Heart Pulse Rate Monitor

• US 20110152701A1
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stichting Imec Nederland
• Original Assignee: Stichting Imec Nederland
• Inventors: Buxi, Dilpreet Singh, Penders, Julien
• Granted Patent: US 8,852,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02444 Details of sensor A61B5/02427 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and devices for monitoring a heartbeat. In one embodiment, the device may comprise a sensor package mountable over a pulse location of a user. The sensor package may include a first sensor element configured to sense at least one signal at the pulse location and to provide a first output signal comprising a heart pulse signal and a first set of noise artefacts, a second sensor element configured to sense at least one signal at the pulse location and to provide a second output signal indicative of a second set of noise artefacts, and a mechanically isolating material located between the first sensor element and the second sensor element. The device may further comprise processing circuitry connected to the sensor package and configured to extract the heart pulse signal from the first output signal based on the first output signal and the second output signal.

Claims

1. A heartbeat monitoring device comprising:

at least one sensor package mountable over a pulse location of a user, wherein each sensor package includes;

a first sensor configured to sense at least one signal at the pulse location and to provide a first output signal comprising a heartbeat signal and a first set of noise artefacts;

a second sensor configured to sense at least one signal at the pulse location and to provide a second output signal comprising a second set of noise artefacts; and

an isolating material located between the first sensor and the second sensor; and

processing circuitry connected to each of the at least one sensor packages, the processing circuitry being configured to extract the heartbeat signal from the first output signal based on at least the first output signal and the second output signal.

2. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor comprises a piezoelectric sensor.

3. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 2, wherein each piezoelectric sensor comprises a polyvinylidene fluoride film sensor.

4. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises a first material and the second sensor comprises a second material.

5. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 4, wherein the first material and the second material each have an acoustic impedance that is matched to an acoustic impedance of the user'"'"'s tissue.

6. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 4, wherein the first material is different from the second material.

7. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 6, wherein one of the first material and the second material has an acoustic impedance that is matched to an acoustic impedance of the user'"'"'s tissue and the other of the first material and the second material has an acoustic impedance that is mismatched to the acoustic impedance of the user'"'"'s tissue.

8. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry comprises a microprocessor in which at least one of the first output signal, the second output signal, and the extracted heartbeat signal is stored.

9. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry comprises filtering circuitry configured to filter at least one of the first output signal and the second output signal.

10. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry comprises analogue-to-digital circuitry for converting the extracted heartbeat signal into a digital signal.

11. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry comprises wireless transmission equipment for transmitting at least the extracted heartbeat signal to an external device.

12. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising a strap for attaching the device to the user.

13. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising an oximeter configured to determine a level of oxygen in blood of the user and to provide the level of oxygen to the processing circuitry.

14. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor package comprises a plurality of sensor packages, the plurality of sensor packages being arranged in an array.

15. A heartbeat monitoring device, comprising:

a first packaging layer adjacent to skin of a user;

a first sensor adjacent to the first packaging layer, the first sensor being configured to sense a primary set of signals comprising at least a heartbeat signal and a first set of noise artefacts;

a second packaging layer adjacent to at least one of the first packaging layer and the primary sensor;

a second sensor adjacent to the second packaging layer, the second sensor being configured to sense a reference set of signals comprising at least a second set of noise artefacts;

a third packaging layer adjacent to at least one of the second packaging layer and the second sensor; and

a strap for attaching the device to the user, the strap being adjacent to the third packaging layer.

16. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 15, wherein the first packaging layer serves to electrically isolate the skin from the first sensor.

17. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 15, wherein the second packaging layer serves to mechanically decouple the first sensor and the second sensor.

18. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 15, wherein the third packaging layer serves to allow at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor to deform in response to the heartbeat signal.

19. The heartbeat monitoring device of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor comprises a piezoelectric sensor.

20. A method for detecting a heartbeat signal, comprising:

using a primary sensor to sense a first set of signals comprising at least a heartbeat signal and a first set of noise artefacts;

using a reference sensor to sense a second set of signals comprising at least a second set of noise artefacts;

based on the second set of noise artefacts, removing the first set of noise artefacts from the first set of signals so as to isolate the heartbeat signal; and

transmitting the heartbeat signal to a remote device.