# US 11,998,314 B2 · Systems and methods for monitoring a physiological parameter of persons engaged in physical activity

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- Number: US 11,998,314 B2
- Document ID: US11998314B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/536,233
- Filed: 2021-11-29
- Published: 2022-03-17
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2011-09-01
- Assignees: Riddell, Inc.
- Applicants: Riddell, Inc.
- Inventors: Jeffrey J. Chu; Richard M. Greenwald; Jonathan G. Beckwith
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998314B2

## CPC

- A61B 5/103: Measuring devices for testing the shape, pattern, {colour,} size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes (measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04)
- A42B 3/046: {Means for detecting hazards or accidents}
- A61B 5/1114: {Tracking parts of the body}
- A61B 5/4064: {Evaluating the brain (for intracranial pressure A61B5/031; for cerebral blood gases A61B5/14553; using EEG A61B5/369)}
- A61B 5/6803: {Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles}
- G16Z 99/00: Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
- A61B 5/01: Measuring temperature of body parts {; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue} (clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20)
- A61B 5/7435: {Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface}
- A61B 5/746: {Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms}
- A61B 2503/10: Athletes
- A61B 2562/0219: Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
- A61B 2562/0247: Pressure sensors
- A61B 2562/046: in a matrix array
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A42B: HATS; HEAD COVERINGS (headbands A41D20/00; head-scarves A41D23/00)
- G16Z: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

The present disclosure provides system and method for monitoring of at least one physiological parameter of a person engaged in a physical activity, for example, an impact received by a player engaged in a contact sport such as football. The system includes a monitoring unit that actively monitors the physiological parameter of the person, wherein the monitoring unit generates an alert event when the monitored physiological parameter exceeds a threshold of the parameter. The monitoring unit determines whether the parameter exceeds an over-exposure threshold, wherein said threshold is based upon both a single incidence or cumulative incidences.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for transmitting impact alerts to a portable alert unit based upon impacts received by a specific player in a subset of multiple players that are engaged in play of a contact sport, the system comprising:
a plurality of monitoring units, each individual monitoring unit configured to be worn by the specific players in the subset of multiple players, each individual monitoring unit being further configured to:
generate a plurality of single impact values, wherein each single impact value is calculated using impact measurements recorded by the individual monitoring unit,
generate a cumulative impact value from an accumulation of the single impact values from amongst the plurality of single impact values that exceed a predetermined threshold,
and
transmit a cumulative alert when the cumulative impact value exceeds a predetermined cumulative threshold.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit is comprised of a sensor assembly and a control module, said control module includes a telemetry unit that is configured to wirelessly transmit the cumulative alert to an electronic device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, further comprising:
a protective sports helmet configured to be worn by the specific player, wherein the sports helmet includes: (i) at least one internal pad and (ii) overliner that is configured to be positioned between the specific player's head and the internal pad when the sports helmet is worn by the specific player; and
wherein the sensor assembly is configured to be positioned between an extent of the overliner and an extent of the internal pad.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the sensor assembly further comprises a front sensor positioned adjacent a front region of the sports helmet, a rear sensor positioned adjacent a rear region of the sports helmet, a left sensor positioned adjacent a left region of the sports helmet, a right sensor positioned adjacent a right region of the sports helmet and a top sensor positioned adjacent a top region of the sports helmet.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the impact measurements include a pressure measurement resulting from an impact that the specific player received during the play of the contact sport.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein calculating the single impact value includes weighting the impact measurements.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the impact measurements include at least two of the following: (i) linear acceleration, (ii) rotational acceleration, (iii) impact direction, (iv) impact location, (v) Head Injury Criterion, (vi) Gadd Severity Index.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to decrease the cumulative impact value based on an exponential decay function.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined cumulative threshold is weighted to account for at least the specific player's position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a portable alert unit; wherein the transmission of the cumulative alert to the portable alert unit includes the transmission of (i) the specific player's identification, (ii) a time when the cumulative alert occurred.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a remote terminal that is configured to identify improper tackling techniques.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the improper tackling techniques are identified based upon impact frequency.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the improper tackling techniques are identified based upon impact location.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the improper tackling techniques are identified based upon impact magnitude.

### Claim 15

A system for monitoring impacts received by a player engaged in play of a contact sport, the system comprising:
a monitoring unit having both a sensor assembly and a control module, and wherein the monitoring unit is configured to:
record impact measurements;
generate a cumulative impact value from the recorded impact measurements, and
transmit an alert to a portable alert unit when the cumulative impact value exceeds a predetermined cumulative impact threshold; and
a remote terminal configured to display information relating to the alert transmitted by the monitoring unit.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the monitoring unit is installed in a helmet configured to be worn by the player, and wherein the helmet includes: (i) an internal padding assembly and (ii) an overliner that is configured to be positioned between the player's head and the internal padding assembly when the helmet is worn by the player; and
wherein the sensor assembly is configured to be positioned between an extent of the overliner and an extent of the internal padding assembly.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the cumulative impact value is calculated from a plurality of single impact values; and
wherein each single impact value contained in the plurality of single impact values is calculated by weighting the recorded impact measurements.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the recorded impact measurements include at least two of the following: (i) linear acceleration, (ii) rotational acceleration, (iii) impact direction, (iv) impact location, (v) Head Injury Criterion, (vi) Gadd Severity Index.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to decrease the cumulative impact value based on an exponential decay function.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the predetermined cumulative threshold is weighted to account for the player's skill level.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, the remote terminal configured to identify improper tackling techniques.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the improper tackling techniques are identified based upon impact frequency.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the improper tackling techniques are identified based upon impact location.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the improper tackling techniques are identified based upon impact magnitude.

### Claim 25

A system for monitoring impacts received by a player engaged in play of a contact sport, the system comprising:
a monitoring unit positioned within a piece of protective sports equipment worn by the player, and wherein the monitoring unit: (i) includes a sensor assembly and a control module, and (ii) is configured to record impact measurements;
a remote terminal configured to: (i) identify improper tackling techniques based on the impact measurements recorded by the monitoring unit, and (ii) report the identified improper tackling techniques.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The system of claim 25, wherein the piece of protective sports equipment includes: (i) an internal pad and (ii) an overliner; and
wherein the sensor assembly is configured to be positioned between an extent of the overliner and an extent of the internal pad.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The system of claim 25, wherein the impact measurements include a pressure measurement resulting from an impact that the player received during the play of the contact sport.

### Claim 28 (depends on 25)

The system of claim 25, wherein the impact measurements include at least two of the following: (i) linear acceleration, (ii) rotational acceleration, (iii) impact direction, (iv) impact location, (v) Head Injury Criterion, (vi) Gadd Severity Index.

### Claim 29 (depends on 25)

The system of claim 25, wherein the monitoring unit is further configured to calculating a single impact value by weighting the impact measurements.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The system of claim 29, wherein the monitoring unit is further configured to generate a cumulative impact value from the single impact value that exceed a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The system of claim 30, wherein the monitoring unit is further configured to transmit a cumulative alert when the cumulative impact value exceeds a predetermined cumulative threshold.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The system of claim 31, wherein the predetermined cumulative threshold is weighted to account for at least the player's position.

### Claim 33 (depends on 25)

The system of claim 25, wherein the improper tackling techniques are identified based upon impact frequency.

### Claim 34 (depends on 25)

The system of claim 25, wherein the improper tackling techniques are identified based upon impact location.

### Claim 35 (depends on 25)

The system of claim 25, wherein the improper tackling techniques are identified based upon impact magnitude.