Light-Guiding Devices and Monitoring Devices Incorporating Same

• US 20150119657A1
• Filed: 11/26/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Inventors: LeBoeuf, Steven Francis, Tucker, Jesse Berkley, Aumer, Michael Edward, Just, Steven Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 9,955,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• 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 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0082 adapted for particular medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• 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 5/02154 by optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• 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 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• 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 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/091 Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity
• 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 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 : Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 : Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 : Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6816 : Ear lobe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 : Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6835 : Supports or holders, e.g., articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/721 : using a separate sensor to detect motion or using motion information derived from signals other than the physiological signal to be measured
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7225 : Details of analog processing, e.g. isolation amplifier, gain or sensitivity adjustment, filtering, baseline or drift compensation A61B5/30, A61B5/316 take precedence; transformers for specific applications H01F38/00; amplifiers H03F
• 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: H04R 1/1091 : Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083

Abstract

A monitoring device configured to be attached to the ear of a person includes a base, an earbud housing extending outwardly from the base that is configured to be positioned within an ear of a subject, and a cover surrounding the earbud housing. The base includes a speaker, an optical emitter, and an optical detector. The cover includes light transmissive material that is in optical communication with the optical emitter and the optical detector and serves as a light guide to deliver light from the optical emitter into the ear canal of the subject wearing the device at one or more predetermined locations and to collect light external to the earbud housing and deliver the collected light to the optical detector.

Claims

1. A sensor module for detecting and/or measuring physiological information from a subject, the sensor module, comprising:

a housing;

at least one optical emitter supported by the housing;

at least one optical detector supported by the housing;

a first light guide supported by the housing, wherein the first light guide is in optical communication with the at least one optical emitter, and wherein the first light guide is configured to deliver light from the at least one optical emitter into a body of the subject;

a second light guide supported by the housing, wherein the second light guide is in optical communication with the at least one optical detector, and wherein the second light guide is configured to collect light from the body of the subject;

a motion sensor supported by the housing, wherein the motion sensor is configured to sense motion information from the subject; and

a processor supported by the housing, wherein the processor is configured to remove motion artifacts from signals produced by the at least one optical detector in response to signals produced by the motion sensor, and wherein the processor is configured to process signals produced by the at least one optical detector to determine subject heart rate and at least one of subject respiration rate, subject blood flow, subject heart rate variability, subject blood gas level, subject blood pulse volume, subject blood analyte levels, subject breathing rate, subject breathing volume, subject blood oxygen levels, subject blood pressure, subject VO2max, the 1st derivative of at least one subject blood pulse, and the 2nd derivative of at least one subject blood pulse.

2. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to be integrated within an audio headset, a wrist strap, a wrist watch, an ankle bracelet, or an armband.

3. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an audio headset, a wrist strap, a wrist watch, an ankle bracelet, or an armband.

4. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to be attached to a limb, a nose, an earlobe, and/or a digit of the subject.

5. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the housing is configured to be positioned within an ear of the subject.

6. The sensor module of claim 1, further comprising at least one motion sensor supported by the housing, wherein the at least one motion sensor is configured to sense motion information from the subject.

7. The sensor module of claim 6, further comprising at least one processor supported by the housing, wherein the at least one processor is configured to remove motion artifacts from signals produced by the at least one optical detector in response to signals produced by the at least one motion sensor.

8. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein the first light guide comprises optical dye that is configured to filter one or more wavelengths of light guided by first light guide.

9. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein the second light guide comprises optical dye that is configured to filter one or more wavelengths of light guided by second light guide.

10. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second light guides comprises elastomeric light transmissive material.

11. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second light guides comprises substantially rigid light transmissive material.

12. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical emitter comprises optical coupling material, and wherein the first light guide is in optical communication with the at least one optical emitter via the optical coupling material.

13. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical detector comprises optical coupling material, and wherein the second light guide is in optical communication with the at least one optical detector via the optical coupling material.

14. The sensor module of claim 6, further comprising at least one processor supported by the housing, wherein the at least one processor is configured to process signals produced by the at least one optical detector and signals produced by the at least one motion sensor to determine subject heart rate and respiration rate.

15. An earpiece for detecting and/or measuring physiological information from a subject, the earpiece, comprising:

a housing;

at least one optical emitter supported by the housing;

at least one optical detector supported by the housing;

a motion sensor supported by the housing, wherein the motion sensor is configured to sense motion information from the subject; and

a processor supported by the housing, wherein the processor is configured to remove motion artifacts from signals produced by the at least one optical detector in response to signals produced by the motion sensor, and wherein the processor is configured to process signals produced by the at least one optical detector to determine subject heart rate and at least one of subject respiration rate, subject blood flow, subject heart rate variability, subject blood gas level, subject blood pulse volume, subject blood analyte levels, subject breathing rate, subject breathing volume, subject blood oxygen levels, subject blood pressure, subject VO2max, the 1st derivative of at least one subject blood pulse, and the 2nd derivative of at least one subject blood pulse.

16. The earpiece of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to process signals from the motion sensor and signals from the at least one optical detector into a serial data output of physiological information and motion-related information.

17. A wearable device for detecting and/or measuring physiological information from a subject, comprising:

a housing;

at least one optical emitter supported by the housing;

at least one optical detector supported by the housing;

a first light guide supported by the housing, wherein the first light guide is in optical communication with the at least one optical emitter, and wherein the first light guide is configured to deliver light from the at least one optical emitter into a body of the subject;

a second light guide supported by the housing, wherein the second light guide is in optical communication with the at least one optical detector, and wherein the second light guide is configured to collect light from the body of the subject;

a motion sensor supported by the housing, wherein the motion sensor is configured to sense motion information from the subject; and

a processor supported by the housing, wherein the processor is configured to calculate footsteps and to remove motion artifacts from signals produced by the at least one optical detector, and wherein the processor is configured to process signals produced by the at least one optical detector to determine subject heart rate.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the housing is configured to be integrated within an audio headset, a wrist strap, a wrist watch, an ankle bracelet, or an armband.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the device comprises an audio headset, a wrist strap, a wrist watch, an ankle bracelet, or an armband.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the housing is configured to be attached to a limb, a nose, an earlobe, and/or a digit of the subject.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the housing is configured to be positioned within an ear of the subject.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to process signals from the motion sensor and signals from the at least one optical detector into a serial data output of physiological information and motion-related information.

23. A device configured to be worn by a subject for detecting and/or measuring physiological information from the subject, wherein the device comprises:

at least one optical emitter;

at least one optical detector;

at least one light guide, wherein the at least one light guide is in optical communication with the at least one optical emitter and/or the at least one optical detector, and wherein the at least one light guide is configured to deliver light to a body of the subject and/or collect light from the body of the subject; and

at least one transmitter configured to transmit information from the at least one optical detector to a remote device.

24. The device of claim 23, further comprising at least one motion sensor, and wherein the at least one transmitter is further configured to transmit information from the at least one motion sensor to the remote device.

25. The device of claim 23, further comprising at least one temperature sensor configured to measure temperature of a tympanic membrane of an ear of the subject, and wherein the at least one transmitter is further configured to transmit information from the at least one temperature sensor to the remote device.