Multi modal method and system for transmitting information about a subject

• US 9,826,903 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Adidas AG
• Inventors: Derchak, P. Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Wendell, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US14/633,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20150164322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• 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 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• 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 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4875 Hydration status, fluid retention of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 : Vests
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7465 : Arrangements for interactive communication between patient and care services, e.g. by using a telephone network telemetry of measured physiological signal A61B5/0002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 : Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 : Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

The present invention is directed to multimodal communications means for transmitting signals representing physiological, performance, and contextual information associated with a subject. In an exemplary embodiment, the multimodal communications means includes multiple radio subsystems (or modes) that enable connection to an external monitoring device to be acquired in a wide range of settings where a single radio mode would be ineffective. Additionally, combining the multimodal communications means of the invention with real-time data-processing allows the communications functionality to be engaged only when data determined to be relevant to the user is identified.

Claims

1. A fitness monitoring system for monitoring physiological parameters of a subject engaged in a physical activity, comprising:

a monitoring garment adapted to cover at least a portion of a subject'"'"'s torso;

a sensor subsystem incorporated into the garment comprising a first sensor and a second sensor, wherein the first and second sensors are configured to be proximate to the subject'"'"'s chest region when the garment is worn by the subject and are configured to be responsive to changes in distance between the first and second sensors, and wherein the sensor subsystem is configured to generate and transmit a first signal based on a change in the distance between the first and second sensors and a second signal that represents a physiological parameter of the subject,

wherein the first sensor comprises a first magnetometer, and the second sensor comprises a second magnetometer; and

a data transmission subsystem configured to transmit the first and second signals to a data monitoring subsystem,

wherein the data transmission subsystem has a first transmission mode and a second transmission mode for transmitting the first signal.

2. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a third magnetometer and a fourth magnetometer.

3. The fitness monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the third magnetometer is not horizontally aligned with the first magnetometer, and the fourth magnetometer is not horizontally aligned with the second magnetometer.

4. The fitness monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the third magnetometer is horizontally aligned with the first magnetometer and the fourth magnetometer is horizontally aligned with the second magnetometer.

5. The fitness monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the third magnetometer is located proximate to a base of a sternum of the subject, and the fourth magnetometer is horizontally aligned with the third magnetometer, but on a back of the subject.

6. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the first magnetometer is located proximate to an umbilicus of the subject, and the second magnetometer is horizontally aligned with the first magnetometer, but on a back of the subject.

7. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a third magnetometer.

8. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring garment comprises one of a shirt, a vest, and an accessory.

9. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring garment further comprises an additional sensor that comprises one of an optical encoder, laser interferometry, accelerometer, gyroscope, and satellite positioning system.

10. The fitness monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the additional sensor is configured to produce a signal that represents an emotional parameter.

11. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring garment further comprises a physiological sensor that comprises one of an EEG electrode, an ECG electrode, an EMG electrode, a SpO2 level sensor, a pulse sensor, and a temperature sensor.

12. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the physiological parameter of the subject comprises one of heart rate, respiration rate, blood oxygen level, blood flow, hydration status, calories burned, muscle fatigue, and body temperature.

13. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring garment further comprises a multi-function inertial sensor.

14. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring garment further comprises an audio sensor and a speaker.

15. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the first and second sensors are one of a Hall Effect sensor and an electronic compass sensor.

16. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the data transmission subsystem is further configured to transmit the first signal to a first device and the second signal to a second device.

17. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the data transmission subsystem is configured to transmit one of the first signal and second signal in response to a condition of the other of the first and second signal.

18. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the data transmission subsystem is preprogrammed to transmit the second signal when the second signal is determined to be relevant to the subject.

19. A method for transmitting information about a subject engaged in a physical activity, the method comprising:

generating a first signal with a sensor subsystem that is representative of a change in distance between a first sensor and a second sensor, wherein the first sensor is a magnetometer, the second sensor is a magnetometer, the sensor subsystem is incorporated into a monitoring garment adapted to cover a portion of the subject'"'"'s torso, and the first and second sensors are configured to be proximate to the subject'"'"'s chest region when the garment is worn by the subject;

generating a second signal with the sensor subsystem that represents a physiological parameter of the subject; and

transmitting the first and second signals with a data transmission subsystem, wherein the data transmission subsystem has a first transmission mode and a second transmission mode for transmitting the first signal.

20. A fitness monitoring subsystem for monitoring physiological parameters of a subject engaged in a physical activity, comprising:

a monitoring garment adapted to cover a portion of the subject'"'"'s torso;

a sensor subsystem incorporated into the garment comprising a first sensor and a second sensor, wherein the first sensor comprises a first magnetometer, the second sensor comprises a second magnetometer, the first and second sensors are configured to be proximate to the subject'"'"'s chest region when the garment is worn by the subject, and the first and second sensors are configured to be responsive to changes in the distance between the first and second sensors,

wherein the sensor subsystem is configured to generate and transmit a first signal based on a change in the distance between the first and second sensors and, a second signal that represents a physiological parameter of the subject, and

wherein the sensor subsystem is configured to generate and transmit a third signal that represents an anatomical parameter and a fourth signal that represents an emotional parameter; and

a data transmission subsystem configured to transmit the first, second, third, and fourth signals to a data monitoring subsystem,

wherein the data transmission subsystem has a first transmission mode and a second transmission mode for transmitting the first signal, and

wherein the data monitoring subsystem comprises a local data unit carried by the monitoring garment and the local data unit is adapted to receive, process, and store the first, second, third, and fourth signals.