SYNCHRONISING A HEART RATE PARAMETER OF MULTIPLE USERS

• US 20110066205A1
• Filed: 04/24/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Pasveer, Willem Franke, Ouwerkerk, Martin, Crompvoets, Floris Maria Hermansz
• Granted Patent: US 8,594,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/17
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4857 Indicating the phase of biorhythm clocks or watches with indicators for biological cycles G04B19/264
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/185 Rhythm indicators

Abstract

A method of synchronizing a heart rate parameter of multiple users comprises generating a pacing signal (16) at a specific frequency, measuring a physiological parameter of each of the multiple users, presenting to each user (12) an output (20) based upon the measured physiological parameter of the respective user, and presenting to each user an output based upon the generated pacing signal. The measured physiological parameter could comprise heart rate variability. In one embodiment, the step of presenting to each user an output based upon the generated pacing signal, comprises presenting a first user with a first output, and presenting a second user with a second output, the second output out of phase with the first output.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing a heart rate parameter of multiple users (12) comprising:

generating a pacing signal (16) at a specific frequency,

measuring a physiological parameter of each of the multiple users (12),

presenting to each user (12) an output (28;

36) based upon the measured physiological parameter of the respective user (12), and

presenting to each user (12) an output (24) based upon the generated pacing signal (16).

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the measured physiological parameter comprises heart rate variability.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of presenting to each user (12) an output (36) based upon the measured physiological parameter of the respective user (12) comprises displaying a helicoidal representation (36) of the user'"'"'s heart rate variability over time.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of generating a pacing signal (16) at a specific frequency comprises using at least one of the measured physiological parameters as an input into the generation of the pacing signal (16).

5. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising presenting to a user (12) an output (28;

36) based upon the measured physiological parameter of a different user (12).

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of presenting to each user (12) an output (24) based upon the generated pacing signal (16), comprises presenting a first user (12) with a first output, and presenting a second user (12) with a second output, the second output out of phase with the first output.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the first output is substantially 180 degrees out of phase with the second output.

8. A method according to claim 6, and further comprising determining the gender of the user (12), wherein the first output is presented to a male user (12), and the second output is presented to a female user (12).

9. A system for synchronizing a heart rate parameter of multiple users (12) comprising:

a processor (14) arranged to generate a pacing signal (16) at a specific frequency, and, for each user (12),

a sensor (18) arranged to measure a physiological parameter of a user (12), and

an output system (20) arranged to present to the user (12) an output (28;

36) based upon the measured physiological parameter of the respective user (12), and to present to the user (12) an output (24) based upon the generated pacing signal (16).

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the measured physiological parameter comprises heart rate variability.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the output system (20) comprises a display device (20) arranged to display a helicoidal representation (36) of the user'"'"'s heart rate variability over time.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein the processor (14) is arranged, when generating a pacing signal (16) at a specific frequency, to use at least one of the measured physiological parameters as an input into the generation of the pacing signal (16).

13. A system according to claim 9, wherein the output system (20) is further arranged to present to a user (12) an output (28;

36) based upon the measured physiological parameter of a different user (12).

14. A system according to claim 9, wherein the output system (20) is arranged, when presenting to each user (12) an output (24) based upon the generated pacing signal (16), to present a first user (12) with a first output, and to present a second user (12) with a second output, the second output out of phase with the first output.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the first output is substantially 180 degrees out of phase with the second output.

16. A system according to claim 14, wherein the processor (14) is arranged to determine the gender of the user (12), wherein the first output is presented to a male user (12), and the second output is presented to a female user (12).