Physiological Monitoring Devices with Adjustable Signal Analysis and Interrogation Power and Monitoring Methods Using Same

• US 20160029964A1
• Filed: 07/23/2015
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yukka Magic LLC
• Original Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Granted Patent: US 9,538,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0247 for compensation or correction of the measured physiological value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0266 for monitoring or limiting apparatus function
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• 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 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4266 : sweat secretion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/443 : Evaluating skin constituents, e.g. elastin, melanin, water
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 : Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/68 : Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 : Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 : Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6816 : Ear lobe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 : Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 : Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/72 : Signal processing specially adapted for physiological signals or for diagnostic purposes character recognition, recognising digital ink, document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/00; recognition or understanding of postal images G06V30/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 : for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7207 : of noise induced by motion artifacts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7271 : Specific aspects of physiological measurement analysis A61B5/316, A61B5/349 and A61B5/374 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 : Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 : Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2652 : Medical scanner

Abstract

A monitoring device configured to be attached to a body of a subject includes a sensor configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from the subject, and a processor coupled to the sensor that is configured to receive and analyze signals produced by the sensor. The processor is configured to change signal analysis frequency and/or sensor interrogation power in response to detecting a change in subject activity, a change in subject stress level, a change in environmental conditions, a change in time, and/or a change in location of the subject.

Claims

1. A monitoring device configured to be attached to a subject, the monitoring device comprising:

a sensor configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from the subject; and

a processor coupled to the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to receive and analyze signals produced by the sensor, and wherein the processor changes signal analysis frequency and/or changes sensor interrogation power in response to detecting one or more of the following;

a change in subject activity, a change in at least one environmental condition in a vicinity of the subject, a change in subject location, and a change in subject stress level.

2. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the processor increases signal analysis frequency and/or increases sensor interrogation power in response to detecting an increase in subject activity, and wherein the processor decreases signal analysis frequency and/or decreases sensor interrogation power in response to detecting a decrease in subject activity.

3. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein detecting a change in subject activity comprises detecting a change in at least one subject vital sign, wherein the at least one vital sign includes subject heart rate, subject blood pressure, subject temperature, subject respiration rate, and/or subject perspiration rate.

4. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein detecting a change in subject activity comprises predicting a type of activity.

5. The monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising a motion sensor, and wherein detecting a change in subject activity comprises detecting a change in subject motion via the motion sensor.

6. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein, the processor increases signal analysis frequency and/or increases sensor interrogation power in response to detecting an increase in the at least one environmental condition, and wherein the processor decreases signal analysis frequency and/or decreases sensor interrogation power in response to detecting a decrease in the at least one environmental condition.

7. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the at least one environmental condition comprises one or more of the following:

temperature, humidity, air quality, barometric pressure, radiation, light intensity, and sound.

8. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the processor increases signal analysis frequency and/or increases sensor interrogation power when the subject is at a particular location, and wherein the processor decreases signal analysis frequency and/or decreases sensor interrogation power when the subject is no longer at the particular location

9. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the processor increases signal analysis frequency and/or increases sensor interrogation power in response to detecting an increase in subject stress level, and wherein the processor decreases signal analysis frequency and/or decreases sensor interrogation power in response to detecting a decrease in subject stress level.

10. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a voice recognition system, wherein the processor is configured to increase processing power for the voice recognition system in response to detecting an increase in subject stress level, and wherein the processor is configured to decrease processing power for the voice recognition system in response to detecting an decrease in subject stress level.

11. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is in communication with a user interface;

wherein the processor is configured to perform one or more of the following in response to detecting an increase in subject stress level;

increase user interface brightness, increase font size of alphanumeric characters, displayed on the user interface, increase size of an image displayed on the user interface, and increase resolution of an image displayed on the user interface; and

wherein the processor is configured to perform one or more of the following in response to detecting a decrease in subject stress level;

decrease user interface brightness, decrease font size of alphanumeric characters displayed on the user interface, decrease size of an image displayed on the user interface, and decrease resolution of an image displayed on the user interface.

12. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a change in subject stress level by detecting a change in at least one subject vital sign.

13. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device is configured to be positioned at or within an ear of the subject, or secured to an appendage of the subject.

14. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one optical emitter and at least one optical detector.

15. A method of monitoring a subject via a monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device includes a sensor configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from the subject and a processor coupled to the sensor that is configured to receive and analyze signals produced by the sensor, the method comprising changing signal analysis frequency and/or changing sensor interrogation power in response to detecting one or more of the following:

a change in subject activity, a change in at least one environmental condition in a vicinity of the subject, a change in subject location, and a change in subject stress level.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein changing signal analysis frequency and/or changing sensor interrogation power in response to detecting a change in subject activity comprises:

increasing signal analysis frequency and/or increasing sensor interrogation power in response to detecting an increase in subject activity; and

decreasing signal analysis frequency and/or decreasing sensor interrogation power in response to detecting a decrease in subject activity.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting a change in subject activity comprises detecting a change in at least one subject vital sign, wherein the at least one vital sign includes subject heart rate, subject blood pressure, subject temperature, subject respiration rate, and/or subject perspiration rate.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the monitoring device includes a motion sensor, and wherein detecting a change in subject activity comprises detecting a change in subject motion via the motion sensor.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the processor implements frequency-domain digital signal processing in response to detecting high subject activity, and wherein the processor implements time-domain digital signal processing in response to detecting low subject activity.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein changing signal analysis frequency and/or changing sensor interrogation power in response to detecting a change in the at least one environmental condition comprises:

increasing signal analysis frequency and/or increasing sensor interrogation power in response to detecting an increase in the at least one environmental condition; and

decreasing signal analysis frequency and/or decreasing sensor interrogation, power in response to detecting a decrease in the at least one environmental condition.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one environmental condition comprises one or more of the following:

temperature, humidity, air quality, barometric pressure, radiation, light intensity, and sound.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the processor increases signal analysis frequency and/or increases sensor interrogation power when the subject is at a particular location, and wherein the processor decreases signal analysis frequency and/or decreases sensor interrogation power when the subject is no longer at the particular location.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein changing signal analysis frequency and/or changing sensor interrogation power in response to detecting a change in subject stress level comprises:

increasing signal analysis frequency and/or increasing sensor interrogation power in response to detecting an increase in subject stress level; and

decreasing signal analysis frequency and/or decreasing sensor interrogation power in response to detecting a decrease in subject stress level.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the monitoring device comprises a voice recognition system, and further comprising:

increasing processing power for the voice recognition system via the processor in response to detecting an increase in subject stress level; and

decreasing processing power for the voice recognition system via the processor in response to detecting an decrease in subject stress level.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the monitoring device is in communication with a user interface, and further comprising:

increasing one or more of the following in response to detecting-an increase in subject stress level;

user interface brightness, font size of alphanumeric characters displayed on the user interface, size of an image displayed on the user interface, and resolution of an image displayed on the user interface; and

decreasing one or more of the following in response to detecting a decrease in subject stress level;

user interface brightness, font size of alphanumeric characters displayed on the user interface, size of an image displayed on the user interface, and resolution of an image displayed on the user interface.

26. A monitoring device configured to be attached to a subject, the monitoring device comprising:

a sensor configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from the subject; and

a processor coupled to the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to receive and analyze signals produced by the sensor, and wherein the processor changes an algorithm used to extract a physiological signal from noise by implementing frequency-domain digital signal processing in response to detecting high subject activity, and wherein the processor implements time-domain digital signal processing in response to detecting low subject activity.

27. The monitoring device of claim 26, wherein the monitoring device is configured to be positioned at or within an ear of the subject, or secured to an appendage of the subject.

28. The monitoring device of claim 26, wherein the sensor comprises at least one optical emitter and at least one optical detector.

29. A monitoring device configured to be attached to a subject, the monitoring device comprising:

a sensor configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from the subject; and

a processor coupled to the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to receive and analyze signals produced by the sensor, wherein the processor changes signal analysis frequency and/or changes sensor interrogation power at one or more predetermined times.

30. The monitoring device of claim 29, wherein the processor increases signal analysis frequency and/or increases sensor interrogation power at a first time, and wherein the processor decreases signal analysis frequency and/or decreases sensor interrogation power at a second time.

31. The monitoring device of claim 29, wherein the processor adjusts signal analysis frequency and/or sensor interrogation power according to a circadian rhythm of the subject.

32. The monitoring device of claim 29, wherein the monitoring device is configured to be positioned at or within an ear of the subject, or secured to an appendage of the subject.

33. The monitoring device of claim 29, wherein the sensor comprises at least one optical emitter and at least one optical detector.

34. A method of monitoring a subject via a monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device includes a sensor configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from the subject, and a processor coupled to the sensor that is configured to receive and analyze signals produced by the sensor, the method comprising changing signal analysis frequency and/or changing sensor interrogation power at one or more predetermined times.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein changing signal analysis frequency and/or changing sensor interrogation power at one or more predetermined times comprises:

increasing signal analysis frequency and/or increasing sensor interrogation power at a first time; and

decreasing signal analysis frequency and/or decreasing sensor interrogation power at a second time.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein changing signal analysis frequency and/or changing sensor interrogation power at one or more predetermined times comprises adjusting signal analysis frequency and/or sensor interrogation power according to a circadian rhythm of the subject.