Abstract:
A garment such as a shirt or sports bra has first electrodes attached thereto so as to sense at least one electronic signal from a person wearing the garment. An electronic enclosure, which may include second electrodes that are configured and arranged to electronically interface with the first electrodes, may be releasably attached to the garment. The electronic enclosure may, for example, comprise an EKG sensor.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/470,060, filed May 13, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     The current state of art in EKG monitoring uses anywhere from 2 leads to 12 leads to capture the signal. There are many two lead EKG products available on the market, however they either go across the hands as in bicycle grips, or across the chest as in the chest straps made by Polar.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]     According to one aspect of the invention, a garment such as a shirt or sports bra has first electrodes attached thereto so as to sense at least one electronic signal from a person wearing the garment. An electronic enclosure, which may include second electrodes that are configured and arranged to electronically interface with the first electrodes, may be releasably attached to the garment. The electronic enclosure may, for example, comprise an EKG sensor. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]      FIGS. 1   a - d  show an example embodiment of a system embodying various aspects of the present invention;  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example embodiment of an additional feature that may be employed to help secure an EKG sensor to a garment;  
         [0006]      FIGS. 3-5  illustrate a variety of examples of how garments may alternatively be configured in accordance with various aspects of the invention;  
         [0007]      FIG. 6  shows an example embodiment of an electronic enclosure embodying various aspects of the present invention; and  
         [0008]      FIG. 7  illustrates another example embodiment of an additional feature that may be employed to help secure an EKG sensor to a garment.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION  
       [0009]      FIGS. 1   a - d  show an example embodiment of a system embodying various aspects of the present invention. As shown, the system includes a garment  100  (a shirt in the illustrative example shown) to which a plurality of EKG pickup contacts  102  (e.g., carbonized rubber electrodes, or metal rivets, snaps or buttons) are fixedly attached so that they can detect an EKG signal from the body of the person wearing the garment  100 . Also attached to the garment  100  are a pair of EKG conductive snaps  104   a  that are adapted to releasably mate with a corresponding pair of conductive snaps  104   b  fixedly attached to the housing of an EKG sensor  106 . The contacts  102  may be electrically connected to the snaps  104   a  via conductive threads sewn into the shirt. Preferably, the conductive threads are sewn in a zigzag pattern so as to provide the elasticity required to keep the threads from breaking and from becoming uncomfortable. In the example shown, one half (i.e., four) of the contacts  102  are connected to one of the snaps  104   b,  and the other half (i.e., the other four) of the contacts  102  are electrically connected to the other snap  104   b.  Thus, when the snaps  104   b  of the EKG sensor  106  are attached to the snaps  104   a  on the garment, the EKG sensor  106  can detect an EKG signal picked up by the contacts  102 .  
         [0010]      FIGS. 2 and 7  illustrate an example embodiment of an additional feature that may be employed to help secure the EKG sensor  106  to a garment. As shown, a section of a strap of material  100  may be sewn or otherwise attached to the garment  100 , with one portion  202  of the strap  100  including the hook portion and another portion  204  including the loop portion of a hook and loop fastener. The straps  100  may then be wrapped around the EKG sensor  106 , and the hook portion  202  may be fastened to the loop portion  204  to secure the EKG sensor firmly in place. Of course, other fastening techniques and mechanisms other than hook and loop fasteners may additionally or alternatively be employed.  
         [0011]      FIGS. 3-5  illustrate a variety of examples of how garments may alternatively be configured in accordance with various aspects of the invention. Each article of clothing has been modified in a fashion that maintains comfort and is not restrictive in any way. Unique ways of fastening the electronic assembly have been invented, unique methods of obtaining the electrical signals of the heart have been employed, and unique placements of electrodes have been uncovered that may enable comfortable placement within a garment. Each garment may use a detachable electronic enclosure  106  for the interpretation of the signal. The areas  302   a,    302   b,    402  and  502  represent examples of possible detection points of the EKG signal in the clothing. By locating electrodes properly, e.g., on the front and/or back of a bra; on an elastic collar, an elastic sleeve, and/or under the arms of a shirt; and/or on the rear elastic waistband of shorts or underwear, the EKG signal can be adequately detected to determine heart rate.  
         [0012]     One embodiment of the design uses conductive threads in a zigzag flexible stitch. The zigzag stitch provides the elasticity required to keep the threads from breaking and from becoming uncomfortable. By providing one or more runs of conductive threads, proper impedance matching can be done for the circuit so as to limit the electrical losses.  
         [0013]     As mentioned above, the electronic enclosure  106  may be an intelligent EKG sensor with a complete waveform processing system. This waveform processing system may provide, for example, an accurate beat-to-beat interval of the R-Wave of the heart rate waveform. Other processing may additionally or alternatively be performed on this wave form to detect arrhythmias and to set one or more alarm point(s). The beat-to-beat interval may be translated into heart rate in beats per minute. A wireless interconnect may be used to transmit the data to a receiving device where the heart rate can be stored, displayed or further processed with other physiological data. It should be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments, any other electronic device (i.e. other than an EKG sensor) that receives as an input an electronic signal picked up from contacts  102  may additionally or alternatively be housed within the enclosure  106 .  
         [0014]     The enclosure may use medical grade snaps in order to connect to the apparel. The snaps may be located on the apparel just outside the measured dimensions of the snap placement. By using stretch material, the snaps may pull the enclosure tight against the fabric.  
         [0015]     Having described several embodiments of the invention in detail, various modifications and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and improvements are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is by way of example only, and is not intended as limiting. The invention is limited only as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereto.