Systems and methods for high resolution distance sensing and applications

• US 10,206,610 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2013
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transrobotics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Transrobotics, Inc.
• Inventors: Al-Alusi, Sayf
• Primary Examiner(s): Brutus, Joel F
• Application Number:
  US14/428,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20150223733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,965 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/00 Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence; image processing per se G06T; details of algorithms for analysing medical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0035 adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/05 Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves impedance plethysmography A61B5/0295; measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0507 using microwaves or terahertz waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• 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: G01S 13/325 : using transmission of coded signals, e.g. P.S.K. signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/50 : Systems of measurement based on relative movement of target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 : Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 : Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/358 : using I/Q processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/415 : Identification of targets based on measurements of movement associated with the target

Abstract

A sensing system includes a first radar sensing assembly and an analysis system. The first radar sensing assembly measures plural distances to a first target location at different times using radar. The analysis system receives the plural distances from the first radar sensing assembly and quantifies movements of a target object at the first target location at the different times by calculating differences in the plural distances measured by the first radar sensing assembly. The analysis system generates one or more first quantified activity level values indicative of the movements of the target object at the first target location using the differences in the plural distances that are calculated.

Claims

1. A sensing system comprising:

a first radar sensing assembly configured to measure plural first distances to a first target location located on at least one of a front, side, or back of a chest of a human being at different times by transmitting electromagnetic waves; and

an analysis system configured to receive the plural first distances from the first radar sensing assembly, the analysis system also is configured to calculate first differences in the plural first distances measured by the first radar sensing assembly, wherein the analysis system is configured to determine a breathing pattern signal from the first differences in the plural first distances, the analysis system also configured to monitor respiration of the human being using the breathing pattern signal, and

wherein the analysis system also is configured to extract a cardiac signal of the human being from the breathing pattern signal, the cardiac signal representing cardiac cycles of the human being.

2. The sensing system of claim 1, wherein the analysis system is configured to determine a posture of a human being using at least one of the plural first distances or the first differences in the plural first distances that are measured by the first radar sensing assembly.

3. The sensing system of claim 1, wherein the analysis system is configured to determine a presence of the target object at the common target location using at least one of the plural first distances or the first differences in the plural first distances that are calculated.

4. The sensing system of claim 1, further comprising a second radar sensing assembly configured to measure plural second distances to a second target location at different times using the electromagnetic waves, the second target location being different than the first target location, wherein the analysis system also is configured to calculate second differences in the plural second distances measured by the second radar sensing assembly.

5. The sensing system of claim 4, wherein the first target location is on a first body part of the human being and the second target location is on a different, second body part of the human being.

6. The sensing system of claim 1, wherein the analysis system is configured to detect the human being falling using one or more of the first plural distances or the first differences.

7. The sensing system of claim 1, wherein the human being is moving relative to the first radar sensing assembly, and further comprising a second radar sensing assembly configured to measure plural second distances to the first target location using first electromagnetic waves, wherein the analysis system is configured to track a movement path of the human being using the first distances measured by the first radar sensing assembly and the second distances measured by the second radar sensing assembly.

8. The sensing assembly of claim 1, further comprising one or more laser light sources configured to generate laser light toward the first target location and one or more optical receivers configured to detect reflection of the laser light off the first target location, wherein the analysis system is configured to determine an oxygenation level of blood of the target object based on the first differences and the reflection of the laser light.

9. A sensing method comprising:

transmitting first electromagnetic waves toward a first target location on a chest of a human being from a first radar sensing assembly;

receiving first echoes of the first electromagnetic waves that are reflected off the first target location using the first radar sensing assembly;

measuring plural first distances to the first target location using the first echoes of the first electromagnetic waves;

calculating first differences in the plural first distances measured by the first radar sensing assembly;

determining a breathing pattern signal from the first differences in the plural first distances;

monitoring respiration of the human being using the breathing pattern signal; and

extracting a cardiac signal of the human being from the breathing pattern signal, the cardiac signal representing cardiac cycles of the human being.

10. The sensing method of claim 9, further comprising determining a posture of the human being using at least one of the plural first distances or the first differences in the plural first distances that are measured by the first radar sensing assembly.

11. The sensing method of claim 9, further comprising determining a presence of the human being using at least one of the plural first distances or the first differences in the plural first distances that are calculated.

12. The sensing method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting second electromagnetic waves toward a second target location on the human being from a second radar sensing assembly, the second target location being different than the first target location;

receiving second echoes of the second electromagnetic waves that are reflected off the second target location using the second radar sensing assembly;

measuring plural second distances to the second target location using the second echoes of the second electromagnetic waves; and

identifying movements of the human being at the second target location by calculating second differences in the plural second distances measured by the second radar sensing assembly.

13. The sensing method of claim 12, wherein the first target location is on a first body part of the human being and the second target location is on a different, second body part of the human being.

14. The sensing method of claim 9, further comprising detecting the human being falling using at least one of the first distances or the first differences.

15. The sensing method of claim 9, wherein the target object is moving relative to the first radar sensing assembly, and further comprising:

transmitting second electromagnetic waves toward the first target location from a second radar sensing assembly;

receiving second echoes of the second electromagnetic waves that are reflected off the first target location using the second radar sensing assembly;

measuring plural second distances to the first target location using the second echoes of the electromagnetic waves; and

tracking a movement path of the human being using the first distances measured by the first radar sensing assembly and the second distances measured using the second radar sensing assembly.

16. The sensing method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating laser light toward the first target location from one or more laser light sources;

measuring reflection of the laser light off the first target location; and

calculating an oxygenation level of blood in the target object based on the first distances and the reflection of the laser light that is measured.