Incontinence monitoring and assessment

摘要

A system for monitoring incontinence in one or more subjects comprises display means; input means operable by a user; one or more transmitters, each transmitter being associated with one or more subjects being monitored; the one or more transmitters being configured to transmit signals containing continence-related data for the one or more subjects, wherein the continence-related data has been obtained over time from a continence sensor associated with an absorbent article worn by each respective subject; a receiver unit configured to receive signals from the one or more transmitters; and processing means in communication with at least the receiver unit, the processing means including a display processor configured to process the received signals and communicate display information to the display means for display of a visual representation of continence-related information derived from continence sensors in the absorbent articles worn by the one or more subjects being monitored. The system may include a volume estimator and means for communicating to a carer a ‘risk of wetness leakage’ based on e.g. an estimated volume of wetness and e.g. a pad type. Pad type may be communicated to the system automatically by way of a pad type indicator associated with the pad and/or pad/sensor combination.

主权项

1. A system for monitoring incontinence in one or more subjects, the system comprising:
a. a display means; b. input means operable by a user; c. one or more transmitters, each transmitter being associated with one or more subjects being monitored; the one or more transmitters being configured to transmit signals containing continence-related data for the one or more subjects, wherein the continence-related data has been obtained over time from a continence sensor associated with an absorbent article worn by each respective subject; and d. a receiver unit configured to receive signals from the one or more transmitters; e. processing means in communication with at least the receiver unit, the processing means including a display processor configured to process the received signals and communicate display information to the display means for display of a visual representation of continence-related information derived from continence sensors in the absorbent articles worn by the one or more subjects being monitored;
wherein the processing means is configured to receive automatically, a sensor status indicator which distinguishes whether a sensor, or absorbent article associated with a sensor, is newly connected to the system or is instead re-connected to the system;wherein the sensor status is determined by reference to a characteristic of a sensor status circuit on the absorbent article, the characteristic being determined by reference to one or more elements incorporated into the sensor status circuit, said elements selected from a group consisting of: capacitors, expirable components, contactless devices, read only memory devices and programmable memory devices; and wherein the sensor status circuit is configured to identify automatically a type of sensor with which it is associated, wherein a designated sensor type is associated with a designated capacitor value; or wherein the sensor status circuit includes a fuse and the sensor status is determined to be newly connected to the system when the fuse is initially closed.