Wearable electronc device for determining user health status

• US 10,448,842 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Magi, Aleksander
• Primary Examiner(s): Alizada, Omeed
• Application Number:
  US15/822,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20180192893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• 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 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• 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 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4504 Bones A61B5/4547 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick

Abstract

Particular embodiments described herein provide for a wearable electronic device, such as a bracelet, coupled to a plurality of electronic components (which may include any type of components, elements, circuitry, etc.). One particular implementation of a wearable electronic device may include a plurality of sensors configured to measure at least one health parameter of a first user associated with the wearable electronic device, and a control module in communication with the plurality of sensors. The control module includes a processor configured to receive a plurality of health parameter measurements from at least a subset of the plurality of sensors, and determine a general health state of the first user based upon the received health parameter measurements.

Claims

1. A wearable electronic device comprising:

a band to be worn on a user, the band having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the band having a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge, a distance between the first edge and the second edge corresponding to a width of the band;

a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor and the second sensor carried by a first portion of the band and positioned on the second side of the band, the first portion curved when the band is worn by the user, the first sensor and the second sensor to generate sensor information indicative of a health parameter of the user;

a display screen carried by a second portion of the band and viewable when the band is worn by the user, the first and second portions of the band on opposite sides of an appendage of the user when the band is worn by the user, the first sensor and the second sensor in a row along the width of the band;

a wireless communication circuit;

at least one processor in circuit with the sensor; and

memory including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

cause display of health information via the display screen, the health information based on the sensor information; and

cause transmission of a message corresponding to the sensor information to a second device.

2. The wearable electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is to periodically control a power state of the wearable device.

3. The wearable electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the first sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a skin sensor, a pulse sensor, or a galvanic skin response sensor.

4. The wearable electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are arranged in a cluster with at least two other sensors.

5. The wearable electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the display screen is to detect a touch on the display screen by the user and at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor is to generate the sensor information in response to the touch.

6. The wearable electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the health parameter includes one or more of heart rate or body temperature, and the health information includes a health status of the user.

7. The wearable electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the display screen is carried by a housing coupled to the band.

8. At least one memory comprising instructions which, when executed, cause at least one processor to at least:

access sensor information indicative of a health parameter of a user, the sensor information to be generated by a sensor carried by a band of a first device to be worn on a user;

accumulate the sensor information over time to generate health information;

display the health information via a display screen;

cause transmission of a message corresponding to the health information to a second device; and

control a power state of the first device based on movement associated with the first device to cause the sensor to generate the sensor information.

9. The at least one memory as defined in claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to cause the display of the health information by causing display of an indicator representative of the health information on the display screen.

10. The at least one memory as defined in claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to control an operational state of the sensor based on access to an output of the display screen indicative of a touch on the display screen.

11. The at least one memory as defined in claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to initiate transmission of the message via a wireless communication protocol.

12. A wearable electronic device to be worn on a wrist of a user, the wearable electronic device comprising:

first means for sensing a first health parameter of the user;

second means for sensing a second health parameter of the user;

a display screen;

a strap to carry the display screen on a first side of the wrist of the user and to carry the first means for sensing and the second means for sensing on a second side of the wrist opposite the first side, the strap including a curved portion to carry the first means for sensing and the second means for sensing, the strap having a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge, a distance between the first edge and the second edge corresponding to a width of the strap, the first means for sensing and the second means for sensing in a row along the width of the strap;

display control means for accumulating sensor information generated by the first means for sensing and the second means for sensing over time to generate health information, the display control means to cause the health information to be displayed on the display screen; and

means for communicating with an external device to transmit a message corresponding to the health information to the external device.

13. The wearable electronic device as defined in claim 12, wherein the first means for sensing includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a skin sensor, a pulse sensor, or a galvanic skin response sensor.

14. The wearable electronic device as defined in claim 12, wherein the display screen is viewable when the strap is worn by the user, the first means for sensing and the second means for sensing are carried by a side of the strap to face skin of the user when the device is worn by the user.

15. The wearable electronic device as defined in claim 14, wherein the first means for sensing and the second means for sensing are a part of a plurality of sensors grouped in an array.

16. A method comprising:

accessing, by executing an instruction with at least one processor of a wearable device worn on a wrist of a user, sensor information indicative of a health parameter of the user;

accumulating the sensor information over time to generate health information;

displaying the health information via a display screen;

causing, by executing an instruction with the at least one processor, transmission of a message corresponding to the health information to a second device; and

controlling, by executing an instruction with the at least one processor, a power state of the wearable device based on movement associated with the wearable device to cause a sensor of the wearable device to generate the sensor information.

17. The method as defined in claim 16, wherein the displaying includes displaying an indicator representative of the health information in the display screen.

18. The method as defined in claim 16, further including accessing an output of the display screen indicative of pressure applied to the display screen and controlling an operational state of the sensor based on the output.

19. The method as defined in claim 16, wherein the transmitting is based on a wireless communication protocol.