Occupant heartbeat detection and monitoring system

• US 20050027416A1
• Filed: 07/19/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc. (Trak Global Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc. (Trak Global Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Basir, Otman Adam, Zhao, Bosen
• Granted Patent: US 7,183,930 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0247 for compensation or correction of the measured physiological value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02455 provided with high/low alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1102 Ballistocardiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7214 using signal cancellation, e.g. based on input of two identical physiological sensors spaced apart, or based on two signals derived from the same sensor, for different optical wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0117 Noise
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01552 detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands

Abstract

The disclosed invention uses two sensors to capture the heartbeat and environmental noises of an occupant of a vehicle or hospital bed. One of the sensors is placed on a seat or bed frame adjacent the occupant. A second sensor is placed remotely from the occupant, on a vehicle floor, or remote portion of the bed frame. A signal conditioning module is attached to the first and second sensors for detecting the heartbeat signal. Specialized software is used for processing the signal and decision making based upon the extracted heartbeat signal. The invention is capable of operating despite environmental noise and vibrations.

Claims

1. A heartbeat sensing system comprising:

an occupant support having an occupant support surface;

a first sensor proximate said occupant support surface;

a second sensor remote from said occupant support surface; and

a signal conditioning module connected to said first sensor and said second sensor for processing a first sensor signal and a second sensor signal to detect a heartbeat

2. The system of claim 1 further including a support structure between said occupant support and said second sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor is proximate a floor on which said occupant support is supported.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said signal conditioning module is operably connected to a response system to trigger a response based upon said heartbeat.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said signal conditioning module includes a multi-level amplifier, a low pass filter, and a signal processing unit.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said signal processing unit includes decision making software for communicating with a response system.

7. A heartbeat sensing system comprising:

a first sensor mounted to a vehicle seat;

a second sensor mounted proximate a vehicle floor; and

a signal conditioning module connected to said first sensor and said second sensor for processing a first sensor signal from said first sensor and a second sensor signal from said second sensor to detect a heartbeat.

8. The heartbeat sensing system of claim 7, wherein said signal conditioning module includes a multi-level amplifier, a low pass filter, and a signal processing unit.

9. The heartbeat sensing system of claim 8, wherein said multi-level amplifier is a two-stage amplifier located before and after said low pass filter for amplifying said first signal and said second signal.

10. The heartbeat sensing system of claim 7, wherein said signal conditioning module is operably connected to a vehicle system to trigger a response based upon said heartbeat.

11. The heartbeat sensing system of claim 10, wherein said vehicle system is an occupant detection system.

12. The heartbeat sensing system of claim 10, wherein said vehicle system is a driver alertness alarm.

13. The heartbeat sensing system of claim 10, wherein said vehicle system is a climate control system.

14. A heartbeat sensing system comprising:

a first sensor mounted to a bed frame adjacent an occupant area;

a second sensor mounted to a bed frame remote from said first sensor; and

a signal conditioning module connected to said first sensor and said second sensor for processing a first sensor signal from said first sensor and a second sensor signal from said second sensor to detect a heartbeat.

15. The heartbeat sensing system of claim 14, wherein said signal conditioning module includes a multi-level amplifier, a low pass filter, and a signal processing unit.

16. The heartbeat sensing system of claim 15, wherein said multi-level amplifier is a two-stage amplifier located before and after said low pass filter for amplifying said first signal and said second signals.

17. The heartbeat sensing system of claim 14, wherein said signal conditioning module is operably connected to a system to trigger a response based upon said heartbeat.

18. The heartbeat sensing system of claim 17, wherein said system is an occupant detection system.

19. The heartbeat sensing system of claim 17 wherein said system is a heart condition alarm.

20. A method of monitoring a heartbeat comprising the steps of:

a) monitoring vibration at a first location proximate an occupant heart;

b) monitoring vibration at a second location remote from the occupant heart and the first location; and

c) using the vibration at the second location to remove noise from the vibration at the first location to determine an occupant heartbeat.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said step c) further includes filtering environmental noise from said first sensor signal to detect said heartbeat.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said step c) further includes comparing the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal to distinguish a heartbeat signal from the environmental noise.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said step c) includes using principal component analysis to distinguish a heartbeat signal from the environmental noise.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said step c) includes using independent component analysis to distinguish a heartbeat signal from the environmental noise.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

d) triggering a response in a system connected to the signal conditioning module.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein said step c) further includes amplifying the first and second sensor signals using a multi-level amplifier.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein said step c) further includes passing the first and second sensor signals through a low pass filter.