Patent ID: 6611783
Filing Date: 2003-08-26
Classification: A61B,G01C,G08B

Abstract:
An appliance adapted to be adhered to the thigh of a user to send a signal indicating that a femur of the user is approaching a vertical position, comprising;a non-toxic disposable patch having a human-skin-compatible adhesive surface that may be adhered to a thigh of the user; a multiple axis accelerometer disposed within said patch and configured to generate output signals that are a function of orientation and acceleration of said patch; a control circuit disposed within said patch and electrically coupled to said acclerometer, said control circuit configured to process said output signals to dampen spurious transient responses and configured to generate an alert signal when said output signal indicates that said orientation exceeds a threshold downward angle; a transmitter disposed within said patch and coupled to said control circuit, said transmitter configured to transmit to a remote receiver a signal representing said alert signal; a power source disposed within said patch and electrically coupled to said control circuit, said transmitter, and said multiple axis accelerometer; at least one sensor disposed inside said patch to sense that the patch has been removed from a user, said at least one sensor operably connected to said control circuit, and wherein said control circuit is adapted to cause said transmitter to transmit to a remote receiver a patch-removal signal to indicate that said patch has been removed from a user; wherein said at least one sensor comprises: a first temperature sensor disposed inside said patch at a location proximate to said adhesive surface to allow thermal coupling to a user, said first temperature sensor operably connected to said control circuit; a second temperature sensor disposed inside said patch at a location proximate to a surface opposite said adhesive surface, said second temperature sensor operably connected to said control circuit; and wherein said control circuit is adapted to cause said transmitter to transmit to said remote receiver said patch-removal signal to indicate that said patch is no longer thermally coupled to a user when a difference in temperature sensed by said first temperature sensor and said second temperature sensor falls below a threshold value.