IP Library Granted Patent US 11,278,690
Granted Patent B2
US 11,278,690 · App. 16/511,280 · Granted Mar 22, 2022

Devices, systems and methods for facilitating facemask compliance

Inventors: Anthony James Hickey (Chapel Hill, NC); Timothy M. Crowder (Durham, NC)
Assignee: Astartein, LLC
A61M16/06A61M15/0086A61M16/0051A61M16/021A61M21/00A61M11/02A61M15/009A61M16/0063A61M21/02A61M2021/005A61M2021/0027A61M2021/0044A61M2205/13A61M2205/18A61M2205/3561A61M2205/3584A61M2205/3592A61M2205/43A61M2205/502A61M2205/52A61M2205/581A61M2205/583A61M2205/587A61M2205/59A61M2205/8206
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,278,690
App. No.
16/511,280
Granted
Mar 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A facemask includes a facemask body, a plurality of electrical contacts and a control circuit. The facemask body has an end including an opening and a skin contact perimeter extending along a periphery of the opening, with the skin contact perimeter configured to sealingly engage with a user's face. Each electrical contact is disposed at a respective region of the skin contact perimeter, and each electrical contact is configured to sense when the respective region of the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with a user's face. The control circuit is disposed on the facemask body, and the control circuit is configured to receive a signal from each electrical contact when the respective region of the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with a user's face and to initiate output of an audible stimulus and/or a visual stimulus in response to receiving a concurrent signal from all of the plurality of electrical contacts.

Claims (20)

1. A method for improving juvenile compliance with inhaled medication administration, the method comprising:

providing a facemask comprising:

a facemask body including an opening configured to receive at least a portion of a child's face and a skin contact perimeter extending along a periphery of the opening, the skin contact perimeter configured to sealingly engage with the child's face;

at least three electrical contacts, each electrical contact disposed at a respective region of the skin contact perimeter, each electrical contact configured to sense when the respective region of the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with the child's face; and

a control circuit in or on the facemask body, the control circuit configured to receive a signal from each electrical contact when the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with a child's face; and

a transmitter in or on the facemask, the transmitter configured to transmit a wireless signal to an outside device in response to receiving a concurrent signal from all of the electrical contacts;

receiving at least a portion of a child's face in the opening;

transmitting a wireless signal from the transmitter to the outside device in response to concurrent actuation of all of the electrical contacts indicating that the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with the child's face; and

initiating a game on the outside device in response to the transmitter transmitting the wireless signal to the outside device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising halting or pausing the game on the outside device when at least one of the electrical contacts is not actuated indicating that at least a portion of the skin contact perimeter is not sealingly engaged with the child's face.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

measuring an amount of time that a concurrent signal is received from all the plurality of electrical contacts; and

ending the game when the measured amount of time reaches a threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the facemask has a themed appearance, and wherein the game has a theme that corresponds to the theme of the facemask.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the facemask comprises at least one of a headset and a visor fixedly or releasably attached to the body to provide a pilot theme;

the game is a flying or pilot game.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the facemask comprises an eye mask or goggles integrated with or releasably attached to the facemask body to provide a scuba theme; and

the game is a diving or scuba game.

Continuity (3)
Continuation 14985832 · Dec 31, 2015
Continuation In Part PCTUS2013049268 · Jul 3, 2013
Related Publication 20190336717A1 · Nov 7, 2019