MEASUREMENT DEVICE TO CAPTURE VITAL PARAMETERS

• US 20140316227A1
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Published: 10/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Rake, Ludger, Giefer, Andreas, Meyer, Joerg
• Granted Patent: US 9,820,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/323
• 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 5/02433 for infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02444 Details of sensor A61B5/02427 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0295 using plethysmography, i.e. measuring the variations in the volume of a body part as modified by the circulation of blood therethrough, e.g. impedance plethysmography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6893 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0872 Driver physiology
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches

Abstract

The invention concerns a measurement device to capture at least one vital parameter of a person in a motor vehicle with a steering wheel. The measurement device includes a finger sensor device with an optical sensor device, where the finger sensor device is attached to the steering wheel in the transition zone between a steering wheel spoke and the hub of the steering wheel.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A device for measuring a health condition parameter of a user, the device comprising:

a finger sensor comprising a finger sensor surface,

wherein the finger sensor is configured to measure the health condition parameter when a finger of the user is placed on the finger sensor surface, and

wherein the finger sensor surface is configured to be installed on a steering wheel of a motor vehicle.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the health condition parameter is a plethysmography parameter, a pulse oximetry parameter, or an electrocardiogram parameter.

16. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

a steering wheel of a motor vehicle on which the finger sensor is installed in a transitional zone between a spoke and a hub of the steering wheel.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the finger sensor is installed on a rear side of the steering wheel and faces away from the user, and wherein the finger sensor surface is positioned to make contact with a finger of the user when the user grasps the steering wheel.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the finger sensor surface is installed on a front side of the steering wheel and faces towards the user, and wherein the finger sensor surface is positioned to make contact with a thumb of the user when the user grasps the steering wheel.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the finger sensor comprises an optical sensor located on the finger sensor surface, the optical sensor comprising:

a light source configured to detect the health condition parameter when the user places a finger on the optical sensor; and

a light-sensitive element configured to measure the health condition parameter.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the light source is configured to generate visible light and invisible light, and the health condition parameter comprises blood vessel volume or blood constituents.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein the finger sensor comprises a finger depression recessed on the finger sensor surface and is fingertip-shaped so as to house a fingertip of the user, and

wherein the optical sensor is located in the finger depression.

22. The device of claim 14, wherein the finger sensor comprises a switch connected to the finger sensor surface, wherein the switch is configured to initiate measurement of the health condition parameter when the switch is depressed.

23. The measurement device of claim 22, wherein the switch is a toggle switch.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the switch is configured to activate a system in the motor vehicle other than to initiate measurement of the health condition parameter.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the system in the motor vehicle is a gear shift system.

26. The device of claim 14, wherein the finger sensor surface is a paddle-shaped.

27. The device of claim 14, wherein the finger sensor surface comprises an electrically conductive surface connected to an electrocardiogram measurement device.

28. The device of claim 14, wherein the finger sensor surface comprises a left finger sensor surface and a right finger sensor surface,

wherein the left finger sensor and the right finger sensor are symmetrically located in opposite sectors of the steering wheel so that the left finger sensor is configured to contact a left-hand finger of the user and the right finger sensor is configured to contact a right-hand finger of the user.

29. A method for measuring a health condition parameter of a user, the method comprising:

providing a finger sensor surface of a finger sensor on a driving wheel of a motor vehicle; and

monitoring, by the finger sensor, a health condition of a user when the finger sensor surface contacts a finger of the user.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein monitoring the health condition parameter comprises measuring a plethysmography parameter, a pulse oximetry parameter, or an electrocardiogram parameter.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

depressing a switch connected to the finger sensor surface; and

monitoring the health condition parameter in response to depressing the switch.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

depressing a switch connected to the finger sensor; and

operating a gear shift system in the motor vehicle in response to depressing the switch.