HEART RATE METER AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20150359451A1
• Filed: 08/13/2014
• Published: 12/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Original Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Inventors: Yu, Chih-Hsiung, Chung, Yung-Ming, Huang, Yen-Chih
• Granted Patent: US 9,545,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/333 Recording apparatus specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6844 Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal

Abstract

A heart rate meter and a method thereof are provided. The method is adopted by a sensing circuit of a heart rate meter, wherein the sensing circuit includes a pulse sensor and a proximity sensor. The method includes: determining whether the sensing circuit is close to a neighboring object according to a proximity output signal of the proximity sensor; determining whether the sensing circuit is hung in the air according to a direct current (DC) output signal of the pulse sensor; and when the sensing circuit is close to the neighboring object and is not hung in the air, determining that the measuring circuit can measure an electrocardiographic signal of the neighboring object.

Claims

1. A method, adopted by a sensing circuit of a heart rate meter, wherein the sensing circuit comprises a pulse sensor and a proximity sensor, the method comprising:

determining whether the sensing circuit is close to a neighboring object according to a proximity output signal of the proximity sensor;

determining whether the sensing circuit is hung in the air according to a direct current (DC) output signal of the pulse sensor; and

when the sensing circuit is close to the neighboring object and is not hung in the air, determining that the measuring circuit can measure an electrocardiographic signal of the neighboring object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the sensing circuit is hung in the air comprises:

when the DC output signal is less than a predetermined voltage, determining that the sensing circuit is not hung in the air.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the sensing circuit is close to the neighboring object comprises:

when the proximity output signal indicates that a predetermined distance is not exceeded, determining whether the sensing circuit is close to the neighboring object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulse sensor and the proximity sensor are disposed alongside one another on a sensing circuit.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the sensing circuit is not close to the neighboring object or hung in the air, determining that the measuring circuit cannot measure an electrocardiographic signal of the neighboring object.

6. A heart rate meter, comprising:

a sensing circuit, comprising;

a proximity sensor, configured to determine a proximity output signal representing whether the sensing circuit is close to a neighboring object;

a pulse sensor, configured to determine a direct current (DC) output signal representing whether the sensing circuit is hung in the air; and

a controller, configured to determine whether the sensing circuit is close to a neighboring object according to the proximity output signal, determine whether the sensing circuit is hung in the air according to the DC output signal, and when the sensing circuit is close to the neighboring object and is not hung in the air, determine that the measuring circuit can measure an electrocardiographic signal of the neighboring object.

7. The heart rate meter of claim 6, wherein when the DC output signal is less than a predetermined voltage, the controller is configured to determine that the sensing circuit is not hung in the air.

8. The heart rate meter of claim 6, wherein when the proximity output signal indicates that a predetermined distance is not exceeded, the controller is configured to determine whether the sensing circuit is close to the neighboring object.

9. The heart rate meter of claim 6, wherein the pulse sensor and the proximity sensor are disposed alongside one another on a sensing circuit.

10. The heart rate meter of claim 6, wherein when the sensing circuit is not close to the neighboring object or hung in the air, the controller is configured to determine that the measuring circuit cannot measure an electrocardiographic signal of the neighboring object.