Wearable system and method for monitoring intoxication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10631767-B2
Application number	US-201816218357-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2018
Priority date	Jan 31, 2013
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A system for transdermal alcohol sensing to be worn near a skin surface of a user, including: an alcohol sensor; a microporous membrane; a housing coupled to the alcohol sensor and the membrane, defining a volume between the alcohol sensor and a first membrane side, and fluidly isolating the volume from a second membrane side opposing the first membrane side; an electronics subsystem electrically coupled to the alcohol sensor, operable to power and receive signals from the alcohol sensor; and a fastener operable to position the second membrane side proximal the skin surface.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for transdermal alcohol sensing, the system comprising:
an alcohol sensing device configured to be worn by a user and interface with an alcohol sensor, the alcohol sensing device comprising:
a housing coupled to the alcohol sensor;
a power source coupled to the housing and electrically coupled to the alcohol sensor by way of the housing; and
a fastener coupled to the housing and operable to position the alcohol sensor proximal to a skin surface of the user;

a processing system communicatively coupled to the alcohol sensing device, wherein the processing system is operable to receive a time series of signals from the alcohol sensor and continuously determine a time series of blood alcohol content (BAC) metrics based on the time series of signals; and
an electronic display coupled to the processing system, wherein the processing system is operable to control the electronic display based on the time series of BAC metrics, and wherein the electronic display displays an estimated time point at which the user will reach a state of sobriety, wherein the estimated time point is determined at the processing system based on the time series of BAC metrics.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol sensing device further comprises an electronics subsystem mounted to the housing, wherein the electronics subsystem is configured to receive the time series of signals from the alcohol sensor and transmit the time series of signals to the processing system.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processing system further comprises an application configured to execute on a mobile device, the mobile device comprising the electronic display and separate from the alcohol sensing device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic display further displays a predicted temporal profile of the BAC metric for the user over time.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing system comprises a first processing subsystem located at the alcohol sensing device and a second processing subsystem remotely located from the alcohol sensing device, wherein the system further comprises a data link between the first and second processing subsystems, wherein in the event that the BAC metric exceeds a predetermined threshold, the second processing subsystem transmits a notification to the first processing subsystem via the data link.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the housing further comprises an indicator element, wherein the notification triggers the indicator element to transition from an “off” to an “on” state.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the indicator element comprises a vibration motor.

8. A system for transdermal alcohol sensing, the system comprising:
an alcohol sensor;
a housing coupled to the alcohol sensor;
a processing system operable to receive signals from the alcohol sensor, wherein a first processing subsystem of the processing system is coupled to an electronic display, wherein the first processing subsystem is operable to determine a value of a blood alcohol content (BAC) metric based on the signals, and wherein the electronic display comprises an estimated time point at which the user will reach a state of sobriety based on the value of the BAC metric;
a light emitter connected to the housing, wherein the processing system is operable to control an operation mode of the light emitter;
a vibration motor connected to the housing, wherein the processing system is operable to control an operation mode of the vibration motor; and
a fastener coupled to the housing and operable to position the alcohol sensor proximal to a skin surface of the user.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first processing subsystem is further operable to control the electronic display based on the value of the BAC metric.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first processing subsystem is located remotely from the housing.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the electronic display further comprises a predicted temporal profile of the BAC metric for the user over time.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processing system further comprises a second processing subsystem, separate from the first processing subsystem, the second processing subsystem mounted to the housing, wherein the second processing subsystem is configured to receive a notification from the first processing subsystem, the notification comprising a determination from the first processing subsystem that the BAC metric has exceeded a predetermined threshold, wherein the second processing subsystem is configured to trigger a transition in operation mode of at least one of the light emitter and vibration motor in response to notification receipt.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the transition in operation mode comprises a transition from an “off” state to an “on” state of the vibration motor.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the fastener comprises a flexible polymer, the flexible polymer operable to retain the alcohol sensor against the skin surface of the user.

15. The system of claim 8 , wherein the alcohol sensor comprises a microporous membrane permeable to ethanol vapor and substantially impermeable to water.

16. The system of claim 8 , further comprising an electrical jack electrically coupled to the alcohol sensor, the electrical jack operable to receive an electrical power input.

17. The system of claim 8 , wherein the alcohol sensor comprises a fuel cell.

18. A system for transdermal alcohol sensing, the system comprising:
an alcohol sensor;
a housing coupled to the alcohol sensor;
a processing system operable to receive signals from the alcohol sensor, wherein a first processing subsystem of the processing system is coupled to an electronic display and located remotely from the housing, wherein the first processing subsystem is operable to:
determine a value of a blood alcohol content (BAC) metric based on the signals; and
control the electronic display based on the value of the BAC metric;

a light emitter connected to the housing, wherein the processing system is operable to control an operation mode of the light emitter;
a vibration motor connected to the housing, wherein the processing system is operable to control an operation mode of the vibration motor; and
a fastener coupled to the housing and operable to position the alcohol sensor proximal to a skin surface of the user.

Assignees

• Khn Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Nothacker Keith Harry
• Tammen Will
• Aziz Imraan

Classifications

• G16H50/30

  for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment · CPC title

• A61B5/7282

  Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition (cough events A61B5/0823; seizures A61B5/4094; sleep apnoea A61B5/4818) · CPC title

• A61B5/082

  Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath (A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B5/4845

  Toxicology, e.g. by detection of alcohol, drug or toxic products (A61B5/4848 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N33/4972

  Determining alcohol content (for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06) · CPC title