OBTAINING PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASUREMENTS USING A PORTABLE DEVICE

• US 20140051941A1
• Filed: 08/17/2012
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rare Light, Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rare Light, Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Messerschmidt, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US13/588,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20140051941A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02125 of pulse wave propagation time
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface

Abstract

An apparatus and method for obtaining one or more physiological measurements associated with a user using a portable device alone or in combination with a detachable unit is disclosed herein. One or more of different types of sensor sets are included in one or more planar surfaces of the portable device and/or the detachable unit in communication with the portable device. The accuracy of physiological measurements is automatically ensured by the fixed positioning of the sensors relative to each other. A variety of different physiological measurements can be obtained using a portable device that users normally carry around and use on a daily basis, instead of requiring use of a separate/dedicated medical device.

Claims

1. A hand-held device for obtaining one or more physiological measurements, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

a first sensor on a first surface of the device;

a second sensor on the first surface of the device, the first sensor and the second sensor separated by a fixed distance on the first surface; and

a processor in communication with the touch-sensitive display, the first sensor, and the second sensor, wherein the processor is configured to process a first physiological parameter associated with the first sensor and a second physiological parameter associated with the second sensor to determine a physiological measurement.

2. The hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the first surface comprises a continuous surface of the handheld device.

3. The hand-held device of claim 2, wherein the handheld device comprises a detachable unit in communication with a base unit including the processor and the touch-sensitive display.

4. The hand-held device of claim 2, wherein the detachable unit of the handheld device comprises the first surface.

5. The hand-held device of claim 1, wherein each of the first and the second sensors comprises a reflective type photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor and the physiological measurement comprises a blood pressure measurement.

6. The hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the first and the second physiological parameters comprise blood pulse parameters associated with a peripheral artery of a user.

7. The hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive display is configured to display instructions for a user to provide the first and the second physiological parameters.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first electrode provided on the first surface, the first electrode configured to obtain a third physiological parameter; and

a second electrode provided on a second surface, the second electrode configured to obtain a fourth physiological parameter, and wherein the processor is configured to determine a second physiological measurement based on the third and the fourth physiological parameters.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first surface and the second surface comprise a same surface of the device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second physiological measurement comprises one of a galvanic skin response measurement and a stress level indication.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first surface and the second surface comprise different surfaces of a device, and wherein the third physiological parameter and the fourth physiological parameters each comprise parameters from respective portions of a user'"'"'s body located at opposite sides of the user'"'"'s torso.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second physiological measurement comprises one of an electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement, a heart rate measurement, a body water content measurement, and a body fat content measurement.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor in communication with the processor, the processor configured to determine a body temperature measurement based on a temperature parameter associated with a user provided by the temperature sensor.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter in communication with the processor, the transmitter configured to transmit the physiological measurement to a remote device.

15. A handheld portable device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

a first sensor located at a first surface of the portable device;

a second sensor located at the first surface of the portable device, the first sensor and the second sensor separated by a fixed distance at the first surface; and

a processor in communication with the touch-sensitive display, wherein the processor is configured to determine a first physiological measurement based on a first physiological parameter from the first sensor and a second physiological parameter from the second sensor.

16. The handheld portable device of claim 15, wherein the portable device comprises a smart phone, a tablet, a laptop, a portable music device, a portable video device, or a computing device.

17. The handheld portable device of claim 15, wherein each of the first and the second sensors comprises a reflective type photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor and the first physiological measurement comprises a blood pressure measurement.

18. The handheld portable device of claim 15, wherein the first and the second physiological parameters comprise blood pulse parameters associated with a peripheral artery of a user.

19. The handheld portable device of claim 15, wherein the touch-sensitive display is configured to display instructions for a user to provide the first and the second physiological parameters.

20. The handheld portable device of claim 15, further comprising:

a first electrode provided on the first surface and the first electrode configured to obtain a third physiological parameter; and

a second electrode provided on a second surface and the second electrode configured to obtain a fourth physiological parameter, wherein the processor is configured to determine a second physiological measurement based on at least one of the third and the fourth physiological parameters.

21. The handheld portable device of claim 20, wherein the first surface and the second surface comprise a same surface of the portable device, and wherein the second physiological measurement comprises one of a galvanic skin response measurement and a stress level indication.

22. The handheld portable device of claim 20, wherein the first surface and the second surface comprise different surfaces of a device, the third physiological parameter and the fourth physiological parameter comprising parameters from respective portions of a user'"'"'s body located at opposite sides of the user'"'"'s torso.

23. The handheld portable device of claim 20, wherein the first electrode comprises a temperature sensor and the second physiological measurement comprises a body temperature measurement.

24. A method for obtaining one or more physiological measurements, the method comprising:

displaying information on a touch-sensitive display of a portable device, the display information including identification of at least one portion of a user'"'"'s body to be placed into contact with at least a first sensor and a second sensor provided on a same side of the device, the first sensor and the second sensor separated from each other by a fixed distance;

receiving, in response to the portion of the user'"'"'s body in contact with the first sensor and the second sensor, a first physiological parameter associated with the first sensor and a second physiological parameter associated with the second sensor; and

generating a first physiological measurement based on the first physiological parameter and the second physiological parameter.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein each of the first and the second sensors comprises a reflective type photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor, and wherein the first physiological measurement comprises a blood pressure measurement.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving a third physiological parameter associated with a first electrode provided on the device;

receiving a fourth physiological parameter associated with a second electrode provided on the device; and

generating a second physiological measurement based on at least one of the third physiological parameter and the fourth physiological parameter.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the second physiological measurement comprises an electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement, a heart beat measurement, a body temperature measurement, a galvanic skin response measurement, a stress level indication, a body water content measurement, or a body fat content measurement.