Patent Application
20150356852
The invention generally pertains to temperature and humidity sensors and more particularly to a temperature and humidity alerting system (THAS) that allows a remotely located caregiver to be alerted when a person has inadvertently urinated or defecated while clothed or when bedridden.
Currently in the prior art there are methods and electronic equipment that function in combination with a plurality of sensors to provide data pertaining to a person's health and/or physical condition. The sensors are attached to selected areas of a person's body to monitor the person's vital signs such as heart rate and temperature. When the heart rate or temperature exceeds a preset level, an alarm alerts a nurse or a caretaker that a potential medical problem exists.
The prior art equipment does not include a method or equipment that specifically is designed to monitor a bedridden or clothed patient who has inadvertently urinated or defecated. In particular, when a diapered infant has an accident, prior art disclosing a means for determining that a diaper has been soiled was not located.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any literature or patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents are considered related:
For background purposes and indicative of the art to which the invention relates, reference may be made to the following remaining patents found in the patent search.
The temperature and humidity alerting system (THAS) provides a non-invasive and an expedient method for monitoring a clothed, bedridden person or an infant who have inadvertently urinated or defecated. In its basic design configuration the THAS is comprised of:
A. A data transmitting unit having means for producing a temperature signal derived from a temperature indicating probe and a humidity signal derived from a humidity indicating probe. Each probe is disposable and is located between a person's skin and an interfacing article of clothing such as a diaper. The temperature and humidity signals are applied to and are processed by a microprocessor that produces a processed temperature signal and a processed humidity signal. Each signal is applied to a wireless transmitting circuit which produces a temperature output signal and humidity output signal that are each applied via an antenna into outer space.
B. A wireless data receiving unit that receives the temperature and humidity output signals that are then applied to and are further processed by a microprocessor. The microprocessor produces a temperature data signal and a humidity data signal that are applied to a data alert circuit where a person's temperature and humidity data are displayed.
The data transmitting unit, which is also referred to as a base unit, utilizes the temperature indicating probe in combination with the humidity indicating probe. The two probes are inserted between a person's skin and an article of clothing such as a diaper. When a clothed or bedridden person has an accident which is defined as inadvertently urinating or defecating, the two probes sense a change of body temperature and humidity. This change causes the probes to produce respectively a temperature signal and a humidity signal that are both applied to the microprocessor.
If the program or algorithm stored in the microprocessor determines that an accident has occurred, three actions are provide by the microprocessor:
1. an audio alarm is activated,
2. an accident alarm LED illuminates, and
3. the temperature and humidity data is remotely sent from the data transmitting unit to the data receiving unit.
The wireless data receiving unit is remotely located such as in a caregiver or nurses station where an accident incident can be readily observed and/or heard, thus allowing corrective action to be taken. The temperature and the humidity output signals received by the data receiving unit are applied to a microprocessor when produces a temperature data and humidity data signal which are applied to an alpha-numeric display where a person's temperature and humidity data is displayed.
In view of the above disclosure, the primary object of the invention is to produce a temperature and humidity alerting system (THAS) that reliably provides a visual and audio alarm when a clothed or bedridden person inadvertently urinates or defecates.
In addition to the primary object of the invention it is also an object of the invention to provide an invention that:
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the sub sequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms that disclose a preferred embodiment of a temperature and humidity alerting system (THAS) 10. The THAS 10 is designed to alert a medical practitioner or caregiver that a person who is bedridden or clothed, such as with a diaper, has inadvertently urinated or defecated while still clothed. The THAS 10, as shown in
The data transmitting unit 12, as best shown in
The microprocessor 14, as shown in
The input applied to the THAS 10 is comprised of two probes: a temperature indicating probe 42 and a humidity indicating probe 44, both of which are preferably disposable. The probes can consist of individual probes, as shown in
The electrical power to the THAS 10 is provided by a power input circuit 20, as shown in
When either one or both of the probes 42, 44 are activated, the microprocessor 14 produces a signal that illuminates an incident alarm LED 34 which is connected through a current limiting resistor 36 that is connected to pin F on the microprocessor 14. Concurrently with the illumination of the LED 34, a loudspeaker 46 produces an audio alarm. The loudspeaker 46, as shown in
The output provided by the data transmitting unit 12 is a temperature data signal that is produced by a wireless transmitting circuit 50 which has a pin A connected to a pin M on the microprocessor 14, a pin B connected to circuit ground 18, a pin C connected to pin E on the external memory 16, and a pin D connected to a transmitting antenna 52. The wireless transmitting unit 50 can be comprised of an RF transmitter, BLUETOOTH® or other wireless technology transmitting circuit.
The second major element of the THAS 10, as shown in
The microprocessor 60, as shown in
The electrical power to the THAS 10 is provided by a power input circuit 66, as shown in
The output from the wireless transmitting circuit 50 is received by wireless receiving circuit 90, as shown in
The data receiving unit 58 also includes an alpha-numeric display 86 and a keypad 88. The display 86, as shown in
The alpha-numeric display 86 allows the data received by the data receiving unit 58 to be easily viewed. As shown in
The keypad 88 allows numbers and letters to be entered. The keypad can include a “patient data key”. Pressing this key causes the microprocessor program to step through a list of pre-selected questions that can include data such as the patient's name and address, date of birth, age, etc. The keypad 88 also allows the medical practitioner to set a computer clock to the present time and data. Having a clock in the THAS 10 also allows the system to log the time and date of each accident occurrence. This provides the medical practitioner or caregiver with accurate data as to when and how often the patient is having an accident occurrence.
While the invention has been described in detail and pictorially shown in the accompanying drawings it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modification may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof. Hence, it is described to cover any and all modifications and forms which may come within the language and scope of the claims.
