Eyewear heart rate monitor

• US 6,431,705 B1
• Filed: 06/12/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Infoeye
• Original Assignee: Infoeye
• Inventors: Linden, Harry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung Xuan
• Application Number:
  US09/592,178
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 351/158, 351/43, 351/41, 368/10, 368/276, 368/277, 368/278, 368/279, 345/7, 345/8
• US Class Current: 351/158
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/00 Non-optical adjuncts; Attachment thereof G02C7/16 takes precedence

Abstract

A heart rate monitor adapted to be worn on eyewear such as a pair of eyeglasses, a mask or goggles. The heart rate monitor includes a sensor in contact with the bridge of the user'"'"'s nose. The sensor is responsive to pressure variations or pulses produced during a heart beat cycle. The sensor provides an analog signal having a frequency equal to the user'"'"'s pulse rate. The analog signal output from the sensor provides an input signal for a microprocessor which includes a frequency counter and signal averager. A microprocessor output signal having a magnitude which is proportional to the heart rate in beats per minute provides the input signal for an optical readout device such as a digital display which is preferably mounted on the frame or stem of the user'"'"'s eyewear. The image on the optical display is conducted to an eyepiece lens which is mounted most preferably on one of the lenses of the eyewear by means of an image conduit such as a fiber optic or fiber optic bundle. The eyepiece lens is positioned such that the image of the optical display is positioned at the focal plane of the user'"'"'s eye for comfortable viewing. In a most preferred embodiment of the heart rate monitor, the microprocessor, power supply and digital display are contained within a housing that is releasably attached to eyewear. The proximal end of a fiber optic bundle is adjustably attached to the housing and in optical communication with the digital display. A display lens is adjustably attached to the opposing distal end of the fiber optic bundle. A pair of pulse rate sensor electrodes in contact with a user'"'"'s nose provide an electrical signal containing pulse rate data to the microprocessor. The image on the digital display is conducted by the fiber optic bundle to the display lens adjustably disposed within the field of view of the user.

Claims

1. A heart rate monitor adapted to be attached to an accessory worn on the head of a person comprising:

(a) a housing having attachment means thereon, operable for releasably attaching said housing to the accessory;

(b) a power supply contained within said housing;

(c) a microprocessor contained within said housing, said microprocessor receiving power from said power supply and being operable for receiving an electrical input signal comprising a sequence of electrical pulses which are substantially synchronous with the persons heart beat at a signal input port, computing an electrical output signal proportional to the number of pulses per minute and presenting the output signal at a signal output port;

(d) a heart rate sensor comprising a pair of electrodes mounted on a nose clip whereon when said nose clip is attached to the person'"'"'s nose, the electrodes make physical contact with the skin of the person'"'"'s nose, said heart rate sensor electrodes being separate from said housing and being in electrical communication with said signal input port of said microprocessor;

(e) a digital display in electrical communication with said signal output port of said microprocessor, said digital display being operable for providing a numerical image corresponding to said output signal;

(f) an image focusing lens positioned within the person'"'"'s field of view;

(g) a rigid fiber optic bundle having a proximal end attached to said housing and in optical communication with said digital display, and a distal end affixed to said image focusing lens, said rigid fiber optic bundle being operable for conducting said numerical image from said digital display to said image focusing lens.