System for monitoring incontinence

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016120453-A1
Application number	US-201414532225-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 4, 2014
Priority date	Nov 4, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to one aspect of the inventive concept there is provided a system for monitoring incontinence comprising: a urine sensitive circuit arranged to present a changed electrical characteristic when exposed to urine; a measurement circuit arranged to perform a measurement on a urine bladder of a wearer to determine at least one parameter which varies with a fill level of the urine bladder; and a processing circuit arranged to: determine whether the urine sensitive circuit has been exposed to urine, and in response to determining that the urine sensitive circuit has been exposed to urine, record data representing the at least one parameter determined by the measurement circuit.

First claim

1 . A system for monitoring incontinence comprising:
a urine sensitive circuit arranged to present a changed electrical characteristic when exposed to urine; a measurement circuit arranged to perform a measurement on a urine bladder of a wearer to determine at least one parameter which varies with a fill level of the urine bladder; and a processing circuit arranged to:
determine whether the urine sensitive circuit has been exposed to urine, and
in response to determining that the urine sensitive circuit has been exposed to urine, record data representing the at least one parameter determined by the measurement circuit.

2 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is further arranged to estimate a urine bladder fill level based on the at least one determined parameter.

3 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is further arranged to determine a urine bladder fill threshold based on the at least one determined parameter represented by the recorded data.

4 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is further arranged to determine a urine bladder fill threshold based on the at least one determined parameter represented by the recorded data and a previously determined urine bladder fill threshold.

5 . A system according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensor arranged to determine an orientation or a movement of the sensor, and the processing circuit being further arranged to, in response to determining that the urine sensitive circuit has been exposed to urine, record data representing an estimated movement and/or posture of the wearer based on an orientation and/or a movement determined by the sensor.

6 . A system according to claim 5 , wherein the processing circuit is further arranged to determine a urine bladder fill threshold based on the at least one determined parameter represented by the recorded data and the estimated movement and/or posture.

7 . A system according to claim 5 , wherein the measurement circuit is arranged to repeatedly determine at least one parameter which varies with a fill level of the urine bladder and the processing circuit is further arranged to compare the repeatedly determined parameters to one or more urine bladder fill thresholds, each threshold being associated with an orientation or a movement determined by the sensor.

8 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is arranged to provide a signal which is indicative of a urine bladder fill level based on the at least one determined parameter.

9 . A system according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one or a combination of a microphone, a temperature sensor, a skin contact sensor, an accelerometer or an altimeter.

10 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the measurement circuit and the processing circuit are galvanically connected.

11 . A system according to claim 10 , wherein the processing circuit and the urine sensitive circuit are galvanically separated.

12 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the measurement circuit is arranged to measure an impedance of the urine bladder, and/or perform an ultrasound measurement of a dimension of the urine bladder.

13 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the urine sensitive circuit includes a portion arranged to generate a current when exposed to urine to power a transmission of a signal from the urine sensitive circuit, and wherein the processing circuit is arranged to record said data in response to receiving the signal from the urine sensitive circuit.

14 . A system according to claims 1 , wherein the processing circuit is further arranged to, in response to determining that the urine sensitive circuit has been exposed to urine, record time data.

15 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is further arranged to, subsequent to detecting a urination event, perform a comparison between: the at least one parameter represented by the data recorded in response to the detection of the urination event, and a parameter determined by the measurement circuit at an instant subsequent to the detection of the urination event.

Assignees

• Stichting Imec Nederland

Inventors

• Pop Valer
• Polito Salvatore

Classifications

• G16H50/30

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

• A61B8/4416

  related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions · CPC title

• A61B8/0858

  involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces · CPC title

• A61B8/08

  Clinical applications (A61B8/02, A61B8/04, A61B8/06 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B5/6808 Primary

  Diapers · CPC title