Sensor and analyzer for determining physiological limitations

• US 7,878,055 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2006
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alfiero Balzano
• Original Assignee: Alfiero Balzano
• Inventors: Balzano, Alfiero
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Loan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganesan; Sundhara M
• Application Number:
  US11/438,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20060282018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1, 482/8, 482/9, 482/900, 482/902, 600/587, 600/595, 602/16, 738/654, 731/72, 340/573.1, 340/573.7
• US Class Current: 73/172
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0627 when used improperly, e.g. by giving a warning
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/62 posture

Abstract

A sensing and analyzing device for determining when physical limits of a patient have been exceeded by the patient during exercise is provided. The device may comprise a sensing unit, analyzing unit and a warning unit. The sensing unit may be attached to critical locations on a body of the patient. The sensing unit may be operative to sense pressure. The analyzing unit may be attached to a convenient location on the patient'"'"'s body. The analyzing unit may be operative to receive pressure data from the sensing unit to determine whether the patient has exceeded the physical limits of the patient. The warning unit may communicate with the analyzing unit and be activated by the analyzing unit when the physical limit of the patient has been exceeded for notifying the patient when the patient'"'"'s physical limits have been exceeded.

Claims

1. A sensing and analyzing device for determining when a patient has exceeded a range of motion during exercise, the device comprising:

a. a sensing unit including a base pad having a plurality of first flex cables extending therefrom, and a plurality of spaced pressure pads connectable to the bottom of a patient'"'"'s foot, each pressure pad being engaged to a respective first flex cable and configured to separately sense pressure applied by the patient proximate each pressure pad, the plurality of spaced pressure pads configured to each generate a responsive electrical pressure signal, the pressure signals being collectively representative of the a relative distribution of pressure on a patient'"'"'s foot;

b. an analyzing unit attachable to a convenient location on the patient'"'"'s body, the analyzing unit includes adjustable threshold logic operative to receive the pressure signals from the sensing unit to determine whether the relative distribution of pressure on a patient'"'"'s foot relates to a physiological orientation that exceeds the range of motion; and

c. a warning unit being communicable with the analyzing unit and being activatable by the analyzing unit when the range of motion has been exceeded for notifying the patient when the range of motion has been exceeded.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of pressure pads have a domed configuration which applies pressure to a conductor in the respective first flex cable when a force is applied to the pressure pads to change a resistance of the conductor.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising a second flex cable for providing a communication pathway between the sensing unit and the analyzing unit to transfer data from the sensing unit to the analyzing unit.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the second flex cable comprises:

a. an upper portion communicable with the analyzing unit;

b. a lower portion communicable with the sensing unit and the upper portion; and

c. connector attached to the upper portion and the lower portion for detachably connecting the upper portion to the lower portion.

5. The device of claim 4 further comprising a remote device connectable to the connectors of the upper portion for downloading data stored in a memory of the analyzing unit.

6. The device of claim 3 wherein the second flex cable is conformable to the leg of a user.

7. The device of claim 3 wherein the second flex cable lower portion and the base pad are formed as an integral flex cable.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a remote device connectable to the analyzing unit for downloading data stored in a memory of the analyzing unit.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the analyzing unit comprises:

i. a memory for storing sensed data received from the sensing unit; and

ii. a clock and a sampler logic network for transferring data from the sensing unit to the memory in a timed sequence.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the warning unit comprises a buzzer, audio alarm, a light, or combinations thereof.

11. The device of claim 1 further comprising a strap connected to the analyzing unit for attaching the analyzing unit to the patient.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensing unit is configured to generate pressure data in response to sensing pressure.

13. The device of claim 12 further comprising a memory unit in electrical communication with the sensing unit for storing the pressure data.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the memory unit is further operative to compare the pressure data with previously stored pressure data.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensing unit measures the weight of the patient.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensing unit measures the angle of the patient'"'"'s stance.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensing unit measures the distribution of the patient'"'"'s weight on the foot of the patient.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein each pressure pad is configured to sense pressure proximate a specific area of the patient'"'"'s foot.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein each pressure pad is configured to sense pressure in different areas of the patient'"'"'s foot.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the different areas of the patient'"'"'s foot includes a heel portion and a portion located immediately behind a plurality of toes, the sensing unit including three pressure pads, two of the three pressure pads configured to sense pressure on the portion immediately behind the toes and one of the three pressure pads configured to sense pressure on the heel portion.

21. The device of claim 1 wherein the analyzing unit is disposable below a user'"'"'s knee adjacent a lower leg of the user.

22. The device of claim 1 wherein a change in relative electrical pressure signals from the pressure pads is representative of a shift in weight on the patient'"'"'s foot.

23. The device of claim 1 wherein a change in relative electrical pressure signals from the pressure pads is representative of a shift in angle of stance of the patient.

24. The device of claim 1 wherein the base pad is configured to extend along the bottom of the patient'"'"'s foot.

25. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensing unit is configured to extend along the bottom of the patient'"'"'s foot.

26. A sensing and analyzing device for determining a physiological condition of a patient, the device comprising:

a sensing unit including a base pad having a plurality of first flex cables extending therefrom, and a plurality of pressure pads attachable to spaced locations on the bottom of the patient'"'"'s foot, each pressure pad being engaged to a respective first flex cable and operative to separately generate a responsive electrical output in response to pressure applied by the patient while standing or walking; and

an analyzing unit in communication with the sensing unit, the analyzing unit being operative to receive electrical outputs generated by the plurality of pressure pads and to derive a relative distribution of pressure on the patient'"'"'s foot;

the analyzing unit including adjustable threshold logic for determining whether a physiological limit has been exceeded.

27. The device of claim 26 wherein the relative distribution of pressure on the patient'"'"'s foot is derived from analysis of relative pressure applied to the pressure pads.

28. The device of claim 26 wherein the relative distribution of pressure on the patient'"'"'s foot includes angle of stance information.

29. The device of claim 26 wherein the relative distribution of pressure on the patient'"'"'s foot includes information concerning a shift in the patient'"'"'s angle of stance.

30. The device of claim 26 wherein the relative distribution of pressure on the patient'"'"'s foot includes patient range of motion information.

31. The device of claim 26 further including a warning unit in electrical communication with the analyzing unit and activatable by the analyzing unit in response to pressure pads outputs indicating that the patient has exceeded a predetermined physical limit.

32. The device of claim 26 further comprising a second flex cable for providing a communication pathway between the sensing unit and the analyzing unit to transfer data from the sensing unit to the analyzing unit.

33. The device of claim 32 wherein the second flex cable comprises:

an upper portion communicable with the analyzing unit;

a lower portion communicable with the sensing unit and the upper portion; and

connector attached to the upper portion and the lower portion for detachably connecting the upper portion to the lower portion.

34. The device of claim 32 wherein the second flex cable is conformable to the leg of a user.

35. The device of claim 26 wherein the analyzer unit samples pressure pad outputs in accordance with a preset timing schedule.

36. The device of claim 26 wherein the physiological information is derived from a comparison of pressure pad outputs to stored information representative of patient physical limits.

37. The device of claim 26 wherein the analyzer is adapted to be worn by the patient.

38. The device of claim 26 wherein the analyzer is located remote from the patient.

39. The device of claim 26 wherein each pressure pad is configured to sense pressure proximate a specific area of the patient'"'"'s foot.

40. The device of claim 39 wherein each pressure pad is configured to sense pressure in a different area of the patient'"'"'s foot.

41. The device of claim 40 wherein two of the pressure pads are configured to sense pressure on the portion immediately behind the patient'"'"'s toes and one of the pressure pads is configured to sense pressure on the patient'"'"'s heel portion.

42. The device of claim 26 wherein the analyzing unit is disposable below a user'"'"'s knee adjacent a lower leg of the user.

43. A sensing and analyzing device for determining a shift in an angle of stance of a patient, the device comprising:

a sensing unit including a base pad having a plurality of first flex cables extending therefrom, and a plurality of pressure pads attachable to spaced locations on the bottom of the patient'"'"'s foot, each pressure pad being engaged to a respective first flex cable and operative to separately generate a responsive electrical output in response to pressure applied by the patient while standing or walking; and

an analyzing unit in communication with the sensing unit, the analyzing unit being operative to receive electrical outputs generated by the plurality of pressure pads and to derive a relative distribution of pressure on the patient'"'"'s foot;

the analyzing unit including adjustable threshold logic for determining whether a maximum shift in the patient'"'"'s angle of stance has been exceeded.

44. The device of claim 43 wherein the relative distribution of pressure on the patient'"'"'s foot is derived from analysis of relative pressure applied to the pressure pads.

45. The device of claim 43 wherein the relative distribution of pressure on the patient'"'"'s foot includes information concerning a shift in the patient'"'"'s angle of stance.

46. The device of claim 43 wherein the relative distribution of pressure on the patient'"'"'s foot includes patient range of motion information.

47. The device of claim 43 further including a warning unit in electrical communication with the analyzing unit and activatable by the analyzing unit in response to pressure pads outputs indicating that the patient has exceeded a physical limit.

48. The device of claim 43 further comprising a second flex cable for providing a communication pathway between the sensing unit and the analyzing unit to transfer data from the sensing unit to the analyzing unit.

49. The device of claim 48 wherein the second flex cable comprises:

an upper portion communicable with the analyzing unit;

a lower portion communicable with the sensing unit and the upper portion; and

connector attached to the upper portion and the lower portion for detachably connecting the upper portion to the lower portion.

50. The device of claim 43 wherein the analyzer unit samples pressure pad outputs in accordance with a preset timing schedule.

51. The device of claim 43 wherein the physiological information is derived from a comparison of pressure pad outputs to stored information representative of patient physical limits.

52. The device of claim 43 wherein the analyzer is adapted to be worn by the patient.

53. The device of claim 43 wherein the analyzer is located remote from the patient.

54. The device of claim 43 wherein each pressure pad is configured to sense pressure proximate a specific area of the patient'"'"'s foot.

55. The device of claim 54 wherein each pressure pad is configured to sense pressure in different areas of the patient'"'"'s foot.

56. The device of claim 55 wherein two of the pressure pads are configured to sense pressure on the portion immediately behind the patient'"'"'s toes and one of the-pressure pads is configured to sense pressure on the patient'"'"'s heel portion.

57. The device of claim 43 wherein a change in relative electrical pressure signals from the pressure pads is representative of a shift in weight on the patient'"'"'s foot.