Wearable apparatus for measuring heart-related parameters and deriving human status parameters from sensed physiological and contextual parameters

• US 8,369,936 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: JB IP Acquisitions LLC
• Original Assignee: BodyMedia Incorporated (AliphCom Corp.)
• Inventors: Farringdon, Jonathan, Stivoric, John M., Teller, Eric, Andre, David, Boehmke, Scott, Gasbarro, James, Kovacs, Gregory, Pelletier, Raymond, Kasabach, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Natasha
• Application Number:
  US12/840,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20100286532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 600/508, 600/509, 600/513, 600/519
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02125 of pulse wave propagation time
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• 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 5/30 Input circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/721 using a separate sensor to detect motion or using motion information derived from signals other than the physiological signal to be measured
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7267 involving training the classification device

Abstract

A monitor device and associated methodology are disclosed which provide a self contained, relatively small and continuously wearable package for the monitoring of heart related parameters, including ECG. The detection of heart related parameters is predicated on the location of inequipotential signals located within regions of the human body conventionally defined as equivalent for the purpose of detection of heart related electrical activity, such as on single limbs. Amplification, filtering and processing methods and apparatus are described in conjunction with analytical tools for beat detection and display.

Claims

1. An apparatus to determine physiological status of an individual, comprising:

a. a wearable sensor device adapted to be worn in an equivalence region of said individual'"'"'s body;

b. at least two electrodes attached to said wearable sensor device, said electrodes adapted to be mounted within said equivalence region and to detect a heart-related signal; and

c. a processor in electronic communication with said at least two electrodes and programmed to determine a heart-related status parameter from said heart-related signal, and to determine said individual'"'"'s physiological status based on said heart-related signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor mounted to said wearable sensor device, said at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a heat flux sensor, a galvanic skin response sensor, a skin temperature sensor, and an accelerometer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said processor is further programmed to determine said individual'"'"'s physiological status from data detected by said at least one sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said individual'"'"'s physiological status is at least one of fatigue, heat distress, dehydration, shock, and peripheral vascular shutdown.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said individual'"'"'s physiological status is at least one of fatigue, heat distress, dehydration, hypothermia, and peripheral vascular shutdown.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device is adapted to be in electronic communication with separate wearable sensor devices.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said processor is further programmed to determine said device'"'"'s distance from at least one of said separate wearable sensor devices.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said devices communicates said physiological status to at least one of said separate wearable device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wearable sensor device is adapted to be worn on a left upper arm of said individual.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said processor is further programmed to determine said individual'"'"'s contextual status from data detected by said at least one sensor.