System for monitoring health, wellness and fitness

DC CAFC

US 6,605,038 B1
Filed: 06/23/2000
Issued: 08/12/2003
Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
Status: Expired due to Term

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First Claim

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1. A system for detecting, monitoring and reporting human physiological information, comprising:

a sensor device adapted to be placed in contact with an individual'"'"'s upper arm, said sensor device including at least two of an accelerometer, a GSR sensor and a heat flux sensor, said sensor device being adapted to generate;

(i) data indicative of at least two of motion, the resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current, and heat flow of said individual and (ii) derived data from at least a portion of said data indicative of at least two of motion, resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow, said derived data comprising a physiological parameter of said individual that cannot be wholly measured directly by any one of said accelerometer, said GSR sensor and said heat flux sensor;

a central monitoring unit remote from said sensor device adapted for the generation of analytical status data from at least a portion of at least one of;

(i) said data indicative of at least two of motion, resistance of said in individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow, (ii) said derived data and (iii) said analytical status data, said central monitoring unit including a data storage device for retrievably storing at least one of;

(i) said data indicative of at least two of motion, resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow (ii) said derived data and (iii) said analytical status data;

data transfer means for establishing at least temporary electronic communication between said sensor device and said central monitoring unit; and

means for transmitting at least one of;

(i) said data indicative of at least two of motion, resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow, (ii) said derived data and (iii) said analytical status data to a recipient.

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Abstract

A system for detecting, monitoring and reporting physiological information includes a sensor device adapted to be worn on the upper arm that includes at least one of an accelerometer, a GSR sensor and a heat flux sensor and generates data indicative of at least one of activity, galvanic skin response and heat flow. The sensor device may also generate derived data from at least a portion of the data indicative of at least one of activity, galvanic skin response and heat flow. The system includes a central monitoring unit that generates analytical status data from at least one of the data indicative of at least one of activity, galvanic skin response and heat flow, the derived data, and previously generated analytical status data, a means for establishing electronic communication between the sensor device and the central monitoring unit, and a means for transmitting data to a recipient.

1589 Citations

73 Claims

1. A system for detecting, monitoring and reporting human physiological information, comprising:
- a sensor device adapted to be placed in contact with an individual'"'"'s upper arm, said sensor device including at least two of an accelerometer, a GSR sensor and a heat flux sensor, said sensor device being adapted to generate;
  
  (i) data indicative of at least two of motion, the resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current, and heat flow of said individual and (ii) derived data from at least a portion of said data indicative of at least two of motion, resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow, said derived data comprising a physiological parameter of said individual that cannot be wholly measured directly by any one of said accelerometer, said GSR sensor and said heat flux sensor;
  
  a central monitoring unit remote from said sensor device adapted for the generation of analytical status data from at least a portion of at least one of;
  
  (i) said data indicative of at least two of motion, resistance of said in individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow, (ii) said derived data and (iii) said analytical status data, said central monitoring unit including a data storage device for retrievably storing at least one of;
  
  (i) said data indicative of at least two of motion, resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow (ii) said derived data and (iii) said analytical status data;
  
  data transfer means for establishing at least temporary electronic communication between said sensor device and said central monitoring unit; and
  
  means for transmitting at least one of;
  
  (i) said data indicative of at least two of motion, resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow, (ii) said derived data and (iii) said analytical status data to a recipient.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
- - 2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor device further comprises a processor adapted to generate said derived data.
  - 3. A system according to claim 2, said sensor device comprising a computer housing for containing said processor and a flexible wing body having first and second wings adapted to wrap around a portion of said upper arm.
  - 4. A system according to claim 3, wherein said computer housing has a skin contacting surface and wherein at least one of said GSR sensor and said heat flux sensor is affixed to said skin contacting surface.
  - 5. A system according to claim 3, wherein said flexible wing body has a skin contacting surface and wherein at least one of said GSR sensor and said heat flux sensor is affixed to said skin contacting surface.
  - 6. A system according to claim 3, further comprising means for removably affixing said sensor device to said upper arm.
  - 7. A system according to claim 3, wherein each of said wings has a hole, said sensor device further comprising an elastic strap inserted through said holes for removably affixing said sensor device to said upper arm.
  - 8. A system according to claim 3, wherein said computer housing includes a button adapted to send a signal to said processor marking the time of an event.
  - 9. A system according to claim 8, said button also adapted to send a signal to said processor requesting information relating to at least one of a remaining battery level and a remaining memory capacity.
  - 10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said information is output to said individual.
  - 11. A system according to claim 9, wherein said information is output visually.
  - 12. A system according to claim 11, wherein said computer housing also includes one or more LEDs, said LEDs displaying said information relating to said at least one of a remaining battery level and a remaining memory capacity.
  - 13. A system according to claim 11, wherein said wireless device comprises a heart rate monitor, said data received from said wireless device comprises data indicative of heart rate of said individual, and said derived data and said analytical status data are also generated from at least a portion of said data indicative of heart rate.
  - 14. A system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor device further comprises means for providing at least one of tactile, audible and visual information to said individual.
  - 15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said information is based on said derived data.
  - 16. A system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor device further comprises at least one of a vibrating motor, a ringer and one or more LEDs for providing information to said individual.
  - 17. A system according to claim 16, wherein said information is based on said derived data.
  - 18. A system according to claim 16, wherein said information comprises at least one of a remaining memory capacity and a remaining battery level.
  - 19. A system according to claim 1, wherein said central monitoring unit is adapted to generate derived data from at least a portion of said data indicative of at least two of motion, resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow.
  - 20. A system according to claim 19, wherein said central monitoring unit is adapted to generate one or more web pages containing at least one of said data indicative of at least two of motion, resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow, said derived data, and said analytical status data, and wherein said means for transmitting makes said web pages accessible by said recipient over the Internet.
  - 21. A system according to claim 19, wherein said derived data comprises at least one of calories burned, sleep onset and wake, stress level and relaxation.
  - 22. A system according to claim 19, wherein said derived data comprises calories burned and is based on said data indicative of motion and said data indicative of heat flow.
  - 23. A system according to claim 22, wherein said derived data is also based on said data indicative of resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current.
  - 24. A system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor device further comprises a memory for storing said data indicative of at least two of motion, resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow and said derived data.
  - 25. A system according to claim 1, wherein said central monitoring unit is adapted to generate one or more web pages containing at least one of said data indicative of at least two or motion, resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow, said derived data, and said analytical status data, and wherein said means for transmitting makes said web pages accessible by said recipient over the Internet.
  - 26. A system according to claim 1, wherein said means for transmitting transmits said at least one of said data indicative of at least two of motion, resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow, said derived data, and said analytical status data to said recipient over an electronic network.
  - 27. A system according to claim 1, wherein said means for transmitting transmits said at least one of said data indicative of at least two of motion, resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow, said derived data, and said analytical status data to said recipient in physical form.
  - 28. A system according to claim 1, wherein said recipient comprises said individual.
  - 29. A system according to claim 1, wherein said recipient comprises a third party authorized by said individual.
  - 30. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for obtaining life activities data of said individual, said life activities data being retrievably stored in said data storage device, wherein said analytical status data is also generated from selected portions of said life activities data.
  - 31. A system according to claim 30, said means for obtaining comprising means for enabling said individual to input said life activities data and transmit said life activities data to said central monitoring unit.
  - 32. A system according to claim 30, said means for obtaining comprising an input device for enabling said individual to input said life activities data, said input device being adapted to transmit said life activities data to said central monitoring unit.
  - 33. A system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor device generates data indicative of one or more contextual parameters associated with said individual, and wherein said analytical status data is also generated from selected portions of said data indicative of one or more contextual parameters.
  - 34. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for downloading data from said central monitoring unit to said sensor device.
  - 35. A system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor device further comprises a wireless receiver for receiving data from a wireless device worn by or located near said individual.
  - 36. A system according to claim 1, said sensor device further comprising a rechargeable battery, said sensor device being adapted to be placed in a battery recharger unit for recharging said rechargeable battery.
  - 37. A system according to claim 36, said sensor device further comprising a first wireless transceiver, said battery recharger unit further comprising a second wireless transceiver, said first and second wireless transceivers being in communication with one another and forming at least a part of said data transfer means.
  - 38. A system according to claim 1, said sensor device further comprising a wireless transceiver forming at least a part of said data transfer means.
  - 39. A system according to claim 1, wherein said accelerometer has at least two axes.
  - 40. A system according to claim 39, wherein said accelerometer is mounted in said sensor device such that said axes form an angle of substantially 45 degrees with a longitudinal axis of said arm when said sensor device is worn on said arm.
  - 41. A system according to claim 1, wherein said derived data comprises at least one of calories burned, sleep onset and wake, stress level and relaxation level.
  - 42. A system according to claim 1, wherein said derived data comprises calories burned and is based or said data indicative of motion and said data indicative of heat flow.
  - 43. A system according to claim 42, wherein said derived data is also based on said data indicative of resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current.
  - 44. A system according to claim 1, said sensor device further comprising a first wireless transceiver, said data transfer means comprising said first wireless transceiver and a relay unit having a second wireless transceiver adapted to be placed in communication with said first wireless transceiver.
  - 45. A system according to claim 44, said data transfer means further comprising a computing device adapted to electronically communicate with said central monitoring unit, said second wireless transceiver being electronically coupled to said computing device.
  - 46. A system according to claim 1, wherein said data indicative of at least two of motion, resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow comprises a summary over a period of time.

47. A sensor device adapted to be placed in contact with an individual'"'"'s upper arm, comprising:
- at least two of an accelerometer adapted to generate data indicative of motion, a GSR sensor adapted to generate data indicative of the resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and a heat flux sensor adapted to generate data indicative of heat flow;
  
  a processor coupled to said at least two of an accelerometer, a GSR sensor and a heat flow sensor, said processor being adapted to generate derived data from at least a portion of at least two of said data indicative of motion, resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current and heat flow, said derived data comprising a physiological parameter of said individual that cannot be wholly measured directly by any one of said accelerometer, said GSR sensor and said heat flux sensor;
  
  means for inputting and outputting data from said sensor device;
  
  a computer housing for containing said processor; and
  
  a flexible wing body having first and second wings, said first and second wings being adapted to wrap around a portion of said upper arm.
- View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
- - 48. A sensor device according to claim 47, wherein said derived data comprises at least one of calories burned, sleep onset and wake, stress level and relaxation level.
  - 49. A sensor device according to claim 47, wherein said derived data comprises calories burned and is based on said data indicative of motion and said data indicative of heat flow.
  - 50. A sensor device according to claim 49, wherein said derived data is also based on said data indicative of resistance of said individual'"'"'s skin to electric current.
  - 51. A sensor device according to claim 47, further comprising means for providing at least one of tactile, audible and visual information to said individual.
  - 52. A sensor device according to claim 51, wherein said information is based on said derived data.
  - 53. A sensor device according to claim 51, wherein said information comprises at least one of a remaining memory capacity and a remaining battery level.
  - 54. A sensor device according to claim 47, further comprising at least one of a vibrating motor, a ringer and one or more LEDs for providing information to said individual.
  - 55. A sensor device according to claim 54, wherein said information is based on said derived data.
  - 56. A sensor device according to claim 54, wherein said information comprises at least one of a remaining memory capacity and a remaining battery level and is provided by said LEDs.
  - 57. A sensor device according to claim 47, wherein said accelerometer has at least two axes.
  - 58. A sensor device according to claim 57, wherein said accelerometer is mounted within said computer housing in such a manner that said axes form an angle of substantially 45 degrees with a longitudinal axis of said arm when said sensor device is worn on said arm.
  - 59. A sensor device according to claim 47, wherein said computer housing has a skin contacting surface and wherein at least one of said GSR sensor and said heat flux sensor is affixed to said skin contacting surface.
  - 60. A sensor device according to claim 47, wherein said flexible wing body has a skin contacting surface and wherein at least one of said GSR sensor and said heat flux sensor is affixed to said skin contacting surface.
  - 61. A sensor device according to claim 47, further comprising means for removably affixing said sensor device to said upper arm.
  - 62. A sensor device according to claim 47, wherein each of said wings has a hole, said sensor device further comprising an elastic strap inserted through said holes for removably affixing said sensor device to said upper arm.
  - 63. A sensor device according to claim 47, wherein said computer housing includes a button adapted to send a signal to said processor marking the time of an event.
  - 64. A sensor device according to claim 63, said button also being adapted to send a signal to said processor requesting information relating to at least one of a remaining battery level and a remaining memory capacity.
  - 65. A sensor device according to claim 64, wherein said information is output to said individual.
  - 66. A sensor device according to claim 65, wherein said information is output visually.
  - 67. A sensor device according to claim 66, wherein said computer housing also includes one or more LEDs, said LEDs displaying said information relating to at least one of a remaining battery level and a remaining memory capacity.
  - 68. A sensor device according to claim 47, further comprising a wireless receiver for receiving data from a wireless device worn by or located near said individual.
  - 69. A sensor device according to claim 47, further comprising a wireless receiver for receiving data from a wireless device worn by or located near said individual, wherein said wireless device comprises a heart rate monitor, said data received from said wireless device comprises data indicative of heart rate of said individual, and said derived data is also generated from said data indicative of heart rate.
  - 70. A sensor device according to claim 47, further comprising a rechargeable battery, said sensor device being adapted to be placed in a battery recharger unit for recharging said rechargeable battery.
  - 71. A sensor device according to claim 70, wherein said inputting and outputting means comprises a first wireless transceiver, said battery recharger unit further comprising a second wireless transceiver, said first and second wireless transceivers being in communication with one another.
  - 72. A sensor device according to claim 47, wherein said inputting and outputting means comprises a first wireless transceiver, said first wireless transceiver adapted to be placed in communication with a second wireless transceiver included in a relay unit, said second wireless transceiver being electronically coupled to a computing device.
  - 73. A sensor device according to claim 47, said inputting and outputting means comprising a wireless transceiver.

Specification

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Litigation Data

Current Assignee
JB IP Acquisitions LLC
Original Assignee
BodyMedia Incorporated (AliphCom Corp.)
Inventors
McCormack, Margaret A., Liden, Craig B., Pacione, Christopher D., Stivoric, John M., Kasabach, Christopher D., Teller, Eric, Moss, John L.
Primary Examiner(s)
Hindenburg, Max F.
Assistant Examiner(s)
Astorino, Michael C

Application Number

US09/602,537
Time in Patent Office

1,145 Days
Field of Search

600/300-301, 600/306, 600/549, 600/557, 600/587, 600/595, 128/903, 128/904, 128/920, 128/923-925, 705/2-4, 702/19, 374/29-30, 374/100, 455/73, 482/8-9
US Class Current

600/300
CPC Class Codes

A61B 2560/0209   adapted for power saving

A61B 2560/0295   adapted for recording user ...

A61B 2560/0456   Apparatus provided with a d...

A61B 5/411   Detecting or monitoring all...

A61B 5/441   Skin evaluation, e.g. for s...

G16H 10/60   for patient-specific data, ...

G16H 15/00   ICT specially adapted for m...

G16H 20/70   relating to mental therapie...

G16H 40/60   for the operation of medica...

H04Q 2213/13092   Scanning of subscriber line...

H04Q 2213/13098   Mobile subscriber

H04Q 2213/13389   LAN, internet

Y10S 128/904   Telephone telemetry

Y10S 128/92   Computer assisted medical d...

System for monitoring health, wellness and fitness

First Claim

21 Assignments

Litigations

0 Petitions

Reexamination

Accused Products

Abstract

1589 Citations

73 Claims

Specification

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System for monitoring health, wellness and fitness

First Claim

21 Assignments

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Subscription Required

Litigations

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Reexamination

Accused Products

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Abstract

1589 Citations

73 Claims

Specification

Subscription Required

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links