# US 8,784,340 B2 · Limb volume accommodation in people with limb amputation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,784,340 B2 - Document ID: US8784340B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/368,276 - Filed: 2012-02-07 - Published: 2012-09-06 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-02-07 - Assignees: University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization - Applicants: Joan Sanders; Brian Otis; Katheryn Allyn; Brian Hafner; John Cagle - Inventors: Joan Sanders; Brian Otis; Katheryn Allyn; Brian Hafner; John Cagle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784340B2 ## CPC - A61F 2/7812: {Interface cushioning members placed between the limb stump and the socket, e.g. bandages or stockings for the limb stump} - G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders - G16H 40/67: for remote operation - A61F 2002/5092: {Identification means} - A61F 2002/689: {Alarm means, e.g. acoustic} - A61F 2002/705: {Electromagnetic data transfer} - A61F 2002/7635: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension} - A61F 2002/765: {for measuring time or frequency} - A61F 2002/7818: {Stockings or socks for the limb stump} - A61F 2007/0051: {Stumps after amputation} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract A prosthetic sock monitoring system is disclosed. The sock monitoring system includes a storage device and a data collection unit. The data collection unit is operable to receive data from at least one sensor coupled to a prosthetic sock that is wearable by a patient, and store the received data in the storage device. A prosthetic sock is also disclosed. The sock comprises material shaped to fit over at least a portion of the residual limb of the patient and a thickness adapted for inserting the residual limb into the socket of the prosthesis while the sock is fitted over the residual limb. The sock also comprises one or more of a sock identification unit and a force sensing device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A prosthetic sock monitoring system comprising: a storage device; and a data collection unit operable to: receive data from at least one sensor coupled to a prosthetic sock that is wearable by a patient; and store the received data in the storage device; wherein the received data includes an identifier identifying one or more identifying characteristics of the prosthetic sock, the one or more identifying characteristic configured to distinguish the prosthetic sock from other prosthetic socks. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the identifying characteristics comprises at least one of: a unique sock identifier, a sock thickness, a sock material, a sock breathability, a sock elasticity, and a sock size. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the data collection unit is further operable to: on a first periodic basis, receive the data from the at least one sensor and store the received data in the storage device; and on a second periodic basis, transmit the stored data to a remote computing device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the remote computing device is selected from the group consisting of: a mobile computing device associated with the patient, and a computing station associated with a practitioner. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the data collection unit is mechanically coupled to a prosthesis worn by the patient. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising an antenna mechanically coupled to a prosthesis worn by the patient. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the antenna is a helical wire wrapped around the outside or the inside of a socket of the prosthesis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the antenna is located on the inside surface of a socket of the prosthesis and includes a pair of elements forming a dipole antenna configuration. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the antenna is located on the inside surface of a socket of the prosthesis and includes a first pair of elements forming a dipole antenna configuration, and a second pair of elements arranged in parallel with the first pair of elements, each of the second pair of elements being coupled to a corresponding one of the first pair of elements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the antenna has a length determined based on the desired frequency for communicating with the data collection unit, the composition of the prosthesis, and the size of the prosthesis. ### Claim 11 A prosthetic sock monitoring system comprising: a storage device; and a data collection unit operable to: receive data from at least one sensor coupled to a prosthetic sock that is wearable by a patient and store the received data in the storage device; wherein the received data includes one or more of: an identifier identifying one or more characteristics of the prosthetic sock, and force data indicating an amount of force applied to a region of the prosthetic sock; and wherein the data collection unit is further operable to identify a prosthetic sock and determine whether the identified prosthetic sock is currently being worn by the patient. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a remote communication unit operable to receive information indicating a sock management strategy from a remote computing device, the sock management strategy at least identifying a particular sock the patient should wear. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the data collection unit is further operable to provide an indication to the patient related to the sock management strategy via one or more of an auditory, visual, and tactile signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 13, wherein providing an indication to the patient includes communicating an instruction to change socks to a mobile computing device associated with the patient. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the data collection unit is further operable to send an instruction to a prosthesis worn by the patient to alter a characteristic of the prosthesis. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the data collection unit is further operable to monitor the patient's compliance with the sock management strategy based on the data received from the at least one sensor at least by determining whether the patient wore the particular sock identified by the sock management strategy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the data collection unit is operable to simultaneously receive data from a plurality of sensors coupled to the prosthetic sock. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a motion sensing device operable to detect motion of a prosthesis associated with the patient. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 18, wherein the motion sensing device includes at least one accelerometer, gyroscope, or inclinometer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 18, wherein the data collection unit is operable to receive data from a force sensing device when the motion sensing device detects motion of the prosthesis. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the data collection unit is operable to receive data from a sock identification unit coupled to the prosthetic sock when the motion sensing device detects motion of the prosthesis and the data received from the force sensing device indicates that the prosthetic sock is being applied to the prosthesis. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The prosthetic sock monitoring system of claim 18, wherein the data collection unit is operable to receive data from the at least one sensor at a plurality of different sampling rates, wherein the sampling rate used is determined based at least in part on whether motion of the prosthesis is detected. ### Claim 23 A prosthetic sock monitoring system comprising: a storage device; and a data collection unit operable to: receive data from at least one sensor coupled to a prosthetic sock that is wearable by a patient and store the received data in the storage device; wherein the received data includes one or more of: an identifier identifying one or more characteristics of the prosthetic sock, and force data indicating an amount of force applied to a region of the prosthetic sock; and an energy harvesting unit operable to generate energy and provide the generated energy to one or more elements of the data collection unit. ### Claim 24 A tangible computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor of a computer, cause the computer to perform operations including: receiving, from a prosthetic sock monitoring system, information indicating one or more identifying characteristics of at least one prosthetic sock worn by a patient associated with the prosthetic sock monitoring system, the one or more identifying characteristics configured to distinguish the prosthetic sock from other prosthetic socks; receiving the information over a time frame; storing the received data in a storage element coupled to the computer; processing the received data to generate sock usage data indicating the usage of one or more prosthetic socks by the patient over at least a portion of the time frame; and causing the generated sock usage data to be displayed on a display device. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the identifying characteristics comprises at least one of: a unique sock identifier, a sock thickness, a sock material, a sock breathability, a sock elasticity, and a sock size. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause the computer to perform operations including: processing the information indicating one or more identifying characteristics of at least one prosthetic sock worn by the patient to determine one or more of: the number of prosthetic socks worn by the patient over different time intervals of the time frame; the timing of sock changes by the patient; the frequency of sock changes by the patient; an increase in sock thickness for sock changes by the patient; a decrease in sock thickness for sock changes by the patient; and a change of socks by the patient without any change in the sock thickness. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause the computer to perform operations including: receiving, from a prosthetic sock monitoring system, information indicating an amount of force applied to a force sensing device coupled to a prosthetic sock worn by a patient associated with the prosthetic sock monitoring system and indicating a time frame associated with the amount of force applied to the force sensing device; processing the information indicating an amount of force applied to a force sensing device to determine one or more of: the timing of the patient's inactivity over the time frame; the duration of the patient's inactivity over the time frame; the timing of the patient's standing over the time frame; the duration of the patient's standing over the time frame; the timing of the patient's dynamic activity over the time frame; the duration of the patient's dynamic activity over the time frame; the timing at which the patient does not wear the prosthesis over the time frame; and the duration which the patient does not wear the prosthesis over the time frame. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the patient's activity is selected from the group consisting of: sitting, standing, ambulating, prosthesis donning, and prosthesis doffing. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause the computer to perform operations including: processing the sock usage data and the information indicating the amount of force applied to the force sensing device to determine the number of prosthetic socks worn by the patient over different time intervals of the time frame while engaging in different activities. ### Claim 30 A tangible computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor of a computer, cause the computer to perform operations including: receiving, from a prosthetic sock monitoring system, one or more of: information indicating one or more characteristics of at least one prosthetic sock worn by a patient associated with the prosthetic sock monitoring system and indicating a time frame associated with the one or more characteristics; and information indicating an amount of force applied to a force sensing device coupled to a prosthetic sock worn by a patient associated with the prosthetic sock monitoring system and indicating a time frame associated with the amount of force applied to the force sensing device; storing the received data in a storage element coupled to the computer; processing the received data to generate sock usage data indicating the usage of one or more prosthetic socks by the patient over at least a portion of the time frame; and causing the generated sock usage data to be displayed on a display device; and generating information defining a sock management strategy that indicates when a patient associated with the prosthetic sock monitoring system should don or doff a particular prosthetic sock selected from a plurality of different prosthetic socks. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein the sock management strategy is generated based on one or more of: the sock usage data, the information indicating the amount of force applied to the force sensing device, and information indicating patient comfort level provided by the patient. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause the computer to perform operations including: communicating the information defining the sock management strategy to a mobile computing device associated with the patient, wherein the information defining the sock management strategy is operable to cause the mobile computing device to instruct the patient when to wear a particular prosthetic sock selected from a plurality of different prosthetic socks. ### Claim 33 A tangible computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor of a computer, cause the computer to perform operations including: receiving, from a prosthetic sock monitoring system, one or more of: information indicating one or more characteristics of at least one prosthetic sock worn by a patient associated with the prosthetic sock monitoring system and indicating a time frame associated with the one or more characteristics; and information indicating an amount of force applied to a force sensing device coupled to a prosthetic sock worn by a patient associated with the prosthetic sock monitoring system and indicating a time frame associated with the amount of force applied to the force sensing device; storing the received data in a storage element coupled to the computer; processing the received data to generate sock usage data indicating the usage of one or more prosthetic socks by the patient over at least a portion of the time frame; and causing the generated sock usage data to be displayed on a display device; and receiving, from a plurality of prosthetic sock monitoring systems each associated with a unique patient, one or more of: sock usage data and information indicating an amount of force applied to a force sensing device coupled to a prosthetic sock worn by the patient. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein the instructions are further operable to cause the computer to perform operations including: generating, from the data received from the plurality of prosthetic sock monitoring systems, information defining a sock management strategy for a particular patient.