Earbud monitoring devices

• US 10,015,582 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2017
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yukka Magic LLC
• Original Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Inventors: Wagner, Wolfgang, Stephenson, Shawn, Just, Steven Matthew, Aumer, Michael Edward, Tucker, Jesse Berkley, Eschbach, Lawrence Christopher, LeBoeuf, Steven Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Laekemariam, Yosef K
• Application Number:
  US15/400,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20170118551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 381 74, 381367, 381370, 381 55, 381 58, 381 59, 600301, 600479
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0238 Optical sensor arrangements for performing transmission measurements on body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6802 Sensor mounted on worn items
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/721 using a separate sensor to detect motion or using motion information derived from signals other than the physiological signal to be measured
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083

Abstract

An earbud includes a speaker driver, and a sensor module secured to the speaker driver that is configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from a subject wearing the earbud. The sensor module includes a printed circuit board, an optical source secured to the printed circuit board, and an optical detector secured to the printed circuit board. A first light guide may be coupled to the optical source that is configured to deliver light from the optical source into an ear region of the subject via a distal end thereof. A second light guide may be coupled to the optical detector that is configured to collect light from the ear region via a distal end thereof and deliver collected light to the optical detector. One or more additional sensors may be secured to the speaker driver, such as accelerometers, humidity sensors, altimeters, and temperature sensors.

Claims

1. An earbud, comprising:

a speaker driver;

a printed circuit board (PCB) directly mounted on a surface of the speaker driver; and

a sensor module supported by the PCB and electrically connected to the speaker driver, wherein the sensor module comprises an optical source and an optical detector, and wherein the sensor module is configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from a subject wearing the earbud,

wherein the PCB is an elongated, flexible PCB having a distal end portion, and wherein the optical source and optical detector are secured to the PCB at the distal end portion.

2. The earbud of claim 1, further comprising a first light guide coupled to the optical source and/or a second light guide coupled to the optical detector, wherein the first light guide is configured to deliver light from the optical source into an ear region of the subject via a distal end thereof, and wherein the second light guide is configured to collect light from the ear region via a distal end thereof and deliver collected light to the optical detector.

3. The earbud of claim 1, further comprising at least one of the following secured to the PCB:

an accelerometer, a humidity sensor, an altimeter, a temperature sensor.

4. The earbud of claim 1, further comprising at least one signal processor secured to the PCB that is configured to process signals produced by the optical detector.

5. The earbud of claim 1, wherein the earbud is in communication with a data processing unit configured to process signals produced by the optical detector.

6. An earbud, comprising:

a speaker driver;

a printed circuit board (PCB) directly mounted on a surface of the speaker driver;

an optical emitter and optical detector secured to the PCB; and

a light guide configured to guide light between the optical emitter and a body of a subject wearing the earbud, wherein the light guide comprises a distal end that is configured to engage a portion of the ear of the subject, and wherein the light guide is configured to guide light from the optical emitter to the portion of the ear via the distal end thereof.

7. The earbud of claim 6, further comprising a second light guide configured to guide light between the optical detector and the body of the subject.

8. The earbud of claim 7, wherein the second light guide comprises a distal end that is configured to engage a second portion of the ear of the subject, and wherein the second light guide is configured to collect light from the second ear region via the distal end thereof and deliver collected light to the optical detector.

9. The earbud of claim 6, wherein the PCB is a flexible circuit.

10. A speaker driver for an earbud, the speaker driver comprising:

an optical source secured directly to the speaker driver;

an optical detector secured directly to the speaker driver;

a first light guide extending outwardly from the optical source, wherein the first light guide is in optical communication with the optical source; and

a second light guide extending outwardly from the optical detector, wherein the second light guide is in optical communication with the optical detector.

11. The speaker driver of claim 10, further comprising at least one signal processor secured directly to the speaker driver and configured to process signals produced by the optical detector.

12. The speaker driver of claim 10, further comprising at least one of the following secured directly to the speaker driver:

an accelerometer, a humidity sensor, an altimeter, a temperature sensor.

13. The speaker driver of claim 10, wherein the speaker driver comprises opposite front and rear portions, wherein sound is emitted through at least one aperture formed in the front portion, and wherein the optical source and the optical detector are directly secured to the rear portion of the speaker driver.