Wearable system and method for monitoring intoxication

• US 10,182,752 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2017
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• 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): McNally, Kerri L
• Application Number:
  US15/666,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20170354354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 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;

a housing coupled to the alcohol sensor;

an inlet retained by the housing and comprising a barrier defining an aperture, wherein the inlet provides a path for a sample from the skin surface of the user to the alcohol sensor through the aperture; and

a microporous membrane permeable to ethanol vapor and substantially impermeable to water.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the alcohol sensor comprises:

a fuel cell comprising a sensing electrode and a counter electrode.

3. The system of claim 2, the fuel cell further comprising a reservoir, a first catalytic coating, and a second 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.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fastener coupled to the housing and operable to position the aperture and microporous membrane proximal the skin surface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises a first barrier side coupled to the microporous membrane, wherein the microporous membrane covers the aperture.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fastener coupled to the housing, the fastener configured to fasten the housing to a wearable device, wherein the wearable device retains the aperture proximal the skin surface when fastened to the housing and worn by the user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the wearable device comprises a garment and the fastener comprises a clip.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the wearable device comprises a watch, the watch comprising an encircling member operable to encircle a forearm of the user;

the forearm comprises the skin surface; and

the fastener is configured to retain the housing between the encircling member and the forearm.

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

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electronics subsystem electrically coupled to the alcohol sensor, the electronics subsystem operable to receive signals from the alcohol sensor and power the alcohol sensor.

11. The system of claim 10, 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.

12. The system of claim 11, 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.

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

an analyte sensor;

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

an electrical jack electrically coupled to the analyte sensor, the electrical jack operable to receive an electrical power input;

a fastener configured to position the second membrane side and the electrical jack proximal the skin surface;

a housing defining a volume between the analyte sensor and the first membrane side, wherein the volume is fluidly isolated from the second membrane side; and

a gasket opposing the volume across the microporous membrane, wherein the fastener is further configured to retain the gasket against the skin surface.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the analyte sensor comprises a fuel cell.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the fastener comprises a strap operable to encircle a forearm of the user.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising an electronics subsystem electrically coupled to the electrical jack and the analyte sensor, wherein the electronics subsystem comprises a processor operable to:

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

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

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the analyte sensor comprises an ethanol sensor.