Postural state attitude monitoring, caution, and warning systems and methods

• US 8,436,737 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelhead Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: Steelhead Innovations, LLC
• Inventors: Trout, William G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Littlejohn, Mancil
• Application Number:
  US13/418,570
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573, 340/573.7, 340/686.1, 340/815.4, 340/815.53, 600/595, 600/594, 600/301, 600/300, 702/94, 702/92, 702/141, 702/139
• US Class Current: 340/573.7
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation

Abstract

A postural state attitude monitoring, caution, and warning system includes a multiple axis accelerometer carried by a node for generating output signals that are a function of positional orientation of the node along a path of attitude displacement of the node extending from a reference position of the node to a caution position of the node, and from the caution position of the node to a warning position of the node, and a signal device operatively coupled to the multiple axis accelerometer for issuing a caution signal in response to a caution positional state of the node at the caution position of the node and distally therebeyond to inside of the warning position of the node, and for issuing a warning signal different from the caution signal in response to a warning positional state of the node at the warning position of the node and distally therebeyond.

Claims

1. A postural state attitude monitoring, caution, and warning system, comprising:

a multiple axis accelerometer carried by a node for generating output signals that are a function of positional orientation of the node along an x-direction of attitude displacement of the node and a y-direction of attitude displacement of the node, the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node being perpendicular relative to the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node;

the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node extending from a reference position of the node to an x-caution position of the node and from the x-caution position of the node to an x-warning position of the node;

the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node extending from the reference position of the node to a y-caution position of the node and from the y-caution position of the node to a y-warning position of the node;

a light signal device comprising a reference light, x-lights including an x-caution light and an x-warning light, and y-lights including a y-caution light and a y-warning light;

the reference light, the x-caution light, and the x-warning light aligned along a light signaling x-direction corresponding to the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node, the reference light, the x-caution light, and the x-warning light being aligned along the light signaling x-direction from a proximal location of the x-caution light to a reference position of the reference light, and from the reference position of the reference light to a distal location of the x-warning light;

the reference light, the y-caution light, and the y-warning light aligned along a light signaling y-direction corresponding to the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node, the reference light, the y-caution light, and the y-warning light being aligned along the light signaling y-direction from a proximal location of the y-caution light to the reference position of the reference light, and from the reference position of the reference light to a distal location of the y-warning light;

the light signaling x- and y-directions of the x- and y-lights are perpendicular relative to one another, wherein the x- and y-lights form a cross and intersect at the reference light;

the light signal device operatively coupled to the multiple axis accelerometer for issuing a reference light color by the reference light in response to a reference positional state of the node at the reference position of the node and distally therebeyond to inside of the x-caution position of the node and the y-caution position of the node;

the light signal device operatively coupled to the multiple axis accelerometer for issuing an x-caution light color by the x-caution light of the light signal device in response to an x-caution positional state of the node at the x-caution position of the node and distally therebeyond to inside of the x-warning position of the node, and for issuing an x-warning light color by the x-warning light of the light signal device in response to an x-warning positional state of the node at the x-warning position of the node and distally therebeyond;

the light signal device operatively coupled to the multiple axis accelerometer for issuing a y-caution light color by the y-caution light of the light signal device in response to a y-caution positional state of the node at the y-caution position of the node and distally therebeyond to inside of the y-warning position of the node, and for issuing a y-warning light color by the y-warning light of the light signal device in response to a y-warning positional state of the node at the y-warning position of the node and distally therebeyond;

wherein the reference light defines the reference positional state of the node in relation to the x-caution, x-warning, y-caution, and y-warning positional states of the node defined by the x-caution light and the x-warning light, respectively, along the light-signaling x-direction, and the y-caution light and the y-warning light, respectively, along the light-signaling y-direction;

wherein the reference light color is different from each of the x-caution light color, the x-warning light color, the y-caution light color, and the y-warning light color;

wherein the x-warning light color is different from the x-caution light color; and

wherein the y-warning light color is different from the y-caution light color.

2. The postural state attitude monitoring, caution, and warning system according to claim 1, wherein the reference light color is green.

3. The postural state attitude monitoring, caution, and warning system according to claim 2, wherein the x-caution light color is yellow.

4. The postural state attitude monitoring, caution, and warning system according to claim 3, wherein the x-warning light color is red.

5. The postural state attitude monitoring, caution, and warning system according to claim 4, wherein the y-caution light color is yellow.

6. The postural state attitude monitoring, caution, and warning system according to claim 5, wherein the y-warning light color is red.

7. A postural state attitude monitoring, caution, and warning system, comprising:

a multiple axis accelerometer carried by a node for generating output signals that are a function of positional orientation of the node along an axis of attitude displacement of the node extending from different positions of the node including a reference position of the node to a caution position of the node, and from the caution position of the node to a warning position of the node;

a safe zone orientation of the node being from the reference position of node and distally therebeyond to inside of caution position of the node, a caution zone orientation of the node being from the caution position of the node and distally therebeyond to inside of the warning position of the node, and a warning zone orientation of the node being from the warning position of the node and distally therebeyond;

an aural signal device operatively coupled to the multiple axis accelerometer for issuing a pre-recorded audible verbal caution message in response to the caution zone orientation of the node, and for issuing a pre-recorded audible verbal warning message in response to the warning zone orientation of the node;

the pre-recorded audible verbal caution message communicates the caution zone orientation of the node in the caution zone orientation of the node and corrective action to be taken to move the node from the caution zone orientation of the node to the safe zone orientation of the node;

the pre-recorded audible verbal warning message communicates the warning zone orientation of the node in the warning zone orientation of the node and corrective action to be taken to move the node from the warning zone orientation of the node to the safe zone orientation of the node; and

the pre-recorded audible verbal caution message is different from the pre-recorded audible verbal warning message.

8. A postural state attitude monitoring, caution, and warning system, comprising:

a multiple axis accelerometer carried by a node for generating output signals that are a function of positional orientation of the node along an x-direction of attitude displacement of the node and a y-direction of attitude displacement of the node, the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node being perpendicular relative to the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node;

the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node extends from a reference position of the node to an x-caution position of the node and from the x-caution position of the node to an x-warning position of the node;

the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node extends from the reference position of the node to a y-caution position of the node and from the y-caution position of the node to a y-warning position of the node;

the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node is perpendicular relative to the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node;

a safe zone orientation of the node being from the reference position of node and distally therebeyond to inside of the x-caution position of the node in the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node, and to inside of the y-caution position of the node in the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node;

a caution zone orientation of the node being from the x-caution position of the node and distally therebeyond to inside of the x-warning position of the node in the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node, and from the y-caution position of the node and distally therebeyond to inside of the y-warning position of the node in the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node;

a warning zone orientation of the node being from the x-warning position of the node and distally therebeyond in the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node, and from the y-warning position of the node and distally therebeyond in the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node;

an aural signal device operatively coupled to the multiple axis accelerometer for issuing a pre-recorded audible verbal x-caution message in response to the caution zone orientation of the node in the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node, and for issuing a pre-recorded audible verbal x-warning message in response to the warning zone orientation of the node in the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node;

the aural signal device operatively coupled to the multiple axis accelerometer for issuing a pre-recorded audible verbal y-caution message in response to the caution zone orientation of the node in the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node, and for issuing a pre-recorded audible verbal y-warning message in response to the warning zone orientation of the node in the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node;

the pre-recorded audible verbal x-caution message communicates the caution zone orientation of the node in the caution zone orientation of the node in the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node and corrective action to be taken to move the node from the caution zone orientation of the node in the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node to the safe zone orientation of the node;

the pre-recorded audible verbal x-warning message communicates the warning zone orientation of the node in the warning zone orientation of the node in the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node and corrective action to be taken to move the node from the warning zone orientation of the node in the x-direction of attitude displacement of the node to the safe zone orientation of the node;

the pre-recorded audible verbal y-caution message communicates the caution zone orientation of the node in the caution zone orientation of the node in the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node and corrective action to be taken to move the node from the caution zone orientation of the node in the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node to the safe zone orientation of the node;

the pre-recorded audible verbal y-warning message communicates the warning zone orientation of the node in the warning zone orientation of the node in the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node and corrective action to be taken to move the node from the warning zone orientation of the node in the y-direction of attitude displacement of the node to the safe zone orientation of the node; and

the pre-recorded audible verbal x-caution, x-warning, y-caution, and y-warning messages are different from one another.