PORTABLE BIOMETRIC MONITORING DEVICES AND METHODS OF OPERATING SAME

• US 20140125491A1
• Filed: 11/06/2013
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Park, James, Brumback, Christine Boomer, Knight, David Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 9,603,524 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• 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 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02433 for infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 : Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to portable biometric monitoring device including a housing having a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to the user'"'"'s body, at least one band to secure the monitoring device to the user, a physiological sensor, disposed in the housing, to generate data which is representative of a physiological condition of the user data. The physiological sensor may include a light source to generate and output light having at least a first wavelength, and a photodetector to detect scattered light (e.g., from the user). A light pipe is disposed in the housing and optically coupled to the light source directs/transmits light therefrom along a predetermined path to an outer surface of the housing. Processing circuitry calculates a heart rate of the user using data which is representative of the scattered light.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

memory;

one or more biometric sensors;

an interface for communicating with an external device; and

an element configured to present information from the apparatus,

wherein the memory, the one or more processors, and the one or more biometric sensors, and the element configured to present information are communicatively connected with one another, and

wherein the memory and one or more processors are configured to receive data from the external device; and

presenting the data to a user of the apparatus via the element configured to present information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory and one or more processors are configured to receive from the external device a communication addressed to the user.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the communication comprises information about an incoming phone call on the external device.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the communication comprises an email message.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the communication comprises a text message.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the communication comprises a calendar notification.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the communication is provided for a location detected for the user.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the communication comprises cues to train the user.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the communication comprises an alert to the user.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory and one or more processors are configured to receive from the external device Internet content.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the Internet content comprises social media content.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the Internet content comprises information from a periodical.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the Internet content comprises coaching advice for the user.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the Internet content comprises weather information.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the external device is a smart phone, a tablet or a computer.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the one more biometric sensors comprises a motion detector.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the motion detector is an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the one more biometric sensors comprises an optical sensor.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the element configured to present information is configured to present the information by sound, by motion, and/or visually.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the biometric monitoring device is configured to be worn by the user.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the biometric monitoring device comprises a band designed to be worn around a wrist or ankle or wherein the biometric monitoring device is configured to be worn in a clip mounted to an article of clothing.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured as a watch

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory and one or more processors are configured to execute an application.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the application is configured to fuse with an application on the external device.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory and one or more processors are configured by executable code stored on the memory.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory and one or more processors are configured to

detect proximity between the biometric monitoring device and external device;

and

in response, trigger launching of an application on the external device.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the external device is a mobile phone and detecting proximity comprises near-field communication.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interface for communicating with an external device is configured to communicate via Bluetooth, ANT, WLAN, power-line networking, and/or a cell phone network.