Abstract:
Systems and methods for monitoring head-accelerations data for a plurality of athletes. An exemplary system includes a plurality of athlete-mounted sensor units that record acceleration information and wirelessly transmit the recorded acceleration information and information identifying the sensor unit, if the recorded acceleration information exceeds a predefined threshold. A base unit receives the wirelessly transmitted acceleration information and the information identifying the sensor unit and makes the received information available to at least one output device.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/336,429 filed Jan. 22, 2010 and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/409,906 filed Nov. 3, 2010, the contents of both are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Participation in athletic activities is increasing at all age levels. All participants may be potentially exposed to physical harm as a result of such participation. Physical harm is more likely to occur in athletic events where collisions between participants frequently occur (e.g., football, field hockey, lacrosse, ice hockey, soccer and the like). In connection with sports such as football, hockey and lacrosse where deliberate collisions between participants occur, the potential for physical harm and/or injury is greatly enhanced. Approximately 300,000 athletes incur concussions in the United States each year. This may be a conservative estimate because many minor head injuries go unreported. Although most concussions occur in high-impact sports, athletes in low-impact sports are not immune to mild traumatic brain injury. Head injuries are caused by positive and negative acceleration forces experienced by the brain and may result from linear or rotational accelerations (or both). Both linear and rotational accelerations are likely to be encountered by the head at impact, damaging neural and vascular elements of the brain. 
         [0003]    At the school level, school authorities have become sensitive to the risk of injury to which student participants are exposed, as well as to the liability of the school system when injury results. Greater emphasis is being placed on proper training and instruction to limit potential injuries. Some players engage in reckless behavior on the athletic field or do not appreciate the dangers to which they and others are subject by certain types of impacts experienced in these athletic endeavors. Unfortunately, the use of mouth guards and helmets does not prevent all injuries. One particularly troublesome problem is when a student athlete experiences a head injury, such as a concussion, of undetermined severity even when wearing protective headgear. Physicians, trainers, and coaches utilize standard neurological examinations and cognitive questioning to determine the relative severity of the impact and its effect on the athlete. Return to play decisions can be strongly influenced by parents and coaches who want a star player back on the field. 
         [0004]    The same problem arises in professional sports where the stakes are much higher for a team, where such a team loses a valuable player due to the possibility of a severe head injury. Recent medical data suggests that lateral and rotational forces applied to the head and neck area (for example, flexion/extension, lateral flexion, and axial rotation) are more responsible for axonal nerve damage than previously thought. Previous medical research had indicated that axially directed forces (such as spinal compression forces) were primarily responsible for such injuries. 
         [0005]    Identifying the magnitude of acceleration that causes brain injury may assist in prevention, diagnosis, and return-to-play decisions. Most field measurements assess the acceleration experienced by the player with accelerometers attached to the helmet. The following show some attempts for measuring the impacts to the skull and brain while the player is participating in a sporting activity. U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,935, entitled “Sports Helmet,” issued on Jul. 30, 1996 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,922, entitled “Sports Helmet Capable of Sensing Linear and Rotational Forces,” issued on Apr. 22, 1997 are examples of some of those attempts. Both patents relate to impact sensors for linear and rotational forces in a football helmet. These devices test the impact to the skull of a player. If an athlete suffers a concussion, for example, it will be possible to determine if the relative magnitude of an impact is dangerously high relative to a threshold to which each sensing device is adjusted, taking into consideration the size and weight of the player. 
         [0006]    Another attempt performs testing impact acceleration to the head with an intraoral device which provides acceleration information of the brain in various sports. Other attempts have been made, however all these attempts can be costly to implement and fail to provide full historical medical information to coaches, trainers and medical professionals in real-time for dozens of players at a time on one or more adjacent fields. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides a wirelessly linked sports impact sensing and reporting system. The system mainly includes one or more player electronics modules, a sideline module, and a remotely served and remotely accessible recording database module. In one aspect of the invention, the player module is housed independently within the volume of a set of an otherwise standard mouth guard and chin strap assembly, the sideline module is housed within the structure of an otherwise standard clipboard, and the database module is accessible via a network, e.g., public or private Internet. 
         [0008]    In one version of the invention, the player module includes a plurality of sensors capable of detecting impact events in multiple axes, a battery, a data memory storage device, a microprocessor and a LED status indicator array. Each player module includes an RF transducer module and an antenna system, capable of establishing a wireless mesh network for reporting the data associated with an impact to the player. A zinc-air primary cell battery is used with the present player module device, but may be substituted by use of a lithium-polymer rechargeable battery or similar. 
         [0009]    In another version of the invention, the sideline module includes a radio system capable of acting as a node on the wireless network and receiving signals from any of the player modules participating on the wireless mesh network in real-time. The sideline module also includes a battery, a data memory storage device, a microprocessor and a display capable of indicating impact information per player on the wireless mesh network, severity of impact, and recommended action in near real-time. The sideline module also includes a loudspeaker capable of generating audible alert tones to attract a coach&#39;s attention to incoming information in real-time. A zinc-air primary cell battery is used with the present player module device, but may be substituted by use of a lithium-polymer rechargeable battery or similar. 
         [0010]    In still another version of the invention, the database module includes a database of players and associated impact data arrangeable by name, team, date, severity of impact, frequency of impact, and many other parameters. The database module is so constructed to be accessible via the public or private data network and is configured to provide various degrees of access to its information contents. Access accounts may be configured according to individual, team, division, league, physician, and administrator levels. Each account will be granted access to the appropriate set of data only, and password protection will ensure dissemination of data only to authorized parties. 
         [0011]    In yet an additional version of the invention, an example system includes a mouth guard having a proximity sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a processor in signal communication with the accelerometer and gyroscope, a memory in data communication with the processor, a transmitter in signal communication with the processor, and a battery that provides power to the processor, the memory, the accelerometer, and the gyroscope. The processor is configured to allow power from a battery to flow to the accelerometer and gyroscope when the proximity sensor detects that the mouth guard has been inserted into a mouth. The processor is also configured to instruct the transmitter to transmit a signal if an acceleration above a predefined first threshold is sensed and to continue transmitting if an acceleration above a predefined second threshold is sensed before a first time period is complete. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a drawing showing an example of the invention in context of a football player&#39;s head in profile, while wearing a football helmet and the sensor-enabled mouth guard and chin strap set, i.e. the player module; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a drawing showing the player module in context of its positioning as worn within a human head; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a drawing in isometric view showing an example mouth guard element of the player module and indicating the positioning of embedded sensor elements and conductors; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a drawing in plan view showing the example mouth guard element of the player module and indicating the positioning of embedded sensor elements and conductors; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a drawing showing a side view of an example player module, including the mouth guard element and chinstrap element, and showing the relationship and connection between the two; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a drawing in isometric view showing the player module, including mouth guard and chinstrap elements; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a drawing showing a portion of an example sideline module embodied as a clipboard, with a display and input buttons in the uppermost region; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary system formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate an exemplary process performed by the system shown in  FIG. 8 ; and 
           [0022]      FIGS. 11A-E  illustrate various player gear that includes sensor units as included in the system shown in  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0023]    A preferred version of the present invention is a system for the detection, measurement, characterization, transmission, and/or reporting of events causing impact forces to be experienced by players, for example football players. Thus, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a preferred system is configured for use with a mouth guard in a situation in which a player also uses a chinstrap and a helmet. In other examples, various sensors may be incorporated into other housings such as headbands, goggles, or other headgear. The system conveys to an authority figure, preferably a coach or trainer, useful information about the identity of the impacted player, the severity of the impact, and suggested actions for evaluating the condition of the player and for making decisions about the players subsequent status vis-à-vis readiness to return to play or referral to a physician&#39;s care. 
         [0024]    An example of the player module includes an arrangement of a plurality of low-cost, distributed sensors arranged between the inside surface of the player shell and the bottom surface of a padding elements that provide fit and cushioning to the player&#39;s head. These sensors may alternatively be positioned intermediately within the padding element, either at the interface of two laminated elements, or by encapsulation directly within the mass of the padding element. The sensors may also be situated within cavities of the player or in the spaces between padding elements. For example, these sensors may be MEMS type impact sensors, MEMS accelerometers, miniature weighted cantilevers fitted with miniature strain-gauge elements, piezoelectric membranes, or Force-Sensitive-Resistors (FSR). 
         [0025]    In one example, the sensors are incorporated into a sensor unit that is configured as a mouth guard. Thus, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , various sensors may be encapsulated into the material formed as a mouth guard. In the illustrated version, sensors are shown being positioned at a lower surface of the mouth guard, beneath the channel formed to receive a user&#39;s teeth. As also illustrated, the exemplary mouth guard of  FIGS. 3 and 4  includes a wire or tether, preferably encapsulated in a protective covering, extending from a forward portion of the mouth guard in order to send data to a base unit or other device. In other versions, as described below, the mouth guard includes an antenna for wirelessly transmitting the data to an intermediate module or directly to a sideline receiving unit. 
         [0026]    The sensors employed in the player module are connected electronically by means of wires or printed flex circuitry to an electronics pod or other similar means, in some versions situated within a primary shell of the player, and within the space available between two or more padding elements. As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , in some versions the mouth guard sensors are communicatively coupled to a receiving unit contained within a chin strap or other such component external to the mouth. The chin strap includes electronic components to transmit the data received from the mouth guard and then pass it along to a sideline receiving unit. Most preferably the data is passed along in real time, although in some versions the data is stored in a memory and downloaded at a later time. 
         [0027]    The electronics pod (whether in the helmet, the mouth guard, the chin strap, or another location) collects, processes, evaluates, and if appropriate, transmits data pertaining to an impact event via radio to one or more other participant nodes of the wireless network to which the player module belongs. The electronics pod contains electronic circuitry having components such as a microprocessor, flash memory, radio module, antenna, and status display LEDs. In the circuit&#39;s memory resides a database lookup table for evaluation of sensor data and comparison to combinations of impact levels that represent suspicious likelihood of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) or concussion. The electronics pod is also configured to monitor, evaluate, and/or display system status information such as link to network, battery charge status, and proper system functioning. 
         [0028]    An example sideline module is an electronic data gathering and display device incorporated into a portable enclosure that is easy for a coach, trainer, or other such game official to carry, consult, and interact with during the activities of the practice or game. In one embodiment, the sideline module is embedded into the topmost section of a clipboard, for example as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . Since the majority of coaches and trainers need to carry clipboards anyway, this is perceived as the most natural and least obtrusive way to provide impact information. However, many other configurations of the sideline module are possible, including building it into a wristband, a stopwatch-style fob with a neck lanyard, a device similar to a mobile phone or pager, etc. The sideline module may be in the form of any electronic receiving device, including laptop computers, mobile phones, or any other such device configurable to receive wireless information. Moreover, the sideline module is described as receiving information directly from the sensor unit, although in some versions of the invention the sensor module may pass its data to an intermediate server or other device which then forwards the information to the sideline module. 
         [0029]    The sideline module includes electronic components arranged into a circuit that allows for participation in the wireless mesh network established by a set of player modules, and specifically for the receipt of data transmissions from the player modules, and subsequently the display of impact event information on a visual display in real-time. The sideline module also produces audible and vibratory alert signals to call attention to the arrival of new data messages in real-time, which are disabled by manual conscious intervention of the coach or trainer, indicating acknowledgement of receipt of impact event data. 
         [0030]    In one embodiment, the sideline module performs the classification of incoming impact data into one of three categories, indicating differing levels of concern and differing levels of urgency of response. The system employs a “GREEN LIGHT” “YELLOW LIGHT” and “RED LIGHT” system, in which a GREEN LIGHT status indicates the absence of significant impact events for a given player, a YELLOW LIGHT indicates the need for immediate sideline evaluation of the player, and RED LIGHT indicates a severe enough impact that the player be removed from play and referred to a physician immediately. 
         [0031]    Upon registering a YELLOW LIGHT impact event, and upon subsequent acknowledgement of receipt of the message by the coach or trainer, the sideline module, in one embodiment, leads the coach or trainer through a simple protocol for evaluation of the player&#39;s condition. Through answering a series of simple Yes or No questions, the sideline module guides the coach or trainer to a limited number of possible suggested actions. These potential outcomes could include immediate referral to a physician for further examination, or a period of bench time observation followed by a secondary guided evaluation before allowing the player to return to play. 
         [0032]    In one embodiment, a durable record of data transactions is received in real-time and is kept independently of the sideline module or modules. Such a database provides players, parents, coaches, trainers, administrators and other stakeholders access to a record of what impact event information was conveyed, when, to whom and about which player. The sideline module is equipped with a wide area network radio module for transmission of a record of all data transactions on the system with time stamp and a record of the actions by coaches and content of player evaluations. A standard 1 way or 2 way pager system is used, which has the benefit of being inexpensive and nearly ubiquitous in availability throughout much of the world. Alternatives to pager radio systems are cellular radios of various kinds and other wide area network wireless connections. The knowledge that this information will be available to stakeholders provides accountability to all stakeholders in the health and well being of the player. 
         [0033]    In one embodiment, the database is populated by an automatic interface to the wide area radio network accessed by the sideline network, and is accessible to stakeholders by means of internet based applications, equipped with password protected hierarchical account structures. The system provides parents the ability to log on to their account and review the totality of impact event data and the record of coach responses associated with their player. 
         [0034]    Each player module at the start of each season maps its unique identifier code to a particular player&#39;s name and number. It is possible that during the course of events players might accidentally wear the wrong player number and potentially cause confusion by users of the system. It is for this reason that each player module has, in one embodiment, a visual indicator array of LEDs, which will repeatedly flash a visible signal in case of transmission of an impact event of concern. A yellow light flashes to indicate the transmission of a YELLOW LIGHT event, and a red light flashes to indicate the transmission of a RED LIGHT event. When the player is called to the sidelines for evaluation, the coach or trainer can disable the flashing indicator light by simultaneously depressing a button on the player module and a button on the sideline module. This provides positive confirmation that the player who sustained the reported impact is in fact the player being evaluated by the coach or trainer. 
         [0035]      FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary system  100  that performs aggregation of head-acceleration information received from a plurality of sensor units  102  and makes the acceleration information available to relevant parties. The sensor units are the mouth guards or other components as described above that incorporate one or more sensors. The system  100  includes a base unit  104  that is in wireless communication with one or more sensor units  102  and is optionally in wired or wireless communication with one or more devices  106 . As described above, the sensor units may be directly coupled to the base unit, or may alternatively pass their data to the base unit indirectly, through a server, network, or other electronic device. The base unit  104  includes a processor  112 , a user interface  114 , local memory  116 , and a communication component  120 . The base unit  104  receives acceleration information wirelessly from each of the sensor units  102  and optionally makes that data available to the one or more additional devices  106 . 
         [0036]    In some versions, the base unit  104  or any of the devices  106  are in wired or wireless connection with a medical system  124  over a public or private data network  108 . The medical system  124  receives acceleration, identification or other information from the base unit  104  or the devices  106  for analysis with regard to stored athlete information and/or storage into a database  126 . 
         [0037]    In one embodiment, the sensor units  102  include one or more accelerometers or gyros embedded into a device worn on or inside a head cavity (mouth or ear). The sensor units  102  may also include a transmitter, a receiver, memory, or a power source (battery, piezoelectric device, etc.). When a sensor unit  102  has determined that an acceleration event has exceeded a predefined threshold, the sensor unit  102  transmits identification information of the individual sensor unit and recorded acceleration information associated with the acceleration event that exceeded the threshold. The sensor unit may optionally send positional orientation data together with acceleration data related to the event, matching positional data over time with acceleration data over time. 
         [0038]    The communication component  120  receives the acceleration information from the sensor unit  102  and delivers it to the processor  112 . The processor  112  performs a number of optional operations, such as storing the received acceleration information into the memory  116 , analyzing the received information based on predefined athlete information stored in the memory  116 , and/or sends processed or unprocessed acceleration and athlete information to one or more of the devices  106  or the medical system  124  via the network  108 . 
         [0039]    The base unit  104  may be comparable to a wireless router device that uses IEEE 802, which is a family of IEEE standards dealing with local area network wireless communication. It includes just a communication component (transceiver) and a router processor for receiving information from the sensor units  102  and communicating the received information to the devices  106  or other devices that are in signal communication with the base unit  104 . 
         [0040]    In some versions, the devices  106  are dummy displays that include a communication component receiver for acting as a wireless display for the base unit  104 . In another embodiment, the devices  106  are smart computing devices that include a processor, a display, a transceiver and a user interface; for example, a computing tablet device, a personal data assistant (PDA), a watch or any comparable device. 
         [0041]    Preferably the device  106  includes local memory. The device  106  presents in a relevant format the acceleration information received from the sensor units  102  via the base unit  104 . Typical users of the devices  106  might be a team coach, trainer or medical professional. 
         [0042]    The communication between the base unit  104  and a plurality of sensor units  102  (possibly over a hundred if each player of two football teams includes a sensor unit  102 ) is carefully managed in order to insure that relevant acceleration information generated by all of the sensor units  102  is successfully transmitted to and processed by the base unit  104 .  FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate an exemplary process  160  that describes communication operation performed in the system  100 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the process  160  begins at a block  162  where the sensor units  102  detect and optionally record any dynamic head-health related events (i.e., head linear or rotational acceleration experienced greater than a threshold amount). At a block  164 , the recorded dynamic head-health related events are transmitted locally to coaches or medical professionals at the base unit  104 , the devices  106  and/or the medical system  124  for manual or automatic analysis. The process shown at the block  164  is described in more detail below in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 10  shows an example process performed at the block  164  of  FIG. 9 . Most preferably, the system operates within the ISM band at approximately 915 MHz. In other versions, however, it may operate at other frequencies such as 2.4 GHz. 
         [0044]    First, at a block  182 , one or more of the sensor units  102  record an acceleration event. Initially, the sensor units listen to ensure that a channel is clear before sending data. If the channel is busy, the sensor unit employs a random exponential back-off scheme to avoid collision with other radios on retry attempts. This protocol allows the mouth guard units to stay asleep the majority of the time, conserving battery power. It also allows many radios to co-exist on the network without resorting to the high-precision timekeeping necessary for time-slot protocols. Optionally a system similar to IEEE802.11 RTS/CTS sequence can be added if hidden talker problems dominate the band. 
         [0045]    At a block  184 , once the channel is clear, the sensor unit  102  that recorded an acceleration event transmits a time slot query that can be heard by the base unit  104  and proximate sensor units  102  (possibly not all proximate to the sensor units  102 ). Mouth guard radios are assigned addresses and other network and data acquisition parameters from the access point upon joining the network. If not already assigned, the address will be assigned at this stage. 
         [0046]    At a block  188 , all the sensor units  102  receive a clock signal from the base unit based on a frequency hopping wireless communication protocol (e.g., Bluetooth). This step may be performed at any time, for example, at the start up of the devices  102 ,  104 . The sensor units  102  use the received clock signal to synchronize to the frequency hopping wireless communication protocol. The sensor units adjust their frequency every 100 ms among 50 frequency channels (or more, depending on the particular implementation) according to an algorithm at the access point. 
         [0047]    Next, at a block  190 , the sensor unit  102  listens for time slot queries from other sensor units  102 , then claims a time slot based on the sent time slot queries. 
         [0048]    At decision block  192 , the base unit  104  determines if two or more sensor units  102  are claiming the same time slot. This would occur for example if two sensor units  102  cannot hear each other&#39;s time slot query. If two or more sensor units  102  are claiming the same time slot, the process  164  proceeds to block  196 . If two or more sensor units  102  are not claiming the same time slot, the process  164  proceeds to block  200 . 
         [0049]    At the block  196 , the base unit  104  grants access to time slots by generating and sending signals with sensor unit IDs and available timeslot information to the two or more conflicting sensor units  102 . Then, at a block  198 , the conflicting sensor units  102  broadcast the recorded acceleration event and identification (ID) information according to the granted time slot. 
         [0050]    At the block  200 , the sensor units  102  broadcast recorded acceleration event and ID information at the claimed time slot. Mouth guard radio packets contain a unique sequence number. Each radio packet is acknowledged (ACK) by the access point. If the mouth guard radio does not receive an ACK, the packet is re-transmitted. If the access point receives the original packet and the retried packet, the retried packet can be discarded because the sequence number will have already been received. 
         [0051]    Though described above as sending acceleration events, the mouth guard sends additional data in various embodiments. In general, they send one or more impact parameters corresponding to an impact or movement sensed at the mouth guard. The impact parameters may be in the form of acceleration or, in other versions, may be measures or indicators of movement or other events or forces detected. 
         [0052]    In some versions, the mouth guard only transmits impact parameters when an over-threshold event is detected. Thus, the mouth guard includes internal components such as a processor and memory to analyze a detected acceleration or other impact parameter and compare it against stored thresholds. If the detected event is above the threshold, then the unit follows the procedure described above to transmit information related to the event. 
         [0053]    In some versions, the mouth guards transmit a state of change of the mouth guard based on an in-mouth sensor. Thus, the mouth guard may include a proximity sensor or other sensor configured to detect whether the mouth guard has been inserted into the mouth. When it is either inserted or removed the mouth guard transmits (according to the protocols described above) an indicator of the position or the state change of the position of the mouth guard. 
         [0054]    The mouth guard may further transmit a status packet, indicating battery level, health or functionality of sensors and other components, or other health information. 
         [0055]    After blocks  198  and  200 , at a block  204 , the base unit  104  makes the received data available locally or remotely over a wired or wireless, public or private data network. 
         [0056]      FIGS. 11A-E  illustrate various embodiments of the sensor units  102 .  FIG. 11A  illustrates a mouth guard sensor unit  220 . In one embodiment, the mouth guard sensor unit  220  includes an embedded sensor device. The sensor device includes one or more accelerometers and/or gyroscopes, memory, a power supply, and a communication device. In other embodiments, portions of the sensor device are included in other equipment worn by the athlete (e.g., helmet, chin strap, or other clothing). 
         [0057]      FIG. 11B  illustrates a headband  228  that includes the sensor device. In such a version, the accelerometer, memory, battery, and other components may be simply packaged and stitched or otherwise secured within the lining or an interior portion of the headband. Most preferably, the headband further includes an indicator that will allow the user to orient the headband in a particular manner, such as one that will facilitate placement of the accelerometer or other sensor at the center of the forehead or other desired location. 
         [0058]      FIG. 11C  illustrates a pair of athletic goggles  238  that includes the sensor device. In such a version, the accelerometer is preferably encapsulated in a central location such as at the bridge of the nose. The batteries, memory, and other components may be secured to any other location along the goggles, such as within or on the headband straps of the goggles. 
         [0059]      FIG. 11D  illustrates a pair of ear buds  240  that include the sensor device. In this version, the accelerometer is secured within the ear bud and therefore not visible. 
         [0060]      FIG. 11E  illustrates a cap with the sensor device being embedded within it in the same fashion as with the headband as described above. 
         [0061]    While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.