Monitoring device for measuring calorie expenditure

• US 20070073178A1
• Filed: 09/18/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Berkeley HeartLab, Inc. (Quest Diagnostics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Berkeley HeartLab, Inc. (Quest Diagnostics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hall, Christopher, Banet, Matthew, Browning, Ray
• Application Number:
  US11/522,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20070073178A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/519
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• 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 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The invention provides a monitoring device that features: 1) a cardiac sensor component with at least one light-emitting diode and a photodetector; 2) a pedometer component with at least one motion-sensing component (e.g., an accelerometer); and 3) a wireless component with a wireless interface that communicates with an external weight scale. The device also features a microprocessor in electrical communication with the cardiac sensor, pedometer, and wireless components and configured to analyze: 1) a signal from the cardiac sensor component to generate heart rate information; 2) a signal from the pedometer component to generate exercise information; 3) heart rate and exercise information to generate calorie information; and 4) a signal from the external weight scale to calculate weight information (e.g., weight and percent body fat).

Claims

1. A monitoring device comprising:

a cardiac sensor component comprising at least one light-emitting diode and a photodetector;

a pedometer component comprising at least one motion-sensing component;

a wireless component comprising a wireless interface configured to communicate with an external weight scale;

a microprocessor in electrical communication with the cardiac sensor, pedometer, and wireless components and configured to analyze;

i) a signal from the cardiac sensor component to generate heart rate information;

ii) a signal from the pedometer component to generate exercise information;

iii) heart rate and exercise information to generate calorie information; and

iv) a signal from the external weight scale to calculate weight information; and

a transmitting component for transmitting the heart rate, exercise, calorie, and weight information to an external device.

2. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is configured to operate a computer algorithm that processes the heart rate and exercise information to generate calorie information.

3. The monitoring device of claim 2, wherein the algorithm is further configured to process the physical activity information to determine whether a subject is at rest or undergoing exercise.

4. The monitoring device of claim 3, wherein the algorithm is further configured to compare the heart rate information to pre-determined calibration information to determine an amount of calories burned by the subject.

5. The monitoring device of claim 4, wherein the calibration information comprises a data table that correlates oxygen consumed as a function of heart rate.

6. The monitoring device of claim 5, wherein the algorithm is further configured to calculate caloric expenditure from an amount of oxygen consumed.

7. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing device is an accelerometer.

8. The monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting component is a serial connection.

9. The monitoring device according to claim 8, wherein the serial connection is a USB connection.

10. The monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting component is a wireless transceiver that operates a wireless protocol.

11. The monitoring device according to claim 10, wherein the wireless protocol is based on Bluetooth™

, 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.1g, or 802.15.4.

12. The monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the weight information is weight and percentage body fat.

13. The monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the external device that receives the heart rate, exercise, calorie, and weight information is a personal computer.

14. The monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the personal computer comprises a software component that collects the heart rate, exercise, calorie, and weight information and transmits this information to an Internet-accessible website.

15. A monitoring device comprising:

a cardiac sensor component comprising at least one light-emitting diode and a photodetector;

a pedometer component comprising at least one motion-sensing component;

a wireless component comprising a wireless interface configured to communicate with an external weight scale;

a microprocessor in electrical communication with the cardiac sensor, pedometer, and wireless components and configured to operate a computer program that;

1) analyzes;

i) a signal from the cardiac sensor component to generate heart rate information;

ii) a signal from the pedometer component to generate exercise information; and

iii) a signal from the external weight scale to calculate weight information; and

     2) analyzes;

i) exercise information to determine whether a subject is at rest or undergoing exercise; and

ii) heart rate information in combination with a pre-determined calibration information to determine an amount of calories burned by the subject; and

a transmitting component for transmitting the heart rate, exercise, calorie, and weight information to an external device.

16. The monitoring device according to claim 15, wherein the external device that receives the heart rate, exercise, calorie, and weight information is a personal computer.

17. The monitoring device according to claim 16, wherein the personal computer comprises a software component that collects the heart rate, exercise, calorie, and weight information and transmits this information to an Internet-accessible website.

18. A system comprising:

a monitoring device comprising;

a cardiac sensor component comprising at least one light-emitting diode and a photodetector;

a pedometer component comprising at least one motion-sensing component;

a wireless component comprising a wireless interface configured to communicate with an external weight scale;

a microprocessor in electrical communication with the cardiac sensor, pedometer, and wireless components and configured to operate a computer program that;

1) analyzes;

i) a signal from the cardiac sensor component to generate heart rate information;

ii) a signal from the pedometer component to generate exercise information; and

iii) a signal from the external weight scale to calculate weight information; and

     2) analyzes;

i) exercise information to determine whether a subject is at rest or undergoing exercise; and

ii) heart rate information in combination with a pre-determined calibration information to determine an amount of calories burned by the subject; and

a transmitting component for transmitting the heart rate, exercise, calorie, and weight information; and

an Internet-accessible website configured to receive the heart rate, exercise, calorie, and weight information.