Electronic device for measuring biometric information and method of operating same

• US 10,599,904 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2017
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Soon-Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II, Jerome
• Application Number:
  US15/449,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20170255812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 382124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/143 Sensing or illuminating at different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/15 Biometric patterns based on physiological signals, e.g. heartbeat, blood flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/28 Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language static hand signs G06V40/113

Abstract

A method of operating an electronic device is provided. The method includes detecting a gesture through a first sensor module, acquiring first biometric information through a second sensor module in response to the gesture, determining whether a user'"'"'s skin contacts the second sensor module based on the first biometric information, and acquiring second biometric information from the user'"'"'s skin through the second sensor module according to a result of the determination.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting a command for measuring specific biometric information;

in response to detecting the command, acquiring, using a biometric sensor of the electronic device, a first signal provided by a first light which is reflected through a user'"'"'s skin during a first time period, the first light corresponding infrared light;

identifying whether a contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the biometric sensor is in a state capable of measuring the specific biometric information based on waveforms of the first signal during the first time period;

in response to the identifying that the contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the biometric sensor is in the state capable of measuring the specific biometric information, acquiring, using the biometric sensor, a second signal provided by a second light which is reflected through the user'"'"'s skin during a second time period after the first time period, the second light corresponding at least one of visible light and infrared light for measuring the specific biometric information; and

identifying the specific biometric information based on the second signal,

wherein the specific biometric information includes information related to a health state of the use, and

wherein the detecting of the command comprises;

identifying, using a first sensor of the electronic device, the command by comparing a gesture with a preset gesture, and

driving the biometric sensor according to a result of the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the driving of the biometric sensor comprises outputting an infrared light from the biometric sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of whether the contact state comprises:

identifying whether an object contacts the biometric sensor; and

identifying whether the object is the user'"'"'s skin based on the waveforms of the first signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of whether the contact state comprises:

acquiring the first signal from the user'"'"'s skin through the biometric sensor; and

identifying whether the contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the biometric sensor is in the state capable of measuring the specific biometric information by comparing the waveforms of the first signal with preset waveforms.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the identifying of whether the contact state comprises identifying whether the contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the biometric sensor is in the state capable of measuring the specific biometric information based on at least one of a shape of the waveforms, a peak point of the waveforms, or a pattern of the waveforms.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring of the second signal comprises:

identifying whether the biometric sensor is in a state where the specific biometric information can be measured; and

acquiring the second signal according to a result of the identification.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of whether the contact state comprises:

turning on an infrared light source of the biometric sensor; and

identifying whether the contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the biometric sensor is in the state capable of measuring the specific biometric information based on an infrared light output from the infrared light source.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the identifying of whether the contact state comprises, when the user'"'"'s skin does not contact the biometric sensor, turning off the infrared light source.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the acquiring of the second signal comprises:

when the contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the biometric sensor is in the state capable of measuring the specific biometric information, turning on a visible light source of the biometric sensor; and

acquiring the second signal based on at least one of the infrared light output from the infrared light source or a visible light output from the visible light source.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the acquiring of the second signal comprises providing a state in which the specific biometric information is measured through at least one of visual information, auditory information, or tactile information.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a memory;

a biometric sensor; and

at least one processor configured to;

detect a command for measuring specific biometric information,

in response to detecting the command, acquire, using the biometric sensor, a first signal provided by a light which is reflected through a user'"'"'s skin during a first time period, the first light corresponding infrared light,

identify whether a contact state between a user'"'"'s skin and the biometric sensor is in a state capable of measuring the specific biometric information based on waveforms of the first signal, during the first time period,

in response to the identifying that the contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the biometric sensor is in the state capable of measuring the specific biometric information, acquire, using the biometric sensor, a second signal provided by a light which is reflected through the user'"'"'s skin during a second time period after the first time period, the second light corresponding at least one of visible light and infrared light for measuring the specific biometric information, and

identify the specific biometric information based on the second signal,

wherein the specific biometric information includes information related to a health state of the user, and

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to;

identify, using a first sensor of the electronic device, the command by comparing a gesture with a preset gesture stored in the memory, and

output an infrared light from the biometric sensor in order to acquire the first signal according to a result of the comparison.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

acquire the first signal from the user'"'"'s skin through the biometric sensor, and

identify whether the contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the biometric sensor is in the state capable of measuring the specific biometric information by comparing the waveforms of the first signal with preset waveforms stored in the memory.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to identify whether the contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the biometric sensor is in the state capable of measuring the specific biometric information based on at least one of a shape of the waveforms, a peak point of the waveforms, or a pattern of the waveforms.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

identify whether the biometric sensor is in a state where the specific biometric information can be measured, and

acquire the second signal according to a result of the identification.

15. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to identify whether the contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the biometric sensor is in the state capable of measuring the specific biometric information based on an infrared light output from an infrared light source of the biometric sensor.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein, when the contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the biometric sensor is in the state capable of measuring the specific biometric information, the at least one processor is further configured to:

output a visible light from a visible light source of the biometric sensor, and

acquire the second signal based on at least one of the infrared light or the visible light.

17. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

acquire the first signal related to the user'"'"'s skin through a camera of the electronic device, and

identify whether the contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the camera is in the state capable of measuring the specific biometric information based on a first image provided by a light which is reflected through the user'"'"'s skin,

in response to the identifying that the contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the camera is in the state capable of measuring the specific biometric information, acquire, using the camera, a second image provided by a light which is reflected through the user'"'"'s skin, and

identify the specific biometric information based on the second image.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium configured to store one or more computer programs including instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to control for:

detecting a command for measuring specific biometric information;

acquiring, using a biometric sensor of an electronic device, a first signal provided by a first light which is reflected through a user'"'"'s skin during a first time period, the first light corresponding to infrared light;

identifying whether a contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the biometric sensor is in a state capable of measuring the specific biometric information based on waveforms of the first signal during the first time period;

in response to the identifying that the contact state between the user'"'"'s skin and the biometric sensor is in the state capable of measuring the specific biometric information, acquiring, using the biometric sensor, a second signal provided by a second light which is reflected through the user'"'"'s skin during a second time period after the first time period, the second light corresponding to at least one of visible light and infrared light for measuring the specific biometric information; and

identifying the specific biometric information based on the second signal,

wherein the specific biometric information includes information related to a health state of the user, and

wherein the detecting of the command comprises;

identifying, using a first sensor of the electronic device, the command by comparing a gesture with a preset gesture, and

driving the biometric sensor according to a result of the comparison.