System and method for evaluating and providing treatment to sports participants

• US 20060189852A1
• Filed: 01/09/2006
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Riddell Incorporated (BRG Sports, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Riddell Incorporated (BRG Sports, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bertoni, David W., Ide, Thad M., Chu, Jeffrey J., Greenwald, Richard M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,548,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4076 Diagnosing or monitoring particular conditions of the nervous system A61B5/4821, A61B5/4824 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• 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: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• 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: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for monitoring a physiological parameter of players engaged in a sports activity. The invention further relates to a method for evaluating and treating players when the parameter exceeds a predetermined level. The system measures, calculates and records the parameter and then alerts trained personnel to apply the method to evaluate and treat players. When the system is configured for use with football, hockey or lacrosse, the system generally includes reporting units, a sideline controller, a database, and a signaling device, such as a wireless personal digital assistant. The physiological parameter data measured and collected by the reporting units are processed by the sideline controller for meaningful analysis or use. When the physiological parameter(s) exceeds a predetermined threshold level the sideline controller generates an alert that is received by the signaling device, which is typically worn by sideline personnel, such as coaching staff or trainers. After an alert occurs, the method for evaluating and treating a player is initiated. The signaling device includes software that prompts the sideline personnel to perform the method through a series of interactive steps and tests. The signaling device prompts the personnel to conduct the appropriate sideline examination, records the responses, compares the results to established baselines and prompts further testing, a return to play decision, or a no-play decision.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating and treating a person based upon monitoring of a physiological parameters of the person, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a system having a plurality of reporting units, each reporting unit including a sensor, the system further having a signaling device;

monitoring the physiological parameter of the person with the sensor;

calculating a parameter result and comparing said result to a predetermined threshold;

sending an alert to the signaling device when the parameter result exceeds the threshold;

providing an evaluation protocol on the signaling device; and

,

evaluating said person according to the evaluation protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a treatment protocol on the signaling device for said person based upon the results of the evaluation protocol.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of treating said person according to said treatment protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of calculating the parameter result occurs in the reporting units.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the system further includes a controller unit that receives data regarding the physiological parameter from the reporting units and then calculates the parameter result.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the reporting units have a transmitter and the controller has a receiver for wireless transmission of physiological parameter data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing an evaluation protocol utilizes an interactive software program on the signaling device that prompts a user to perform certain tests and records the test results.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a treatment protocol utilizes an interactive software program on the signaling device that prompts a user to perform certain tasks and records the completion of the tasks.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending an alert to the signaling device occurs by wireless transmission.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the signaling device is one of either a pager and a personal digital assistant.

11. A method for evaluating and treating a sports player, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a system having a plurality of reporting units, each reporting unit having an array of sensors to monitor physiological parameters of the player, the system further having a controller unit and a signaling device;

transmitting data regarding the physiological parameters from the reporting units to the controller unit;

calculating a parameter result with the controller unit and comparing said result to a predetermined threshold;

sending an alert from the controller unit to the signaling device when the parameter result exceeds the threshold;

providing an evaluation protocol on the signaling device relating to the parameter result that exceeds the threshold; and

,

evaluating said player according to the evaluation protocol.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of providing a treatment protocol on the signaling device relating to the parameter result that exceeds the threshold.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of treating said player according to said treatment protocol.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the treatment protocol provides a warning that the player be restricted from further play.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the reporting units wirelessly transmit physiological parameter data to the controller unit.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein a wired connection is used to transmit physiological parameter data from the reporting units to the controller unit.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the physiological parameter monitored by the sensor array is acceleration of the player'"'"'s head.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the physiological parameter monitored by the sensor array is the temperature of the player.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the signaling device is one of either a pager and a personal digital assistant.

20. A portable electronic device for evaluating and treating a player engaged in sporting activity, the portable electronic device comprising:

an evaluation protocol for the evaluation of a physiological parameter of the player, the evaluation protocol having interactive prompts to require a user to input data; and

,

a treatment protocol for the treatment of the player based upon said physiological parameter, the treatment protocol having interactive prompts and being capable of issuing warnings based upon the data inputted by the user.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the device is a personal digital assistant.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the personal digital assistant graphically displays the evaluation protocol.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the personal digital assistant graphically displays the treatment protocol.

24. A system for monitoring physiological parameters of players engaged in a sports activity, the system comprising:

a plurality of reporting units, each reporting unit being associated with an individual player and having at least one sensor that measures a physiological parameter of said player;

a controller that receives said parameter data transmitted from each reporting unit, wherein the controller calculates a parameter result that defines an alert event when said parameter result surpasses a predetermined value; and

,

a signaling device that provides an alert upon the occurrence of an alert event, the signaling device having an interactive evaluation protocol to evaluate the player that experienced the alert event.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the signaling device has an interactive treatment protocol to treat said player.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the signaling device includes a user interface that displays at least one of:

an identification of the player, a time associated with the parameter result, and the location on the player'"'"'s body associated with the parameter result.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the signaling device is one of either a pager and a personal digital assistant.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein each reporting units includes a microprocessor, a telemetry element, and a battery power supply, wherein the telemetry unit transmits parameter data measured by the sensor to the controller.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the physiological parameter measured by the system is the acceleration of a player'"'"'s body part that experiences an impact.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the physiological parameter measured by the system is the player'"'"'s body temperature.