Methods of Monitoring Physiological Properties

• US 20150305682A1
• Filed: 07/06/2015
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Inventors: LeBoeuf, Steven Francis, Tucker, Jesse Berkley, Aumer, Michael Edward
• Application Number:
  US14/791,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20150305682A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02116 of pulse wave amplitude A61B5/02225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02141 Details of apparatus construction, e.g. pump units or housings therefor, cuff pressurising systems, arrangements of fluid conduits or circuits A61B5/02233, A61B5/0235 take precedence
• 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 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 Ear
• 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 method of monitoring at least one physiological property of an organism includes directing energy at a first skin region of the organism and at a second skin region adjacent the first skin region, and detecting an energy response signal from the first skin region and an energy response signal from the second skin region, wherein both energy response signals contain information about blood flow and skin motion. The energy response signals are processed to produce an extracted energy response signal containing cleaner blood flow information. The extracted energy response signal may be compared with a physiological model to assess a physiological condition of the organism.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring at least one physiological property of an organism, comprising:

directing energy at a first skin region of the organism and at a second skin region adjacent the first skin region;

detecting an energy response signal from the first skin region and an energy response signal from the second skin region, wherein both energy response signals contain information about blood flow and skin motion; and

processing the energy response signals to produce an extracted energy response signal containing cleaner blood flow information,

wherein the directing, detecting and processing steps are performed by a device worn by the organism.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the extracted energy response signal with a physiological model to assess a physiological condition of the organism.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising telemetrically communicating the extracted energy response signal to a portable communication device, and displaying the energy response signal via the portable communication device in real time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the energy response signals to produce an extracted energy response signal comprises subtracting the energy response signal from the second skin region from the energy response signal from the first skin region.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising differentially amplifying the energy response signal from the first skin region and the energy response signal from the second skin region prior to the processing step.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising amplifying the extracted energy response signal prior to the comparing step.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the extracted energy response signal to a remote device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein transmitting the extracted energy response signal to the remote device comprises wirelessly transmitting the extracted energy response signal.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the remote device is selected from the group consisting of computing devices, communication devices, and entertainment devices.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the extracted energy response signal to the organism.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein directing energy at the first skin region and the second skin region comprises directing electromagnetic radiation via at least one optical emitter.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one optical emitter is selected from the group consisting of laser diodes (LDs), light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one optical emitter comprises at least one array of optical emitters.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting an energy response signal from the first skin region and an energy response signal from the second skin region comprises detecting via at least one detector selected from the group consisting of acoustic detectors, auscultatory detectors, motion detectors, optical detectors, thermal detectors, and piezoelectric detectors.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the physiological condition of the organism includes properties of skin, blood, and/or blood vessels of the organism.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the physiological condition of the organism comprises one or more of the following:

blood pressure;

volume of blood flow through a blood vessel, and size of at least one blood vessel.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first skin region comprises vascular and non-vascular tissue, and wherein the second skin region is dominated by non-vascular tissue.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein directing energy at the first skin region comprises directing electromagnetic radiation via at least one optical emitter and wherein detecting energy response signals from the first skin region and the second skin region comprises electrically biasing at least one optical emitter to operate as an optical detector.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one array of optical emitters comprises at least one monolithic array of optical emitters.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one array of optical emitters comprises at least one partially monolithic array of optical emitters.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein directing energy at the first skin region comprises directing electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the energy response signal from the first skin region and the energy response signal from the second skin region comprises detecting electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising measuring blood flow in the organism by detecting electromagnetic radiation at a first wavelength and measuring motion of the organism by detecting electromagnetic radiation at a second wavelength that is shorter than the first wavelength.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a wearable device that comprises a plurality of emitters and a plurality of detectors.

25. A method of monitoring at least one physiological property of an organism, comprising:

directing energy at a first skin region of the organism;

detecting an energy response signal from the first skin region and an energy response signal from a second skin region adjacent the first skin region, wherein both energy response signals contain information about blood flow and skin motion; and

processing the energy response signals to produce an extracted energy response signal containing cleaner blood flow information,

wherein the directing, detecting and processing steps are performed by a device worn by the organism.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein processing the energy response signals to produce an extracted energy response signal containing cleaner blood flow information comprises subtracting the energy response signal from the second skin region from the energy response signal from the first skin region.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising comparing the extracted energy response signal with a physiological model to assess a physiological condition of the organism.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising telemetrically communicating the extracted energy response signal to a portable communication device, and displaying the energy response signal via the portable communication device in real time.

29. A method of monitoring at least one physiological property of an organism, comprising:

directing energy at a skin region of the organism;

detecting a first energy response signal from the skin region that contains information about blood flow and a second energy response signal from the skin region that contains information about skin motion; and

processing the first and second energy response signals to produce an extracted energy response signal containing cleaner blood flow information,

wherein the directing and detecting steps are performed by a device worn by the organism.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein detecting the first and second energy response signals comprises detecting via at least one detector selected from the group consisting of acoustic detectors, auscultatory detectors, motion detectors, optical detectors, thermal detectors, and piezoelectric detectors.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein detecting the first and second energy response signals comprises detecting electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths.