Multi-sensor system and method to deter obsessive compulsive behavior

• US 10,482,785 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2018
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shave Away Europe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Shave Away Europe, Inc.
• Inventors: Buser, John, Park, Randall Ewen
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US16/148,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20190043384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 3406861, 34053915, 3405731, 34053911, 34053912
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0257 Proximity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/08 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26

Abstract

A Multi-sensor System and Method to Deter Obsessive Compulsive Behavior by generating alerts when a user'"'"'s hands are held close to their head or face. The system includes a sensor and a triggering device that are both worn by the user. The sensor can be configured to detect when the triggering device closes to within some threshold distance. The system includes at least two magnet-sensing sensors, and is capable of being calibrated in order to eliminate interference due to the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field. The sensor and triggering device may be contained within common personal items, such as jewelry—including rings, bracelets, hair clips, necklaces and the like. The system and method can generate audible and/or visual alerts whenever one or more triggering devices passes closer to the sensor than the threshold distance. Alerts are in a variety of tones, including simulated cellular telephone ring tones. Data for alert events is downloadable from the sensor device for later review.

Claims

1. A proximity alert system to be worn by a user, the system comprising:

at least two sensor subsystems worn on a first portion of the user'"'"'s body in relative spaced relation each said sensor subsystem comprising a magnetic field detector, said sensor subsystems further comprising a calibration subsystem configured to calibrate the sensitivity of said sensor subsystems to responsively eliminate the affect of earth'"'"'s magnetic field on said at least two sensor subsystems by comparing the magnetic field detected by one said sensor subsystem to the magnetic field detected by another said sensor subsystem;

at least one trigger subsystem worn on a second portion of the user'"'"'s body, said trigger subsystem including a magnetic field detectable by said sensor subsystems; and

wherein each said sensor subsystem provides an alert perceptible to the human senses when one said trigger subsystem is placed within a threshold distance from one said sensor subsystem.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each said sensor subsystem further comprises a substrate to which a sensor system is attached, wherein said sensor is configured to detect when the distance to any said trigger subsystem is less than or equal to said threshold distance from said sensor system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said sensor subsystem further comprises a control system and an output system associated with said substrate, and wherein said control system communicates with said sensor system and said output system to responsively generate output perceptible to the human senses when one said trigger subsystem is less than or equal to said threshold distance from said sensor subsystem.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein one said sensor subsystem comprises a band configured to be wrapped around the user'"'"'s head.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein one said trigger subsystem comprises a ring configured to be worn on the user'"'"'s finger.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein one said sensor subsystem comprises a necklace configured to be worn around the user'"'"'s neck.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein one said trigger subsystem comprises a bracelet configured to be worn around the user'"'"'s wrist.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein one said sensor subsystem comprises a bracelet configured to be worn around the user'"'"'s wrist, and one said trigger subsystem comprises a necklace configured to be worn around the user'"'"'s neck.

9. A method for providing an alert responsive to the relative proximity between one or more of a user'"'"'s appendages, the method comprising the steps of:

attaching at least one sensor subsystem to a user'"'"'s first appendage, each said sensor subsystem comprising at least two sensors in relative spaced relation;

moving said first appendage in a pre-determined calibration motion pattern;

adjusting the sensitivity of said sensor subsystems responsive to said moving step, such that the sensor subsystems negate the affect of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field on said sensor subsystems;

attaching at least one trigger subsystem to a second appendage of the user;

monitoring the proximity of all said trigger subsystems to all said sensor subsystems; and

emitting an alert perceptible to the human senses when the distance between any said trigger subsystem is closer to any said sensor than a preset threshold distance.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each said sensor of said sensor subsystem attaching step comprises a substrate to which a sensor system is attached, wherein said sensor is configured to detect when the distance to any said trigger subsystem is less than or equal to said threshold distance from said sensor system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each said sensor subsystem of said sensor subsystem attaching step further comprises a control system and an output system associated with said substrate, and wherein said control system communicates with said sensors and said output system to responsively generate output perceptible to the human senses when one said trigger subsystem is less than or equal to said threshold distance from said sensor subsystem.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each said sensor subsystem of said sensor subsystem attaching step comprises a band configured to be wrapped around the user'"'"'s head.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each said trigger subsystem of said trigger subsystem attaching step comprises a ring configured to be worn on the user'"'"'s finger.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein each said sensor subsystem of said sensor subsystem attaching step comprises a necklace configured to be worn around the user'"'"'s neck.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each said trigger subsystem of said trigger subsystem attaching step comprises a bracelet configured to be worn around the user'"'"'s wrist.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein each said sensor subsystem of said sensor subsystem attaching step comprises a bracelet configured to be worn around the user'"'"'s wrist, and one said trigger subsystem of said trigger subsystem attaching step comprises a necklace configured to be worn around the user'"'"'s neck.

17. A wearable proximity alert system, comprising:

at least one magnet subsystem configured to be worn by a user on a first portion of the user'"'"'s body; and

at least one sensor subsystem configured to be worn by the user on a second portion of said user'"'"'s body, with each said sensor subsystem in spaced relation to other said sensor subsystems worn by the user, each said sensor subsystem comprising;

at least two sensor systems in relative spaced relation for detecting when one said magnet subsystem is less than a threshold distance from said sensor system;

a calibration system for comparing the magnetic field detected by one said sensor system and the magnetic field detected by the other said sensor system; and

an output system for generating an alert perceptible to the human senses when one said sensor system detects a magnetic field that is stronger than a threshold strength and also stronger than a magnetic field detected by another said sensor system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said sensor subsystem comprises:

a headband configured to attach around the user'"'"'s head; and

said sensor system comprises a pair of sensor elements attached to said headband, wherein each said sensor element detects when any of said magnet subsystems are less than or equal to the threshold distance from said sensor element, such that the magnetic field detected by one said sensor element is above a threshold strength.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said sensor subsystem further comprises a control system, said control system providing the user with the ability to adjust said threshold distance and said threshold magnetic field strength.