Ambient Light Method For Cell Phones, Smart Watches, Occupancy Sensors, And Wearables
First Claim
1. A method for ambient light monitoring in a living subject, comprising the steps of:
- (a) detecting broadband ambient light being at least in part backscattered from or transmitted through the subject;
(b) determining a measure of components of the bloodstream or tissue of the subject, said measure of component substances determined at least in part based on the detected broadband ambient light; and
,(c) generating an output that is a function of the physiology of the subject based at least in part on the measure of component substances.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved sensor (102) for respiratory and metabolic monitoring in mobile devices, wearables, security, illumination, photography, and other devices and systems uses a broadband ambient light (114), which is then transmitted to a target (125) such as the ear, face, or wrist of a living subject. Some of the scattered light returning from the target to detector (141) is passed through spectral filter set (155) to produce multiple detector regions, each region sensitive to a different narrowband wavelength range, and the detected light is spectrally analyzed to determine a measure of a physiology of the subject such as pulse, respiration, hydration, calories. Additional broadband light can be added when ambient light alone may be sufficient illumination for analysis. The same sensor can provide identifying features of type or status of a tissue target, such as respiratory rate depth, heart rate variability, heart function, lung function, fat content, calories used or ingested, or even confirmation that the tissue is alive. Monitoring systems incorporating the ambient light sensor, as well as methods, are also disclosed.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for ambient light monitoring in a living subject, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting broadband ambient light being at least in part backscattered from or transmitted through the subject; (b) determining a measure of components of the bloodstream or tissue of the subject, said measure of component substances determined at least in part based on the detected broadband ambient light; and
,(c) generating an output that is a function of the physiology of the subject based at least in part on the measure of component substances.
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2. A method for ambient light monitoring in a living subject, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting broadband ambient light returning for detection after interaction with the subject, and further after spectral filtering or separating said light returning for detection into different narrowband wavelength ranges; (b) determining a measure of one or more component substances in the bloodstream or tissue of the subject, said measure based at least in part on the detected ambient light after said filtering or separating; and
,(c) generating an output that is a function of the physiology of the subject based at least in part on the measure of component substances.
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3. A method for ambient light monitoring in a living subject, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting broadband ambient light returning for detection after interaction with the subject, and further after spectral filtering or separating said light returning for detection into different narrowband wavelength ranges; (b) determining a measure of hemoglobin or water in the bloodstream or tissue of the subject, said measure based at least in part on the detected ambient light after said filtering or separating; and
,(c) generating an output that is a measure of physiology of the subject, said output based at least in part on the measure of hemoglobin or water. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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4. A method for ambient light monitoring in a living subject, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting broadband ambient light arriving after interaction with the subject, and further after filtering or separating the broadband ambient light into different wavebands, and generating spectral data; (b) analyzing the spectral data to computationally partition the data into more than one physiological compartment of the subject having different temporal or physiological characteristics, and into one or more blood or tissue component substances; and
,(c) generating an output that is a measure of physiology of the subject localized to one physiological compartment based on the computational partitioning of the spectral data. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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5. A method for ambient light monitoring in a living subject, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting broadband ambient light arriving after interaction with the subject, and further after filtering or separating the broadband ambient light into different wavebands, and generating spectral data; (b) analyzing the spectral data to computationally partition the data into more than one physiological compartment of the subject having different temporal or physiological characteristics, and into one or more blood or tissue component substances; and
,(c) generating an output that is a measure of hemoglobin or water content of the subject localized to one physiological compartment based on the computational partitioning of the spectral data. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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19. A device for monitoring a living subject in ambient light, comprising:
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(a) a sensor configured to detect broadband ambient light being backscattered from or transmitted through the subject, and, (b) a processor, and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the processor, the one or more programs including instructions for determining a measure of component substances in the bloodstream or tissue of the subject, said measure determined at least in part based on the detected ambient light, and generating an output that is a function of the physiology of the subject based at least in part on the measure of component substances - View Dependent Claims (23)
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20. A device for monitoring a living subject in ambient light, comprising:
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(a) a sensor configured to detect broadband ambient light returning for detection after interaction with the subject, said sensor further comprising at least one narrowband spectral filter configured to produce at least one sensor region sensitive to a predetermined waveband of detected broadband ambient light returning for detection; and
,(b) a processor, and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the processor, the one or more programs including instructions for determining a measure of one or more component substances in the bloodstream or tissue of the subject, said measure based at least in part on the detected ambient light after said filtering or separating; and
generating an output that is a function of the physiology of the subject based at least in part on the measure of component substances - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 28)
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21. A device for monitoring a living subject in ambient light, comprising:
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(a) a sensor configured to detect broadband ambient light returning for detection after interaction with the subject, said sensor further comprising at least one narrowband spectral filter configured to produce at least one sensor region, each sensor region sensitive to a predetermined waveband of detected broadband ambient light returning for detection; and
,(b) a processor, and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the processor, the one or more programs including instructions for determining at least a measure of hemoglobin or water in the bloodstream of the subject, said measure determined at least in part on a spectral analysis of the detected light, and for generating an output that is a function of the physiology of the subject, said output based at least in part on the measure of hemoglobin or water in the bloodstream of the subject.
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22. A device for monitoring a living subject in ambient light, comprising:
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(a) a sensor configured to detect broadband ambient light returning for detection after interaction with the subject, said sensor further comprising at least one narrowband spectral filter configured to produce at least one sensor region, each sensor region sensitive to a predetermined waveband of detected broadband ambient light returning for detection; and
to generate spectral data; and
,(b) a processor, and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the processor, the one or more programs including instructions for analyzing the collected spectral data to computationally partition the data into more than one physiological compartment of different temporal or physiological characteristics, and into more than one blood or tissue component;
determining a measure of hemoglobin or water content of the subject localized to one physiological compartment, said measure of measure of hemoglobin or water content determined at least in part based on the computational partition; and
, generating an output that is a function of the physiology of the subject, said output based at least in part on the measure of hemoglobin or water in the bloodstream of the subject. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification