SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OBTAINING BODILY FUNCTION MEASUREMENTS USING A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20150119725A1
• Filed: 05/15/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: MARTIN, Russel Allyn, SHEYNBLAT, Leonid, HOFFMAN, Douglas Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 10,478,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/479
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02028 Determining haemodynamic parameters not otherwise provided for, e.g. cardiac contractility or left ventricular ejection fraction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02125 of pulse wave propagation time
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02158 provided with two or more sensor elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/283 Invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36507 controlled by gradient or slope of the heart potential
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36564 controlled by blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36585 controlled by two or more physical parameters

Abstract

Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement are presented. A mobile device includes an outer body sized to be portable for user, a processor contained within the outer body, and a plurality of sensors physically coupled to the outer body. The sensors are configured to obtain a first measurement indicative of blood volume and a second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity in response to a user action. A blood pressure measurement is determined based on the first measurement and the second measurement. The sensors also include electrodes where a portion of a user'"'"'s body positioned between the electrodes completes a circuit and a measurement to provide at least one measure of impedance associated with the user'"'"'s body. A hydration level measurement is determined based on the measure of impedance.

Claims

1. A mobile device for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement, comprising:

an outer body sized to be portable for a user;

a processor contained within the outer body;

a plurality of sensors physically coupled to the outer body for obtaining data accessible by the processor;

wherein one or more of the sensors is configured to obtain a first measurement indicative of blood volume in response to a user action;

wherein one or more of the sensors is configured to obtain a second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity in response to the user action; and

wherein the processor is configured to facilitate generation of a blood pressure measurement based on the first measurement and the second measurement.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is configured to perform a primary function and a secondary function, and wherein the processor is configured to facilitate generation of the blood pressure measurement as the secondary function of the mobile device.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the first measurement indicative of blood volume comprises a photoplethysmography (PPG) measurement.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity comprises an electrocardiography (ECG) measurement.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the one or more of the sensors configured to obtain the first measurement indicative of blood volume comprises at least one light sensor, and wherein the mobile device further comprises at least one light source and the at least one light sensor measures reflected light from the light source reflected off of blood vessels within a user of the mobile device to obtain the first measurement.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the one or more of the sensors configured to obtain the second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity comprises at least a first electrode and a second electrode, and wherein a portion of a user of the mobile device'"'"'s body completes a circuit between the first electrode and the second electrode.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a watch.

8. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a smartphone device.

9. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the sensors is built into a multifunction surface, wherein the multifunction surface is configured to simultaneously obtain the first measurement or the second measurement and a user input.

10. A method for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement via a mobile device, comprising:

obtaining, via a plurality of sensors physically coupled to an outer body of the mobile device, a first measurement indicative of blood volume in response to a user action;

obtaining, via the plurality of sensors, a second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity in response to the user action; and

facilitating, via a processor of the mobile device, generation of a blood pressure measurement based on the first measurement and the second measurement, wherein the processor is contained within the outer body of the mobile device, the outer body sized to be portable for the user.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the mobile device is configured to perform a primary function and a secondary function, and wherein the facilitating step is performed as the secondary function of the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the first measurement indicative of blood volume comprises a photoplethysmography (PPG) measurement.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity comprises an electrocardiography (ECG) measurement.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one light sensor and the mobile device comprises at least one light source, and wherein obtaining the first measurement indicative of blood volume comprises measuring, via the at least one light sensor, reflected light from the light source reflected off of blood vessels within a user of the mobile device to obtain the first measurement.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least a first electrode and a second electrode, and wherein obtaining the second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity comprises detecting completion of a circuit between the first electrode and the second electrode via a portion of the user'"'"'s body.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the mobile device is a watch.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the mobile device is a smartphone device.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein at least one of the sensors is built into a multifunction surface, wherein the multifunction surface is configured to simultaneously obtain the first measurement or the second measurement and a user input.

19. An apparatus for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement, comprising:

means for obtaining, via a plurality of sensors physically coupled to an outer body of a mobile device, a first measurement indicative of blood volume in response to a user action;

means for obtaining, via the plurality of sensors, a second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity in response to the user action; and

means for facilitating, via a processor of the mobile device, generation of a blood pressure measurement based on the first measurement and the second measurement, wherein the processor is contained within the outer body of the mobile device, the outer body sized to be portable for the user.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the mobile device is configured to perform a primary function and a secondary function, and wherein the facilitating step is performed as the secondary function of the mobile device.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the first measurement indicative of blood volume comprises a photoplethysmography (PPG) measurement, and wherein the second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity comprises an electrocardiography (ECG) measurement.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one light sensor and the mobile device comprises at least one light source, and wherein the means for obtaining the first measurement indicative of blood volume comprises means for measuring, via the at least one light sensor, reflected light from the light source reflected off of blood vessels within a user of the mobile device to obtain the first measurement.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least a first electrode and a second electrode, and wherein the means for obtaining the second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity comprises means for detecting completion of a circuit between the first electrode and the second electrode via a portion of the user'"'"'s body.

24. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein at least one of the sensors is built into a multifunction surface, wherein the multifunction surface is configured to simultaneously obtain the first measurement or the second measurement and a user input.

25. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions for constructing a representation of a planar object that, when executed, cause one or more computing devices included in a mobile device to:

obtain, via a plurality of sensors physically coupled to an outer body of the mobile device, a first measurement indicative of blood volume in response to a user action;

obtain, via the plurality of sensors, a second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity in response to the user action; and

facilitate, via a processor of the mobile device, generation of a blood pressure measurement based on the first measurement and the second measurement, wherein the processor is contained within the outer body of the mobile device, the outer body sized to be portable for the user.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 25 wherein the mobile device is configured to perform a primary function and a secondary function, and wherein the facilitating step is performed as the secondary function of the mobile device.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 25 wherein the first measurement indicative of blood volume comprises a photoplethysmography (PPG) measurement, and wherein the second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity comprises an electrocardiography (ECG) measurement.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 25 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one light sensor and the mobile device comprises at least one light source, and wherein obtaining the first measurement indicative of blood volume comprises measuring, via the at least one light sensor, reflected light from the light source reflected off of blood vessels within a user of the mobile device to obtain the first measurement.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 25 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least a first electrode and a second electrode, and wherein the obtaining the second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity comprises detecting completion of a circuit between the first electrode and the second electrode via a portion of the user'"'"'s body.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 25 wherein at least one of the sensors is built into a multifunction surface, wherein the multifunction surface is configured to simultaneously obtain the first measurement or the second measurement and a user input.