Method, apparatus and computer program of using a bio-signal profile

• US 10,244,988 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kangas, Jari, Karkkainen, Leo, Nurmi, Mikko, Ojanen, Ville, Salminen, Ilka, Sivadas, Sunil, Vetek, Akos
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kabir, Zahed
• Application Number:
  US12/970,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20120157789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,029 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7228 Signal modulation applied to the input signal sent to patient or subject; demodulation to recover the physiological signal modulation H03C
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7285 for synchronising or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal A61B6/5205, A61B6/541, A61B8/5207, A61B8/543 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7296 for compensation of signal variation due to stress unintentionally induced in the patient, e.g. due to the stress of the medical environment or examination deliberately inducing physiological or psychological stress A61B5/4884
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program wherein the method includes: obtaining, from a detector, a detection of at least one bio-signal of a user of an apparatus; determining a mode of operation of the apparatus when the at least one bio-signal occurred; and correlating the at least one detected bio-signal of the user with the determined mode of operation in a bio-signal profile of the user of the apparatus.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

repeatedly and automatically, obtaining a detection of at least one bio-signal of a user of an apparatus;

determining, by the apparatus, a particular mode of operation of the apparatus in which the apparatus operated when a particular changed bio-signal was detected as changing from a first state to a second state, wherein the apparatus has a plurality of different modes of operation and wherein each different mode of operation is defined by which of at least a first application or a second application is running; and

using a bio-signal profile to determine an output to be provided by comparing each of the first state and the second state of the particular changed bio-signal to a normal range for the particular mode of operation according to the bio-signal profile,

wherein the output is determined dependent upon (1) the particular changed bio-signal having changed (a) from being outside the normal range to inside the normal range, or (b) from being inside the normal range to outside the normal range, and (2) the particular mode of operation of the apparatus in which the apparatus operated when the particular changed bio-signal was detected as changing,

wherein, in an instance in which it is determined that the particular mode of operation is a first mode of operation in which the apparatus runs the first application but not the second application, the output determined changes in response to the particular changed bio-signal changing from the first state to the second state, and

wherein, in an instance in which it is determined that the particular mode of operation is a second mode of operation in which the apparatus runs the second application but not the first application, the output determined does not change in response to the particular changed bio-signal changing from the first state to the second state.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bio-signal profile comprises data collected for the user over a period of time relating to a plurality of different modes of operation of the apparatus and correlated bio-signals for the user, wherein respective normal ranges for modes of operation of the apparatus is provided by the bio-signal profile, wherein a first normal range of bio-signals for the first mode of operation is different to a second normal range of bio-signals for the second mode of operation.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

enabling an output of the apparatus to be modified if the particular changed bio-signal is outside the normal range for the particular mode of operation of the apparatus.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the output which is modified comprises a user interface.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, additionally comprising, repeatedly, over a time period of at least weeks, correlating, by the apparatus, the at least one detected bio-signal of the user with respective determined mode of operations and storing correlations in the bio-signal profile.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the particular mode of operation is determined by determining whether or not the user is looking at the apparatus.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first state of the particular changed bio-signal is indicative of a normal emotional or physiological state of the user, and the second state of the particular changed bio-signal is indicative of a non-normal emotional or physiological state of the user, and wherein the output provided changes to prevent the emotional or physiological state of the user diverging further from the normal emotional or physiological state of the user.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first state of the particular changed bio-signal is indicative of a normal lower stress level and the second state of the particular changed bio-signal is indicative of a higher stress level, wherein the output changes from a first user interface to a second user interface that is predetermined as an easier-to-use user interface.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first state of the particular changed bio-signal is indicative of normality for the first mode of operation, the second state of the particular changed bio-signal is not indicative of normality for the first mode of operation and the first state and the second state of the particular changed bio-signal are indicative of normality for the second mode of operation.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first state and the second state are separated by a threshold value determined by data collected from the user at least over weeks or months.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one bio-signal comprise output from at least one of an accelerometer, or aural signal, or position of the user'"'"'s eyes or face or facial expressions.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output changes dependent upon whether the user is alone or accompanied.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output changes by providing tactile output, or a different graphical user interface enabling a user to control the apparatus via one or more user-selectable items.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output is provided via a mounted head display.

15. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code;

wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, enable the apparatus to;

repeatedly and automatically, obtain a detection of at least one bio-signal of a user of an apparatus;

determine a particular mode of operation of the apparatus in which the apparatus operated when a particular changed bio-signal was detected as changing from a first state to a second state, wherein the apparatus has a plurality of different modes of operation and wherein each different mode of operation is defined by which of at least a first application or a second application is running; and

use a bio-signal profile to determine an output to be provided by comparing each of the first state and the second state of the particular changed bio-signal to a normal range for the particular mode of operation according to the bio-signal profile,

wherein the output is determined dependent upon (1) the particular changed bio-signal having changed (a) from being outside the normal range to inside the normal range, or (b) from being inside the normal range to outside the normal range, and (2) the particular mode of operation of the apparatus in which the apparatus operated when the particular changed bio-signal was detected as changing,

wherein, in an instance in which it is determined that the particular mode of operation is a first mode of operation in which the apparatus runs the first application but not the second application, the output determined changes in response to the particular changed bio-signal changing from the first state to the second state, and

wherein, in an instance in which it is determined that the particular mode of operation is a second mode of operation in which the apparatus runs the second application but not the first application, the output determined does not change in response to the particular changed bio-signal changing from the first state to the second state.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15,

wherein the bio-signal profile comprises data collected over at least weeks relating to a plurality of different modes of operation of the apparatus.

17. A physical entity embodying a computer program comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, enable an apparatus at least to perform:

repeatedly and automatically, obtaining a detection of at least one bio-signal of a user of an apparatus;

determining a particular mode of operation of the apparatus in which the apparatus operated when a particular changed bio-signal was detected as changing from a first state to a second state, wherein the apparatus has a plurality of different modes of operation and wherein each different mode of operation is defined by which of at least a first application or a second application is running; and

using a bio-signal profile to determine an output to be provided by comparing each of the first state and the second state of the particular changed bio-signal to a normal range for the particular mode of operation according to the bio-signal profile,

wherein the output is determined dependent upon (1) the particular changed bio-signal having changed (a) from being outside the normal range to inside the normal range, or (b) from being inside the normal range to outside the normal range, and (2) the particular mode of operation of the apparatus in which the apparatus operated when the particular changed bio-signal was detected as changing,

wherein, in an instance in which it is determined that the particular mode of operation is a first mode of operation in which the apparatus runs the first application but not the second application, the output determined changes in response to the particular changed bio-signal changing from the first state to the second state, and

wherein, in an instance in which it is determined that the particular mode of operation is a second mode of operation in which the apparatus runs the second application but not the first application, the output determined does not change in response to the particular changed bio-signal changing from the first state to the second state.