Haptic health feedback monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9754078-B2
Application number	US-76645207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2007
Priority date	Jun 21, 2007
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A haptic health feedback monitor includes a health parameter monitor that detects a health parameter. A haptic feedback generator receives the health parameter and compares it to a predetermined level. If the health parameter reaches or exceeds the level, a type of haptic feedback to generate is determined. The type of feedback may depend on which predetermined level is reached or exceeded. The haptic feedback generator then generates the determined type of haptic feedback.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of monitoring health of a person comprising:
detecting a first health parameter and a second health parameter of the person with a health parameter monitor;
comparing the first health parameter to a first predetermined level;
determining a first type of haptic feedback to generate based on the comparing the first health parameter to the first predetermined level,
the first type of haptic feedback being vibrotactile haptic feedback,
the vibrotactile haptic feedback having a plurality of parameters,
the plurality of parameters including a magnitude parameter, a frequency parameter, and a duration parameter, and
at least one of the plurality of parameters varying based on the comparing the first health parameter to the first predetermined level;

generating a first haptic effect, based on the first type of haptic feedback, for a user with a first haptic feedback generator, the user being different from the person with the health parameter monitor;
comparing the second health parameter to a second predetermined level;
determining a second type of haptic feedback to generate based on the comparing the second health parameter to the second predetermined level;
generating a second haptic effect, based on the second type of haptic feedback, with the first haptic feedback generator; and
guiding the user to the person after the generating the first haptic effect by providing a series of haptic effects to assist in pinpointing a location of the person.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first health parameter is at least one of heart rate, blood pressure, blood glucose level, respiratory level, temperature, blood alcohol level, blood iron level, blood salinity, blood electrolyte level or hormone level.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating the first haptic effect for the person with a second haptic feedback generator.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting a signal that indicates the location of the person with the health parameter monitor.

5. A haptic health feedback monitor comprising:
a health parameter monitor that detects a first health parameter and a second health parameter of a person; and
a haptic feedback generator coupled to the health parameter monitor,
the haptic feedback generator including a processor that performs the operations of
receiving the first health parameter,
performing a comparison of the first health parameter to a first predetermined level,
determining a first type of haptic feedback based on the comparison of the first health parameter to the first predetermined level,
generating a first haptic effect, based on the first type of haptic feedback, to a user different from the person,
receiving the second health parameter,
performing a comparison of the second health parameter to a second predetermined level,
determining a second type of haptic feedback based on the comparison of the second health parameter to the second predetermined level,
generating a second haptic effect, based on the second type of haptic feedback, to the user, and
guiding the user to the person after the first haptic effect is generated by providing a series of haptic effects to assist in pinpointing a location of the person,
the first type of haptic feedback being vibrotactile haptic feedback,
the vibrotactile haptic feedback having a plurality of parameters,
the plurality of parameters including a magnitude parameter, a frequency parameter, and a duration parameter, and
at least one of the plurality of parameters varying based on the comparison of the first health parameter to the first predetermined level.

6. The haptic health feedback monitor of claim 5 , wherein the first health parameter is at least one of heart rate, blood pressure, blood glucose level, respiratory level, temperature, blood alcohol level, blood iron level, blood salinity, blood electrolyte level or hormone level.

7. The haptic health feedback monitor of claim 5 , further comprising:
a location determiner that determines a location of the health parameter monitor.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the operations of:
receiving a first health parameter of a person;
comparing the first health parameter to a first predetermined level;
determining a first type of haptic feedback based on the comparing the first health parameter to the first predetermined level,
the first type of haptic feedback being vibrotactile haptic feedback,
the vibrotactile haptic feedback having a plurality of parameters,
the plurality of parameters including a magnitude parameter, a frequency parameter, and a duration parameter, and
at least one of the plurality of parameters varying based on the comparing the first health parameter to the first predetermined level;

generating a first haptic effect, based on the first type of haptic feedback, for a user who is different from the person;
receiving a second health parameter;
comparing the second health parameter to a second predetermined level;
determining a second type of haptic feedback to generate based on the comparing the second health parameter to the second predetermined level;
generating a second haptic effect, based the second type of haptic feedback, for the user; and
guiding the user to the person after the generating the first haptic effect by providing a series of haptic effects to assist in pinpointing a location of the person.

9. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving one or more third haptic effects for the person indicating a distance of the user from the person based on the location of the person.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving one or more third haptic effects for the person indicating that the first haptic effect has been communicated to the user.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the indicating that the first haptic effect has been communicated to the user comprises at least one of: (i) indicating that the first haptic effect has been sent to the user, (ii) indicating that the first haptic effect has been received by the user, (iii) indicating that help is on the way, (iv) indicating that a global positioning system has been activated, and (v) indicating a relative position or a distance of the user.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the first health parameter is at least one of heart rate, blood pressure, blood glucose level, respiratory level, temperature, blood alcohol level, blood iron level, blood salinity, blood electrolyte level or hormone level.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform the operation of generating the first haptic effect for the person.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform the operation of transmitting a signal that indicates the location of the person.

15. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the first type of haptic feedback is different than the second type of haptic feedback,
the at least one of the plurality of parameters varies based on a respective one of the comparing the first health parameter to the first predetermined level or the comparing the second health parameter to the second predetermined level, and
the generating the first haptic effect includes combining the first type of haptic feedback with the second type of haptic feedback.

16. The haptic health feedback monitor of

Assignees

• Ramsay Erin B
• Heubel Robert W
• Olien Neil Thomas
• Immersion Corp

Inventors

• Ramsay Erin B
• Heubel Robert W
• Olien Neil Thomas

Classifications

• G06F19/3406 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• A61B5/02438

  with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient · CPC title

• A61B5/486

  Biofeedback (using electroencephalography [EEG] A61B5/375) · CPC title

• A61B5/7455

  characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title