초록 ▼

Systems and methods for monitoring pressure at a contact surface, for applications such as pressure sore prevention. The system includes a number of force sensors positioned at different locations in relation to the contact surface, the force sensors providing a signal in proportion to the amount of

Systems and methods for monitoring pressure at a contact surface, for applications such as pressure sore prevention. The system includes a number of force sensors positioned at different locations in relation to the contact surface, the force sensors providing a signal in proportion to the amount of force detected. The system includes a controller for receiving the signals from the force sensors and determining values associated with each force sensor. The controller is configured for comparing a first one or more values associated with a first subset of force sensors with a second one or more values associated with a second subset of force sensors, determining from the comparing whether a threshold between said first one or more values and said second one or more values has been exceeded, and controlling, based on the determining, an indicator to provide an indication to the user.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of monitoring pressure at a seat having a contact surface, the contact surface for engaging a user, the contact surface including a specified width (WC), a median of the specified width, and a rear edge in relation to the contact surface of the seat, the method for prevention of pressure

1. A method of monitoring pressure at a seat having a contact surface, the contact surface for engaging a user, the contact surface including a specified width (WC), a median of the specified width, and a rear edge in relation to the contact surface of the seat, the method for prevention of pressure sores, the method being performed by a controller and comprising: receiving a signal from each of a plurality of force sensors, the force sensors defining a sensing band and mounted in relation to the rear edge of the contact surface, the force sensors each providing said signal in proportion to an amount of force detected, each force sensor having an effective sensor width (DM),wherein said DM is correlated to said WC, said DM is correlated to a diameter (d) of a sensor actuator of the force sensors, and said DM is correlated to durometers of comprising materials of the sensor actuator (DU1) and encompassing one or more layers of foam (DU2), wherein said DM satisfies the following: DMd=DU1DU2=K,WCDM=2⁢K,K=3-3.5,wherein the force sensors within the sensing band are positioned in relation to the contact surface in accordance with a quartic function, wherein the quartic function is symmetrical about the median of the contact surface, wherein the quartic function is of the form y=ax4+bx3+cx2dx+e, with coefficients a=1−b=X1+X2+X3+X4 c=X1·X2+X1·X3+X1·X4+X2·X3+X2·X4+X3·X4 −d=X1·X2·X3+X2·X3·X4+X1·X2·X4+X1·X3·X4 e=X1·X2·X3·X4 and has symmetrical non-zero roots (X1, X2, X3, X4) which satisfy: DM=X1X2=X4X3=SMAXSMIN,wherein SMAX is a maximum distance between the force sensors on each half of the sensing band and SMIN is a minimum distance between the force sensors on each half of the sensing band,wherein the sensing band is offset from the rear edge of the contact surface of the seat by a distance LBACK as follows: LBACK=2⁢SMAXSMIN;grouping force sensors into subset groups of the plurality of sensors based on location within the sensing band, including one side of the median, other side of the median, forward, middle, and back,determining one or more values associated with each force sensor;calculating a difference between a first one or more values associated with a first subset group of force sensors with a second one or more values associated with a second subset group of force sensors;determining from said difference whether a threshold between said first one or more values and said second one or more values has been exceeded over a period of time;controlling, based on said determining, an indicator to provide an indication to the user to indicate a first responsive action, the first responsive action for performing a lean task towards said second subset group of force sensors, the first responsive action for increasing of pressure to said second subset group of force sensors;determining from the first and second one or more values associated with each force sensor whether said lean task has been satisfied by determining whether a second threshold has been exceeded by a calculated difference between said second one or more values and said first one or more values over a subsequent period of time, and in response to determining that said lean task has been satisfied outputting an indication of the second threshold being exceeded to the indicator. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first subset group of force sensors in the sensing band is located in relation to the one side of the median of the contact surface, and the second subset group of force sensors in the sensing band is located in relation to the other side of the median of the contact surface. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising controlling, when said second threshold has been exceeded for a predetermined duration, the indicator to indicate a second responsive action, the second responsive action for performing a subsequent lean task towards said first subset group of force sensors, the second responsive action for increasing of pressure to said first subset group of force sensors. 4. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising determining whether said second responsive action has been satisfied by determining whether a third threshold has been exceeded between said first one or more values and said second one or more values. 5. A pressure monitoring system for prevention of pressure sores, the pressure monitoring system comprising: a seat including a contact surface, the contact surface for engaging a user, the contact surface including a specified width (WC), a median of the specified width, and a rear edge in relation to the contact surface of the seat;a plurality of force sensors defining a sensing band and mounted in relation to the rear edge of the contact surface, the force sensors each providing a signal in proportion to the amount of force detected, each force sensor having an effective sensor width (DM),wherein said DM is correlated to said WC, said DM is correlated to a diameter (d) of a sensor actuator of the force sensors, and said DM is correlated to durometers of comprising materials of the sensor actuator (DU1) and encompassing one or more layers of foam (DU2) for the force sensors, wherein said DM satisfies the following: DMd=DU1DU2=K,WCDM=2⁢K,K=3-3.5,wherein the force sensors are positioned in relation to the contact surface in accordance with a quartic function, wherein the quartic function is symmetrical about the median of the contact surface, wherein the quartic function is of the form y=ax4+bx3+cx2dx+e, with coefficients a=1−b=X1+X2+X3+X4 c=X1·X2+X1·X3+X1·X4+X2·X3+X2·X4+X3·X4 −d=X1·X2·X3+X2·X3·X4+X1·X2·X4+X1·X3·X4 e=X1·X2·X3·X4 and has symmetrical non-zero roots (X1, X2, X3, X4) which satisfy: DM=X1X2=X4X3=SMAXSMIN,wherein SMAX is a maximum distance between the force sensors on each half of the sensing band and SMIN is a minimum distance between the force sensors on each half of the sensing band,wherein the sensing band is offset from the rear edge of the contact surface of the seat by a distance LBACK as follows: LBACK=2⁢SMAXSMIN;a controller for receiving each signal from the plurality of force sensors and determining one or more values associated with each force sensor; andan indicator in communication with the controller,the controller being configured for:grouping force sensors into subset groups of the plurality of sensors based on location within the sensing band, including one side of the median, other side of the median, forward, middle, and back,calculating a difference between a first one or more values associated with a first subset group of force sensors with a second one or more values associated with a second subset group of force sensors,determining from said difference whether a threshold between said first one or more values and said second one or more values has been exceeded over a period of time,controlling, based on said determining, the indicator to provide an indication to the user to indicate a first responsive action, the first responsive action for performing a lean task towards said second subset group of force sensors, the first responsive action for increasing of pressure to said second subset group of force sensors;determining from the first and second one or more values associated with each force sensor whether said lean task has been satisfied by determining whether a second threshold has been exceeded by a calculated difference between said second one or more values and said first one or more values over a subsequent period of time, and in response to determining that said lean task has been satisfied outputting an indication of the second threshold being exceeded to the indicator. 6. A pressure monitoring system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first subset group of force sensors in the sensing band is located in relation to the one side of the median of the contact surface, and the second subset group of force sensors in the sensing band is located in relation to the other side of the median of the contact surface. 7. A pressure monitoring system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured for controlling, when said second threshold has been exceeded for a predetermined duration, the indicator to indicate a second responsive action, the second responsive action for performing a subsequent lean task towards said first subset group of force sensors, the second responsive action for increasing of pressure to said first subset group of force sensors. 8. A pressure monitoring system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured for determining whether said second responsive action has been satisfied by determining whether a third threshold has been exceeded between said first one or more values and said second one or more values. 9. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the controller processing the one or more values associated with each force sensor to operate between a posture correction mode, a lean task mode, a pressure acquisition mode and an acquisition mode compliance. 10. A pressure monitoring system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to process the one or more values associated with each force sensor to operate between a posture correction mode, a lean task mode, a pressure acquisition mode and an acquisition mode compliance. 11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller includes a microcontroller. 12. A pressure monitoring system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the controller comprises a microcontroller. 13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the force sensors comprises at least one force sensing resistor. 14. A pressure monitoring system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the force sensors comprises at least one force sensing resistor.