Device, system and method for monitoring and communicating biometric data of a diver

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9320431-B2
Application number	US-201113237912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2011
Priority date	Sep 13, 2010
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring biometric data of a diver and signaling those data from a first communication device to other communication devices, e.g., those of other divers, on a ship or buoy. A signal generated from a device of the diver can generate a diver identifier, an indication of a stress state of the diver and the diver's location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for monitoring a blood gas saturation level of a diver, the method comprising:
emitting an optical signal into water near the diver while the diver is underwater;
detecting the optical signal;
determining an underwater condition based on the detected optical signal;
emitting light into the diver's skin at a wavelength having an absorbance associated with the blood gas saturation level, the intensity of the light modulated responsive to at least the determined underwater condition;
detecting an intensity of a reflected or transmitted light from the diver's skin; and
determining the blood gas saturation level of the diver utilizing the detected intensity.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light is emitted into the skin while the diver is wearing one or more pieces of SCUBA equipment.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the intensity of the emitted light is further modulated responsive to a depth of the diver.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the intensity of the emitted light is further modulated responsive to a water temperature.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the intensity of the emitted light is further modulated responsive to a water salinity.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the intensity of the emitted light is modulated responsive to a light absorbance of water near the diver's skin.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the blood gas saturation is a blood oxygen saturation, the method further comprising:
alerting the diver when the blood oxygen saturation level is at or below a threshold level.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the threshold level is about 95% saturation.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the threshold level is about 90% saturation.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating an acoustical signal including information on the blood gas saturation level, the acoustical signal configured to be transmitted underwater; and
transmitting the acoustical signal from a first communication device proximate the diver to a second communication device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second communication device is positioned at or near the water surface.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second communication device is positioned on a buoy.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the buoy is self-propelled and includes a control system configured to maintain the buoy within an effective communication range of the first communication device.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a low power magnetic signal including information on the blood gas saturation level, the magnetic signal configured to be transmitted underwater; and
transmitting the magnetic signal from a first magnetic communication device to a second magnetic communication device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first magnetic communication device is contained in a sensor device positioned near the diver's finger.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second magnetic communication device is contained in a dive watch.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first magnetic communication device is contained in a sensor device positioned proximate to the diver's finger.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first and second magnetic communication devices are positioned within about six inches of each other.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
converting the lower power magnetic signal into an acoustical signal including information on the blood gas saturation level, the acoustical signal configured to be transmitted underwater; and
transmitting the acoustical signal from a first acoustical communication device proximate the diver to a second acoustical communication device.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition is an optical property of water near the diver or a particular content of water near the diver.

21. A method for monitoring a blood gas saturation level of a diver, the method comprising:
emitting an optical signal into water near the diver while the diver is underwater;
detecting the optical signal;
determining an underwater condition based on the detected optical signal;
emitting light into the diver's skin at a wavelength having an absorbance associated with the blood gas saturation level, the intensity of the light modulated responsive to the determined underwater condition and at least one of a depth of the diver or, a water salinity;
detecting an intensity of a reflected or transmitted light from the diver's skin; and
determining the blood gas saturation level of the diver utilizing the detected intensity.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the condition is an optical property of water near the diver or a particular content of water near the diver.

Assignees

• Imran Mir
• Incube Labs Llc

Inventors

• Imran Mir

Classifications

• A61B2562/18

  Shielding or protection of sensors from environmental influences, e.g. protection from mechanical damage · CPC title

• A61B5/7296

  for compensation of signal variation due to stress unintentionally induced in the patient, e.g. due to the stress of the medical environment or examination · CPC title

• A61B2560/0242

  adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution · CPC title

• A61B5/0002 Primary

  Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network (endoradiosondes A61B5/07) · CPC title

• A61B2560/0252

  using ambient temperature · CPC title