PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT SYSTEM WITH MOTION SENSING

• US 20140323828A1
• Filed: 07/09/2014
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whoop, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Whoop, Inc.
• Inventors: Ahmed, William, Capodilupo, John, Nicolae, Aurelian
• Granted Patent: US 10,264,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0475 Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0238 Optical sensor arrangements for performing transmission measurements on body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0257 Proximity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0082 adapted for particular medical purposes
• 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 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• 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 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0255 Recording instruments specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response
• 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 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 : Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 : Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• 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 5/4815 : Sleep quality
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 : Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 : Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6813 : Specially adapted to be attached to a specific body part A61B5/6802 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 : Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 : Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 : Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/684 : Indicating the position of the sensor on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6844 : Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 : Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7267 : involving training the classification device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 : Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 : Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7285 : for synchronising or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal A61B6/5205, A61B6/541, A61B8/5207, A61B8/543 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 : User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 : Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 : Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 : heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 : Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0075 : Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 : Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 : Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 : relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation

Abstract

Embodiments provide physiological measurement systems, devices and methods for continuous health and fitness monitoring. A wearable strap may detect reflected light from a user'"'"'s skin, where data corresponding to the reflected light is used to automatically and continually determine a heart rate of the user. The wearable strap may include a motion sensor that is used to determine a motion status of the user. Based upon the motion status of the user, the system may activate light emitters on the wearable strap to determine the heart rate of the user.

Claims

1. A wearable physiological measurement system, comprising:

a plurality of light emitters for emitting light toward a user'"'"'s skin;

a plurality of light detectors for receiving light reflected from the user'"'"'s skin;

a motion sensor for detecting a motion of the user; and

a processing module configured to;

determine a motion status of the user based on data received from the motion sensor, and

based on the motion status of the user, automatically and selectively activate one or more of the plurality of light emitters to determine a heart rate of the user.

2. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 1, wherein the processing module is further configured to:

upon determining that the motion status indicates that the user is in motion, selectively activate a first set of one or more light emitters and at least one of the plurality of light detectors to perform optical measurement of a pulse rate at the user'"'"'s skin; and

upon determining that the motion status indicates that the user is at rest or is asleep, selectively activate a second set of one or more light emitters and at least one of the plurality of light detectors to perform optical measurement of the pulse rate at the user'"'"'s skin,

wherein the second set of one or more light emitters emits light at a longer wavelength than the first set of one or more light emitters.

3. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 1, further comprising:

a piezo-sensor for detecting a pulse rate at the user'"'"'s skin.

4. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 3, wherein the processing module is further configured to:

upon determining that the motion status indicates that the user is in motion, selectively activate at least one of the plurality of light emitters and at least one of the plurality of light detectors to perform optical measurement of the pulse rate at the user'"'"'s skin; and

upon determining that the motion status indicates that the user is at rest or is asleep, selectively activate the piezo-sensor to detect the pulse rate at the user'"'"'s skin.

5. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitters are selectively activated based on historical data corresponding to the user.

6. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 5, wherein the historical data corresponds to a habit of the user.

7. A wearable physiological measurement system, comprising:

a plurality of light emitters for emitting light toward a user'"'"'s skin;

a plurality of sensors, comprising;

a plurality of light detectors for receiving light reflected from the user'"'"'s skin;

a motion sensor for detecting a motion of the user; and

a processing module configured to determine a heart rate of the user based on light received by one or more of the plurality of light detectors, wherein the processing module is further configured to;

process one or more signals generated by at least one of the plurality of sensors, and

based on the one or more processed signals, automatically adjust an operational characteristic of one or more of the plurality of light emitters and/or one or more of the plurality of light detectors to minimize consumption of power by the wearable physiological measurement system.

8. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 7, wherein the processing module is configured to:

process the one or more signals to determine a motion status of the user; and

adjust a duty cycle of the one or more light emitters and a corresponding sampling rate of the one or more light detectors based on the motion status of the user.

9. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 8, wherein the processing module is configured to:

upon determining that the motion status indicates that the user is at a first level of motion, activate the one or more light emitters at a first duty cycle and sample the reflected light using the one or more light detectors at a first sampling rate; and

upon determining that the motion status indicates that the user is at a second lower level of motion, activate the one or more light emitters at a second duty cycle and sample the reflected light using the one or more light detectors at a second sampling rate;

wherein the second sampling rate is lower than the first sampling rate and the second duty cycle is lower than the first duty cycle.

10. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 9, wherein the first level of motion is exercise, and wherein the second level of motion is sleep or rest.

11. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 9, wherein the first level of motion is light motion, and wherein the second level of motion is sleep or rest.

12. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 7, wherein the processing module is configured to:

process the one or more signals to determine a motion status of the user; and

based on the one or more processed signals, automatically adjust power consumption by the one or more light emitters by adjusting a duty cycle of the one or more light emitters and/or adjusting a current supplied to the one or more light emitters.

13. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 7, wherein the processing module is configured to:

process the one or more signals to determine a characteristic of the reflected light detected at the one or more light detectors; and

based on the one or more processed signals, automatically adjust a current supplied to the one or more light emitters.

14. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 13, wherein the characteristic of the reflected light indicates an ambient light condition and/or an optical characteristic of the user'"'"'s skin.

15. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 7, further comprising a wireless transmitter, and wherein the processing module is further configured to:

determine an amount of data to be transmitted to an external computational device; and

based on the amount of data to be transmitted, automatically adjust a data transmission rate from the wearable physiological measurement system to the external computational device.

16. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 15, wherein the amount of data to be transmitted is based on an amount of data collected by the system from a time when data was last transmitted from the wearable physiological measurement system.

17. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 15, wherein physiological data associated with the user is transmitted from the wearable physiological measurement system to the external computational device when the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a predetermined threshold.

18. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 7, further comprising a wireless receiver and a wireless transmitter, and wherein the processing module is further configured to:

use the wireless receiver to detect an external computational device in proximity to the wearable physiological measurement system; and

automatically initiate transmission of physiological data associated with the user from the wearable physiological measurement system to the external computational device using the wireless transmitter.

19. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 7, wherein the operational characteristic is adjusted based on historical data corresponding to the user.

20. The wearable physiological measurement system of claim 19, wherein the historical data corresponds to a habit of the user.