Adaptive data transfer using bluetooth

• US 10,700,774 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2019
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Panther, Heiko Gernot Albert, Park, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Zhiyu
• Application Number:
  US16/258,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20190229802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 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 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02433 for infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/70 specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer

Abstract

Biometric monitoring devices, including various technologies that may be implemented in such devices, are discussed herein. Additionally, techniques, systems, and apparatuses are discussed herein for utilizing two different Bluetooth communications interfaces, one that provides Bluetooth classic (base rate/enhanced data rate) communications functionality and one that provides Bluetooth low-energy communications functionality, in a common device. The techniques, systems, and apparatuses may elect to use a particular Bluetooth interface based on various criteria.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first Bluetooth communications interface configured to provide communications via the Bluetooth Base Rate/Enhanced Data Rate (BR/EDR) protocol;

a second Bluetooth communications interface configured to provide Bluetooth communications via the Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) protocol;

two or more sensors, the two or more sensors including a motion sensor; and

a controller including at least one processor and a memory, wherein;

the at least one processor, the memory, the two or more sensors, the first Bluetooth communications interface, and the second Bluetooth communications interface are communicatively connected, and

the memory stores instructions for controlling the at least one processor to;

a) establish a first Bluetooth communications connection with a remote device external to the apparatus via the first Bluetooth communications interface,

b) establish a second Bluetooth communications connection with the remote device via the second Bluetooth communications interface,

c) select the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit first data between the apparatus and the remote device according, at least in part, to a determination, based at least in part on data generated by the two or more sensors, that a wearer of the apparatus is asleep, and

d) utilize the second Bluetooth communications connection as selected in (c) to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include a heart rate sensor configured to generate heart rate data, and

the data generated by the two or more sensors includes heart rate data and motion data.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the heart rate data further includes heart rate variability data.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include an audio sensor configured to detect respiratory sounds of the wearer of the apparatus, and

the data generated by the two or more sensors includes audio data and motion data.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the audio data includes one or more of:

data indicating breathing of the wearer of the apparatus and data indicating a breathing rate of the wearer of the apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include an optical reflectometer configured to detect respiration of the wearer of the apparatus, and

the data generated by the two or more sensors includes motion data and data generated by the optical reflectometer.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include a galvanic skin response sensor configured to detect the galvanic skin response of the wearer of the apparatus, and

the data generated by the two or more sensors includes galvanic skin response data and motion data.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include a first sensor configured to detect a skin temperature of the wearer of the apparatus, and

the data generated by the two or more sensors includes skin temperature data and motion data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first sensor is one of:

a noncontact thermopile, a skin temperature sensor, and an optical sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include an optical sensor configured to detect ambient light, and

the data generated by the two or more sensors includes ambient light data and motion data.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is one or more of:

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a magnetometer.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selection in (c) is further made according, at least in part, to information associated with data generated by the two or more sensors that indicates the apparatus is monitoring a sleep state of the wearer of the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selection in (c) is further made according, at least in part, to information indicating that the first data is data generated by the two one or more sensors.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory stores further instructions for controlling the at least one processor to deactivate the first Bluetooth communications connection when the first Bluetooth communications connection is not used to transmit data between the apparatus and the remote device and while the second Bluetooth communications connection is still established between the apparatus and the remote device.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the two or more sensors are configured to generate data regarding heart rate, heart rate variability, respiration rate, galvanic skin response, motion, skin temperature, and body temperature of the wearer of the apparatus, and

the data generated by the two or more sensors includes heart rate data, heart rate variability data, respiration rate data, galvanic skin response data, motion data, skin temperature data, and body temperature data.

16. A method comprising:

a) establishing a first Bluetooth communications connection between an apparatus and a remote device external to the apparatus via the first Bluetooth communications interface, wherein the first Bluetooth communications interface is configured to provide communications via the Bluetooth Base Rate/Enhanced Data Rate (BR/EDR) protocol;

b) establishing a second Bluetooth communications connection between the apparatus and the remote device external to the apparatus via the second Bluetooth communications interface, wherein the second Bluetooth communications interface is configured to provide Bluetooth communications via the Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) protocol;

c) selecting the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit first data between the apparatus and the remote device according, at least in part, to a determination, based at least in part on data generated by two or more sensors of the apparatus, that a wearer of the apparatus is asleep, wherein the two or more sensors include a motion sensor; and

d) utilizing the second Bluetooth communications connection as selected in (c) to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include a heart rate sensor configured to generate heart rate data, and

the determination of (c) is further based, at least in part, on data generated by the two or more sensors that includes heart rate data and motion data.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include an audio sensor configured to detect respiratory sounds of the wearer of the apparatus, and

the determination of (c) is further based, at least in part, on data generated by the two or more sensors that includes audio data and motion data.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include an optical reflectometer configured to detect respiration of the wearer of the apparatus, and

the determination of (c) is further based, at least in part, on data generated by the two or more sensors that includes motion data and data generated by the optical reflectometer.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include a galvanic skin response sensor configured to detect the galvanic skin response of the wearer of the apparatus, and

the determination of (c) is further based, at least in part, on data generated by the two or more sensors that includes skin temperature data and motion data.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include an optical sensor configured to detect ambient light, and

the determination of (c) is further based, at least in part, on data generated by the two or more sensors that includes ambient light data and motion data.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

deactivating the first Bluetooth communications connection when the first Bluetooth communications connection is not used to transmit data between the apparatus and the remote device and while the second Bluetooth communications connection is still established between the apparatus and the remote device.

23. A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium, wherein the storage medium stores computer-executable instructions for controlling at least one processor communicatively connected with a first Bluetooth communications interface, a second Bluetooth communications interface, and two or more sensors including a motion sensor in an apparatus, wherein the first Bluetooth communications interface is configured to provide communications via the Bluetooth Base Rate/Enhanced Data Rate (BR/EDR) protocol and the second Bluetooth communications interface is configured to provide Bluetooth communications via the Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) protocol, to:

a) establish a first Bluetooth communications connection with a remote device external to the apparatus via the first Bluetooth communications interface,

b) establish a second Bluetooth communications connection with the remote device via the second Bluetooth communications interface,

c) select the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit first data between the apparatus and the remote device according, at least in part, to a determination, based at least in part on data generated by the two or more sensors, that a wearer of the apparatus is asleep, and

d) utilize the second Bluetooth communications connection as selected in (c) to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device.

24. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include a heart rate sensor configured to generate heart rate data, and

the data generated by the two or more sensors includes heart rate data and motion data.

25. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the heart rate data further includes heart rate variability data.

26. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include an audio sensor configured to detect respiratory sounds of the wearer of the apparatus, and

the data generated by the two or more sensors includes audio data and motion data.

27. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the audio data includes one or more of:

data indicating breathing of the wearer of the apparatus and data indicating a breathing rate of the wearer of the apparatus.

28. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include an optical reflectometer configured to detect respiration of the wearer of the apparatus, and

the data generated by the two or more sensors includes motion data and data generated by the optical reflectometer.

29. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include a galvanic skin response sensor configured to detect the galvanic skin response of the wearer of the apparatus, and

the data generated by the two or more sensors includes galvanic skin response data and motion data.

30. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include a first sensor configured to detect a skin temperature of the wearer of the apparatus, and

the data generated by the two or more sensors includes skin temperature data and motion data.

31. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the first sensor is one of:

a noncontact thermopile, a skin temperature sensor, and an optical sensor.

32. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein:

the two or more sensors further include an optical sensor configured to detect ambient light, and

the data generated by the two or more sensors includes ambient light data and motion data.

33. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the motion sensor is one or more of:

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a magnetometer.

34. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the selection in (c) is further made according, at least in part, to information associated with data generated by the two or more sensors that indicates the apparatus is monitoring a sleep state of the wearer of the apparatus.

35. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the selection in (c) is further made according, at least in part, to information indicating that the first data is data generated by the two one or more sensors.

36. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the storage medium stores further instructions for controlling the at least one processor to deactivate the first Bluetooth communications connection when the first Bluetooth communications connection is not used to transmit data between the apparatus and the remote device and while the second Bluetooth communications connection is still established between the apparatus and the remote device.

37. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein:

the two or more sensors are configured to generate data regarding heart rate, heart rate variability, respiration rate, galvanic skin response, motion, skin temperature, and body temperature of the wearer of the apparatus, and

the data generated by the two or more sensors includes heart rate data, heart rate variability data, respiration rate data, galvanic skin response data, motion data, skin temperature data, and body temperature data.