HEAD MOUNTED SYSTEM

• US 20150087924A1
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Original Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Inventors: LI, Chung-Te, YANG, Wen-Chu
• Granted Patent: US 9,763,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0041 characterised by display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/14 Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02108 from analysis of pulse wave characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0112 comprising device for genereting colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0134 of stereoscopic type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/015 involving arrangement aiming to get less bulky devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features

Abstract

A head mounted system includes a physiological signal sensor, a signal processing circuit, a memory, an application processor, and an eyeglass frame. The physiological signal sensor monitors a physiological state to output a physiological signal. The signal processing circuit determines whether the physiological state is abnormal according to the physiological signal. When it is not abnormal, the signal processing circuit controls the physiological signal sensor to monitor the physiological state at a first monitoring frequency. When it is abnormal, the signal processing circuit outputs a warning signal, and controls the physiological signal sensor to monitor the physiological state at a second monitoring frequency greater than the first monitoring frequency. The application processor receives the warning signal and stores physiological data corresponding to the physiological signal in the memory. The eyeglass frame carries the first physiological signal sensor, the signal processing circuit, the memory, and the application processor.

Claims

1. A head mounted system, comprising:

a first physiological signal sensor, for monitoring a first physiological state to output a first physiological signal;

a signal processing circuit, for determining whether the first physiological state is abnormal according to the first physiological signal, wherein when the first physiological state is not abnormal, the signal processing circuit controls the first physiological signal sensor to monitor the first physiological state at a first monitoring frequency;

when the first physiological state is abnormal, the signal processing circuit outputs a first warning signal, and controls the first physiological signal sensor to monitor the first physiological state at a second monitoring frequency; and

the second monitoring frequency is greater than the first monitoring frequency;

a memory;

an application processor, for receiving the first warning signal and storing first physiological data corresponding to the first physiological signal in the memory; and

an eyeglass frame, for carrying the first physiological signal sensor, the signal processing circuit, the memory, and the application processor.

2. The head mounted system according to claim 1, wherein the first physiological signal sensor is an image sensor.

3. The head mounted system according to claim 2, wherein the first physiological state is a heart beat rate;

the first physiological signal sensor captures a plurality of original images below the eyes;

the signal processing circuit computes a set of image average color values for the original images below the eyes, performs discrete cosine transform (DCT) on the set of image average color values to generate a plurality of first DCT coefficients;

the signal processing circuit divides the original images into a plurality of image blocks, and computes a plurality of sets of block average color values;

the signal processing circuit performs DCT on the sets of block average color values to generate a plurality of second DCT coefficients, and compute the heart beat rate according to the second DCT coefficients and the first DCT coefficients.

4. The head mounted system according to claim 2, wherein the first physiological state indicates retinopathy or vascular proliferation, and the first physiological signal is an image of the eyes;

the signal processing circuit performs eye detection, noise reduction, and image enhancement on the image of the eyes to generate a processed image, and performs feature extraction on the processed image to obtain a current characteristic value, and compares the current characteristic value with a normal characteristic value,

when difference between the current characteristic value with the normal characteristic value is greater than a threshold value, it indicates that the first physiological state is abnormal.

5. The head mounted system according to claim 1, wherein the first physiological signal sensor is an infrared sensor.

6. The head mounted system according to claim 5, further comprising:

a first infrared light emitting diode (LED); and

a second infrared LED, wherein the first infrared LED and the second infrared LED, coupled to the signal processing circuit, are for providing infrared lights at different wavelengths.

7. The head mounted system according to claim 6, wherein the first physiological state indicates blood oxygenation, the first physiological signal includes a first image below eyes and a second image below eyes;

when the signal processing circuit turns on the first infrared LED and turns off the second infrared LED, the second physiological signal sensor outputs the first image below the eyes;

when the signal processing circuit turns on the second infrared LED and turns off the first infrared LED, the second physiological signal sensor outputs the second image below the eyes;

the signal processing circuit computes an intensity ratio of the first image below the eyes and the second image below the eyes, and computes the blood oxygenation according to the intensity ratio.

8. The head mounted system according to claim 1, wherein the first physiological signal sensor is a pressure sensor.

9. The head mounted system according to claim 8, wherein the second physiological state indicates a pulse pattern, and the second physiological signal includes a pulse pattern signal.

10. The head mounted system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a first gain amplifier, for amplifying the pulse pattern signal; and

a first analog-to-digital converter, for converting the amplified pulse pattern signal into a first digital signal and outputting the first digital signal to the signal processing circuit.

11. The head mounted system according to claim 9, wherein the signal processing circuit in an initial calibration mode computes a matching value according to a peak value and a valley value of the pulse pattern signal, an initial systolic pressure value, and an initial diastolic pressure value;

the signal processing circuit in a measurement mode computes a current systolic pressure value and a current diastolic pressure value according to the pulse pattern signal and the matching value.

12. The head mounted system according to claim 1, wherein the first physiological signal sensor is a temperature sensor.

13. The head mounted system according to claim 12, wherein the first physiological state indicates body temperature, and the second physiological signal includes a temperature signal.

14. The head mounted system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second physiological signal sensor, for monitoring a second physiological state to output a second physiological signal;

a first infrared light emitting diode (LED); and

a second infrared LED, wherein the first infrared LED and the second infrared LED provide infrared lights at different wavelengths;

wherein the signal processing circuit determines whether the second physiological state is abnormal according to the second physiological signal;

when the second physiological state is not abnormal, the signal processing circuit controls the second physiological signal sensor to monitor the second physiological state at a third monitoring frequency;

when the second physiological state is abnormal, the signal processing circuit outputs a second warning signal to the application processor, and controls the second physiological signal sensor to monitor the second physiological state at a fourth monitoring frequency;

the fourth monitoring frequency is greater than the third monitoring frequency.

15. The head mounted system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a third physiological signal sensor, for monitoring a third physiological state to output a third physiological signal;

wherein the signal processing circuit determines whether the third physiological state is abnormal according to the third physiological signal;

when the third physiological state is not abnormal, the signal processing circuit controls the third physiological signal sensor to monitor the third physiological state at a fifth monitoring frequency;

when the third physiological state is abnormal, the signal processing circuit outputs a third warning signal to the application processor, and controls the third physiological signal sensor to monitor the third physiological state at a sixth monitoring frequency;

the sixth monitoring frequency is greater than the fifth monitoring frequency.

16. The head mounted system according to claim 15, further comprising:

a fourth physiological signal sensor, for monitoring a fourth physiological state to output a fourth physiological signal;

wherein the signal processing circuit determines whether the fourth physiological state is abnormal according to the fourth physiological signal;

when the fourth physiological state is not abnormal, the signal processing circuit controls the fourth physiological signal sensor to monitor the fourth physiological state at a seventh monitoring frequency;

when the fourth physiological state is abnormal, the signal processing circuit outputs a fourth warning signal to the application processor, and controls the fourth physiological signal sensor to monitor the fourth physiological state at an eighth monitoring frequency;

the eighth monitoring frequency is greater than the seventh monitoring frequency.

17. The head mounted system according to claim 16, wherein the first physiological signal sensor is an image sensor, the second physiological signal sensor is an infrared sensor, the third physiological signal sensor is a pressure sensor, the fourth physiological signal sensor is a temperature sensor.

18. The head mounted system according to claim 17, further comprising:

a fifth physiological signal sensor, for monitoring the first physiological state to output a fifth physiological signal;

a sixth physiological signal sensor, for monitoring the second physiological state to output a sixth physiological signal;

a seventh physiological signal sensor, for monitoring the third physiological state to output a seventh physiological signal;

an eighth physiological signal sensor, for monitoring the fourth physiological state to output an eighth physiological signal;

a third infrared LED; and

a fourth infrared LED, wherein the third infrared LED and the fourth infrared LED provide infrared lights at different wavelengths.

19. The head mounted system according to claim 18, further comprising:

a second gain amplifier, for amplifying the seventh physiological signal; and

a second analog-to-digital converter, for converting the amplified seventh physiological signal into a second digital signal and output the second digital signal to the signal processing circuit.