Systems and Methods for Displaying Sensor-Based User Orientation Information

Abstract

A user-wearable sensor device may be configured to be directly or indirectly secured to a user or to an article worn by the user. The user-wearable sensor device may include at least one sensor configured to collect sensor data associated with an orientation of the user, a display unit including at least one LED or other visual indicator, a battery configured to provide power to at least the display unit, and a control system. The control system may be configured to determine the orientation of the user based on sensor data collected by the at least one sensor, maintain the display unit in a deactivated state in the absence of a defined activation input, detect a defined activation input, activate the deactivated display unit in response to detecting the defined activation input, and control the activated display unit based on the determined orientation of the user.

1 . A system for monitoring a person, the system comprising:
 a wearable sensor device and a local monitor separate from the wearable sensor device and communicatively coupled to the wearable sensor;   wherein the wearable sensor device comprises:
 a sensor device body configured to be secured to a person or to an article worn by the person; 
 a sensor device processor; 
 at least one sensor configured to generate sensor data regarding an orientation of the person; and 
 a transmitter configured to transmit orientation monitoring data to a local monitor, the transmitted data comprising the sensor data or data derived from the sensor data by the sensor device processor; and 
   wherein the local monitor comprises:
 a receiver configured to receive orientation monitoring data transmitted by the transmitter of the wearable sensor device; 
 a display including a plurality of controllable display elements corresponding to a plurality of different positions of the person; and 
 a local monitor processor configured to selectively control the plurality of controllable display elements to indicate orientation data of the person based on the received orientation monitoring data, wherein the orientation data of the person includes at least one of current orientation data or historical orientation data. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the transmitter of the sensor device is configured to communicate the sensor data generated by the at least one sensor to the local monitor;   the receiver of the local monitor is configured to receive the sensor data; and   the local monitor processor is configured to:
 process the received sensor data to generate the orientation data of the person; and 
 control the plurality of controllable display elements based on the orientation data generated by the local monitor processor. 
   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sensor device processor is configured to process the sensor data to generate the orientation data of the person;   the transmitter of the sensor device is configured to communicate the orientation data to the local monitor;   the receiver of the local monitor is configured to receive the orientation data generated by the sensor device processor; and   the local monitor processor is configured to control the plurality of controllable display elements based on the received orientation data.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sensor device processor is configured to process the sensor data to generate pre-processed sensor data;   the transmitter of the sensor device is configured to communicate the pre-processed sensor data to the local monitor;   the receiver of the local monitor is configured to receive the pre-processed sensor data transmitted by the sensor device; and   the local monitor processor is configured to:
 process the received pre-processed sensor data to generate the orientation data of the person; and 
 control the plurality of controllable display elements based on the orientation data generated by the local monitor processor. 
   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the step of processing the sensor data by the sensor device processor to generate pre-processed sensor data comprises reducing a data volume of the sensor data. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitter of the sensor device comprises a wireless transmitter and the receiver of the local monitor comprises a wireless receiver.