Electrocardiography device for garments

• US 20160095527A1
• Filed: 10/01/2014
• Published: 04/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Mirov, Russell Norman, Thng, Florence, Jooste, Sarel Kobus
• Granted Patent: US 9,662,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 Vests
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6808 Diapers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/74 Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient indicating measured values G01D7/00; user input means input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00

Abstract

Devices are described herein including mounts configured to removably mount electrodes and other elements of the devices to a garment (e.g., a close-fitting undergarment) of a wearer. The devices include at least two electrodes configured such that the electrodes are maintained in secure electrical contact with skin of the wearer when the device is so mounted. The devices can be mounted to garments at various locations on the torso of the wearer such that an electrocardiographic signal related to the electrical activity of the heart of the wearer can be extracted from voltage fluctuations between the at least two electrodes. Such devices can be used for continuous logging or other applications of the electrocardiographic signals of the wearer. Such logged electrocardiographic signals could be used to determine a medical or health state of the wearer.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a reference electrode;

a remote electrode;

a housing;

a signal conditioner disposed in the housing and electrically connected to the reference electrode and the remote electrode, wherein the signal conditioner is configured to extract an electrocardiographic signal from voltage fluctuations between the remote electrode and the reference electrode;

a first mount configured to removably mount the housing to a garment at a first mounting location; and

a second mount configured to removably mount the remote electrode to the garment at a second mounting location, wherein the second mounting location is separated from the first mounting location.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first mount and the second mount comprises a clip configured to clip onto material of the garment.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first mount and the second mount comprise a pin configured to penetrate material of the garment.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the reference electrode is disposed on the housing, and wherein the first mount is configured to removably mount the housing to the garment at the first mounting location such that the reference electrode contacts skin at a first torso location.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the second mount is configured to removably mount the remote electrode to the garment at the second mounting location such that the remote electrode contacts skin at a second torso location, wherein the second torso location is separated from the first torso location.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the first and second torso locations are abdominal locations.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the first and second torso locations are pelvic locations.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the first and second torso locations are thoracic locations.

9. The device of claim 5, wherein the first and second electrical contacts are configured to capacitively couple to skin at the first and second torso locations, respectively.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the garment is an undergarment.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second electrical contacts has a surface comprising silver/silver-chloride.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising a flexible electrical lead extending between the housing and the remote electrode.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transmitter disposed in the housing and configured to transmit data related to the electrocardiographic signal.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising a data storage disposed in the housing and configured to log data related to the extracted electrocardiographic signal.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal conditioner is configured to perform hardware-based and/or software-based signal conditioning, wherein the signal conditioning comprises amplification, high-pass filtering, and low-pass filtering.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising a photoplethysmographic sensor.

17. A method comprising:

removably mounting a device to a garment, wherein the device comprises;

a reference electrode;

a remote electrode;

a housing;

a signal conditioner disposed in the housing and electrically connected to the reference electrode and the remote electrode, wherein the signal conditioner is configured to extract an electrocardiographic signal from voltage fluctuations between the remote electrode and the reference electrode;

a first mount configured to removably mount the housing to the garment at a first mounting location, wherein mounting the device to the garment comprises removably mounting the housing to the garment at the first mounting location; and

a second mount configured to removably mount the remote electrode to the garment at a second mounting location, wherein mounting the device to the garment comprises removably mounting the remote electrode to the garment at the second mounting location, wherein the second mounting location is separated from the first mounting location; and

operating the signal conditioner to extract an electrocardiographic signal from voltage fluctuations between the reference electrode and the remote electrode.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the device further comprises a wireless transmitter disposed in the housing, and further comprising:

transmitting data related to the extracted electrocardiographic signal using the wireless transmitter.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the device further comprises a data storage disposed in the housing, and further comprising:

logging data related to the extracted electrocardiographic signal using the data storage.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining a health state based on the extracted electrocardiographic signal.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the device further comprises a photoplethysmographic sensor.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the garment is an undergarment.