Continuous stress measurement with built-in alarm fatigue reduction features

• US 10,390,764 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2016
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jain, Jawahar, Young, James, Wortham, Cody, Sadi, Sajid, Mistry, Pranav
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes, Rex R
• Application Number:
  US15/183,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20170071523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/352 Detecting R peaks, e.g. for synchronising diagnostic apparatus; Estimating R-R interval
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4884 inducing physiological or psychological stress, e.g. applications for stress testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7225 Details of analog processing, e.g. isolation amplifier, gain or sensitivity adjustment, filtering, baseline or drift compensation A61B5/30, A61B5/316 take precedence; transformers for specific applications H01F38/00; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• 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 5/7282 : Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 : using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 : characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 : Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 : User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 : for the operation of medical equipment or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

A method for monitoring a stress level of a user may include determining, based on biological measurements on one or more physiological markers received in a first sampling mode, the stress level of the user, and then dynamically switching to a second sampling mode when it is determined that one or more of the physiological markers are above a threshold level, the second sampling mode being different from the first sampling mode.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a stress level of a user comprising:

determining, based on biological measurements of one or more physiological markers received in a first sampling mode of an electronic device, the stress level of the user;

determining that the stress level of the user is above a threshold level; and

dynamically switching the first sampling mode of the electronic device to a second sampling mode in response to the determination that the stress level of the user is above a threshold level, the second sampling mode being different from the first sampling mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from a sensor of the electronic device, the biological measurements on the one or more physiological markers.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending, via the electronic device, one or more notifications associated with the stress level to the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sampling mode is a low-power mode and the second sampling mode is a high-power mode,

wherein the low-power mode is associated with a first detection time period,

wherein the high-power mode is associated with a second detection time period.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second detection time period corresponds to a longer detection time period for a predetermined time period than the first detection time period.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the second detection time period corresponds to a higher frequency of detection time periods with a predetermined time period than the first detection time period.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the low-power mode corresponds to a measurement of a first physiological marker, and wherein the high-power mode corresponds to a measurement of a second physiological marker different from the first physiological marker.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the low-power mode corresponds to a measurement of an average heart rate (HR) of the user, and the high-power mode corresponds to a measurement of a heart-rate variability (HRV) of the user.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to dynamically switching to the second sampling mode:

determining a context associated with user during the first sampling mode based on the biological measurements, the context being defined by one or more of a nature, a level, or an intensity of physical activity during the first sampling mode.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the dynamically switching to the second sampling mode is further determined based on the context associated with the user during the first sampling mode.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dynamically switching back to the first sampling mode when it is determined that the stress level of the user is not above the threshold level.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to determining the stress level of the user:

receiving a selection of one or more stress-monitoring modes from the user,

wherein the stress-monitoring modes comprises a chronic-stress-monitoring mode and an acute-stress-monitoring mode.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the stress level is associated with a stress event that lasts for a time period that is longer than a threshold time period,

wherein, in response to determining that the stress level is associated with a stress event that lasts for a time period that is longer than a threshold time period, sending a notification associated with the stress event to the user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the stress event is further determined based on one or more of a nature, a level, or an intensity of physical activity during the first sampling mode.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the notification comprises one or more of a user-interface notification, a haptic notification, or an audible notification.

16. The method of the claim 13, wherein the notification comprises one or more user-specific and context-specific suggestions for lowering stress.

17. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software for monitoring a stress level of a user, that is operable when executed to:

determine, based on biological measurements of one or more physiological markers received in a first sampling mode of an electronic device, the stress level of the user;

determine that the stress level of the user is above a threshold level; and

dynamically switch the first sampling mode of the electronic device to a second sampling mode in response to the determination that the stress level of the user is above a threshold level, the second sampling mode being different from the first sampling mode.

18. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors for monitoring a stress level of a user, the processors operable when executing the instructions to;

determine, based on biological measurements of one or more physiological markers received in a first sampling mode of an electronic device, the stress level of the user;

determine that the stress level of the user is above a threshold level; and

dynamically switch the first sampling mode of the electronic device to a second sampling mode in response to the determination that the stress level of the user is above a threshold level, the second sampling mode being different from the first sampling mode.