Fall-protection system and method

Abstract

A fall-protection system and method are described. The system has at least one sensor for sensing if the person is falling and for outputting a status signal. The system also has a processor configured for receiving the status signal from the at least one sensor, and for outputting a corresponding command signal. The system also has a support for the at least one sensor and the processor, the support being portable by the person. The system also has a fall-protection device mountable to the support and configured for receiving the command signal from the processor. The fall-protection device has inflatable membranes, at least some of which are deployable as elongated extensions so to protect a part of the person by forming a substantially flower-like enclosure before said part contacts the ground surface. The fall-protection device is deployable upon the processor outputting a command signal indicative that the person is falling.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fall-protection system for reducing risk of possible injury to a person in a sitting or standing position resulting from a fall against a ground surface, the system comprising:
 at least one sensor for sensing if the person is falling and for outputting a status signal;   a processor configured for receiving the status signal from the at least one sensor, and for outputting a corresponding command signal;   a support for the at least one sensor and the processor, the support being portable by the person; and   a fall-protection device mountable to the support and configured for receiving the command signal from the processor, the fall-protection device comprising a plurality of deployable inflatable membranes, at least some of the inflatable membranes being deployable as elongated extensions so as to form a substantially flower-like enclosure about a part of the person so as to protect said part of the person before said part contacts the ground surface, the inflatable membranes being deployable upon the processor outputting a command signal indicative that the person is falling, thereby reducing risk of possible injury to the person resulting from the fall.   
     
     
         2 . A fall-protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one accelerometer for outputting a status signal indicative of an acceleration of the person or the part with respect to the ground surface. 
     
     
         3 . A fall-protection system according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor further comprises at least one vertical-deviation sensor for outputting a status signal indicative of a deviation of the person or the part from a vertical plane. 
     
     
         4 . A fall-protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one inflatable membrane inflates away from the person or the part upon the processor outputting the command signal indicative that the person is falling. 
     
     
         5 . A fall-protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one inflatable membranes encloses, at least partially, at least one of the head and neck of the person, and the hips and posterior of the person, upon being inflated. 
     
     
         6 . A fall-protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one inflatable membrane forms a substantially cocoon-like enclosure at least partially about at least one of the head and neck of the person, and the hips and posterior of the person, upon being inflated. 
     
     
         7 . A fall-protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the support comprises an accessory for being worn by the person. 
     
     
         8 . A fall-protection system according to  claim 7 , wherein the accessory comprises a belt for being worn about the midsection of the person, and a headband for being worn about the head of the person. 
     
     
         9 . A fall-protection system according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one accelerometer secured to the headband, and at least one vertical-deviation sensor secured to the belt. 
     
     
         10 . A fall-protection system according to  claim 8 , wherein the processor and a monitoring station are secured to the belt. 
     
     
         11 . A fall-protection system according to  claim 8 , wherein the inflatable membranes are mountable to the belt and spaced apart from one another, at least two inflatable membranes being inflatable toward the head and neck of the person upon the belt being worn by the person and the processor outputting the command signal indicative that the person is falling. 
     
     
         12 . A fall-protection system according to  claim 8 , wherein the inflatable membranes are mountable to the belt and spaced apart from one another, at least one inflatable membrane being inflatable about the hips and posterior of the person upon the belt being worn by the person and the processor outputting the command signal indicative that the person is falling. 
     
     
         13 . A fall-protection system according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one inflatable membrane is mountable to the headband, the at least one inflatable membrane being inflatable about the head and neck of the person upon the headband being worn by the person and the processor outputting the command signal indicative that the person is falling. 
     
     
         14 . A fall-protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the status signal is indicative of a status of the person selected from the group consisting of: an acceleration of the person or the part, a deviation of the person or the part from a vertical plane, a removal of the fall-protection device from the person, a removal of the at least one sensor from the person, a low power state for the fall-protection device, a powering-off of the fall-protection device, an indication that the person is lying down, and a deployment of the inflatable membranes. 
     
     
         15 . A method for reducing risk of possible injury to a person in a sitting or standing position resulting from a fall against a ground surface, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) sensing if the person is falling by measuring an acceleration of the person or part, and by measuring a deviation of the person or part from a vertical plane;   b) outputting a command signal; and   c) deploying a plurality of inflatable membranes, at least some of the inflatable membranes being deployable about a part of the person so as to form a substantially flower-like enclosure when the command signal is indicative of the person falling, so as to protect said part of the person before said part contacts the ground surface, thereby reducing risk of possible injury to the person resulting from the fall.   
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein step a) comprises outputting a status signal indicative of a status of the person, the status signal being selected from the group consisting of: an acceleration of the person or the part, a deviation of the person or the part from a vertical plane, a removal of the inflatable membranes from the person, a low power state for the inflatable membranes, a powering-off of the inflatable membranes, an indication that the person is lying down, and a deployment of the inflatable membranes. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein step b) comprises generating a trigger condition before outputting the command signal upon the acceleration of the person or part being less than about 1 g. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising at least partially enclosing at least one of the head and the midsection of the person with at least one inflatable membrane. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising communicating at least one of the following to a monitoring station: health and personal information concerning the person, deployment of the inflatable membranes, the command signal, the acceleration of the person or the part, the deviation of the person or the part from the vertical plane, a removal of the inflatable membranes from the person, a low power state for the inflatable membranes, a powering-off of the inflatable membranes, and an indication that the person is lying down.