Method and System for Analyzing Breathing of a User

• US 20110066064A1
• Filed: 09/27/2010
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Newyu, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wellcore Corporation
• Inventors: Sapre, Rajendra, Salgia, Umang, Jangle, Jeetendra
• Granted Patent: US 8,972,197 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/534
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• 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: A61B 5/726 using Wavelet transforms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/00 Aspects of pattern recognition specially adapted for signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatus for analyzing breathing of a user are disclosed. One method includes sensing motion of a first portion of the user, sensing motion of a second portion of the user, and generating a summed signal by inversely summing the sensed motion of the first portion of the user with the sensed motion of the second portion of the user. A breathing rate of the user is estimated based on the summed signal. Additionally, a breathing pattern of the user can be identified.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing breathing of a user, comprising:

sensing motion of a first portion of the user;

sensing motion of a second portion of the user;

generating a summed signal by inversely summing the sensed motion of the first portion of the user with the sensed motion of the second portion of the user;

estimating a breathing rate of the user based on the summed signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising estimating the breathing rate by identifying a periodic component of the summed signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising enhancing a periodic component within the summed signal by averaging, band-pass filtering and center clipping the summed signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring a period of the summed signal by auto-correlating the summed signal.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising multiplying the auto-correlated summed signal with a time-scaling factor to provide a breath rate per desired time period.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising signal processing the summed signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the signal processing comprises filtering the summed signal.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the signal processing comprises center-clipping the summed signal.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the signal processing comprises auto-correlating the summed signal.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing motion of the first portion of the user comprises an accelerometer sensing the first portion at a location of the user'"'"'s body that senses minimal motion due to breathing of the user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing motion of the second portion of the user comprises an accelerometer sensing the second portion at a location of the user'"'"'s body that senses motion due to breathing of the user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first portion is located proximate to the user'"'"'s spine or neck.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying breathing patterns of the user, comprising:

generating an motion signature based on sensed motion of the summed signal;

matching the motion signature with at least one of a plurality of stored motion signatures, wherein each stored acceleration signatures corresponds with a breathing pattern;

identifying a breathing pattern of the user based on the matching of the motion signature with the stored motion signature.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a motion signature based on sensed motion of at least one of the sensed motion of the first portion of the user and the sensed motion of the second portion of the user;

matching the motion signature with at least one of a plurality of stored motion signatures, wherein each stored motion signatures corresponds with a type of motion;

identifying a type of motion of the user based on the matching of the motion signature with the stored motion signature.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting signal processing of the sensed motion of at least one of the sensed motion of the first portion of the user and the sensed motion of the second portion of the user based on the identified type of motion of the user.

16. A system for analyzing breathing of a user, comprising:

a first sensor sensing motion of a first portion of the user;

a second sensor sensing motion of a second portion of the user;

a summer operative to generate a summed signal by inversely summing the sensed motion of the first portion of the user with the sensed motion of the second portion of the user;

means for estimating a breathing rate of the user based on the summed signal.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for enhancing a periodic component within the summed signal by averaging, band-pass filtering and center clipping the summed signal.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising an auto-correlator for measuring a period of the summed signal by auto-correlating the summed signal.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising a filter operative to filter the summed signal.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for center-clipping the summed signal.

21. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for auto-correlating the summed signal.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the first sensor comprises an accelerometer sensing the first portion at a location of the user'"'"'s body that senses minimal motion due to breathing of the user.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein second sensor comprises an accelerometer sensing the second portion at a location of the user'"'"'s body that senses motion due to breathing of the user.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the second portion is located proximate to the user'"'"'s spine or neck.

25. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for identifying breathing patterns of the user, comprising:

means for generating an motion signature based on sensed motion of the summed signal;

means for matching the motion signature with at least one of a plurality of stored motion signatures, wherein each stored acceleration signatures corresponds with a breathing pattern;

means for identifying a breathing pattern of the user based on the matching of the motion signature with the stored motion signature.

26. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for generating a motion signature based on sensed motion of at least one of the sensed motion of the first portion of the user and the sensed motion of the second portion of the user;

means for matching the motion signature with at least one of a plurality of stored motion signatures, wherein each stored motion signatures corresponds with a type of motion;

means for identifying a type of motion of the user based on the matching of the motion signature with the stored motion signature.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising means for selecting signal processing of the sensed motion of at least one of the sensed motion of the first portion of the user and the sensed motion of the second portion of the user based on the identified type of motion of the user.

28. An apparatus for analyzing breathing of a user, comprising:

a first sensor sensing motion of a first portion of the user;

a second sensor sensing motion of a second portion of the user;

a summer operative to generate a summed signal by inversely summing the sensed motion of the first portion of the user with the sensed motion of the second portion of the user;

means for estimating a breathing rate of the user based on the summed signal.