone is disposed farther from the connector than the first sensor zone; and said circuitry being configured to activate the alarm if a pattern by which the distance measured by at least one of the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor varies, changes to a predetermined extent; wherein the device is a one-piece unit, and wherein said first proximity sensor and second proximity sensor are configured such that when the device is attached to the subject'"'"'s body, a bottom of the second sensor zone is above the device along the stomach, and a top of the second sensor zone is above a top of the first sensor zone along the stomach. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of monitoring movement of a body of a human subject said method comprising:
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releasably attaching a monitoring device to the subject'"'"'s body in a groin area; directing at least one first proximity sensor from the device to a stomach of the subject, to measure movement of the subject'"'"'s stomach in a first sensor zone; directing at least one second proximity sensor from the monitoring device to the subject'"'"'s stomach to measure movement of the subject'"'"'s stomach in a second sensor zone, said second sensor zone being disposed farther from the attachment of the monitoring device to the subject'"'"'s body in the groin area, than the first sensor zone; measuring movement of the subject'"'"'s stomach relative to the monitoring device by measuring a first distance between said stomach and the first proximity sensor in the first sensor zone and measuring a second distance between said stomach and the second proximity sensor in the second sensor zone; and activating an alarm if a pattern of at least one of said first distance and said second distance changes to a predetermined extent. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification