Systems and methods for collecting and displaying user orientation information on a user-worn sensor device

• US 10,004,447 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2017
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leaf Healthcare, Inc. (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Leaf Healthcare, Inc. (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Shen, Daniel Z., Larson, Barrett J., Weckwerth, Mark V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US15/487,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20170245793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/02 Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0223 Magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/447 specially adapted for aiding the prevention of ulcer or pressure sore development, i.e. before the ulcer or sore has developed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4815 Sleep quality
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 : Furniture
• 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 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 : Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/42 : for inclination
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 : for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/057 : Arrangements for preventing bed-sores or for supporting patients with burns, e.g. mattresses specially adapted therefor ventilation openings in mattresses A47C21/042; pneumatic or hydraulic mattresses A47C27/08
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation

Abstract

A system for determining the location of patients uses a patient-associated communicator which wirelessly communicates with a network of environmental reference communicators arranged at fixed or otherwise known locations. A camera can be used to monitor or detect pressure ulcers and relay the information to a host system. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a user, the system comprising:

a user-wearable sensor device configured to be directly or indirectly secured to the user or to an article worn by the user;

the user-wearable sensor device including at least one sensor configured to collect sensor data associated with an orientation of the user;

a display unit integral with the user-wearable sensor device and including at least one LED or other visual indicator; and

a data analysis system communicatively coupled with the at least one sensor and configured to analyze the user'"'"'s orientation with respect to a turning protocol for the user, the data analyze system comprising a processor configured to;

receive sensor data collected by the at least one sensor;

analyze the sensor data to determine the orientation of the user; and

determine an amount of time that the user has spent in each of a plurality of different orientations;

wherein the display unit integral with the user-wearable sensor device is configured to display an indication of the determined amount of time that the user has spent in each of the plurality of different orientations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the processor of the data analysis system is configured to identify a particular orientation, from the plurality of different orientations, in which the user has spent the greatest amount of time; and

the display unit integral with the user-wearable sensor device is configured to display an indication of the identified orientation in which the user has spent the greatest amount of time.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein determining the amount of time that the user has spent in each of the plurality of different orientations comprises determining the amount of time that the user has spent in a current position during a period extending from a prior time to a current time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the display unit integral with the user-wearable sensor device is configured to indicate a current orientation of the user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the data analysis system is further configured to:

determine a compliance or non-compliance with a predefined turning protocol for the user; and

control the display unit to display information indicating the determined compliance or non-compliance with the predefined turning protocol.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the data analysis system is further configured to:

determine when a change in the user'"'"'s orientation is specified according to a predefined turning protocol; and

control the display unit to indicate the specified change in the user'"'"'s orientation according to the predefined turning protocol.

7. A method of monitoring a user, the method comprising:

collecting, by at least one sensor of a user-worn sensor device directly or indirectly secured to a user or to an article worn by the user, sensor data associated with an orientation of the user;

monitoring, by a processor of the user-wearable sensor device, the orientation of the user over time with respect to a turning protocol for the user based on the sensor data collected by the at least one sensor;

receiving, the processor, sensor data collected by the at least one sensor;

analyzing, by the processor, the sensor data to determine the orientation of the user;

determining, by the processor, an amount of time spent in each of a plurality of different orientations based on the monitored orientation of the user over time;

displaying, via a display unit integral with the user-worn sensor device, information indicating a relative amount of time that the user has spent in the plurality of different orientations, wherein the display unit includes at least one LED or other visual indicator.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising:

identifying, by the processor, a particular orientation, from the plurality of different orientations, in which the user has spent the greatest amount of time; and

displaying, via the display unit integral with the user-wearable sensor device, an indication of the identified orientation in which the user has spent the greatest amount of time.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the amount of time spent in each of the plurality of different orientations comprises determining the amount of time spent in a current position during a period extending from a prior time to a current time.

10. The method of claim 7, comprising indicating, via the display unit integral with the user-wearable sensor device, a current orientation of the user.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a compliance or non-compliance with a predefined turning protocol for the user; and

controlling the display unit to display information indicating the determined compliance or non-compliance with the predefined turning protocol.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining when a change in the user'"'"'s orientation is specified according to a predefined turning protocol; and

controlling the display unit to indicate the specified change in the user'"'"'s orientation according to the predefined turning protocol.