APPARATUS FOR MEASURING PULSE AND METHOD OF OBTAINING PULSE INFORMATION USING THE SAME

• US 20130066218A1
• Filed: 09/06/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: KIM, Young Sung
• Application Number:
  US13/605,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20130066218A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal

Abstract

A pulse measurement apparatus and a method of obtaining pulse information using the same are provided. The pulse measurement apparatus includes a frame, a first arm and a second arm installed in the frame so that the first and the second arms are rotated, and a sensor unit formed at one end of each of the first arm and the second arm, brought in contact with an inner wall within an ear of a user, and configured to detect pulse waves transferred through a blood vessel. The pulse measurement apparatus mounted on an ear and reduced in size can be provided, and a continuous and stable pulse wave signal can be measured using the pulse measurement apparatus.

Claims

1. A pulse measurement apparatus, comprising:

a frame;

a first arm and a second arm installed in the frame so that the first and the second arms are rotated; and

a sensor unit formed at one end of each of the first arm and the second arm, brought in contact with an inner wall within an ear of a user, and configured to detect pulse waves transferred through a blood vessel.

2. The pulse measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is formed of a piezoelectric sensor.

3. The pulse measurement apparatus of claim 2, wherein the piezoelectric sensor has a film form.

4. The pulse measurement apparatus of claim 2, wherein the piezoelectric sensor detects the pulse waves and converts the detected pulse waves into an electrical signal.

5. The pulse measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first arm and the second arm are coupled at a coupling unit in such a way as to cross each other and are rotated and moved around the coupling unit.

6. The pulse measurement apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an elastic member provided at other ends of the first arm and the second arm and configured to provide elastic force in a direction that widens an interval between the one ends of the first arm and the second arm.

7. The pulse measurement apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sensor unit is closely adhered to the inner wall within the ear of the user by the elastic member in the state in which the sensor unit has been inserted into the inside of the ear of the user.

8. The pulse measurement apparatus of claim 5, wherein the coupling unit is configured to have a spherical shape and, is inserted into and installed in a hollow of the frame.

9. The pulse measurement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first arm and the second arm are made of silicon.

10. The pulse measurement apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processing unit for extracting pulse information of the user based on the pulse waves detected by the sensor unit.

11. The pulse measurement apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a wireless transmission unit for wirelessly transmitting the pulse information extracted by the processing unit to an external reception apparatus.

12. The pulse measurement apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processing unit comprises:

a signal processing unit for amplifying an electrical signal detected by the sensor unit, removing noise from the amplified electrical signal, and generating a pulse wave signal; and

a central processing unit for extracting a pulse by detecting a period from the pulse wave signal generated from the signal processing unit.

13. A method of obtaining pulse information, the method comprising:

inserting a head into an inside of an ear of a user and closely adhering the head to an inner wall within the ear of the user;

detecting a pulse wave signal transferred through a blood vessel passing through the inside of the ear, from the head closely adhered to the inner wall within the ear;

extracting pulse information from the detected pulse wave signal; and

wirelessly transmitting the extracted pulse information to an external reception apparatus.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the head comprises a piezoelectric sensor, and the piezoelectric sensor is installed in an outside of the head.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the pulse wave signal comprises detecting pulse waves and converting the detected pulse waves into an electrical signal by using the piezoelectric sensor.

16. The of claim 15, wherein extracting the pulse information comprises:

amplifying the electrical signal, removing noise from the amplified electrical signal, and generating the pulse wave signal; and

extracting the pulse information by detecting a period from the generated pulse wave signal.