APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING PHYSIOLOGICAL DATA DURING ENVIRONMENTAL INTERFERENCE

• US 20120197093A1
• Filed: 01/25/2012
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Inventors: LeBoeuf, Steven Francis, Tucker, Jesse Berkley, Aumer, Michael Edward, Romesburg, Eric Douglas, Morris, Joseph Norman
• Granted Patent: US 8,888,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0247 for compensation or correction of the measured physiological value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• 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 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7207 of noise induced by motion artifacts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/721 using a separate sensor to detect motion or using motion information derived from signals other than the physiological signal to be measured
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/507 for determination of haemodynamic parameters, e.g. perfusion CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/02 Measuring pulse or heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/04 Measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 : Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for attenuating environmental interference are described. A wearable monitoring apparatus includes a housing configured to be attached to the body of a subject and a sensor module that includes an energy emitter that directs energy at a target region of the subject, a detector that detects an energy response signal—or physiological condition—from the subject, a filter that removes time-varying environmental interference from the energy response signal, and at least one processor that controls operations of the energy emitter, detector, and filter.

Claims

1. A monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a housing configured to be attached to a body of a subject; and

a sensor module disposed within the housing, the sensor module comprising;

an energy emitter that directs modulated energy at a target region of the subject;

a detector that detects an energy response signal from the subject, wherein the energy response signal is associated with a physiological condition of the subject;

a filter that attenuates time-varying environmental interference from the energy response signal, wherein the time-varying environmental interference is caused by one or more of the following;

sunlight, ambient light, airflow, and temperature; and

at least one processor that controls operations of the energy emitter, detector, and/or filter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy emitter emits energy selected from the group consisting of optical energy, acoustic energy, ultrasonic energy, electromagnetic radiation, electrical energy, mechanical energy, magnetic energy, and nuclear energy.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy emitter comprises at least one optical emitter, and wherein the detector comprises at least one optical detector.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one optical emitter is selected from the group consisting of laser diodes (LDs), light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the physiological condition of the subject comprises one or more of the following:

heart rate, pulse pressure, respiration rate, lactic threshold, blood pressure, volume of blood flow through a blood vessel, blood metabolite level, blood oxygen level, and size of at least one blood vessel.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to process the detected energy response signal and produce an extracted energy response signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one portion of the housing comprises optically transmissive material through which light from the at least one optical emitter can pass.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one portion of the housing comprises material configured to attenuate light reaching the at least one optical detector at one or more selected wavelengths.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one analog-to-digital (ADC) converter that converts analog signals generated by the detector to digital signals.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an earpiece configured to be attached to an ear of the subject.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to be positioned within an ear of a subject, wherein the sensor module comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) having opposite first and second sides, wherein the energy emitter comprises an optical emitter attached to the first side of the PCB, wherein the optical emitter directs electromagnetic radiation at a target region of the ear, wherein the detector comprises an optical detector attached to the first side of the PCB adjacent to the optical emitter, and wherein the filter comprises an optical filter overlying at least a portion of the optical detector, wherein the optical filter is configured to attenuate light at one or more selected wavelengths.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the optical filter has a surface area greater than a surface area of the optical detector, and wherein the optical filter overlies the optical detector such that a periphery of the optical filter overlaps a periphery of the optical detector.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising at least one additional optical detector attached to the PCB second side.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a lens positioned above at least one of the optical emitter and filter.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising light-opaque material surrounding the optical emitter and optical detector such that the optical emitter and optical detector are not in direct optical communication with each other.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the light-opaque material includes a first aperture in communication with the optical emitter, and a second aperture in communication with the optical detector.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a lens positioned above the optical emitter and filter, and wherein the lens includes respective first and second portions configured to matingly engage the respective first and second apertures in the light-opaque material.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a first lens positioned within the first aperture and in optical communication with the optical emitter, wherein the first lens focuses light emitted by the optical emitter, and a second lens positioned within the second aperture and in optical communication with the optical detector, wherein the second lens focuses light toward the optical detector.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor module comprises two sensor modules spaced apart within the housing.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the housing comprises a soft material which deforms when inserted within an ear and that facilitates retention of the housing within an ear.

21. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the housing comprises a shape that facilitates retention of the housing within an ear.

22. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a portion of the housing comprises optically transmissive material through which light from the optical emitter can pass, and wherein the housing comprises a soft material adjacent to the optically transmissive material which deforms when inserted within an ear and that facilitates retention of the housing within an ear.

23. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising at least one speaker.

24. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a portion of the housing comprises material configured to diffuse light from the optical detector and/or diffuse light to the optical detector.

25. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor module also comprises at least one motion/position sensor attached to at least one side of the PCB.

26. A method of monitoring at least one physiological property of a subject, comprising:

directing modulated energy at a target region of the subject via an energy emitter;

obtaining a first energy response signal from the subject when the emitter is on;

obtaining a second energy response signal from the subject when the emitter is off; and

processing the first and second energy response signals via a filter to produce a processed energy response signal that is associated with a physiological condition of the subject, wherein the filter attenuates time-varying environmental interference caused by one or more of the following;

sunlight, ambient light, airflow, and temperature.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein directing modulated energy at a target region comprises directing at the target region energy selected from the group consisting of optical energy, acoustic energy, ultrasonic energy, electromagnetic radiation, electrical energy, magnetic energy, mechanical energy, and nuclear energy.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein directing modulated energy at the target region comprises directing modulated light at the target region, and wherein obtaining first and second energy response signals comprises detecting light from the subject.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the physiological condition of the subject comprises one or more of the following:

heart rate, pulse pressure, respiration rate, lactic threshold, blood pressure, volume of blood flow through a blood vessel, blood metabolite level, blood oxygen level, and size of at least one blood vessel.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising transmitting the processed energy response signal to a remote device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein transmitting the processed energy response signal to a device comprises wirelessly transmitting the processed energy response signal.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the interference filter employs a spectral method to remove or attenuate time-varying environmental interference.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein the interference filter employs an FIR filtering method to remove or attenuate time-varying environmental interference.

34. A sensor module, comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) having opposite first and second sides;

an optical emitter attached to at least one side of the PCB;

an optical detector attached to the PCB adjacent to the optical emitter;

an optical filter overlying at least a portion of the optical detector, wherein the optical filter is configured to attenuate light at one or more selected wavelengths; and

light-opaque material adjacent to the optical detector that prevents ambient light from interfering with the optical detector.

35. The sensor module of claim 34, wherein the optical filter has a surface area greater than a surface area of the optical detector, and wherein the optical filter overlies the optical detector such that a periphery of the optical filter overlaps a periphery of the optical detector.

36. The sensor module of claim 34, further comprising a second optical detector attached to the PCB second side.

37. The sensor module of claim 34, further comprising a lens positioned above at least one of the optical emitter and filter.

38. The sensor module of claim 34, further comprising light-opaque material surrounding the optical emitter and optical detector such that the optical emitter and optical detector are not in direct optical communication with each other.

39. The sensor module of claim 38, wherein the light-opaque material includes a first aperture in communication with the optical emitter, and a second aperture in communication with the optical detector.

40. The sensor module of claim 39, further comprising a lens positioned above the optical emitter and filter, and wherein the lens includes respective first and second portions configured to matingly engage the respective first and second apertures in the light-opaque material.

41. The sensor module of claim 39, further comprising a first lens positioned within the first aperture and in optical communication with the optical emitter, wherein the first lens focuses light emitted by the optical emitter, and a second lens positioned within the second aperture and in optical communication with the optical detector, wherein the second lens focuses light toward the optical detector.

42. A wearable monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a substrate configured to be attached to a body of a subject; and

a sensor module attached to the substrate, the sensor module comprising;

an energy emitter that directs modulated energy at a target region of the subject;

a detector that detects an energy response signal from the subject, wherein the energy response signal is associated with a physiological condition of the subject;

a filter that attenuates time-varying environmental interference from the energy response signal, wherein the time-varying environmental interference is caused by one or more of the following;

sunlight, ambient light, airflow, and temperature; and

at least one processor that controls operations of the energy emitter, detector, and/or filter.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the energy emitter emits energy selected from the group consisting of optical energy, acoustic energy, ultrasonic energy, electromagnetic radiation, electrical energy, mechanical energy, magnetic energy, and nuclear energy.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the energy emitter comprises at least one optical emitter, and wherein the detector comprises at least one optical detector.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the at least one optical emitter is selected from the group consisting of laser diodes (LDs), light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).

46. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the physiological condition of the subject comprises one or more of the following:

heart rate, pulse pressure, respiration rate, lactic threshold, blood pressure, volume of blood flow through a blood vessel, blood metabolite level, blood oxygen level, and size of at least one blood vessel.

47. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processor is configured to process the detected energy response signal and produce an extracted energy response signal.

48. The apparatus of claim 44, comprising optically transmissive material through which light from the at least one optical emitter can pass.

49. The apparatus of claim 44, comprising material configured to attenuate light reaching the at least one optical detector at one or more selected wavelengths.

50. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising at least one analog-to-digital (ADC) converter that converts analog signals generated by the detector to digital signals.

51. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of wristbands, armbands, legbands, neckbands, waistbands, anklebands, footbands, handbands, ringbands, and headbands.

52. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the substrate is configured to be adhesively attached to the body of the subject.