Method for monitoring incontinence

Abstract

According to one aspect of the inventive concept there is provided a method of monitoring incontinence for a user, comprising: determining, using a urine sensitive circuit provided at an absorbent article and arranged to present a changed electrical characteristic when exposed to urine, whether the user has urinated on the absorbent article, performing, using a measurement circuit, a measurement on the urine bladder to determine a parameter which varies with a fill level of the urine bladder, and in response to determining that the user has urinated on the absorbent article, recording, by a processing circuit, data representing said parameter.

1 . A method of monitoring incontinence for a user, comprising:
 determining, using a urine sensitive circuit provided at an absorbent article and arranged to present a changed electrical characteristic when exposed to urine, whether the user has urinated on the absorbent article,   performing, using a measurement circuit, a measurement on the urine bladder to determine a parameter which varies with a fill level of the urine bladder, and   in response to determining that the user has urinated on the absorbent article, recording, by a processing circuit, data representing said parameter.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to determining that the user has urinated on the absorbent article, recording, by the processing circuit, data representing said parameter and an indication of that the user has urinated on the absorbent article. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing, a plurality of times, using the measurement circuit, a measurement on the urine bladder to determine a parameter which varies with a fill level of the urine bladder, and   recording, by the processing circuit, an association between each determined parameter and an indication of whether the user has urinated on the absorbent article.   
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the processing circuit, a parameter threshold based on the parameter represented by the recorded data. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the processing circuit, a parameter threshold based on the parameter represented by the recorded data and a previously determined parameter threshold. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 comparing, by the processing circuit, said parameter to the parameter threshold, and   generating, by the processing circuit, an alert signal based on a result of the comparison.   
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , further comprising providing a visual, an audible or a tactile indication to the user in response to the alert signal. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 estimating, by the processing circuit, an amount of urine released on to the urine sensitive circuit, and,   in response to determining that the user has urinated on the absorbent article, recording by the processing circuit, data representing the estimated amount of urine released on to the urine sensitive circuit.   
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein said amount of urine is estimated based on the changed electrical characteristics of the urine sensitive circuit. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to any one of  claims 1 , further comprising:
 determining an orientation and/or a movement of the user using a sensor arranged on the user, and   in response to determining that the urine sensitive circuit has been exposed to urine, recording, by the processing circuit, data representing an estimated movement and/or posture of the user based on the orientation and/or the movement determined by the sensor.   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising determining, by the processing circuit, a parameter threshold based on the parameter represented by the recorded data and the data representing the estimated movement and/or posture. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 performing, a plurality of times, using the measurement circuit, a measurement on the urine bladder to determine a parameter which varies with a fill level of the urine bladder, and   comparing, by the processing circuit, each determined parameter to one or more parameter thresholds, each threshold being associated with a movement and/or posture.   
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 estimating, by the processing circuit, a urine bladder fill level based on the determined parameter, and   providing a visual, an audible or a tactile signal to the user which is indicative of the estimated urine bladder fill level.   
     
     
         14 . A method of monitoring incontinence for a user, comprising:
 determining, using a urine sensitive circuit provided at an absorbent article and arranged to present a changed electrical characteristic when exposed to urine, whether the user has urinated on the absorbent article,   in response to determining that the user has urinated on the absorbent article, recording by a processing circuit, data representing a measured or user-supplied parameter that influences a urine bladder fill level.   
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the data represents user-supplied parameter, the user supplied parameter representing a volume of a fluid intake by the user or a time of a last toilet visit. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the data represents a measured parameter, the measured parameter representing a time passed since a last toilet visit, a temperature, a time of day, a movement or orientation of the user.