METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING BIOMETRIC INFORMATION

• US 20160228064A1
• Filed: 01/15/2016
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: JUNG, Sun Ok, KIM, Dong Wook, KWON, See Youn
• Granted Patent: US 10,575,785 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/04 Arrangements of multiple sensors of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4872 Body fat
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/15 Biometric patterns based on physiological signals, e.g. heartbeat, blood flow
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof

Abstract

An electronic device comprising: a housing; a first structure extending outwardly from a surface of the housing; and a plurality of first electrodes disposed on the first structure and separated from each other by an insulating material.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a first structure extending outwardly from a surface of the housing; and

a plurality of first electrodes disposed on the first structure and separated from each other by an insulating material.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first structure is disposed on a rear surface of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, further comprising a second electrode disposed on a second structure that is arranged on a front surface or a side surface of the housing, wherein one of the first electrodes includes a ground electrode, and another one of the first electrodes includes a measuring electrode.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, further comprising a memory and at least one processor operatively coupled to the memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to start measuring biometric information when a portion of a user'"'"'s body makes contact with the plurality of first electrodes and the second electrode.

5. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein:

the first structure includes a biometric sensor, the first electrodes are disposed adjacently to an edge of the biometric sensor, and the second structure includes a physical button.

6. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the first structure includes a camera, and the second structure includes a physical button.

7. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein:

the first structure includes a logo badge,

the first and second electrodes are disposed adjacently to an edge of the logo badge or in a portion of the logo badge that defines a shape of the logo, and

the second structure includes a physical button.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising a memory and at least one processor operatively coupled to the memory, wherein the first electrodes are coupled to the at least one processor via an electrode connection port disposed adjacently to the logo badge.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a second electrode disposed on a second structure located on at least one of a front surface or a rear surface of the electronic device, wherein:

the first structure includes an edge of a cover, the plurality of first electrodes includes a measuring electrode and a ground electrode, and the second electrode includes a measuring electrode.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising a memory and at least one processor operatively coupled to the memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to start measuring when a portion of a user'"'"'s body makes contact with the plurality of first electrodes and the second electrode.

11. A method for use in an electronic device having a housing and a first structure extending outwardly from a surface of the housing, the method comprising:

obtaining biometric information of a user by using a plurality of first electrodes disposed on the first structure and separated from each other by an insulating material; and

identifying a health status of the user based on the biometric information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the biometric information is obtained by using a first one of the plurality of first electrodes, a second one of the plurality of first electrodes, and a second electrode disposed on a second structure that is part of the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first structure includes a biometric sensor, and obtaining the biometric information of the user comprises at least one of:

measuring a heart rate of the user,

measuring an oxygen saturation level of the user,

generating an electrocardiogram of the user, and

identifying a body fat percentage of the user.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the biometric information is obtained in response to detecting that the user'"'"'s body makes contact with the plurality of first electrodes and the second electrode.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising outputting an indication of a failure to collect the biometric information in response to at least one of the plurality of first electrodes and the second electrode failing to make contact with the user'"'"'s body.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising outputting an indication of a progress of collecting the biometric information when the user'"'"'s body maintains contact with the plurality of first electrodes and the second electrode.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising outputting an indication of the health status of the user.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing information corresponding to at least one of the biometric information and the health status of the user in at least one of a memory of the electronic device and a memory of an external device that is connected to the electronic device via a communications network.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising outputting information corresponding to at least one of the biometric information and the health status of the user to an output device included in the electronic device or at least one of external devices connected to the electronic device via a communications network.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing one or more processor-executable instructions, which when executed by at least one processor cause to execute a process of:

obtaining biometric information of a user by using a plurality of first electrodes disposed on a first structure that is extending outwardly from a surface of a housing of an electronic device, the plurality of first electrodes being separated from each other by an insulating material; and

identifying a health status of the user based on the biometric information.