IP Library Granted Patent US 9,471,541
Granted Patent B1
US 9,471,541 · App. 13/941,387 · Granted Oct 18, 2016

Determining a time period a person is in bed

Inventors: Alexander Chan (Campbell, CA); Ravi Narasimhan (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: Vital Connect, Inc.
G06F17/00G04F13/04G07C1/00A61B5/00A61B5/11G01D21/00G01P15/00G06F17/40G06F19/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,471,541
App. No.
13/941,387
Granted
Oct 18, 2016
Kind
B1
Abstract

A method and wireless sensor device for determining a time period a person is in bed. In one aspect, a method includes utilizing a wireless sensor device to obtain a plurality of acceleration samples in relation to at least one axis associated with a person's body over a predetermined time window. The method also includes calculating a polar angle for each acceleration sample within the predetermined time window. The method also includes calculating a fraction of an amount of time within the predetermined time window that the polar angle is greater than an angle threshold that indicates that the person is lying down, where if the fraction is greater than a predetermined threshold, the predetermined time window is marked as a period the person is lying down.

Claims (32)

1. A computer-implemented method for determining a time period a person is in bed, the method comprising:

utilizing a wireless sensor device to obtain a plurality of acceleration samples in relation to at least one axis associated with a person's body over a predetermined time window;

calculating a polar angle for each acceleration sample within the predetermined time window; and

calculating a fraction of an amount of time within the predetermined time window that the polar angle is greater than an angle threshold that indicates that the person is lying down, wherein if the fraction is greater than a predetermined angle threshold, the predetermined time window is marked as a period the person is lying down.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of acceleration samples are calibrated.

3. The method of claim 1 , the obtaining of the plurality of acceleration samples comprises:

obtaining raw acceleration samples in relation to the at least one axis; and

determining the plurality acceleration samples based on calibrated raw acceleration samples.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one axis includes a plurality of axes in relation to the person's body.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one axis includes one or more of an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis in relation to the person's body.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one axis includes an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one axis includes a mediolateral axis, a vertical axis, and an anteroposterior axis.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless sensor device is at least one of a triaxial accelerometer, a uni-axial accelerometers, a bi-axial accelerometers, a gyroscope, and a pressure sensor.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time window is a bed period having a bed entry time and a bed exit time.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time window is a first bed period, wherein the method further comprises combining the first bed period with a second bed period if an out-of-bed period between the first bed period and second bed period meets a combine threshold.

11. A wireless sensor device for determining a time period a person is in bed, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device coupled to the processor, wherein the wireless sensor device includes an application that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a plurality of acceleration samples in relation to at least one axis associated with a person's body over a predetermined time window utilizing a wireless sensor device to obtain the plurality of acceleration samples;

calculating a polar angle for each acceleration sample within the predetermined time window; and

calculating a fraction of an amount of time within the predetermined time window that the polar angle is greater than an angle threshold that indicates that the person is lying down, and wherein if the fraction is greater than a predetermined angle threshold, the predetermined time window is marked as a period the person is lying down.

12. The wireless sensor device of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of acceleration samples are calibrated.

13. The wireless sensor device of claim 11 , the obtaining of the plurality of acceleration samples comprises:

obtaining raw acceleration samples in relation to the at least one axis; and

determining the plurality acceleration samples based on calibrated raw acceleration samples.

14. The wireless sensor device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one axis includes a plurality of axes in relation to the person's body.

15. The wireless sensor device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one axis includes one or more of an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis in relation to the person's body.

16. The wireless sensor device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one axis includes an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis.

17. The wireless sensor device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one axis includes a mediolateral axis, a vertical axis, and an anteroposterior axis.

18. The wireless sensor device of claim 11 , wherein the wireless sensor device is at least one of a triaxial accelerometer, a uni-axial accelerometers, a bi-axial accelerometers, a gyroscope, and a pressure sensor.

19. The wireless sensor device of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined time window is a bed period having a bed entry time and a bed exit time.

20. The wireless sensor device of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined time window is a first bed period, wherein the method further comprises combining the first bed period with a second bed period if an out-of-bed period between the first bed period and second bed period meets a combine threshold.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 5, 2024
From: INNOVATUS LIFE SCIENCES LENDING FUND I, LP
To: VITAL CONNECT, INC.
Reel/Frame 068146/0132 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 5, 2024
From: VITAL CONNECT, INC.
To: TRINITY CAPITAL INC.
Reel/Frame 068146/0160 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 8, 2021
From: VITAL CONNECT, INC.
To: INNOVATUS LIFE SCIENCES LENDING FUND I, LP
Reel/Frame 054941/0651 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 8, 2021
From: OXFORD FINANCE LLC
To: VITAL CONNECT, INC.
Reel/Frame 054941/0743 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2020
From: VITAL CONNECT, INC.
To: OXFORD FINANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 052354/0752 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 5, 2017
From: PERCEPTIVE CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES FUND, L.P.; PERCEPTIVE CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES GP, LLC
To: VITAL CONNECT, INC.
Reel/Frame 043797/0083 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 10, 2016
From: VITAL CONNECT, INC.
To: PERCEPTIVE CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES FUND, LP; PERCEPTIVE CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES GP, LLC
Reel/Frame 039012/0547 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2013
From: CHAN, ALEXANDER; NARASIMHAN, RAVI
To: VITAL CONNECT, INC.
Reel/Frame 030791/0268 →