Systems to monitor body portions for injury after impact

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016143536-A1
Application number	US-201414549696-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 21, 2014
Priority date	Nov 21, 2014
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems are described for monitoring extremities for injury following an impact. A system embodiment includes, but is not limited to, a device including a deformable substrate integrated with a textile; a sensor assembly coupled to the deformable substrate, the sensor assembly configured to generate one or more sense signals based on detection of a physical impact to a body portion and based on detection of a physiological parameter; circuitry operably coupled to the sensor assembly and configured to receive the one or more sense signals based on detection of the physical impact and to determine whether the physical impact exceeds a threshold impact value, the circuitry configured to instruct the sensor assembly to detect one or more physiological parameters of the body portion when the physical impact exceeds the threshold impact value; and a reporting device operably coupled to the circuitry; and an external device communicatively coupled with the device.

First claim

1 . A system, comprising:
a device configured for positioning proximate to a body portion, the device including: a deformable substrate configured to interface with the body portion;
a sensor assembly coupled to the deformable substrate, the sensor assembly configured to generate one or more sense signals based on detection of a physical impact to the body portion and based on detection of a physiological parameter of the body portion;
circuitry operably coupled to the sensor assembly and configured to receive the one or more sense signals based on detection of a physical impact to the body portion and to determine whether the physical impact exceeds a threshold impact value, the circuitry configured to instruct the sensor assembly to detect one or more physiological parameters of the body portion when the physical impact exceeds the threshold impact value; and
a reporting device operably coupled to the circuitry and configured to generate one or more communication signals based on instruction by the circuitry; and
an external device communicatively coupled with the device, the external device configured to receive the one or more communication signals from the reporting device and to determine a recommended course of action pertaining to at least one of the device and the body portion.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the deformable substrate includes a conformable structure configured to conform to a skin surface of the body portion.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the deformable substrate is integrated with a textile configured to interface with the body portion.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the textile includes an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein at least a portion of the deformable substrate is positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the textile includes an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the deformable substrate is attached to one of the inner surface or the outer surface.

6 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the deformable substrate is integral to a weave of the textile.

7 . The system of claim 3 , wherein one or more fiber of the textile secures the deformable substrate to at least a portion of the textile.

8 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the textile includes one or more electronic threads.

9 .- 12 . (canceled)

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry includes a comparison module configured to compare the one or more sense signals based on detection of a physical impact to the body portion to reference data indicative of the threshold impact value.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the reference data indicative of the threshold impact value correlates to a threshold for a traumatic injury.

15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor assembly includes a pressure sensor configured to detect the physical impact to the body portion and to generate one or more sense signals responsive to the detection of the physical impact.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the circuitry is configured to instruct the sensor assembly to detect one or more physiological parameters of the body portion based upon the one or more sense signals generated by the pressure sensor.

17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor assembly includes a proximity sensor configured to detect the physical impact to the body portion and to generate one or more sense signals responsive to the detection of the physical impact.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the circuitry is configured to instruct the sensor assembly to detect one or more physiological parameters of the body portion based upon the one or more sense signals generated by the proximity sensor.

19 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor assembly includes a motion sensor configured to detect a movement of the body portion and to generate one or more sense signals responsive to the detection of the movement.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the motion sensor includes an accelerometer.

21 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the circuitry is configured to instruct the sensor assembly to begin monitoring for the physical impact to the body portion based upon the one or more sense signals generated by the motion sensor.

22 .- 26 . (canceled)

27 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the reporting device is configured to provide an auditory indication pertaining to the one or more sense signals based on detection of a physical impact to the body portion.

28 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the reporting device is configured to provide an auditory indication pertaining to the one or more physiological parameters of the body portion detected by the sensor assembly.

29 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the reporting device is configured to provide a visual indication pertaining to the one or more sense signals based on detection of a physical impact to the body portion.

30 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the reporting device is configured to provide a visual indication pertaining to the one or more physiological parameters of the body portion detected by the sensor assembly.

31 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the reporting device is configured to provide a tactile indication pertaining to the one or more sense signals based on detection of a physical impact to the body portion.

32 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the reporting device is configured to provide a tactile indication pertaining to the one or more physiological parameters of the body portion detected by the sensor assembly.

33 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the reporting device is configured to communicate with the external device.

34 .- 36 . (canceled)

37 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the external device is communicatively coupled with an external network.

38 . The system of claim 37 , wherein the external network includes a health provider network.

39 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to determine a recommended course of action based on the one or more physiological parameters of the body portion detected by the sensor assembly.

40 . The system of claim 39 , wherein the recommended course of action determined by the circuitry includes a recommendation for medical treatment.

41 . The system of claim 39 , wherein the reporting device is configured to report the recommended course of action determined by the circuitry.

42 . The system of claim 41 , wherein the reporting device is configured to report the recommended course of action determined by the circuitry to the external device.

43 . The system of claim 41 , wherein the reporting device is configured to report the recommended course of action determined by the circuitry to an external network.

44 . The system of claim 43 , wherein the external network includes a health provider network.

45 . The system of claim 41 , wherein the reporting device is configured to display the recommended course of action determined by the circuitry on a display device.

46 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the display device includes a display screen coupled to the deformable substrate.

47 . The system of claim 1 , wherei

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Hyde Roderick A
• Kare Jordin T
• Leuthardt Eric C
• Malamud Mark A
• Pan Tony S
• Sweeney Elizabeth A
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Whitmer Charles
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• A61B2562/0261

  Strain gauges · CPC title

• A61B2562/0257

  Proximity sensors · CPC title

• A61B2562/0247

  Pressure sensors · CPC title

• A61B5/6844 Primary

  Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue · CPC title

• A61B5/6829

  Foot or ankle · CPC title