# US 2006/0135863 A1 · Integral heart rate monitoring garment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2006/0135863 A1 - Document ID: US20060135863A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/019,681 - Filed: 2004-12-21 - Published: 2006-06-22 - Earliest claimed: 2004-12-21 - Assignees: Polar Electro Oy - Inventors: Burton Birnbaum; Mika Sorvisto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20060135863A1 ## CPC - A61B 5/02438: {with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient} - A61B 5/0002: {Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network (endoradiosondes A61B5/07)} - A61B 5/0245: by using sensing means generating electric signals, {i.e. ECG signals} - A61B 5/6804: {Garments; Clothes} - A61B 5/6831: {Straps, bands or harnesses} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A garment adapted for monitoring a user's heart rate includes material, a transmitter, one or more electrodes, and a power source. The transmitter, electrodes, and power source are integrated with the material. The electrodes and power source are operatively coupled to the transmitter, and the electrodes are responsive to the user's heart rate. The garment is adapted for being worn, washed, and discarded with the electrodes, transmitter, and power source integrated therewith. A method of monitoring heart rate includes integrating a transmitter, electrodes, and power source with a garment, coupling the electrodes operatively to the transmitter, coupling the power source operatively to the transmitter, and adapting the garment for being worn, washed, and discarded with the transmitter, electrodes, and power source integrated therewith. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A garment adapted for monitoring a user's heart rate, the garment comprising: material; a transmitter, the transmitter being integrated with the material and adapted for providing information representing the user's heart rate; an electrode, the electrode being operatively coupled to the transmitter and integrated with the material, the electrode being responsive to the user's heart rate; and a power source, the power source being operatively coupled to the transmitter and integrated with the material, the garment being adapted for being worn with the electrode, transmitter, and power source integrated therewith. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The garment defined by claim 1, wherein the material is adapted for wearing as at least one of a brassiere, sports brassiere, halter-top, tank top shirt, tee shirt, wristband, headband, armband, ankle band, leg warmer, scarf, earmuffs, sock, and glove. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The garment defined by claim 1, wherein the power source comprises a battery. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The garment defined by claim 3, wherein the battery is at least one of rechargeable and replaceable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The garment defined by claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrode, transmitter, and power source is integrated with the material by at least one of a stitch, weld, adhesive, snap, zipper, and hook and loop fastening. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The garment defined by claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrode, transmitter, and power source is at least partially embedded within a plurality of layers of the material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The garment defined by claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrode, transmitter, and power source is at least partially embedded within a layer of the material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The garment defined by claim 1, wherein the garment further comprises an electrically conductive portion disposed between the electrode and the user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The garment defined by claim 8, wherein the electrically conductive portion comprises at least one of a conductive fiber, conductive material, and conductive fluid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The garment defined by claim 1, wherein the transmitter is adapted for at least one of transmitting information representing the user's heart rate and storing information representing the user's heart rate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The garment defined by claim 1, wherein the garment being is adapted for being at least one of washed with the electrode, transmitter, and power source integrated therewith and discarded with the electrode, transmitter, and power source integrated therewith. ### Claim 12 A garment adapted for monitoring a user's heart rate, the garment comprising: material; a transmitter, the transmitter being at least partially embedded in the material and adapted for providing information representing the user's heart rate; an electrode, the electrode being operatively coupled to the transmitter, the electrode being at least partially embedded in the material, the electrode being responsive to the user's heart rate; and a power source, the power source being operatively coupled to the transmitter, the power source being at least partially embedded in the material, the garment being adapted for being, worn with the electrode, transmitter, and power source at least partially embedded therein. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The garment defined by claim 12, wherein the material is adapted for wearing as at least one of a brassiere, sports brassiere, halter-top, tank top shirt, tee shirt, wristband, headband, armband, ankle band, leg warmer, scarf, earmuffs, sock, and glove. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The garment defined by claim 12, wherein the power source comprises a battery. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The garment defined by claim 14, wherein the battery is at least one of rechargeable and replaceable. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The garment defined by claim 12, wherein at least one of the electrode, transmitter, and power source is integrated with the material by at least one of a stitch, weld, adhesive, snap, zipper, and hook and loop fastening. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The garment defined by claim 12, wherein at least one of the electrode, transmitter, and power source is at least partially embedded within a plurality of layers of the material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The garment defined by claim 12, wherein at least one of the electrode, transmitter, and power source is at least partially embedded within a layer of the material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The garment defined by claim 12, wherein the garment further comprises an electrically conductive portion disposed between the electrode and the user. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The garment defined by claim 12, wherein the electrically conductive portion comprises at least one of a conductive fiber, conductive material, and conductive fluid. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The garment defined by claim 12, wherein the transmitter is adapted for at least one of transmitting information representing the user's heart rate and storing information representing the user's heart rate. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The garment defined by claim 12, wherein the garment being is adapted for being at least one of washed with the electrode, transmitter, and power source at least partially embedded therein and discarded with the electrode, transmitter, and power source at least partially embedded therein. ### Claim 23 A method of monitoring a user's heart rate comprising: integrating a transmitter, electrode, and power source with a garment; coupling the electrode operatively to the transmitter, the electrode being responsive to the heart rate, the transmitter being adapted for providing information representing the user's heart rate; coupling the power source operatively to the transmitter, and adapting the garment for being worn and washed with the transmitter, electrode, and power source integrated therewith. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method defined by claim 23,further comprising adapting the garment to be worn as at least one of a brassiere, sports brassiere, halter-top, tank top shirt, tee shirt, wristband, headband, armband, ankle band, leg warmer, scarf, earmuffs, sock, and glove. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method defined by claim 23, further comprising integrating at least one of the electrode, transmitter, and power source with the garment by at least one of a stitch, weld, adhesive, snap, zipper, and hook and loop fastening. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The method defined by claim 23, further comprising embedding at least one of the electrode, transmitter, and power source at least partially within a plurality of layers of the garment. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The method defined by claim 23, further comprising embedding at least one of the electrode, transmitter, and power source at least partially within a layer of the garment. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The method defined by claim 23, further comprising disposing an electrically conductive portion between the electrode and the user. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method defined by claim 28, wherein the electrically conductive portion comprises at least one of a conductive fiber, conductive material, and conductive fluid. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The method defined by claim 23, further comprising adapting the transmitter for at least one of transmitting information representing the user's heart rate and storing information representing the user's heart rate. ### Claim 31 (depends on 23) The method defined by claim 23, further comprising adapting the garment for being at least one of washed with the electrode, transmitter, and power source integrated therewith and discarded with the electrode, transmitter, and power source integrated therewith.