APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEASURING PULSE WAVE

• US 20160150985A1
• Filed: 07/14/2015
• Published: 06/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: PARK, Sangyun, KANG, Jaemin, KIM, Younho, Kwon, Yongjoo, Kim, Sunkwon
• Granted Patent: US 10,159,417 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02125 of pulse wave propagation time
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7242 using integration

Abstract

There are provided an apparatus and a method for measuring pulse waves. The pulse wave measuring apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive pulse wave signals sensed at at least two points of an object; an analog signal processor configured to amplify a voltage difference between two pulse wave signals from among the received pulse wave signals and integrate the amplified voltage difference; and a digital signal processor configured to analog to digital convert a value of the integrated amplified voltage difference and obtain, from the converted value, a pulse transit time between the two points corresponding to the two pulse wave signals.

Claims

1. A pulse wave measuring apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive pulse wave signals sensed at at least two points of an object;

an analog signal processor configured to amplify a voltage difference between two pulse wave signals from among the received pulse wave signals and integrate the amplified voltage difference; and

a digital signal processor configured to analog to digital (AD) convert a value of the integrated amplified voltage difference and obtain, from the converted value, a pulse transit time (PTT) between the two points corresponding to the two pulse wave signals.

2. The pulse wave measuring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analog signal processor comprises:

a differential amplifier configured to amplify the voltage difference between the two pulse wave signals; and

an integrator configured to integrate a signal of the amplified voltage difference.

3. The pulse wave measuring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analog signal processor comprises a rectifier configured to rectify a signal of the amplified voltage difference.

4. The pulse wave measuring apparatus of claim 3, wherein the rectifier is further configured to perform full-wave rectification on the signal of the amplified voltage difference.

5. The pulse wave measuring apparatus of claim 3, wherein the rectifier is further configured to perform half-wave rectification on the signal of the amplified voltage difference.

6. The pulse wave measuring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analog signal processor further comprises an amplifier configured to amplify the received pulse wave signals.

7. The pulse wave measuring apparatus of claim 6, wherein the analog signal processor further comprises an amplitude limiter configured to limit amplitudes of the amplified pulse wave signals to a predetermined value in response to the amplitudes of the amplified pulse wave signals being equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

8. The pulse wave measuring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital signal processor is further configured to determine a point of time at which the integrated amplified voltage difference is AD converted by using one of the sensed pulse wave signals, AD convert the integrated amplified voltage difference at every determined point of time, and obtain the PTT.

9. The pulse wave measuring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital signal processor further comprises a peak detector configured to detect a peak of one of the sensed pulse wave signals, AD convert the integrated amplified voltage difference at every determined point of time corresponding to a point of time at which the peak is detected, and obtain the PTT.

10. The pulse wave measuring apparatus of claim 2,

wherein the digital signal processor is further configured to determine a point of time at which the integrator is reset by using one of the sensed pulse wave signals, and

wherein the integrator is reset at every determined point of time.

11. The pulse wave measuring apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a light emitter configured to emit light to the object,

wherein the receiver is further configured to receive at least one of the light that is emitted from the light emitter and pass through the object and the light that is emitted from the light emitter and reflected from the object, photoelectrically convert the received light, and generate the pulse wave signals.

12. A pulse wave measuring method comprising:

receiving pulse wave signals sensed at at least two points of an object;

amplifying a voltage difference between two pulse wave signals from among the received pulse wave signals;

integrating the amplified voltage difference;

analog-to-digital (AD) converting a value of the integrated amplified voltage difference; and

obtaining, from the converted value, a pulse transit time (PTT) between the two points corresponding to the two pulse wave signals.

13. The pulse wave measuring method of claim 12, wherein the integrating the amplified voltage difference comprises rectifying a signal of the amplified voltage difference.

14. The pulse wave measuring method of claim 13, wherein the rectifying the signal of the amplified voltage difference comprises performing full-wave rectification on the signal of the amplified voltage difference.

15. The pulse wave measuring method of claim 13, wherein the rectifying the signal of the amplified voltage difference comprises performing half-wave rectification on the signal of the amplified voltage difference.

16. The pulse wave measuring method of claim 12, wherein the receiving the pulse wave signals comprises amplifying the received pulse wave signals.

17. The pulse wave measuring method of claim 16, wherein the amplifying the received pulse wave signals comprises limiting amplitudes of the amplified pulse wave signals to a predetermined value in response to the amplitudes of the amplified pulse wave signals being equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

18. The pulse wave measuring method of claim 12, further comprising determining a point of time at which the value of the integrated amplified voltage difference is AD converted by using one of the sensed pulse wave signals, wherein the obtaining the PTT comprises AD converting the value of the integrated amplified voltage difference corresponding to every determined point of time.

19. The pulse wave measuring method of claim 12, further comprising determining a point of time at which the value of the integrated amplified voltage difference is reset by using one of the sensed pulse wave signals,

wherein the integrating the amplified voltage difference comprises resetting the value of the integrated amplified voltage difference at every determined point of time.

20. The pulse wave measuring method of claim 12, further comprising:

emitting light to the object;

receiving at least one of the light that is emitted and passes through the object and the light that is emitted and reflected from the object;

photoelectrically converting the received light; and

generating the pulse wave signals from the photoelectrically converted light.