APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SENSING BODY INFORMATION

• US 20150238098A1
• Filed: 02/09/2015
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: PARK, Sang-bae, JEONG, Jae-hoon, CHO, Kyung-sun, HONG, Seong-seol, LEE, Dong-jin, CHOI, Mi-jin, LEE, Sang-hoon
• Granted Patent: US 11,172,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• 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 5/1073 Measuring volume, e.g. of limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6844 Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and method for sensing body information is provided. The apparatus includes: a light-emitting device configured to emit a light signal toward an object that is to be sensed; a light-receiving device configured to detect a reflected light signal reflected from the object; an image sensor configured to detect the reflected light signal reflected from the object; and a controller configured to selectively drive at least one of the light-receiving device and the image sensor according to a distance between the object and the light-emitting device and to sense volume information or blood flow information of the object by using the reflected light signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sensing body information, the apparatus comprising:

a light-emitting device configured to emit light toward an object that is to be sensed;

a light-receiving device configured to detect reflected light reflected from the object;

an image sensor configured to detect the reflected light; and

a controller configured to;

selectively drive at least one of the light-receiving device and the image sensor according to a distance between the object and the light-emitting device; and

to determine at least one of volume information of the object and blood flow information of the object based on the reflected light.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the distance between the object and the light-emitting device is within a first distance, the controller determines the blood flow information, and when the distance between the object and the light-emitting device exceeds the first distance, the controller determines the volume information of the object.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the distance between the object and the light-emitting device is within the first distance, the controller determines the blood flow information using the light-receiving device, and when the distance between the object and the light-emitting device exceeds the first distance, the controller determines the volume information using one of the light-receiving device and the image sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein, when the distance between the object and the light-emitting device exceeding the first distance and is within a second distance, the controller determines volume information about an area of the object, and when the distance between the object and the light-emitting device exceeds the first distance and the second distance, the controller determines the volume information about a whole area of the object using the image sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller activates the image sensor to sense a saturation of the reflected light and the controller selectively selects at least one of the light-receiving device and the image sensor according to an amount of the saturation,

wherein the saturation varies according to the distance between the object and the light-emitting device.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the light-emitting device, the light-receiving device, and the image sensor are integrated into a single sensor module,

wherein the image sensor is disposed in a center of the sensor module, the light-emitting device comprises a plurality of light-emitting devices disposed in a peripheral area of the image sensor, and the light-receiving device comprises a plurality of light-receiving devices disposed in conjunction with the plurality of light-emitting devices, which that each of the plurality of light-receiving devices is paired with one of the plurality of light-emitting devices.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a transparent display configured to cover the sensor module, to transmit the light emitted from the light-emitting device and the reflected light reflected from the object,

wherein the controller controls the transparent display to display at least one of the blood flow information and the volume information.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the blood flow information comprises heart rate information and artery hardening information, and the volume information comprises at least one of a body image, weight information, body circumference information, and a body mass index (BMI) value of the object,

wherein the controller controls the transparent display to display at least one of the heart rate information, the artery hardening information, and the body image, the weight information, the body circumference information, and the BMI value of the object.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, in response to a user touching the transparent display, the controller determines that the distance between the object and the light-emitting device is within the first distance.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a communicator configured to communicate with an external display apparatus,

wherein the controller controls the communicator to transmit at least one of the volume information and the blood flow information to the external display apparatus.

11. A method of sensing body information, the method comprising:

determining a distance between an object that is to be sensed and a light-emitting device that emits light toward the object;

selecting at least one of a light-receiving device and an image sensor to detect reflected light reflected from the object according to the distance between the object and the light-emitting device;

acquiring the reflected light using the selected at least one of the light-receiving device and the image sensor; and

determining volume information and blood flow information of the object by using the reflected light.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

when the distance between the object and the light-emitting device is within a first distance, determining the blood flow information of the object; and

when the distance between the object and the light-emitting device exceeds the first distance, determining the volume information of the object.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

when the distance between the object and the light-emitting device is within the first distance, determining the blood flow information is by using the light-receiving device, and

when the distance between the object and the light-emitting device exceeds the first distance, determining the volume information by using one of the light-receiving device and the image sensor.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

when the distance between the object and the light-emitting device exceeds the first distance and is within a second distance, determining the volume information about an area of the object by using the light-receiving device, and

when the distance between the object and the light-emitting device exceeds the first distance and the second distance, determining the volume information about a whole area of the object by using the image sensor.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

activating the image sensor, and thereby determining a saturation of the reflected light signal, and

determining the distance between the object and the light-emitting device according to an amount of the saturation.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the light-emitting device, the light-receiving device, and the image sensor are integrated into a single sensor module,

wherein the image sensor is disposed in a center of the sensor module, the light-emitting device comprises a plurality of light-emitting devices disposed in a peripheral area of the image sensor, and the light-receiving device comprises a plurality of light-receiving devices disposed in conjunction with the plurality of light emitting devices, such that each of the plurality of light receiving devices is paired with one of the plurality of light emitting devices.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying at least one of the blood flow information and the volume information on a transparent display.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the blood flow information comprises heart rate information and artery hardening information, and the volume information comprises at least one of a body image, weight information, body circumference information, and a BMI value of the object,

wherein the displaying at least one of the blood flow information and the volume information comprises displaying at least one of the heart rate information, the artery hardening information, the body image, the weight information, the body circumference information, and the BMI value of the object is displayed on the transparent display.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

in response to a user touching the transparent display, determining that the distance between the object and the light-emitting device is within the first distance.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting one of the volume information and the blood flow information to an external display apparatus.

21. An apparatus for sensing body information, the apparatus comprising:

a light-emitting device configured to emit light toward an object that is to be sensed;

a light-receiving device configured to detect reflected light reflected from the object;

an image sensor configured to detect the reflected light; and

a controller configured to;

selectively operate in one of a first operation mode for determining blood flow information of the object by using the light-receiving device, a second operation mode for determining volume information of the object by using the light-receiving device, and a third operation mode for determining the volume information of the object by using the image sensor.

22. A sensing apparatus comprising:

a light emitting device which emits light;

a light receiving device which receives reflected light emitted by the light emitting device and reflected off an object;

an image sensor which detects the reflected light;

a controller which determines a distance between the object and the light receiving device;

selects operation of at least one of the light receiving device and the image sensor based on the distance between the object and the light receiving device; and

determines at least one of a volume of the object and information regarding a blood flow within the object based on the reflected light.