PULSOMETER WORN ON WRIST AND ASSOCIATED CONTROL METHOD

• US 20080019218A1
• Filed: 07/23/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogã¨Re Suisse (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogã¨Re Suisse (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Vetter, Rolf, Klopfenstein, Francois, Renevey, Philippe, Neuman, Victor, Verjus, Christophe
• Granted Patent: US 7,372,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/70
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals

Abstract

The invention proposes a pulsometer (10) comprising a case (14) which contains an electronic optical pulse measuring device (18) and an electronic circuit, a tightening wristband (16) which holds the back cover of the case (14) pressed against the wrist (12), characterized in that the electronic optical measuring device (18) includes at least two light sources (E1, E2, E3) and at least two receivers (R1, R2, R3), in that the light sources (E1, E2, E3) and the receivers (R1, R2, R3) are arranged in the form of a matrix comprising two lines (L1, L2) each oriented along an orthogonal direction to the direction (D1) of the wrist (12), and at least two columns (C1, C2, C3), oriented parallel to the direction (D1) of the wrist (12), in that each line (L1, L2) of the matrix alternately contains a light source (E1, E2, E3) and a receiver (R1, R2, R3), and each column (C1, C2, C3) of the matrix contains a light source (E1, E2, E3) and a receiver (R1, R2, R3).

The invention also proposes a control method for this pulsometer (10).

Claims

1. A pulsometer worn on the wrist including a case, which contains an electronic optical device for measuring the pulse of the wearer of the pulsometer and an electronic circuit for processing the measurements in order to calculate the pulse, a tightening wristband, which holds the back cover of the case pressed against the wrist, wherein the electronic optical measuring device includes at least one light source and several light receivers which are arranged in the back cover of the case and which are oriented towards the wrist,

wherein the electronic optical measuring device includes at least two light sources and at least two receivers, wherein the light sources and the receivers are arranged in the form of a matrix including two lines each oriented along an orthogonal direction to the direction of the wrist, and at least two columns oriented parallel to the direction of the wrist, wherein each line of the matrix alternately contains a light source and a receiver, and each column of the matrix alternately contains a light source and a receiver.

2. The pulsometer according to claim 1, wherein the distance between each light source and the adjacent receiver in one line of the matrix is substantially equal to the distance between each light source and the adjacent receiver in one column of the matrix.

3. The pulsometer according to claim 1, wherein the matrix includes three columns and wherein the first line contains one light source surrounded by two receivers, and the second line contains one receiver surrounded by two light sources.

4. The pulsometer according to claim 2, wherein the matrix includes three columns and wherein the first line contains one light source surrounded by two receivers, and the second line contains one receiver surrounded by two light sources.

5. The pulsometer according to claim 1, wherein each light source is formed by a diode which emits light in the infrared range, and each receiver is formed by a photodiode.

6. The pulsometer according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit includes a pulse calculating unit which calculates a pulse value corresponding respectively to each reception signal produced by a receiver and a selection unit which determines an optimum pulse value from among the pulse values obtained by the pulse calculating unit.

7. The pulsometer according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit includes a unit for calculating a virtual signal corresponding to an addition of the reception signals produced by each of the receivers, a pulse calculating unit which calculates a pulse value corresponding respectively to each reception signal produced by one receiver and to the virtual signal, and a selection unit which determines an optimum pulse value from among the pulse values obtained by the pulse calculating unit.

8. The pulsometer according to claim 6, wherein the electronic circuit includes a unit for calculating a measurement reliability index which is a function of the pulse values obtained by the pulse calculating unit.

9. The pulsometer according to claim 7, wherein the electronic circuit includes a unit for calculating a measurement reliability index which is a function of the pulse values obtained by the pulse calculating unit.

10. The control method for a pulsometer according to claim 1, including a measurement step during which each light source emits a light beam and each receiver produces a reception signal as a function of the light received, and a pulse calculating step during which a pulse value is calculated from the reception signal produced by each receiver during the measuring step, wherein the pulse calculating step is followed by a selection step during which an optimum pulse value is selected from among the pulse values obtained in the pulse calculating step.

11. The control method for a pulsometer according claim 1, including a measuring step during which each light source emits a light beam and each receiver produces a reception signal as a function of the light received, and a pulse calculating step during which a pulse value is calculated from the reception signal produced by each receiver during the measuring step, wherein a step of calculating a virtual signal corresponding to an addition of the reception signals produced by each of the receivers is inserted between the measuring step and the pulse calculating step, wherein a pulse value is calculated from the virtual signal, during the pulse calculating step, and wherein, during the selection step, the optimum pulse value is selected from the pulse values obtained in the pulse calculating step.

12. The control method according to claim 10, wherein the pulse calculating step is followed by a step of calculating a measurement reliability index during which a comparison is made between the pulse values obtained in the pulse calculating step.

13. The control method according to claim 11, wherein the pulse calculating step is followed by a step of calculating a measurement reliability index during which a comparison is made between the pulse values obtained in the pulse calculating step.

14. The control method according to claim 12, wherein the measurement reliability index calculating step is followed by a step of detecting the positioning step state of the case during which, as a function of the reliability index value, it is determined whether the pulsometer is being worn or whether the case is poorly positioned on the wrist.

15. The control method according to claim 13, wherein the measurement reliability index calculating step is followed by a step of detecting the positioning step state of the case during which, as a function of the reliability index value, it is determined whether the pulsometer is being worn or whether the case is poorly positioned on the wrist.