Physiological monitoring garment

• US 20100041974A1
• Filed: 06/12/2009
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brian Farrell, Jeremy Bowman, Joseph Ting
• Original Assignee: Brian Farrell, Jeremy Bowman, Joseph Ting
• Inventors: Bowman, Jeremy, Farrell, Brian, Ting, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US12/456,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20100041974A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/388
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1281 with incorporated means for medical monitoring
• 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 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• 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 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/296 for electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A physiological monitoring garment includes a fabric portion. At least one elongate stretchable textile data/power bus is disposed the fabric portion. The elongate stretchable textile data/power bus includes a plurality of integral conductors, woven, knitted, or braided along the length thereof. One or more sensors are connected to the elongate stretchable textile data/power bus.

Claims

1. A physiological monitoring garment comprising:

a fabric portion;

at least one elongate stretchable textile data/power bus disposed on the fabric portion, the elongate stretchable textile data/power bus including a plurality of integral conductors, woven, knitted, or braided along the length thereof; and

one or more sensors connected to the elongate stretchable textile data/power bus.

2. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 1 in which at least one of said plurality of integral conductors extends externally from said textile/data power bus for connecting said one or more sensors thereto.

3. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 1 in which the fabric portion is an elastic fabric portion.

4. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 1 in which the plurality of conductors are woven, knitted, or braided in a strain relief pattern.

5. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 4 in which the plurality of conductors include conductors for data transfer, conductors for power transfer, and conductors structured and arranged to form an electric shield for reducing noise.

6. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 4 in which a coating of conductive material is disposed on the elongate stretchable textile data/power bus to form an electrical shield for reducing noise.

7. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 4 in which said strain relief pattern is out of the plane of said stretchable data/power bus.

8. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 4 in which said strain relief pattern is in the plane of said stretchable data/power bus.

9. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 1 in which connectors connect the one or more sensors to the elongate stretchable textile data/power bus.

10. The physiological monitoring device of claim 9 in which the connectors are insulation displacement connectors.

11. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 1 in which a sensor includes a respiration monitoring device.

12. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 11 in which said respiration monitoring device includes:

at least a first elongate stretchable textile member,

at least first and second conductive components associated with said textile member, and

threads of said textile member providing dielectric separation between the at least first and second conductive components so that the expansion and contraction of the textile member results in a change in the spacing between the first and second conductive components for measuring change in capacitance.

13. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 12 in which the first conductive component includes woven, knitted, or braided conductive threads integral with said first textile member.

14. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 13 in which there are a plurality of elongate stretchable textile members adjacent each other and each includes integral woven, knitted, or braided conductive threads.

15. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 12 in which said respiration monitoring device is disposed in or on said garment proximate said data/power bus.

16. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 1 in which a said sensor includes:

a flexible circuit board configured as an electrode,

a conductive portion on one surface of said flexible circuit board, and

a dielectric material on said conductive portion.

17. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 16 in which an opposing surface of said flexible circuit board includes signal conditioning circuitry.

18. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 16 in which said flexible circuit board is connected to a second flexible circuit board including signal conditioning circuitry.

19. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 17 further including conductive traces interconnecting said conductive portion with said signal conditioning circuitry.

20. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 16 in which said conductive portion is a conductive foil laminated on said flexible circuit board.

21. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 16 in which said conductive portion is conductive material sputtered or plated on said flexible circuit board.

22. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 16 in which said dielectric material is material sputtered, laminated, evaporated, or spun onto said conductive portion.

23. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 16 in which the sensor further includes an insulating edge for preventing short circuits.

24. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 16 in which the flexible circuit board is configured to include at least two electrodes.

25. The physiological monitoring garment of claim 24 in which the two electrodes each include signal conditioning circuitry.

26. A physiological monitoring garment comprising:

a first fabric portion;

a second fabric portion;

an elongate stretchable textile data/power bus between the first fabric portion and the second fabric portion, the elongate stretchable textile data/power bus including a plurality of integral conductors, woven, knitted, or braided along the length thereof; and

one or more sensors connected to the elongate stretchable textile data/power bus.

27. A physiological monitoring device comprising:

an elongate stretchable textile data/power bus including a plurality of integral conductors, woven, knitted, or braided along the length thereof; and

one or more sensors connected to the elongate stretchable textile data/power bus.

28. A sensor for an individual comprising:

a circuit board configured as a bioelectrode,

a conductive portion on one surface of said circuit board, and

a dielectric material on said conductive portion electrically isolating said bioelectrode from the individual.

29. The sensor of claim 28 in which an opposing surface of said circuit board includes signal conditioning circuitry.

30. The sensor of claim 28 in which said circuit board is connected to a second circuit board including signal conditioning circuitry.

31. The sensor of claim 29 further including conductive traces interconnecting said conductive portion with said signal conditioning circuitry.

32. The sensor of claim 28 in which said conductive portion is a conductive foil laminated on said circuit board.

33. The sensor of claim 28 in which said conductive portion is conductive material sputtered or plated on said circuit board.

34. The sensor of claim 28 in which said dielectric material is material sputtered, laminated, evaporated, or spun onto said conductive portion.

35. The sensor of claim 28 in which the circuit board is flexible.

36. The sensor of claim 28 in which the circuit board is rigid.

37. The sensor of claim 28 in which said sensor monitors biopotentials.

38. The sensor of claim 37 in which the biopotentials monitored by said sensor include at least one of ECG, EMG, EEG and EOG.

39. A sensor comprising:

a circuit board configured as a bioelectrode, a conductive portion on one surface of said circuit board, and a dielectric material on said conductive portion whereby said sensor is an electrostatic sensor.