Garment with noninvasive method and system for monitoring physiological characteristics and athletic performance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9545222-B2
Application number	US-86958210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2010
Priority date	Sep 1, 2009
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

A physiological monitoring system for noninvasively monitoring physiological parameters of a subject, comprising a fitness monitoring system for monitoring physiological parameters of a subject engaged in a physical activity, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, includes (i) a monitoring garment adapted to cover at least a portion of a subject's torso, (ii) a magnetometer subsystem including a first magnetometer and a second magnetometer, wherein the first and second magnetometers are responsive to changes in distance therebetween, wherein the magnetometer subsystem is configured to generate and transmit a signal representative of a change in the distance between the first and second magnetometers, wherein the first and second magnetometers are incorporated into the monitoring garment, and wherein the first and second magnetometers are proximate to the subject's chest region when the monitoring garment is worn by the subject.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fitness monitoring system for monitoring parameters of a subject engaged in a physical activity, comprising:
a monitoring garment configured to cover at least a portion of the subject's torso;
a sensor subsystem including a first sensor, a second sensor, a third sensor, and a fourth sensor, wherein:
the first, third, and fourth sensors are on the subject's front chest region when the garment is worn by the subject,
the second sensor is on the subject's back chest region when the garment is worn by the subject,
the first and second sensors are responsive to changes in distance therebetween,
the third and second sensors are responsive to changes in distance therebetween,
the fourth and second sensors are responsive to changes in distance therebetween,
the sensor subsystem is configured to generate and transmit a distance signal representative of at least the distance between the first and second sensors without initial calibration, and
the first and second sensors are incorporated into the garment; and
a processor subsystem in communication with the sensor subsystem and configured to receive the distance signal, wherein the processor subsystem is configured to control the sensor subsystem and to process the distance signal, wherein the processor subsystem includes a programmed algorithm that includes an empirical relationship for determining a respiratory parameter from the distance signal, is adapted to store benchmark respiratory parameter signals, is configured to compare the distance signal with the benchmark respiratory parameter signals, is configured to generate and transmit a respiratory parameter signal representative of the respiratory parameter as a function of the comparison of the distance signal with the benchmark respiratory parameter signals, the processor subsystem includes stored adverse physiological parameters and the processor subsystem is further configured to compare a detected physiological parameter to the stored adverse physiological parameters, and to generate and transmit an adverse physiological parameter signal representative of the adverse physiological parameter associated with the warning signal if the detected physiological parameter corresponds to one of the stored adverse physiological parameters; and
a data monitoring subsystem programmed and configured to receive the respiratory parameter signal, the data monitoring subsystem being programmed to recognize and display the respiratory parameter associated with the respiratory parameter signal, wherein the processor subsystem is further programmed and configured to generate a three-dimensional model of the subject's chest wall from the magnetometer signal, and wherein the data monitoring subsystem is further programmed and configured to display the generated three-dimensional model of the subject's chest wall.

2. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the data monitoring subsystem is configured to receive the respiratory parameter signal, wherein the data monitoring subsystem is programmed and configured to recognize and display the respiratory parameter represented by the respiratory parameter signal.

3. The fitness monitoring system of claim 2 further comprising a transmission subsystem configured to control transmission of the distance signal from the sensor subsystem to the processor subsystem, and the respiratory parameter signal from the processor subsystem to the data monitoring subsystem.

4. The fitness monitoring system of claim 3 , wherein the transmission subsystem includes a communication network.

5. The fitness monitoring system of claim 4 , wherein the communication network comprises a wireless network.

6. The fitness monitoring system of claim 4 , wherein the communication network comprises a wired network.

7. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the system includes a physiological monitoring device configured to detect the physiological parameter associated with the subject, the physiological monitoring device being further configured to generate and transmit a physiological parameter signal representative of the detected physiological parameter.

8. The fitness monitoring system of claim 7 , wherein the physiological monitoring device is incorporated into the monitoring garment.

9. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the processor subsystem is incorporated into the monitoring garment.

10. The fitness monitoring system of claim 4 , wherein the transmission subsystem is carried by the garment.

11. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the garment comprises a shirt.

12. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the garment comprises a vest.

13. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1 further comprising a device for monitoring the subject's movement.

14. The fitness monitoring system of claim 13 further comprising an inertial sensor.

15. The fitness monitoring system of claim 13 further comprising a GPS receiver.

16. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein, when the garment is worn by the subject, the first sensor is positioned over the sternum of the subject at the level of the fourth intercostal space and the second sensor is placed over the spine at the same level.

17. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the sensors comprise magnetometers.

18. The fitness monitoring system of claim 17 , wherein the sensors comprise electromagnetic coils.

19. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the sensors comprise Hall effect sensors.

20. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the sensors comprise electronic compass sensors.

21. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the first, third and fourth sensors are positioned on a same axial plane.

22. The fitness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the first, third and fourth sensors are positioned on different axial planes.

23. A fitness monitoring system for monitoring parameters of a subject engaged in a physical activity, comprising:
a wearable monitoring garment, the monitoring garment being configured to cover at least a portion of the subject's torso;
a magnetometer subsystem including a first magnetometer, a second magnetometer, a third magnetometer, and a fourth magnetometer, wherein:
the first, third, and fourth magnetometers are on the subject's front chest region when the garment is worn by the subject,
the second magnetometer is on the subject's back chest region when the garment is worn by the subject;
the first and second magnetometers are responsive to changes in distance therebetween,
the third and second magnetometers are responsive to changes in distance therebetween,
the fourth and second magnetometers are responsive to changes in distance therebetween,
the magnetometer subsystem is configured to generate and transmit a magnetometer signal representative of at least the distance between the first and second magnetometers without initial calibration, and
the first and second magnetometers are incorporated into the monitoring garment;
a processor subsystem in communication with the magnetometer subsystem, the processor subsystem being programmed and configured to control at least the magnetometer subsystem, the processor subsystem being further configured to receive and process the magnetometer signal, wherein the processor subsystem includes a programmed algorithm that includes an empirical relationship for determining a respiratory parameter

Assignees

• Derchak P Alexander
• Mclean George
• Adidas Ag

Inventors

• Derchak P Alexander
• Mclean George

Classifications

• A63B2230/40

  respiratory characteristics · CPC title

• A63B2230/10

  electroencephalographic signals · CPC title

• A61B5/0015

  characterised by features of the telemetry system · CPC title

• A61B5/1135 Primary

  by monitoring thoracic expansion · CPC title

• A61B2562/0219

  Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches · CPC title