Electronic ankle monitor and corresponding process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12575770-B2
Application number	US-202117389057-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2021
Priority date	Jul 30, 2020
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

An electronic ankle monitor, a process for a control unit of an electronic ankle monitor and a process for detecting alcohol in sweat are provided. The electronic ankle monitor ( 10 ) includes an electrochemical sensor ( 11 ) and an electrically operated heating element ( 12 ) for heating skin ( 20 ) in an area around the electrochemical sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic monitor comprising:
an electrochemical sensor; a humidity sensor; and an electrically operated heating element configured to heat skin of a user in an area around the electrochemical sensor, the electrically operated heating element being in contact with a nonwoven material, the electrically operated heating element comprising an electrically operated heating element surface configured to face in a direction of the skin of the user, wherein at least a portion of the nonwoven material extends along a length of the electrically operated heating element surface, the nonwoven material being configured to be arranged adjacent to the skin of the user, the electrochemical sensor and the humidity sensor being adjacent to the nonwoven material, at least a portion of the electrically operated heating element being configured to be located between the electrochemical sensor and the skin of the user, the electrochemical sensor being located at a spaced location from the electrically operated heating element.

2 . The electronic monitor in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:
a control device, wherein the control device is configured to control the electrically operated heating element based on a humidity value measured by the humidity sensor, the nonwoven material completely surrounding the electrically operated heating element.

3 . The electronic monitor in accordance with claim 2 , further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein the control device is configured to control the electrically operated heating element based on a temperature value measured by the temperature sensor, wherein the portion of the heating element is further configured to be located between the temperature sensor and the skin of the user, the temperature sensor being located at a laterally spaced location from the electrochemical sensor.

4 . The electronic monitor in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor are located on one side of the electrochemical sensor.

5 . The electronic monitor in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the control device is configured to:
determine the humidity value of the humidity sensor of the electronic monitor, wherein the humidity value is based on a humidity of air in an area around the electrochemical sensor of the electronic monitor.

6 . The electronic monitor in accordance with claim 5 , wherein:
the control device is configured to activate the electrically operated heating element if the humidity value indicates the humidity of the air is lower than a threshold value, and the control device is configured to not activate the electrically operated heating element if the humidity value indicates the humidity of the air is higher than the threshold value.

7 . The electronic monitor in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the control device is configured to maintain activation of the electrically operated heating element until an increase can be observed in the humidity of the air in the area around the electrochemical sensor based on the humidity sensor.

8 . The electronic monitor in accordance with claim 5 , further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein:
the control device is configured to determine a temperature value measured by the temperature sensor; the temperature value is based on a temperature in the area around the electrochemical sensor; the temperature sensor is located at a laterally spaced location from the electrochemical sensor and from the humidity sensor; the humidity sensor is located laterally between the electrochemical sensor and the temperature sensor; and the control device is configured to control the electrically operated heating element, furthermore, based on the temperature value.

9 . The electronic monitor in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the portion of the heating element is further configured to be located between the humidity sensor and the skin of the user, the humidity sensor being located at a laterally spaced location from the electrochemical sensor.

10 . The electronic monitor in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the electrically operated heating element comprises a resistance heater, the portion of the nonwoven material being configured to be arranged between the skin of the user and the electrically operated heating element.

11 . The electronic monitor in accordance with claim 1 , wherein:
the electrically operated heating element is surrounded by the nonwoven material; and the nonwoven material is configured to be in contact with the skin of the user.

12 . The electronic monitor in accordance with claim 1 , wherein:
the electrically operated heating element is arranged in a ring shape; the electrochemical sensor is configured to carry out an electrochemical measurement based on sweat which is released within the ring-shaped heating element from the skin.

13 . The electronic monitor in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical sensor is a diffusion sensor.

14 . The electronic monitor in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a control device, wherein the control device is configured to detect a presence of alcohol in sweat by means of the electrochemical sensor when the sweat is released from the skin, the control device being located laterally adjacent to the electrochemical sensor.

15 . The electronic monitor in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the electronic monitor is an electronic monitor for monitoring alcohol abuse by means of the electrochemical sensor.

16 . A process for controlling an electronic monitor, the process comprising:
providing an electronic monitor comprising an electrochemical sensor, an electrically operated heating element configured to heat skin of a user in an area around the electrochemical sensor, and a humidity sensor, the electrically operated heating element being in contact with a nonwoven material, the nonwoven material being configured to be arranged adjacent to the skin of the user, wherein a portion of the nonwoven material is configured to extend between the skin of the user and the electrically operated heating element, at least a portion of the electrically operated heating element being configured to be located between the electrochemical sensor and the skin of the user, the electrochemical sensor being located at a spaced location from the electrically operated heating element, the electrochemical sensor and the humidity sensor being arranged adjacent to the nonwoven material; determining a humidity value measured by the humidity sensor of the electronic monitor, wherein the humidity value is based on a humidity of air in an area around the electrochemical sensor of the electronic monitor; and controlling the electrically operated heating element of the electronic monitor based on the humidity value.

17 . The process in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the electrically operated heating element is activated if the humidity value indicates the humidity of the air is lower than a threshold value, and wherein an activation of the electrically operated heating element is not carried out if the humidity value indicates the humidity of the air that is higher than the threshold value, the electrically operated heating element comprising an electrically operated heating element surface configured to face in a direction of the skin of the user, wherein the portion of the nonwoven material extends along a length of the electrically operated heating element surface.

18 . The process in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the electrically o

Assignees

• Draeger Safety Ag & Co Kgaa

Inventors

• Sick Michael
• Mattern-Frühwald Marie-Isabell

Classifications

• A61B5/4845

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

• A61B2562/029

  Humidity sensors · CPC title

• A61B2562/0271

  Thermal or temperature sensors · CPC title

• A61B5/1477

  non-invasive · CPC title

• A61B5/6829

  Foot or ankle · CPC title