System and method for obtaining bodily function measurements using a mobile device

• US 10,052,035 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, Russel Allyn, Sheynblat, Leonid, Hoffman, Douglas Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAO, ELMER M
• Application Number:
  US14/523,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20150119654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02028 Determining haemodynamic parameters not otherwise provided for, e.g. cardiac contractility or left ventricular ejection fraction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement are presented. A mobile device includes an outer body sized to be portable for user, a processor contained within the outer body, and a plurality of sensors physically coupled to the outer body. The sensors are configured to obtain a first measurement indicative of blood volume and a second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity in response to a user action. A blood pressure measurement is determined based on the first measurement and the second measurement. The sensors also include electrodes where a portion of a user'"'"'s body positioned between the electrodes completes a circuit and a measurement to provide at least one measure of impedance associated with the user'"'"'s body. A hydration level measurement is determined based on the measure of impedance.

Claims

1. A mobile device for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement, comprising:

an outer body sized to be portable for a user;

a processor contained within the outer body;

a plurality of sensors physically coupled to the outer body, a first sensor of the plurality of sensors configured to obtain measurements indicative of blood volume based on a user contact; and

a multifunction contact button comprising the first sensor, the multifunction contact button coupled to the outer body and configured to, responsive to a detected contact on the multifunction contact button, (i) cause the first sensor to initiate a photoplethysmography (PPG) measurement and transmit a sensor signal to the processor, and (ii) transmit a user input signal to the processor based on the contact, the user input signal different than the sensor signal and configured to provide a user input to the mobile device;

wherein one or more of the sensors coupled to the outer body is configured to obtain an electrocardiography (ECG) measurement in response to the user contact; and

wherein the processor is configured to facilitate generation of a blood pressure measurement based on the PPG measurement and the ECG measurement.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is configured to perform a primary function and a secondary function, and wherein the processor is configured to facilitate generation of the blood pressure measurement as the secondary function of the mobile device.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the first sensor comprises at least one light sensor, and wherein the mobile device further comprises at least one light source and the at least one light sensor measures reflected light from the light source reflected off of blood vessels within a user of the mobile device to obtain the PPG measurement.

4. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein the at least one light source comprises an infrared (IR) light emitting diode (LED).

5. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the one or more of the sensors configured to obtain the ECG measurement comprises at least a first electrode and a second electrode, and wherein a portion of a user of the mobile device'"'"'s body completes a circuit between the first electrode and the second electrode.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is at least one of a smartphone device or a watch.

7. A method for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement via a mobile device, comprising:

receiving a contact indication from a multifunction contact button comprising a first sensor of a plurality of sensors, the multifunction contact button coupled to an outer body of a mobile device, the contact indication indicating a user contact with the multifunction contact button;

in response to receiving the contact indication, initiating a function of the mobile device based on a user input determined based on the contact indication;

in response to receiving the contact indication, obtaining, from the first sensor, a photoplethysmography (PPG) measurement in response to the contact indication;

in response to receiving the contact indication, obtaining, from a second sensor of the plurality of sensors, an electrocardiography (ECG) measurement in response to the contact indication, the second sensor coupled to the outer body of the mobile device; and

facilitating, via a processor of the mobile device, generation of a blood pressure measurement based on the PPG measurement and the ECG measurement.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the mobile device is configured to perform a primary function and a secondary function, and wherein the facilitating step is performed as the secondary function of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one light sensor and the mobile device comprises at least one light source, and wherein obtaining the PPG measurement comprises measuring, via the at least one light sensor, reflected light from the light source reflected off of blood vessels within a user of the mobile device to obtain the PPG measurement.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one light source comprises an infrared (IR) light emitting diode (LED).

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least a first electrode and a second electrode, and wherein obtaining the ECG measurement comprises detecting completion of a circuit between the first electrode and the second electrode via a portion of the user'"'"'s body.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the mobile device is at least one of a smartphone device or a watch.

13. An apparatus for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement, comprising:

an outer body sized to be portable for a user;

means for detecting contact and providing user inputs in response to the detected contact, the means for detecting and providing disposed within the outer body and comprising means for obtaining, in response to the detected contact, a photoplethysmography (PPG) measurement based on the detected contact, the user inputs configured to provide user input to the apparatus; and

means for obtaining, in response to the detected contact, an electrocardiography (ECG) measurement based on the detected contact, the means for obtaining the ECG measurement coupled to the outer body; and

means for determining a blood pressure measurement based on the PPG measurement and the ECG measurement, wherein the means for determining is contained within the outer body.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for obtaining the PPG measurement comprises at least one light sensor and at least one light source, wherein the at least one light source is an infrared (IR) light emitting diode (LED).

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for obtaining the ECG measurement comprises at least a first electrode and a second electrode.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement that, when executed, cause one or more computing devices included in a mobile device to:

receive a contact indication from a multifunction contact button comprising a first sensor of a plurality of sensors, the multifunction contact button coupled to an outer body of a mobile device, the contact indication indicating a user contact with the multifunction contact button;

in response to receipt of the contact indication, initiate a function of the mobile device based on a user input determined based on the contact indication;

in response to receipt of the contact indication, obtain, from the first sensor, a photoplethysmography (PPG) measurement in response to the contact indication;

in response to receipt of the contact indication, obtain, from a second sensor of the plurality of sensors, an electrocardiography (ECG) measurement in response to the contact indication an electrocardiography (ECG) measurement, the second sensor coupled to the outer body of the mobile device; and

facilitate, via a processor of the mobile device, generation of a blood pressure measurement based on the PPG measurement and the ECG measurement.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16 wherein the mobile device is configured to perform a primary function and a secondary function, and wherein the facilitating is performed as the secondary function of the mobile device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one light sensor and the mobile device comprises at least one light source, and wherein obtaining the PPG measurement comprises measuring, via the at least one light sensor, reflected light from the light source reflected off of blood vessels within a user of the mobile device to obtain the PPG measurement, and wherein the at least one light source is an infrared (IR) light emitting diode (LED).

19. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least a first electrode and a second electrode, and wherein the obtaining the ECG measurement comprises detecting completion of a circuit between the first electrode and the second electrode via a portion of the user'"'"'s body.