Apparatus for Generating Data Output Containing Physiological and Motion-Related Information

• US 20160128637A1
• Filed: 01/15/2016
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Inventors: LeBoeuf, Steven Francis, Tucker, Jesse Berkley, Aumer, Michael Edward
• Granted Patent: US 10,448,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0425 Ergonomically shaped housings A61B2560/0418 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
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• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
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• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0082 adapted for particular medical purposes
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• 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 5/02433 : for infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 : Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 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 5/0816 : Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/091 : Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 : Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1107 : Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ, muscle apparatus for measuring work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 : Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 : for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 : using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 : for measuring blood gases
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• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 : Ear
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• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7207 : of noise induced by motion artifacts
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7214 : using signal cancellation, e.g. based on input of two identical physiological sensors spaced apart, or based on two signals derived from the same sensor, for different optical wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 : Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/725 : using specific filters therefor, e.g. Kalman or adaptive filters A61B5/316 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 : Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes 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: A61B 5/7475 : User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 : specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 : for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 : for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 : associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
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• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 : Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 : Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A method of generating a data string containing physiological and motion-related information includes sensing physical activity of a subject via at least one motion sensor attached to the subject, sensing physiological information from the subject via at least one photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor attached to the subject, and processing signals from the at least one motion sensor and signals from the at least one PPG sensor into a serial data string of physiological information and motion-related information. A plurality of subject physiological parameters can be extracted from the physiological information, and a plurality of subject physical activity parameters can be extracted from the motion-related information. The serial data string is parsed out such that an application-specific interface can utilize the physiological information and motion-related information for an application that generates statistical relationships between subject physiological parameters and subject physical activity parameters in the physiological information and motion-related information.

Claims

1. A photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor module, comprising:

at least one optical emitter;

at least one optical detector;

at least one motion sensor configured to sense body motion of a subject wearing the sensor module; and

at least one processor in electronic communication with the at least one optical detector and the at least one motion sensor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to process information from the at least one optical detector and the at least one motion sensor into a serial data output of subject physiological information.

2. The PPG sensor module of claim 1, wherein the PPG sensor module is integrated into a wearable device.

3. The PPG sensor module of claim 2, wherein the PPG sensor module is integrated within a single circuit board of the wearable device.

4. The PPG sensor module of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical emitter comprises at least three optical emitters.

5. The PPG sensor module of claim 4, wherein at least one of the three optical emitters emits light at a different optical wavelength than another one of the at least three optical emitters.

6. The PPG sensor module of claim 4, further comprising light transmissive material in optical communication with at least one of the at least three optical emitters, wherein the light transmissive material is configured to be in optical communication with the body of the subject wearing the sensor module.

7. The PPG sensor module of claim 1, wherein the serial data output generated by the at least one processor comprises subject heart rate information and information about at least one of subject heart rate variability, subject blood gas level, subject blood flow, subject blood pulse volume, subject blood analyte levels, subject breathing rate, subject breathing volume, subject blood oxygen levels, subject blood pressure, subject VO2max, the 1st derivative of at least one subject blood pulse, and the 2nd derivative of at least one subject blood pulse.

8. The PPG sensor module of claim 1, wherein the serial data output generated by the at least one processor comprises information about data integrity.

9. The PPG sensor module of claim 1, wherein the serial data output generated by the at least one processor further comprises a plurality of subject physical activity parameters.

10. The PPG sensor module of claim 9, wherein the plurality of subject physical activity parameters comprises information about subject footsteps, subject pace, and/or subject activity intensity.

11. The PPG sensor module of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to parse out the serial data output such that an application-specific interface (API) can utilize the physiological information for a health or fitness application.

12. A wearable device comprising a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor module integrated therewithin, the PPG sensor module comprising:

at least one optical emitter configured to direct optical energy to a region of a body of a subject wearing the wearable device;

at least one optical detector configured to sense optical energy absorbed, scattered, and/or reflected by the body of the subject;

at least one motion sensor configured to sense body motion of the subject; and

at least one processor in electronic communication with the at least one optical detector and the at least one motion sensor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to process information from the at least one optical detector and the at least one motion sensor into a serial data output of subject physiological information.

13. The wearable device of claim 12, wherein the PPG sensor module is integrated within a single circuit board of the wearable device.

14. The wearable device of claim 12, wherein the at least one optical emitter comprises at least three optical emitters, and further comprising light transmissive material in optical communication with at least one of the at least three optical emitters, wherein the light transmissive material is configured to be in optical communication with the body of the subject wearing the sensor module.

15. The wearable device of claim 14, wherein at least one of the three optical emitters emits light at a different optical wavelength than another one of the at least three optical emitters.

16. The wearable device of claim 12, wherein the serial data output generated by the at least one processor comprises subject heart rate information and information about at least one of subject heart rate variability, subject blood gas level, subject blood flow, subject blood pulse volume, subject blood analyte levels, subject breathing rate, subject breathing volume, subject blood oxygen levels, subject blood pressure, subject VO2max, the 1st derivative of at least one subject blood pulse, and the 2nd derivative of at least one subject blood pulse.

17. The wearable device of claim 12, wherein the serial data output generated by the at least one processor comprises information about data integrity and/or comprises a plurality of subject physical activity parameters.

18. The wearable device of claim 17, wherein the plurality of subject physical activity parameters comprises information about subject footsteps, subject pace, and/or subject activity intensity.

19. The wearable device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is configured to parse out the serial data output such that an application-specific interface (API) can utilize the physiological information for a health or fitness application.

20. The wearable device of claim 12, wherein the wearable device is an earbud or a headset, or is configured to be secured to an appendage of the subject, or is configured to be integrated within clothing worn by the subject.