Wearable Wireless Multisensor Health Monitor with Head Photoplethysmograph

• US 20140275888A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Venture Gain LLC
• Original Assignee: Venture Gain LLC
• Inventors: Wegerich, Stephan W., Pipke, Robert Matthew, Meizelis, Thaddeus
• Application Number:
  US13/840,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20140275888A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/324
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• 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 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• 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 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6816 : Ear lobe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 : Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 : Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6832 : using adhesives A61B5/259 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 : Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/04 : for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains , e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B

Abstract

Ambulatory monitoring of human health is provided by a multi-component multi-sensor wireless wearable biosignal acquisition system comprising a torso device and a peripheral device communicating wirelessly, and a mobile phone for receiving collected data and uploading it over cellular network or WiFi to a remote computer for multivariate analysis. Biosignals include EKG and PPG, from which a determination of pulse transit time can be made.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring human health comprising:

a wearable torso device disposed to continuously measure at least an electrocardiographic signal from at least two electrodes;

a head-worn device in wireless connectivity with said torso device, having at least one light source disposed to illuminate the capillary bed below the skin at a location on the head and having a light sensitive element for quantitatively measuring light from said light source that has passed through the capillary bed, thereby providing a photoplethysmographic signal that is communicated to the torso device wirelessly;

said torso device and said head-worn device having a mechanism implemented in software for synchronizing the electrocardiographic signal with the photoplethysmographic signal for an accurate determination of a pulse transit time.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a mobile phone disposed to receive wireless transmissions of data from said torso device inclusive of data from said head-worn device.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said mobile phone is disposed to periodically upload data obtained from said torso device to a remote computer for analysis of health.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the head-worn device is held against the forehead with a headband, and comprises an enclosure that is curved to conform to the curvature of a human forehead.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein said head-worn device is held by adhesive against the skin over the mastoid process behind the ear, and comprises an enclosure with a concave well on the skin-facing side over the mastoid process.