Device And Method Suitable For Monitoring Arterial Blood In A Body Part

• US 20160249839A1
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Published: 09/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Well Being Digital Limited
• Original Assignee: Well Being Digital Limited
• Inventors: WONG, Ming Yip Wallace, MA, Chor Tin
• Granted Patent: US 10,314,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0238 Optical sensor arrangements for performing transmission measurements on body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02433 for infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6847 mounted on an invasive device
• 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 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity

Abstract

A device for monitoring heart rate or blood oxygen level during exercise is disclosed having sensors and emitters, wherein the sensors are used to monitor transmission from each of the emitters in turn. This provides a possibility, that a smaller device can be provided since less sensors and emitters can be used while obtaining more number of observations. In some embodiments, the repeated use of sensors with different emitters introduces redundancy into the device so that the device is more robust and may function even in the event that one or two of the emitters and sensors have broken down.

Claims

1. A device suitable for monitoring arterial blood in a body part, the device being suitable for wearing on the body part;

and the device comprising;

a plurality of light emitters at least one sensor;

the plurality of light emitters arranged such that light from the plurality of light emitters is capable of passing through the body part to arrive at the least one sensor, wherein;

the plurality of light emitters emits light in consecutive order to be detected by the at least one sensor.

2. A device suitable for monitoring arterial blood in a body part, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

two of the at least one sensor are arranged to detect light transmission from the plurality of light emitters; and

one of these two sensors is arranged to detect light transmission from more than one light emitters emitting light in consecutive order,

so as to detect at least three observations of light transmissions by the two sensors.

3. A device suitable for monitoring arterial blood in a body part, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

three of the at least one sensor are arranged to detect light transmission from the plurality of light emitters; and

at least one of these three sensors is arranged to detect light transmission from more than one light emitters emitting light in consecutive order, so as to detect at least three observations of light transmissions by the three sensors.

4. A device suitable for monitoring arterial blood in a body part, as claimed in claim anyone of claim 2, wherein:

the device is configured to disregard the readings of any of the sensors which fails to work properly while regarding the readings of the remaining working sensors to monitor arterial blood.

5. A device suitable for monitoring arterial blood in a body part, as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

the device comprises a support capable of being attached to the body part, the support having a curved surface;

the at least one sensor is a plurality of sensors;

the plurality of sensors being distributed along the curvature of the curved surface of the support so as to reduce the likelihood of uniform exposure of the plurality of sensors to ambient light from any one direction at the same time.

6. A device suitable for monitoring arterial blood in a body part, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the device is a ring having the curved surface capable of being attached to the body part.

7. A device suitable for monitoring arterial blood in a body part, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the device is an arm band having the curved surface capable of being attached to the body part.

8. A device suitable for monitoring arterial blood in a body part, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the device is an ear plug.

9. A device suitable for monitoring arterial blood in a body part, as claimed in claim 5, wherein

the device is suitable for measuring the pulsation of arterial blood flow, and the device is a heart rate monitor.

10. A device suitable for monitoring arterial blood in a body part, as claimed in claim 5, wherein

the device is an oximeter suitable for detecting oxygen level in blood;

the plurality of light emitters including emitters capable of emitting red light and including further emitters capable of emitting in infrared light; and

the at least one sensor capable of detecting both red light and infrared light.

11. A device suitable for monitoring arterial blood in a body part, as claimed in claim 5, wherein

the device is an oximeter for detecting oxygen level in blood;

the plurality of light emitters including emitters capable of emitting light in both red and infrared;

the at least one sensor being a plurality of sensors, including at least one sensor capable of detecting red light, and another at least one sensor capable of detecting infrared light.

12. A device suitable for monitoring arterial blood in abody part, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

three of the at least one sensor are arranged to detect light transmission from three light emitters;

each of the three sensors is arranged to detect light transmission from at least two of the light emitters so as to detect at least six observations of light transmissions by the three sensors;

the device is configured to monitor arterial blood in a body part using only four observations such that two of the at least six observations are redundant observations; and

the device is configured to disregard the two observations of any of the sensors which the device detects as failing to work properly while regarding the four observations of the remaining working sensors to monitor arterial blood.

13. A device suitable for monitoring arterial blood in a body part, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

three of the at least one sensor are arranged to detect light transmission from three light emitters;

each of the three sensors is arranged to detect light transmission from at least two of the light emitters so as to detect at least six observations of light transmissions by the three sensors;

the device comprises a support capable of being attached to the body part, the support having a curved surface;

the plurality of sensors is distributed along the curvature of the curved surface of the support so as to reduce the likelihood of uniform exposure of the plurality of sensors to ambient light from any one direction at the same time;

the device is configured to monitor arterial blood in a body part using only four observations such that two of the at least six observations are redundant observations; and

the device is configured to disregard the two observations of any of the sensors which the device detects as failing to work properly due to saturation by ambient light while regarding the four observations of the remaining working sensors to monitor arterial blood.

14. A method of obtaining observations of light transmission to monitor arterial blood in a body part, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one sensor at a side of the body part;

providing a first emitter and second emitter at different sides of the body part such that light emitted from the first emitter and second emitter transmits through the body part to arrive at the at least one sensor;

causing the first emitter and second emitter to emit light one after the other, and the at least one sensor to detect light from the first emitter and second emitter in accordance to the order in which the first emitter and second emitter emit light to obtain a first observation and a second observation.

15. A method of obtaining observations of light transmission to monitor arterial blood in a body par as claimed in claim 14, comprising the further steps of:

providing a further sensor at a further side of the body part;

causing the further sensor to detect light from either the first emitter or the second emitter to obtain a third observation.

16. A method of obtaining observations of light transmission to monitor arterial blood in a body part, as claimed in claim 15, comprising the further steps of:

causing the further sensor to detect light from either the first emitter or the second emitter to obtain a fourth observation.

17. A method of obtaining observations of light transmission to monitor arterial blood in a body part, as claimed in claim 14, comprising the further steps of:

determining any one of the sensors or emitters as failing to work properly;

disregarding the observations made with the one of the sensors or emitters failing to work properly; and

regarding the readings of the remaining working sensors to monitor arterial blood.

18. A method of obtaining observations of light transmission to monitor arterial blood in a body part, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

the sensor fails to work properly due to saturation by ambient light

19-20. -20. (canceled)