Subject motion monitoring, temperature monitoring, data gathering and analytics system and method

Abstract

The monitoring device provides value to parents by assisting with monitoring their infants via a convenient sensor package, straightforward interface, and informative data. With movement, orientation, and temperature data, some strong indicators of general well-being can be monitored and conclusions extracted without the parent needing to be constantly involved. The low-power transceiver technology also means that the device can integrate with smart devices for even more convenience. Such a smart device can in turn communicate with modem large-scale data storage and analysis centers for data logging and analytics, which allows useful analytics to be passed back to the user. The advanced sensing, displaying, and analyzing of data makes the invention stands out in the field of infant monitoring devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device, comprising:
 a housing positionable adjacent a torso of a subject;   a processor with the housing;   an accelerometer and a temperature sensor within the housing and coupled to the processor that measure one or more characteristics of the subject, the processor being configured to continuously determine whether any change in motion of the subject is detected during a predetermined period of time; and   a low energy transceiver within the housing and coupled to the processor that wirelessly transmits the measured one or more characteristics of the infant to a remote site; and   wherein the housing can be coupled to an accessory of an infant to monitor the one or more characteristics of the infant, and an alert signal is configured to be broadcast when no change in motion of the subject is detected during the predetermined period of time.   
     
     
         2 . A method for monitoring a subject, comprising:
 coupling a monitoring device to a garment of the subject;   measuring one or more infant characteristics using the monitoring device, the one or more characteristics being a breathing motion of the infant and a position of the subject;   wirelessly transmitting the one or more measured subject characteristics to a computing device; and   displaying, on the computing device, one or more alerts about the one or more measured subject characteristics, the alerts being configured to be broadcast when no change in motion of the subject is detected during a predetermined period of time.   
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the predetermined period of time is one second. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising sending polling requests from a first processor to a second processor regarding any of status, temperature or battery power of the monitoring device that includes a first processor, a second processor, and a motion sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said first processor sends an interrupt request to the second processor in the event that the position of the monitoring device is determined to have not changed over the predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the monitoring device is not in a fixed position with respect to the torso, but is permitted a range of movement with respect to the torso. 
     
     
         7 . A system for monitoring a status of a subject, comprising:
 a processor coupled to a motion sensor, positionable adjacent a torso of the subject, said processor being configured to continuously determine whether any change in motion of the subject is detected during a predetermined period of time,   wherein an alert signal is configured to be broadcast when no change in motion of the subject is detected during the predetermined period of time.   
     
     
         8 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the predetermined period of time is one second. 
     
     
         9 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising a second processor configured to send polling requests to the processor regarding any of status, temperature or battery power of a device that includes the processor and the motion sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said processor sends an interrupt request to the second processor in the event that the position of the motion sensor is determined to have not changed over the period of time. 
     
     
         11 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the motion sensor is not in a fixed position with respect to the torso, but is permitted a range of movement with respect to the torso. 
     
     
         12 . The system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said motion sensor is permitted a freedom of movement with respect to the torso of at least 1 cm. 
     
     
         13 . The system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said motion sensor is free to move within an enclosed pocket of a garment. 
     
     
         14 . The system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said motion sensor is permitted a freedom of movement with respect to the garment of at least 1 cm. 
     
     
         15 . The system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said system further provides an alert signal responsive to whether the position of the motion sensor is upside down with respect to gravity. 
     
     
         16 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said system includes an automated weighing station. 
     
     
         17 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said system receives additional environment data from an environment associated with the subject, wherein said additional environment data includes any of artificial lighting data, natural lighting data, humidity moisture data, room temperature data, ambient noise data, and vibration data. 
     
     
         18 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said system further provides control commands to control units in an environment associated with the subject, said control units including any of an automated lighting control unit, an automated crib temperature control unit, a music I white noise machine, an automated humidity control unit, a room temperature control unit, an automated blanket adjustment unit, and an automated crib vibration control unit. 
     
     
         19 . The system as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said other data sets are for the subject over different periods of time. 
     
     
         20 . The system as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said other data sets are for other subjects.