Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-20
2002-03-12
Wu, Daniel J. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S506000, C340S517000, C340S473000, C340S686100, C200S06145M, C200S061520, C600S534000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06356203
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for detecting a rotational movement of a body. An advantageous embodiment of the invention detects a rotational movement of the body of a child. The invention notifies a care giver that a child has moved from a position of lying on the back to a potentially unsafe position of lying on the stomach.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the United States an estimated three thousand infants a year suddenly die from unexplained causes. Apparently healthy children can suddenly die without any obvious cause of death. This phenomenon is known as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. In the United States Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the leading cause of death of children between the age of one month and one year. It is second only to congenital abnormalities as the leading overall cause of death for all children less than one year of age.
A potentially unsafe sleeping position for children is that of lying on the stomach. A child should lie on his or her back in order to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. There is therefore a need for an apparatus and method for detecting a rotational motion of a child to determine when a child has moved from a position of lying on the back to a position of lying on the stomach.
There is also a need to have an apparatus and method for immediately alerting a care giver that a child has moved from a position of lying on the back to a potentially unsafe position of lying on the stomach.
There is also a need for an apparatus and method for alerting a remotely located care giver that a child moved from a position of lying on the back to a potentially unsafe position of lying on the stomach.
If a child begins to experience difficulty in breathing, or begins to experience a high rate of heartbeat, or begins to experience a low rate of heartbeat, whoever is caring for the child (usually one of the child's parents) may have only a few seconds to respond to the child's distress. Therefore, it is very desirable to be able to provide a child's care giver with immediate notification that the child is experiencing cardiac or respiratory difficulty. This may be achieved by using a physiological condition monitor that is capable of continuously monitoring the physiological conditions of the child.
The present invention for detecting a rotational motion of the body of a child may be used in conjunction with physiological condition monitors. In particular, the present invention may be used in conjunction with the type of physiological condition monitors set forth and described in applicant's related U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/536,093 filed Mar. 24, 2000, entitled “Physiological Condition Monitors Utilizing Very Low Frequency Acoustic Signals.”
Physiological condition monitors are capable of obtaining and recording signals indicative of a child's physiological processes. The most commonly monitored physiological processes are respiration and cardiac activity. Physiological condition monitors that monitor respiration and cardiac activity usually comprise one or more sensors coupled to the body of the child whose physiological conditions are to be measured. The sensors are capable of sensing changes in pressure (or changes in other types of physical parameters) that are caused by the child's breathing and cardiac activity. Physiological condition monitors measure and record waveform signals received from the sensors. Electrocardiogram (ECG) waveform signals may be used to measure a child's cardiac activity. Respiration waveform signals are used to measure a child's breathing rate and other types of information concerning respiration.
Low heart rate is referred to as bradycardia. Cessation of respiration is referred to as apnea. When a child exhibits apnea or bradycardia a life threatening condition very likely exists. Physiological condition monitors that are capable of continuously monitoring a child's respiration and cardiac activity are extremely useful for quickly detecting apnea or bradycardia. Such physiological condition monitors are also useful for quickly detecting other abnormal conditions such as a high heart rate (known as tachycardia) or a very slow breathing rate or a very high breathing rate.
Children who are susceptible to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome are known to exhibit apnea and bradycardia. Physiological condition monitors that are capable of continually monitoring respiration and cardiac activity are particularly useful in the early detection of apnea or bradycardia in children. Most physiological condition monitors are equipped with an alarm system to sound an alert when such conditions are detected.
A physiological condition monitor may be coupled directly to a child while the child is lying in a bed. In such an arrangement the waveform signals from the sensors coupled to the child's body may be sent through wires directly to a detector circuit (and other circuitry) located in a console by the child's bed. The wires attached to the child restrict the child's movements.
In other cases it is more practical to provide a physiological condition monitor located in a belt or harness that is to be worn by the child. In this type of monitor the waveform signal information from the sensors is transmitted via a radio frequency transmitter to a radio frequency receiver in a base station unit that is located away from the site of the physiological condition monitor. The base station unit contains circuitry for analyzing and recording the waveform signal information. The base station unit contains circuitry for detecting abnormal conditions in the child's breathing (such as apnea) or abnormal conditions in the child's cardiac activity (such as bradycardia or tachycardia). Because of the freedom of movement that this type of monitor provides, it is the preferred type of monitor for monitoring the physiological conditions of children.
If the data that is acquired by the physiological condition monitor is not transmitted to the base station and recorded there, then the data must be recorded in a memory data storage device located within the physiological condition monitor. To preserve the freedom of movement that is provided by a belt or harness monitor, the memory data storage device within the physiological condition monitor must be battery powered.
Electrocardiogram (ECG) waveform signals may be used to obtain information concerning a child's cardiac activity. To obtain ECG waveforms an ECG sensor unit is coupled to the child. The ECG sensor unit is coupled to the child via electrodes capable of receiving cardiac activity signals directly from the child's body. In such an arrangement the electrodes must be attached directly to the child's skin in order to receive the signals. The ECG sensor unit receives the ECG electrical signals from the electrodes. The ECG signals received by the ECG sensor unit are then either recorded within the physiological condition monitor or transmitted to a base station unit.
The present invention for detecting a rotational motion of the body of a child may be used to initiate monitoring by physiological condition monitors. When a child is lying on his or her back, it may be unnecessary for the physiological condition monitors to be operating continuously. In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the operation of the physiological condition monitors is not initiated until the present invention detects a rotational motion of the child that places the child in the potentially unsafe position of lying on the stomach. When the present invention detects a rotational movement of the child that causes the child to roll onto his or her stomach, the present invention generates a signal that automatically initiates the operation of the physiological condition monitors. The present invention also sends a signal to the care giver that informs the care giver that the operation of the physiological condition monitors has been initiated.
SUMMARY O
Halleck Michael D.
Halleck Michael E.
iLife Systems, Inc.
Pham Toan
Wu Daniel J.
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