OPTICAL COMMUNICATION WITH OPTICAL SENSORS

• US 20160166153A1
• Filed: 12/16/2014
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: de Leon, Ceasar Barcenas, Holverson, Erik, Woo, Kevin, Hingorani, Vinod L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,076,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/222 Electrical cables or leads therefor, e.g. coaxial cables or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/228 Sensors with optical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission

Abstract

A wearable computing device includes an electro-optical sensor to translate received light into an electrical signal. During a first mode of operation of the wearable computing device, a physical parameter of a wearer of the wearable computing device is assessed from the electrical signal. During a second mode of operation of the wearable computing device, encoded communication data is extracted from the electrical signal.

Claims

1. A wearable computing device comprising:

an electro-optical sensor to translate received light into an electrical signal;

a logic machine; and

a storage machine holding instructions executable by the logic machine to;

during a first mode, assess a physical parameter of a wearer of the wearable computing device from the electrical signal; and

during a second mode, extract communication data encoded in the electrical signal.

2. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the electro-optical sensor is a pulse oximeter, and the physical parameter is a blood oxygen level.

3. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the electro-optical sensor is an optical pulse rate sensor, and the physical parameter is a pulse rate of the wearer.

4. The wearable computing device of claim 1, further comprising:

an optical emitter to emit a diagnostic reference light;

wherein the electro-optical sensor is configured to translate the diagnostic reference light and a communication light into the electrical signal; and

wherein the storage machine further holds instructions executable by the logic machine to;

during the first mode, instruct the optical emitter to emit the diagnostic reference light;

during the first mode, recognize the electrical signal translated from the diagnostic reference light; and

during the second mode, recognize the electrical signal translated from the communication light.

5. The wearable computing device of claim 4, wherein the optical emitter is a light emitting diode.

6. The wearable computing device of claim 4, wherein the storage machine further holds instructions executable by the logic machine to, during the second mode, instruct the optical emitter to emit communication light encoding communication data.

7. The wearable computing device of claim 6, wherein during the second mode, the received light is received from a communication cable.

8. The wearable computing device of claim 7, further comprising:

an alignment mechanism to align the electro-optical sensor with an optical emitter of the communication cable and align the optical emitter with an electro-optical sensor of the communication cable.

9. The wearable computing device of claim 7, further comprising:

an inductive loop receiver to receive an electrical charge from an inductive loop transmitter of the communication cable.

10. The wearable computing device of claim 7, further comprises:

a band to couple the wearable computing device to the wearer;

a skin conductance sensor including a first electrode positioned in a first portion of the band to contact a first portion of skin of the wearer and a second electrode positioned in a second portion of the band to contact a second portion of skin of the wearer; and

wherein the storage machine further holds instructions executable by the logic machine to;

during the first mode, apply a diagnostic electrical signal across the first electrode and the second electrode;

during the first mode, assess a galvanic skin response of the wearer of the wearable computing device from the diagnostic electrical signal; and

during the second mode, receive an electrical charge across the first electrode and the second electrode from the communication cable.

11. A wearable computing device comprising:

an optical emitter to emit a diagnostic reference light;

an electro-optical sensor to translate diagnostic reference light and communication light into an electrical signal;

a logic machine; and

a storage machine holding instructions executable by the logic machine to;

during a first mode, instruct the optical emitter to emit the diagnostic reference light;

during the first mode, recognize the electrical signal translated from the diagnostic reference light;

during the first mode, assess a physical parameter of a wearer of the wearable computing device from the electrical signal;

during a second mode, recognize the electrical signal translated from the communication light, and

during the second mode, extract communication data encoded in the electrical signal.

12. The wearable computing device of claim 11, wherein the electro-optical sensor is a pulse oximeter, and the physical parameter is a blood oxygen level.

13. The wearable computing device of claim 11, wherein the electro-optical sensor is an optical pulse rate sensor, and the physical parameter is a pulse rate of the wearer.

14. The wearable computing device of claim 11, wherein the optical emitter is a light emitting diode.

15. The wearable computing device of claim 11, wherein the storage machine further holds instructions executable by the logic machine to, during the second mode, instruct the optical emitter to emit communication light encoding communication data.

16. The wearable computing device of claim 15, wherein during the second mode, the received light is received from a communication cable.

17. The wearable computing device of claim 16, further comprising:

an alignment mechanism to align the electro-optical sensor with an optical emitter of the communication cable and align the optical emitter with an electro-optical sensor of the communication cable.

18. The wearable computing device of claim 16, further comprising:

an inductive loop receiver to receive an electrical charge from an inductive loop transmitter of the communication cable.

19. The wearable computing device of claim 16, further comprises:

a band to couple the wearable computing device to the wearer;

a skin conductance sensor including a first electrode positioned in a first portion of the band to contact a first portion of skin of the wearer and a second electrode positioned in a second portion of the band to contact a second portion of skin of the wearer; and

wherein the storage machine further holds instructions executable by the logic machine to;

during the first mode, apply a diagnostic electrical signal across the first electrode and the second electrode;

during the first mode, assess a galvanic skin response of the wearer of the wearable computing device from the diagnostic electrical signal; and

during the second mode, receive an electrical charge across the first electrode and the second electrode from the communication cable.

20. A computing device comprising:

an electro-optical sensor to translate received light into an electrical signal;

a logic machine; and

a storage machine holding instructions executable by the logic machine to;

during a first mode, assess a physical parameter of an environment of the computing device from the electrical signal; and

during a second mode, extract communication data encoded in the electrical signal.