# US 2021/0330259 A1 · Vital-monitoring mask

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- Number: US 2021/0330259 A1
- Document ID: US20210330259A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/243,114
- Filed: 2021-04-28
- Published: 2021-10-28
- Earliest claimed: 2020-04-28
- Assignees: Vita Innovations, Inc.
- Applicants: Vita Innovations, Inc.
- Inventors: Longsha Liu; Kristen V. Ong; Rishi Singhal; Jason W. Chen; Ray Wei
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210330259A1

## CPC

- A61B 5/6803: {Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles}
- A61M 16/0616: {with face sealing means comprising a flap or membrane projecting inwards, such that sealing increases with increasing inhalation gas pressure}
- A61B 5/0022: {Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet}
- A61B 5/0077: {Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens}
- A61B 5/02055: {Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature}
- A61B 5/097: Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
- A61B 5/14552: {Details of sensors specially adapted therefor}
- A61B 5/389: Electromyography [EMG]
- A61B 5/6815: {Ear}
- A61B 5/6843: {Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure}
- A61B 5/7264: {Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems}
- A61B 5/01: Measuring temperature of body parts {; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue} (clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20)
- A61B 5/02427: {Details of sensor}
- A61B 5/02438: {with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient}
- A61B 5/0816: {Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency (measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00)}
- A61M 16/0611: {with a gusset portion}
- A61M 16/105: {Filters (A61M16/047, A61M16/22 take precedence; water traps A61M16/08)}
- A61M 2205/125: with incorporated filters
- A61M 2205/3331: Pressure; Flow
- A61M 2230/06: Heartbeat rate only
- A61M 2230/205: partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
- A61M 2230/42: Rate
- A61M 2230/50: Temperature
- A61M 2230/60: Muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}

## Abstract

The apparatus presented herein may be used for inhibiting or preventing spread of airborne pathogens while providing immediate, continuous and remote patient vital monitoring and diagnosis, without requiring medical staff supervision. In some embodiments, a mask and earpiece is provided that is configured to measure body temperature, heart rate, blood oxygen levels and respiratory rate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a respiratory mask having a gasket configured to form a seal against skin around a nose and a mouth of a user, the mask having a breath sensor, at least one opening, and a filter disposed in the at least one opening;
a sensing device comprising a temperature sensor, a blood oxygen saturation sensor, and a heart rate sensor, the sensing device configured to attach to an external body part of the user and externally from the mask; and
an electronics housing disposed on the mask, the electronics housing comprising a power source and a processor in electrical communication with the breath sensor, the temperature sensor, the blood oxygen saturation sensor, and the heart rate sensor,
wherein the electronics housing comprises a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
receiving breathing rate data from the breath sensor;
receiving temperature data from the temperature sensor;
receiving blood oxygen saturation data from the blood oxygen saturation sensor;
receiving heart rate data from the heart rate sensor; and
transmitting the breathing rate data, temperature data, blood oxygen saturation data, and heart rate data to an external device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mask further comprises one or more electromyography (EMG) sensors configured to contact the skin and in electrical communication with the processor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to receive EMG data from the one or more EMG sensors.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mask further comprises a camera disposed within the mask and configured to image at least a portion of a face of the user.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to receive image data from the camera.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mask further comprises one or more pressure sensors configured to detect whether the mask substantially seals the skin around the nose and mouth of the user.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing device is configured to removably attach to an ear of the user.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the breath sensor comprises a microphone.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the breath sensor comprises a pressure-sensitive conductive fabric.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises one or more batteries.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gasket comprises silicone.

### Claim 12

(canceled)

### Claim 13

(canceled)

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A system comprising:
the apparatus of claim 1; and
the external device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the external device comprises a mobile device.

### Claim 16

(canceled)

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the external device comprises a remote server.

### Claim 18

(canceled)

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the external device comprises a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
receiving breathing rate data, temperature data, blood oxygen saturation data, and heart rate data from the apparatus;
determining an abnormality in at least one of the breathing rate data, temperature data, blood oxygen saturation data, and heart rate data;
when an abnormality is detected, providing a notification to a healthcare provider.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein determining an abnormality comprises:
determining a feature vector from at least one of the breathing rate data, temperature data, blood oxygen saturation data, and heart rate data; and
determining, at a trained learning system, the abnormality based on the feature vector.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises training the learning system on the breathing rate data, temperature data, blood oxygen saturation data, and heart rate data from the apparatus.

### Claim 22

A vital-monitoring apparatus comprising:
a sensing device comprising a temperature sensor, a blood oxygen saturation sensor, and a heart rate sensor, the sensing device configured to attach to an external body part of a user; and
an electronics housing configured to be removably attached to a respiratory mask, the electronics housing comprising a power source and a processor in electrical communication with the breath sensor, the temperature sensor, the blood oxygen saturation sensor, and the heart rate sensor,
wherein the electronics housing comprises a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
receiving breathing rate data from the breath sensor;
receiving temperature data from the temperature sensor;
receiving blood oxygen saturation data from the blood oxygen saturation sensor;
receiving heart rate data from the heart rate sensor; and
transmitting the breathing rate data, temperature data, blood oxygen saturation data, and heart rate data to an external device.

### Claim 23

(canceled)

### Claim 24

(canceled)

### Claim 25

(canceled)

### Claim 26

(canceled)

### Claim 27 (depends on 22)

A kit comprising:
the apparatus of claim 22;
the respiratory mask onto which the electronics housing is configured to removably attach.

### Claim 28

(canceled)

### Claim 29

(canceled)

### Claim 30

(canceled)

### Claim 31

(canceled)

### Claim 32

A vital-monitoring device comprising:
a sensing device comprising a temperature sensor, a blood oxygen saturation sensor, and a heart rate sensor, the sensing device configured to attach to an external body part of a user.

### Claim 33

(canceled)

### Claim 34

(canceled)

### Claim 35

(canceled)

### Claim 36

(canceled)