Optical Pulse Rate Monitor

• US 20150250418A1
• Filed: 03/09/2015
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ICON Health & Fitness Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Original Assignee: ICON Health & Fitness Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Inventors: Ashby, Darren C.
• Application Number:
  US14/642,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20150250418A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0252 using ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0271 Thermal or temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02433 for infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6816 Ear lobe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6819 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/682 Mouth, e.g., oral cavity; tongue; Lips; Teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• 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

Abstract

A monitoring system includes a sensing unit attachable to a body part, an optical detector oriented to measure an amount of ambient light from the body part, and a wireless transmitter to transmit data collected with the optical detector to a remote device.

Claims

1. A monitoring system, comprising:

a sensing unit attachable to a body part; and

an optical detector oriented to measure an amount of ambient light from the body part; and

a wireless transmitter to transmit data collected by the optical detector to a remote device.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the ambient light is infrared light emitted from the body part based on a temperature of the body part.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the ambient light is reflected visible light.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the optical detector is oriented to detect the amount of the ambient light within a range that depicts light fluctuations corresponding to blood circulation characteristics in the body part.

5. The monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising an attachment member shaped to be secured within a piercing of the body part.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a harvesting mechanism arranged to harvest energy from an energy source external to the monitoring system.

7. The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the harvesting mechanism includes a thermopile oriented to absorb heat from the body part.

8. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the optical detector is in communication with a processor and memory.

9. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the memory includes programmed instructions to further cause the processor to determine a heart rate associated with the body part based at least in part on communications from the optical detector.

10. The monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the programmed instructions to further cause the processor to remove a motion artifact from the communications of the optical detector.

11. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the processor and the optical detector are in wireless communication.

12. The monitoring system of claim 1, further including an accelerometer measures a motion artifact representing a motion of the sensing unit when the sensing unit is in motion.

13. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the body part is an ear.

14. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the optical detector is oriented to change an optical range based on changes to a surrounding environment.

15. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein a measurement duration of the optical detector is shorter than an intervening period between multiple measurement durations and the measurement durations are less than a microsecond.

16. A monitoring system, comprising:

a sensing unit attachable to an ear;

an optical detector oriented to measure an amount of ambient light from the ear within a range that depicts light fluctuations corresponding to blood circulation characteristics in the ear;

a harvesting mechanism arranged to harvest energy from an energy source external to the monitoring system; and

the optical detector is in communication with a processor and memory that includes programmed instructions to cause the processor to determine a heart rate associated based at least in part on communications from the optical detector.

17. The monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the ambient light is infrared light emitted from the ear based on a temperature of the ear.

18. The monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the ambient light is reflected visible light.

19. The monitoring system of claim 18, wherein the harvesting mechanism includes a thermopile oriented to absorb heat from the body part.

20. A monitoring system, comprising:

a sensing unit attachable to an ear;

an optical detector oriented to measure an amount of visible light reflected off of the ear within a range that depicts light fluctuations corresponding to blood circulation characteristics in the ear;

a harvesting mechanism arranged to harvest energy from an energy source external to the monitoring system;

the harvesting mechanism includes a thermopile oriented to absorb heat from the ear;

the optical detector is in communication with a processor and memory that includes programmed instructions to cause the processor to determine a heart rate associated with the ear based at least in part on communications from the optical detector; and

an accelerometer measures a motion artifact representing a motion of the sensing unit when the sensing unit is in motion.