IP Library › Granted Patent US 12667277
Granted Patent B2
US 12667277 · App. 18/802,889 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Systems and methods for monitoring body orientation of a subject

Inventor: Michael A. Bain (Costa Mesa, CA)
Assignee: Growth Armor, LLC
A61B5/1114A61B5/1126A61B5/6833A61B5/7405A61B5/746A61B2503/04G08B21/182
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12667277
App. No.
18/802,889
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for determining a body orientation of a subject. A device may be secured to the subject which comprises a housing, a first pair of electrodes in an internal chamber defined by the device, and a conductive material in the internal chamber. The first pair of electrodes may be associated with a first orientation of the device such that when the device is placed in the first orientation, the conductive material is positioned, due to the effects of gravity, to complete a first circuit between the first pair of electrodes. Further pairs of electrodes may be included, each of which may have their circuits completed by the conductive material when the device is placed in a certain orientation. Readings from these pairs of electrodes may be used to determine the subject's body orientation.

Claims (49)

1 . A device for monitoring a body orientation of a subject, the device comprising:

a housing;

a first pair of electrodes in an internal chamber defined by the device, the first pair of electrodes being associated with a first orientation of the device;

a second pair of electrodes in the internal chamber, the second pair of electrodes being associated with a second orientation of the device;

a conductive material in the internal chamber; and

a filling in the internal chamber configured to restrict an open volume of the internal chamber such that the conductive material is guided through a particular path defined by the filling;

wherein effects of gravity cause the conductive material to be guided through the particular path such that a first circuit between the first pair of electrodes is completed by the conductive material when the device is oriented in the first orientation;

wherein effects of gravity cause the conductive material to be guided through the particular path such that a second circuit between the second pair of electrodes is completed by the conductive material when the device is oriented in the second orientation;

wherein effects of gravity cause the conductive material to be guided through the particular path such that the first circuit between the first pair of electrodes is not completed when the device is not oriented in the first orientation; and

wherein the effects of gravity cause the conductive material to be guided through the particular path such that the second circuit between the second pair of electrodes is not completed when the device is not oriented in the second orientation.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second pairs of electrodes are spaced from one another such that a rotation of the device on an axis of rotation by at least 30 degrees is necessary to transition the device from the first orientation to the second orientation.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second pairs of electrodes are disposed on an internal surface which bounds the internal chamber.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises:

a battery; and

an alarm;

wherein the alarm is operative to sound in response to one or more of: the first circuit being completed for at least a prescribed portion of a prescribed time period, a battery level of the battery falling below a threshold value.

5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the prescribed time period is at least 2 hours.

6 . A method of monitoring a body orientation of a subject, the method comprising the step of:

providing a device comprising:

a housing;

a first pair of electrodes in an internal chamber defined by the device, the first pair of electrodes being associated with a first orientation of the device;

a second pair of electrodes in the internal chamber, the second pair of electrodes being associated with a second orientation of the device;

a conductive material in the internal chamber; and

a filling in the internal chamber configured to restrict an open volume of the internal chamber such that the conductive material is guided through a particular path defined by the filling;

wherein effects of gravity cause the conductive material to be guided through the particular path such that a first circuit between the first pair of electrodes is completed by the conductive material when the device is oriented in the first orientation;

wherein effects of gravity cause the conductive material to be guided through the particular path such that a second circuit between the second pair of electrodes is completed by the conductive material when the device is oriented in the second orientation;

wherein effects of gravity cause the conductive material to be guided through the particular path such that the first circuit between the first pair of electrodes is not completed when the device is not oriented in the first orientation; and

wherein effects of gravity cause the conductive material to be guided through the particular path such that the second circuit between the second pair of electrodes is not completed when the device is not oriented in the second orientation;

securing the device to the subject such that the device is placed in the first orientation when the subject is in a first body orientation and such that the device is placed in a second orientation when the subject is in a second body orientation; and

determining the body orientation of the subject based on a reading from the first pair of electrodes and based on a reading from the second pair of electrodes.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the subject is a human.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the human is no more than three years old.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the device is secured to an anatomical region of the human.

10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said step of securing the device comprises the use of an adhesive on the subject.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the device comprises the adhesive.

12 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first and second pairs of electrodes are spaced from one another such that a rotation of the device on an axis of rotation by at least 30 degrees is necessary to transition the device from the first orientation to the second orientation.

13 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first and second pairs of electrodes are disposed on an internal surface which bounds the internal chamber.

14 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the device further comprises:

a battery; and

an alarm;

wherein the alarm is operative to sound in response to one or more of: the first circuit being connected for at least a prescribed portion of a prescribed time period, a battery level of the battery falling below a threshold value.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the prescribed time period is at least 2 hours.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises a step of

changing the body orientation of the subject after the alarm sounds in response to the first circuit being connected for at least a prescribed portion of a prescribed time period.

17 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the device further comprises:

a communication link;

wherein the method further comprises the step of:

transmitting a signal based on the reading from the first pair of electrodes to an external device.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the external device is operative to trigger a warning in response to receiving the signal.