Pulse data detecting apparatus, pulse data detecting method, and storage medium having pulse data detection program recorded thereon

• US 10,278,597 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2013
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Kuno, Toshiya
• Primary Examiner(s): Jang, Christian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Toth, Karen E
• Application Number:
  US14/028,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20140081161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,059 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02108 from analysis of pulse wave characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02422 within occluders
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/025 within occluders, e.g. responsive to Korotkoff sounds electric stethoscopes A61B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4854 Diagnosis based on concepts of traditional oriental medicine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/683 Means for maintaining contact with the body A61B5/6802 takes precedence

Abstract

A pulse data detecting apparatus, pulse data detecting method, and pulse data detection program are provided capable of suppressing an influence of the condition of the body surface to be measured and obtaining an appropriate measurement result under a wide range of conditions. In the present invention, a blood-flow-suppressing-projection protrusion-control mechanism section causes a blood-flow-suppressing projection to protrude to press or compress the body surface to suppress a blood flow on a downstream side, thereby increasing a blood pressure of a measurement region at the time of measurement. A light-receiving element receives reflected light of light applied from a light-emitting element to a skin surface, and outputs an electrical signal. Increasing the blood pressure of the measurement region enables to obtain an output signal at a sufficient output level from the light-receiving element. A CPU calculates a pulse rate based on the output signal from the light-receiving element.

Claims

1. A pulse data detecting apparatus comprising:

a projection configured to suppress blood flow in a blood vessel to increase a blood pressure of a measurement region, the projection being configured to press or compress a body surface and to be settable at a plurality of protrusion amounts;

a sensor configured to detect a plurality of pieces of pulse data, each of the plurality of pieces of pulse data being detected in a state in which the projection is set at a respective one of the plurality of protrusion amounts and indicating a pulse intensity at a time at which the sensor is in contact with the body surface;

an output device configured to output one of the plurality of pieces of pulse data detected by the sensor;

a memory configured to store, as an output-time protrusion amount, a protrusion amount of the projection at a time at which the one of the plurality of pieces of pulse data is outputted; and

a processor which executes a stored program to perform functions comprising;

(i) when the output-time protrusion amount is stored in the memory, setting the projection at the output-time protrusion amount stored in the memory, and outputting a piece of pulse data detected by the sensor with the projection set at the output-time protrusion amount; and

(ii) when the output-time protrusion amount is not stored in the memory;

(a) sequentially changing the protrusion amount of the projection to each of the plurality of protrusion amounts;

(b) for each one of the protrusion amounts to which the projection is sequentially changed;

in a state in which the blood flow in the blood vessel is suppressed by the projection, storing a piece of pulse data detected by the sensor in association with the one of the plurality of protrusion amounts to which the projection has been changed; and

calculating, by Fourier transform, intensity distribution data of the pulse intensity for the stored piece of pulse data, the intensity distribution data including the pulse intensity at each of a plurality of frequency components, and the intensity distribution data including a maximum value corresponding to a frequency component at which the pulse intensity is highest;

(c) identifying a highest maximum value among the maximum values obtained from the intensity distribution data corresponding to each of the plurality of protrusion amounts; and

(d) storing, in the memory, a protrusion amount associated with the identified highest maximum value, as the output-time protrusion amount,

wherein the pulse intensity indicates an intensity of a measurement value of a voltage detected according to time by the sensor.

2. The pulse data detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the projection is arranged on a downstream side of the blood flow with respect to a position at which the sensor is placed, and is configured to suppress the blood flow on the downstream side by pressing or compressing the body surface.

3. The pulse data detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the projection is structured to protrude in a skin direction by filling a bag-shaped member with a fluid to increase a volume thereof.

4. The pulse data detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the projection is structured to protrude by moving a stick-shaped member in a skin direction.

5. The pulse data detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the projection is structured to protrude in a skin direction by rotating a flat member.

6. The pulse data detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the projection is configured to press or compress the body surface intermittently with a detection timing of the sensor so as to prevent a compressed state from continuing for a predetermined time.

7. A method of detecting pulse data using a pulse data detecting apparatus, the pulse data detecting apparatus including (i) a projection configured to suppress blood flow in a blood vessel to increase a blood pressure of a measurement region, the projection being configured to press or compress a body surface and to be settable at a plurality of protrusion amounts, (ii) a sensor configured to detect a plurality of pieces of pulse data, each of the plurality of pieces of pulse data being detected in a state in which the projection is set at a respective one of the plurality of protrusion amounts and indicating a pulse intensity at a time at which the sensor is in contact with the body surface, (iii) an output device configured to output one of the plurality of pieces of pulse data detected by the sensor, and (iv) a memory configured to store, as an output-time protrusion amount, a protrusion amount of the projection at a time at which the one of the plurality of pieces of pulse data is outputted, and the method comprising:

when the output-time protrusion amount is stored in the memory, setting the projection at the output-time protrusion amount stored in the memory, and outputting a piece of pulse data detected by the sensor with the projection set at the output-time protrusion amount; and

when the output-time protrusion amount is not stored in the memory;

(a) sequentially changing the protrusion amount of the projection to each of the plurality of protrusion amounts;

(b) for each one of the protrusion amounts to which the projection is sequentially changed;

in a state in which the blood flow in the blood vessel is suppressed by the projection, storing a piece of pulse data detected by the sensor in association with the one of the plurality of protrusion amounts to which the projection has been changed; and

calculating, by Fourier transform, intensity distribution data of the pulse intensity for the stored piece of pulse data, the intensity distribution data including the pulse intensity at each of a plurality of frequency components, and the intensity distribution data including a maximum value corresponding to a frequency component at which the pulse intensity is highest;

(c) identifying a highest maximum value among the maximum values obtained from the intensity distribution data corresponding to each of the plurality of protrusion amounts; and

(d) storing, in the memory, a protrusion amount associated with the identified highest maximum value, as the output-time protrusion amount,

wherein the pulse intensity indicates an intensity of a measurement value of a voltage detected according to time by the sensor.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the projection is arranged on a downstream side of the blood flow with respect to a position at which the sensor is placed, and is configured to suppress the blood flow on the downstream side by pressing or compressing the body surface.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the projection is structured to protrude in a skin direction by filling a bag-shaped member with a fluid to increase a volume thereof.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the projection is structured to protrude by moving a stick-shaped member in a skin direction.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the projection is structured to protrude in a skin direction by rotating a flat member.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the projection is configured to press or compress the body surface intermittently with a detection timing of the sensor so as to prevent a compressed state from continuing for a predetermined time.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a pulse data detection program that is executable by a computer of a pulse data detecting apparatus, the pulse data detecting apparatus further including (i) a projection configured to suppress blood flow in a blood vessel to increase a blood pressure of a measurement region, the projection being configured to press or compress a body surface and to be settable at a plurality of protrusion amounts, (ii) a sensor configured to detect a plurality of pieces of pulse data, each of the plurality of pieces of pulse data being detected in a state in which the projection is set at a respective one of the plurality of protrusion amounts and indicating a pulse intensity at a time at which the sensor is in contact with the body surface, (iii) an output device configured to output one of the plurality of pieces of pulse data detected by the sensor, and (iv) a memory configured to store, as an output-time protrusion amount, a protrusion amount of the projection at a time at which the one of the plurality of pieces of pulse data is outputted, and the program being executable to control the computer to perform functions comprising:

when the output-time protrusion amount is stored in the memory, setting the projection at the output-time protrusion amount stored in the memory, and outputting a piece of pulse data detected by the sensor with the projection set at the output-time protrusion amount; and

when the output-time protrusion amount is not stored in the memory;

(a) sequentially changing the protrusion amount of the projection to each of the plurality of protrusion amounts;

(b) for each one of the protrusion amounts to which the projection is sequentially changed;

in a state in which the blood flow in the blood vessel is suppressed by the projection, storing a piece of pulse data detected by the sensor in association with the one of the plurality of protrusion amounts to which the projection has been changed; and

calculating, by Fourier transform, intensity distribution data of the pulse intensity for the stored piece of pulse data, the intensity distribution data including the pulse intensity at each of a plurality of frequency components, and the intensity distribution data including a maximum value corresponding to a frequency component at which the pulse intensity is highest;

(c) identifying a highest maximum value among the maximum values obtained from the intensity distribution data corresponding to each of the plurality of protrusion amounts; and

(d)storing, in the memory, a protrusion amount associated with the identified highest maximum value, as the output-time protrusion amount,

wherein the pulse intensity indicates an intensity of a measurement value of a voltage detected according to time by the sensor.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the projection is arranged on a downstream side of the blood flow with respect to a position at which the sensor is placed, and is configured to suppress the blood flow on the downstream side by pressing or compressing the body surface.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the projection is structured to protrude in a skin direction by filling a bag-shaped member with a fluid to increase a volume thereof.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the projection is structured to protrude by moving a stick-shaped member in a skin direction.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the projection is structured to protrude in a skin direction by rotating a flat member.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the projection is configured to press or compress the body surface intermittently with a detection timing of the sensor so as to prevent a compressed state from continuing for a predetermined time.