Biological information evaluation apparatus

• US 6,592,528 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2001
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Amano, Kazuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US09/815,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20020072860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 600/485, 600/490, 600/493-6, 600/500-505, 600/587
• US Class Current: 600/485
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02108 from analysis of pulse wave characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface

Abstract

A biological information evaluation apparatus includes a waveform parameter detection section, a corresponding relation storage section, and a blood vessel evaluation information deriving section. The waveform parameter detection section detects a waveform parameter such as an after-ejection pressure ratio or dicrotic wave height ratio based on a pulse waveform. The corresponding relation storage section stores the corresponding relation between the blood vessel evaluation information and the waveform parameter which is derived in advance. The blood vessel evaluation information deriving section derives the blood vessel evaluation information based on the waveform parameter detected by the waveform parameter detection section and the corresponding relation. The waveform parameter detection section includes a pulse wave sensor which detects the pulse waveform, and a waveform parameter calculation section which calculates the waveform parameter from the pulse waveform.

Claims

1. A biological information evaluation apparatus comprising:

a waveform parameter detection section which detects a specific waveform parameter based on a pulse waveform;

a corresponding relation storage section which stores the corresponding relation between blood vessel evaluation information and the waveform parameter which is derived in advance; and

a blood vessel evaluation information deriving section which derives the blood vessel evaluation information based on the waveform parameter detected by the waveform parameter detection section and the corresponding relation.

2. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the waveform parameter detection section comprises a pulse wave sensor which detects the pulse waveform, and a waveform parameter calculation section which calculates the waveform parameter from the pulse waveform.

3. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the waveform parameter detection section detects the waveform parameter when there is no effect of body movement.

4. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detection instruction input section into which an instruction for the waveform parameter detection section to start detection is input.

5. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a notification section which notifies the pulse waveform or the blood vessel evaluation information.

6. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the waveform parameter is a dicrotic wave height ratio which is a dicrotic wave height normalized by a pulse pressure, the dicrotic wave height being pressure difference between a blood pressure at a dicrotic notch and a blood pressure at a dicrotic wave peak, and pulse pressure being pressure difference between a maximum blood pressure and a minimum blood pressure.

10. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a blood vessel evaluation information storage section which stores the blood vessel evaluation information; and

a change analysis section which analyzes a change in the blood vessel evaluation information based on the blood vessel evaluation information derived by the blood vessel evaluation information deriving section and the blood vessel evaluation information stored in the blood vessel evaluation information storage section.

11. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the change analysis section calculates the amount of change or changing rate of the blood vessel evaluation information relative to the blood vessel evaluation information at a specific point in time.

12. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a change amount storage section which stores the amount of change or the changing rate calculated by the change analysis section; and

a notification section which notifies the amount of change or the changing rate at several points in time stored in the change amount storage section.

13. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the notification section notifies the amount of change or the changing rate at several points in time stored in the change amount storage section by means of a graph.

14. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

an event input section which inputs an occurrence point in time and type of event which is capable of affecting the blood vessel evaluation information; and

an event storage section which stores the occurrence point in time and type of event,

wherein the notification section notifies the type of event in association with the occurrence point in time.

15. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

an environment sensor section for detecting environmental data which is capable of affecting the blood vessel evaluation information;

an event detection section which detects an occurrence point in time and type of event as an event which is capable of affecting the blood vessel evaluation information, when the environment data reaches a specific range;

a threshold value storage section which stores a threshold value for specifying the specific range corresponding to a type of environmental data detected by the environment sensor section and a type of event; and

an event storage section which stores the type and occurrence point in time of the event,

wherein the notification section notifies the type of event in association with the occurrence point in time.

16. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an event input section which inputs an occurrence point in time and type of event which is capable of affecting the blood vessel evaluation information; and

an event storage section which stores the occurrence point in time and type of event.

17. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an environment sensor section for detecting environmental data which is capable of affecting the blood vessel evaluation information;

an event detection section which detects an occurrence point in time and type of event as an event which is capable of affecting the blood vessel evaluation information, when the environment data reaches a specific range;

a threshold value storage section which stores a threshold value for specifying the specific range corresponding to a type of environmental data detected by the environment sensor section and a type of event; and

an event storage section which stores the type and occurrence point in time of the event.

18. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

a judgement section which judges whether a change in the blood vessel evaluation information is either a psychogenic change or a change accompanied by an environment or an activity based on a type of event stored in the event storage section, in association with the occurrence point in time, and the blood vessel evaluation information derived by the blood vessel evaluation information deriving section.

19. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the change analysis section comprises a basal blood vessel evaluation information deriving section which derives the blood vessel evaluation information when the basal metabolism of a subject is in a lowest region during a specific period of time based on the blood vessel evaluation information stored in the blood vessel evaluation information storage section, and a basal blood vessel evaluation information storage section which stores the basal blood vessel evaluation information derived by the basal blood vessel evaluation information deriving section, and

wherein the change analysis section analyzes changes in the blood vessel evaluation information based on the blood vessel evaluation information derived by the blood vessel evaluation information deriving section and the basal blood vessel evaluation information stored in the basal blood vessel evaluation information storage section.

20. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a notification section which notifies an analysis result in the change analysis section.

21. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a blood vessel evaluation information storage section which stores the blood vessel evaluation information; and

a basal blood vessel evaluation information deriving section which derives the blood vessel evaluation information when the basal metabolism of a subject is in a lowest region during a specific period of time based on the blood vessel evaluation information stored in the blood vessel evaluation information storage section.

22. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the blood vessel evaluation information is a physiological age of a blood vessel.

23. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising:

a data input section into which an actual age of a subject is input; and

a comparative analysis section which compares and analyzes the physiological age of the blood vessel based on the physiological age of the blood vessel derived by the blood vessel evaluation information deriving section and the actual age.

24. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising:

a notification section which notifies an analysis result in the comparative analysis section.

25. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising:

a data input section into which a birth date of a subject is input;

an actual age calculation section which calculates an actual age of the subject based on the birth date of the subject input into the data input section; and

a comparative analysis section which compares and analyzes the physiological age of a blood vessel based on the physiological age of the blood vessel derived by the blood vessel evaluation information deriving section and the actual age,

wherein the actual age calculation section comprises a birth date storage section which stores the birth date of the subject input into the data input section, and a present date calculation section which calculates a present date, and calculates the actual age of the subject based on the birth date of the subject stored in the birth date storage section and the present date calculated in the present date calculation section.

26. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the blood vessel evaluation information is a degree of arteriosclerosis of a blood vessel.

27. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising:

a data input section into which a birth date of a subject is input;

an actual age calculation section which calculates an actual age of the subject based on the birth date of the subject input into the data input section; and

a comparative analysis section which compares and analyzes the degree of arteriosclerosis of the blood vessel based on the degree of arteriosclerosis of the blood vessel derived by the blood vessel evaluation information deriving section and a standard degree of arteriosclerosis at the actual age,

wherein the actual age calculation section comprises a birth date storage section which stores the birth date of the subject input into the data input section, and a present date calculation section which calculates a present date, and calculates the actual age of the subject based on the birth date of the subject stored in the birth date storage section and the present date calculated in the present date calculation section.

7. A biological information evaluation apparatus comprising:

a waveform parameter detection section which detects a specific waveform parameter based on a blood pressure waveform;

a corresponding relation storage section which stores the corresponding relation between blood vessel evaluation information and the waveform parameter which is derived in advance; and

a blood vessel evaluation information deriving section which derives the blood vessel evaluation information based on the waveform parameter detected by the waveform parameter detection section and the corresponding relation.

8. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the waveform parameter detection section comprises a blood pressure measurement section which detects a maximum blood pressure and a minimum blood pressure, a pulse wave sensor which detects a pulse waveform, a conversion section which converts the pulse waveform into a blood pressure waveform, and a waveform parameter calculation section which calculates the waveform parameter from the blood pressure waveform.

9. The biological information evaluation apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the waveform parameter is a dicrotic wave height which is pressure difference between a blood pressure at a dicrotic notch and a blood pressure at a dicrotic wave peak.