Pulse rate, pressure and heart condition monitoring glasses

• US 7,376,238 B1
• Filed: 09/16/1999
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rivas Technologies International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rivas Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: Soltis, Richard, Sternberg, Lawrence E., Rivas, Victor A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei; Xu
• Application Number:
  US09/396,888
• Time in Patent Office: 3,169 Days
• Field of Search: 381/67, 381/381, 381/327, 600490-500, 600/528, 600/529, 600/530, 600/485, 600/344, 600322-324, 362/103, 362/105, 362/276, 362/802
• US Class Current: 381/381
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head

Abstract

Battery and solar cell powered health glasses monitor the condition of a heart'"'"'s vital signs. Light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) emit light into human temples. Photodiodes capture light reflected back from the pulsing blood. The amount of reflected light corresponds to the pulse rate. Embedded circuitry cleans and amplifies the signals, which are transmitted to light emitters located in the glasses. The same signals may be transmitted to a remote receiver to be processed and/or stored. Rhythm and shape of the pulse rate, processed on a home computer and available to doctors via the Internet, indicates heart condition. The circuits provide signal triangulation verification and warning lights. The sensors may be located any place on the body, i.e. wrist bands, chest, head, etc. A transmitter sends signals to the circuitry on the glasses to display reading information and lights about heart condition, pulse rate and blood pressure. Circuits on the glasses process and display electrical signals, pressure signals, pulse rate signals and combinations thereof.

Claims

1. Heart condition monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a pair of glasses;

a plurality of light emitting diodes on the glasses for emitting light onto a surface;

a plurality of photosensors on the glasses for receiving reflected light;

electronic circuitry on the glasses and connected to the plurality of photosensors for receiving signals from the plurality of photosensors;

a power source on the glasses and connected to the plurality of light emitting diodes, the plurality of photosensors and the electronic circuitry for providing power; and

wherein the plurality of photosensors are positioned in a plane offset from the plane of light emission from the light emitting diodes,

further comprising a plurality of lamps on the pair of glasses for indicating a sensed condition of a user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power source is a battery.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power source is at least one solar cell.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery as a back-up power source to the at least one solar cell.

5. The apparatus of claim 1,

further comprising a transmitter on the glasses and connected to the circuitry for transmitting signals from the circuitry to a remote receiver.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display on lenses of the glasses for indicating the sensed condition of a user.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display is a numerical display for indicating the user'"'"'s heart rate and pulse rate.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one button on the glasses for inputting the user'"'"'s information.

9. Heart condition monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a pair of glasses;

a plurality of light emitting diodes on the glasses for emitting light onto a surface;

a plurality of photosensors on the glasses for receiving reflected light;

a plurality of electrodes positioned on a user'"'"'s body for determining heart rate;

a sensor on the user'"'"'s wrist for determining pulse rate;

a receiver on the glasses for receiving signals from the plurality of photosensors, from the plurality of electrodes and from the sensor; and

a power source connected to the glasses for providing power to the plurality of light emitting diodes, the plurality of photosensors and the receiver.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising;

a display on the lenses of the glasses for displaying signals transmitted by the receiver indicating a sensed condition of the user.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the display is a numerical display for indicating the user'"'"'s pulse rate and heart rate.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a plurality of lamps on the glasses for indicating the sensed condition of the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sensor is connected to a watch.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a radio transmitter on the watch for transmitting signals from the sensor to the receiver.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of photosensors are positioned in a plane offset from the plane of light emission from the light emitting diodes.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the power source is a battery.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the power source is at least one solar cell.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a battery as a back-up power source to the at least one solar cell.

19. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the receiver is a signal discriminator chip.

20. A method of monitoring heart condition, comprising:

providing a pair of glasses;

emitting light onto a surface of a user by a plurality of light emitting diodes on the glasses;

receiving reflected light by a plurality of photosensors on the glasses;

determining changes in the amount of reflected light received by the photosensors;

transmitting a signal corresponding to the change in reflected light from the photosensors to circuitry on the glasses;

determining a user'"'"'s condition by measuring changes in the signals received by the circuitry, placing a sensor on the user'"'"'s wrist;

sensing the user'"'"'s pulse rate by the sensor; and

transmitting the pulse rate signal from the sensor to the circuitry on the glasses.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising inputting target conditions to the circuitry;

comparing the sensed condition to the target condition; and

indicating to the user the relation between the sensed condition and the target condition.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the indicating to the user comprises displaying a lighted display on the lenses of the glasses.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the indicating to the user comprises displaying a numerical display on the lenses of the glasses.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

sending the signal from the circuitry to a transmitter;

sending the signal from the transmitter to a remote receiver;

sending the signal from the remote receiver to a home computer;

determining if the sensed condition exceeds the user'"'"'s inputted target condition; and

sending the signal from the home computer to a doctor'"'"'s office through the Internet when the sensed condition exceeds the target condition.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

sending the signal from the circuitry to a transmitter;

sending the signal from the transmitter to a home computer;

determining if the sensed condition exceeds the user'"'"'s inputted target condition by the home computer; and

dialing an emergency service by the home computer when the sensed condition exceeds the target condition.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

placing a plurality of electrodes on the user;

sensing the user'"'"'s heart rate through the plurality of electrodes; and

transmitting the heart rate signal from the plurality of electrodes to the circuitry on the glasses.