BIOMETRIC INFORMATION MEASUREMENT APPARATUS AND METHOD USING USER TERMINAL

• US 20120155716A1
• Filed: 12/13/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: KIM, Dong-Kyoo
• Granted Patent: US 8,724,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/17 using hand-held instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/145 Sensors therefor

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a biometric information measurement apparatus using a user terminal. The biometric information measurement apparatus includes a light-emitting control unit, a camera, an image analysis unit, and a biometric information measurement unit. The light-emitting control unit controls the output of an optical signal from at least one light emitting element which outputs the optical signal to a part of a body of a user. The camera is to be placed to face the part of the body, and configured to capture light generated in such a way that the optical signal passes through the part of the body or the optical signal is reflected off of the part of the body. The image analysis unit analyzes an image captured using the camera. The biometric information measurement unit measures biometric information about the user based on the results of the image analysis.

Claims

1. A biometric information measurement apparatus using a user terminal, comprising:

a light-emitting control unit configured to control output of an optical signal from at least one light emitting element which outputs the optical signal to a part of a body of a user;

a camera which is to be placed to face the part of the body, and configured to capture light generated as a result that the optical signal passes through the part of the body or the optical signal is reflected off of the part of the body;

an image analysis unit configured to analyze an image captured using the camera; and

a biometric information measurement unit configured to measure biometric information about the user based on a result of the image analysis.

2. The biometric information measurement apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the biometric information measurement unit measures at least one of blood oxygen saturation, a pulse, and muscle activity information of the user.

3. The biometric information measurement apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the biometric information measurement unit measures the blood oxygen saturation from the image based on information about a hemoglobin density according to properties of light in a state in which the optical signal passed through blood vessels of the part of the body.

4. The biometric information measurement apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the biometric information measurement unit measures a degree of muscle activity using a variation in light transmittance attributable to the swelling and reduction of the muscle based on the image.

5. The biometric information measurement apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the light emitting element is fixed to a holder which can be mounted on a main body of the user terminal, and is arranged at a location corresponding to the camera provided in the user terminal such that the light emitting element faces the camera.

6. The biometric information measurement apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the light emitting element is fixed to a holder which can be mounted on a main body of the user terminal, and is arranged such that the light emitting element faces a direction which is same as a direction in which the camera provided in the user terminal captures the image.

7. The biometric information measurement apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the image analysis unit analyzes at least one of a brightness, a pattern, a light transmittance, and a variation in light transmittance of an area, in which light was captured, of the captured image.

8. The biometric information measurement apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an interface unit connected to the light emitting element in a wired or wireless manner, and configured to output a light-emitting control signal from the light-emitting control unit to the light emitting element.

9. A biometric information measurement method using a user terminal, comprising:

controlling output of an optical signal from at least one light emitting element which outputs the optical signal to a part of a body of a user;

capturing light, generated as a result that the optical signal passes through the part of the body or the optical signal is reflected off of the part of the body, using a camera which is to be placed to face the part of the body;

analyzing an image captured using the camera; and

measuring biometric information about the user based on a result of the image analysis.

10. The biometric information measurement method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the measuring the biometric information comprises measuring at least one of blood oxygen saturation, a pulse, and muscle activity information of the user.

11. The biometric information measurement method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the measuring the biometric information comprises measuring the blood oxygen saturation from the image based on information about a hemoglobin density according to properties of light in a state in which the optical signal passed through blood vessels of the part of the body.

12. The biometric information measurement method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the measuring the biometric information comprises measuring a degree of muscle activity using a variation in light transmittance attributable to the swelling and reduction of the muscle based on the image.

13. The biometric information measurement method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the analyzing the image comprises analyzing at least one of a brightness, a pattern, a light transmittance, and a variation in light transmittance of an area, in which light was captured, of the captured image.

14. The biometric information measurement method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the controlling the output of the optical signal comprises outputting a light-emitting control signal, used to control the output of the optical signal from the light emitting element, to the light emitting element in a wired or wireless manner.