Method and apparatus for acquiring bioinformation and apparatus for testing bioinformation

• US 10,357,165 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoon, Youngzoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Porter, Allen
• Application Number:
  US15/068,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20170055855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 600479, 600480
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02141 Details of apparatus construction, e.g. pump units or housings therefor, cuff pressurising systems, arrangements of fluid conduits or circuits A61B5/02233, A61B5/0235 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0295 using plethysmography, i.e. measuring the variations in the volume of a body part as modified by the circulation of blood therethrough, e.g. impedance plethysmography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices

Abstract

An apparatus for acquiring bioinformation, including a laser irradiator configured to irradiate a laser beam onto a region of interest including blood vessels; a sensor configured to detect a first change in a laser speckle pattern generated by the laser beam reflected from the region of interest; and a processor configured to acquire a biosignal indicating a second change in blood flow within the blood vessels based on the detected first change in the laser speckle pattern, and to acquire the bioinformation by using the biosignal, wherein the laser beam emitted from the laser irradiator is incident at an angle to the region of interest.

Claims

1. An apparatus for acquiring bioinformation, the apparatus comprising:

a laser irradiator configured to irradiate a laser beam onto a region of interest including blood vessels;

a sensor configured to detect a change in a laser speckle pattern generated by the laser beam reflected from the region of interest;

a displacement measurer configured to determine a distance between the laser irradiator and the region of interest; and

a processor configured to acquire a biosignal indicating a change in blood flow within the blood vessels based on the detected change in the laser speckle pattern, and to acquire the bioinformation based on the biosignal and the determined distance,

wherein the laser beam emitted from the laser irradiator is incident at an angle to the region of interest,

wherein an irradiation direction of the laser beam is adjusted according to the distance, and

wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of sensor devices,

wherein the plurality of sensor devices comprises a first sensor device spaced apart from a second sensor device, and

wherein the displacement measurer is further configured to determine the distance to be a first distance in response to the laser beam being detected by the first sensor device, and to determine the distance to be a second distance in response to the laser beam being detected by the second sensor device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laser irradiator is arranged to be positioned at the angle with respect to the region of interest.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first optical element configured to adjust the irradiation direction of the laser beam.

4. The apparatus of claim 3,

wherein the irradiation direction of the laser beam is adjusted according to the distance by modifying a refraction index associated with the laser irradiator, and

wherein the refraction index comprises a refraction index of a second optical element configured to selectively adjust the irradiation direction of the laser beam.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the refraction index of the second optical element is determined based on the determined distance between the laser irradiator and the region of interest.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first optical element comprises a meta material structure.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor devices are spaced apart from each other at respective intervals in a direction with respect to the region of interest, and

the laser irradiator comprises one or more laser irradiation devices that are arranged respectively corresponding to the plurality of sensor devices.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor devices are spaced apart from each other at intervals in a direction with respect to the region of interest.

9. A bioinformation testing apparatus, the bioinformation testing apparatus comprising:

a main body;

straps connected to the main body; and

an apparatus for acquiring bioinformation arranged on at least one from among an inner surface of the main body or an inner surface of the straps, wherein the apparatus for acquiring the bioinformation comprises;

a laser irradiator configured to irradiate a laser beam onto a region of interest including blood vessels;

a sensor configured to detect a change in a laser speckle pattern generated by the laser beam reflected from the region of interest;

a displacement measurer configured to determine a distance between the laser irradiator and the region of interest; and

a processor configured to acquire a biosignal indicating a change in blood flow within the blood vessels based on the detected change in the laser speckle pattern, and to acquire the bioinformation based on the biosignal and the determined distance,

wherein the laser beam emitted from the laser irradiator is incident at an angle to the region of interest,

wherein an irradiation direction of the laser beam is adjusted according to the distance, and

wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of sensor devices,

wherein the plurality of sensor devices comprises a first sensor device spaced apart from a second sensor device, and

wherein the displacement measurer is further configured to determine the distance to be a first distance in response to the laser beam being detected by the first sensor device, and to determine the distance to be a second distance in response to the laser beam being detected by the second sensor device.

10. The bioinformation testing apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of sensors and laser irradiators, the plurality of sensors and laser irradiators being spaced apart from each other on an inner surface of the straps at intervals in a direction in which the straps extend.

11. The bioinformation testing apparatus of claim 10, wherein when a subject wears the bioinformation testing apparatus by using the straps, the apparatus for acquiring the bioinformation is arranged in a direction parallel to a forearm of the subject.

12. A method of acquiring bioinformation, the method comprising:

irradiating, using a laser irradiator, a laser beam onto a region of interest including blood vessels;

determining, using a displacement measurer, a distance between the laser irradiator and a skin surface corresponding to the region of interest;

detecting, using a sensor, a change in a laser speckle pattern from the region of interest;

acquiring, using a processor, a biosignal indicating a change in blood flow within the blood vessels using the detected change in the laser speckle pattern; and

acquiring, using the processor, the bioinformation based on the biosignal and the determined distance,

wherein an irradiation direction of the laser beam is adjusted according to the distance,

wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of sensor devices, and

wherein the plurality of sensor devices comprises a first sensor device spaced apart from a second sensor device, and

wherein the determining further comprises determining the distance to be a first distance in response to the laser beam being detected by the first sensor device, and determining the distance to be a second distance in response to the laser beam being detected by the second sensor device.