Pet animal collar for health and vital signs monitoring, alert and diagnosis
Inventors
Menkes, Avi • BUKCHIN, Michael • Zakharov, Michael • DAGAN, Asaf
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9615547-B2
Publication Date
2017-04-11
Expiration Date
Abstract
A system for monitoring vital signs of a pet animal comprises an annular band, an accelerometer configured to measure at least one of resting patterns, activity patterns, movement patterns, position patterns relating to, for example the pet animal relieving itself, lameness and scratching, and a non-accelerometer sensor configured to measure at least one of the following non-accelerometer-measured bioparameters of the pet animal: temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate. One or more processors are configured to receive sensor output data and reference data concerning the measured bioparameters of the pet animal or of a population of the pet animal, and determine a suspicion of a specific medical condition by: (i) scoring at least two bioparameters and comparing a cumulative score to a threshold cumulative score or to a threshold cumulative range; or (ii) identifying an abnormal pattern. The processor(s) may send an alert if at least one specific medical condition is suspected.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a system for monitoring vital signs of a pet animal using a collar with an annular band configured to wrap around a neck of the pet animal. The collar includes a sensor array with at least two sensor elements situated along a circumference of the band, including an accelerometer and at least one non-accelerometer sensor. The accelerometer measures accelerometer-measured bioparameters including resting patterns, activity patterns, movement patterns, position patterns, lameness and scratching, while the non-accelerometer sensor measures temperature and at least one of pulse rate and respiration rate.
The collar architecture includes at least one acoustic balancer projecting from a rear surface of the band and at least two acoustic concentrators integrally formed with the band. The acoustic concentrators project radially inward from the working surface and are configured in shape to penetrate a fur of the neck of the pet animal, reducing relative movement between the collar and the pet animal when a head of the pet animal moves. Together with the acoustic balancer, the concentrators reduce noise, capture a low frequency sound, conduct a readable signal from the neck to the acoustic sensor, and improve accuracy of position outputs by the accelerometer.
One or more remote or local processors receive sensor output data concerning the measured bioparameters and reference data concerning the measured bioparameters of the pet animal or of a population of pet animals. The processors determine whether a specific medical condition is suspected by scoring at least two bioparameters relative to the reference data and comparing a cumulative score to a threshold cumulative score or threshold cumulative range, and/or by identifying an abnormal pattern in the bioparameters.
The processors perform a quality assurance test on sensor input/output data for accelerometer-measured bioparameters, apply quality assurance results as a necessary component for detecting the specific medical condition, send an alert when the sensor output data passes the quality assurance test, and otherwise process sensor output data from non-accelerometer-measured bioparameters. The collar is configured so that signal-to-noise ratio is sufficiently high and accelerometer outputs are sufficiently accurate to assist in diagnosing the health condition of the pet animal.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims for monitoring a pet animal’s vital signs. Each independent claim specifies a combination of inventive features involving collar sensors with acoustic noise reduction for fur, processor-based condition suspicion using reference data and scoring or abnormal-pattern detection, and a quality assurance test that gates alerting or changes processing.
Fur-penetrating acoustic collar architecture with balancers and concentrators
An annular-band collar with at least one acoustic balancer projecting from a rear surface and at least two acoustic concentrators integrally formed with the band, projecting radially inward from the working surface, configured to penetrate fur to reduce relative movement, reduce noise, capture a low frequency sound, conduct a readable signal to an acoustic sensor, and improve accuracy of position outputs by the accelerometer.
Multi-biomarker sensor array combining accelerometer patterns with temperature and acoustic pulse/respiration
A sensor array along a circumference of the band including an accelerometer configured to measure accelerometer-measured bioparameters from among resting patterns, activity patterns, movement patterns, position patterns, lameness and scratching, and at least one non-accelerometer sensor configured to measure temperature and at least one of pulse rate and respiration rate, with the at least one of pulse rate and respiration measured by at least one acoustic sensor.
Condition suspicion using reference data with cumulative scoring or abnormal pattern detection
Remote or local processors configured to receive sensor output data and reference data for measured bioparameters of the pet animal or a population, and to determine whether a specific medical condition is suspected by at least one of scoring at least two bioparameters relative to the reference data and comparing a cumulative score to a threshold cumulative score or threshold cumulative range, or identifying an abnormal pattern in at least one bioparameter.
Quality assurance test gating alerting and alternative processing
Remote or local processors configured to perform a quality assurance test on sensor input data for an accelerometer-measured bioparameter, apply quality assurance results as a necessary component for detecting the specific medical condition such that if sensor output data passes the quality assurance test it is deemed a sufficient condition and the processors send an alert, and whereas if the sensor output data fails the quality assurance test sensor output data from non-accelerometer-measured bioparameters is processed.
Sufficient signal-to-noise ratio and accelerometer accuracy for diagnostic assistance
The collar is configured to monitor the vital signs such that the signal to noise ratio is sufficiently high and outputs of the accelerometer are sufficiently accurate for the monitoring of the vital signs to be sufficiently accurate to assist in diagnosing the health condition of the pet animal.
Across both independent claims, the inventive concept combines a collar with acoustic balancers and fur-penetrating concentrators to reduce noise and enable readable acoustic signals, a multi-sensor array measuring accelerometer-derived patterns plus temperature and acoustic pulse or respiration, and processor-based condition suspicion using reference-data cumulative scoring or abnormal-pattern detection, subject to a quality assurance test that determines whether alerting is allowed or whether non-accelerometer bioparameters are processed.
Stated Advantages
The collar architecture reduces noise and captures a low frequency sound.
The acoustic concentrators and balancers conduct a readable signal from the neck to the acoustic sensor.
The acoustic concentrators improve accuracy of position outputs by the accelerometer.
Signal-to-noise ratio is sufficiently high for sufficiently accurate monitoring of vital signs.
Accelerometer outputs are sufficiently accurate for sufficiently accurate monitoring of vital signs.
The system provides monitoring sufficiently accurate to assist in diagnosing the health condition of the pet animal.
Documented Applications
Monitoring of vital signs of a pet animal to assist in diagnosing health conditions by detecting suspected specific medical conditions.
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