Miniature wireless apparatus for collecting physiological signals

• US 7,672,714 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cheryl C.H. Yang, Enjoy Research, Inc., Terry B.J. Kuo
• Original Assignee: Cheryl C.H. Yang, Enjoy Research, Inc., Terry B.J. Kuo
• Inventors: Kuo, Terry B. J., Yang, Cheryl C. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behringer; Luther G.
• Application Number:
  US11/462,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20070167848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 600/308, 600/391, 600/485, 600/509, 607/60, 607/118
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/259 using conductive adhesive means, e.g. gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/08 Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/04 Stops for limiting movement of members, e.g. adjustable stop G05G5/03, G05G5/05, G05G5/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/32 the contact moving in an arcuate path

Abstract

A miniature wireless apparatus for collecting physiological signals comprises an electrode pair, an amplifier module, a microcontroller, a wireless module, and a battery. The electrode pair collects a pair of physiological signals of a person under test. The amplifier module amplifies the pair of physiological signals. The microcontroller performs an analog-to-digital conversion and a data compression for an amplified physiological signal generated by the amplifier module. The wireless module modulates a digital physiological signal generated by the microcontroller and transmitting the modulated digital physiological signal to a receiver at the far end. The apparatus can be implemented by a structure of multilayered circuit boards. With the progress of semiconductor technology, all the components of the miniature wireless apparatus can be further integrated to one circuit board, or even one chip.

Claims

1. A miniature wireless apparatus for collecting physiological signals comprising:

a first circuit board having an upper surface and a bottom surface;

a second circuit board having an upper surface and a bottom surface;

a third circuit board having an upper surface and a bottom surface, said second circuit board being positioned between said first circuit board and said third circuit board;

an electrode pair disposed on said bottom of said third circuit board, said electrode pair comprising a positive electrode, said electrode pair suitable for connection to a person so as to collect a pair of the physiological signals;

an amplifier module disposed on said upper surface of said second circuit board, said amplifier module suitable for amplifying the pair of physiological signals, said amplifier module having analog circuits therein;

a microcontroller disposed on said upper surface of said first circuit board, said microcontroller suitable for performing an analog-to-digital conversion and a data compression for the amplified physiological signals generated by said amplifier module;

a wireless module disposed on said upper surface of said first circuit board, said wireless module suitable for modulating the digital physiological signals generated by microcontroller and for transmitting the modulated digital physiological signals to a receiver;

a battery disposed between said bottom surface of said second circuit board and said upper surface of said third circuit board, said battery having a positive pole and a negative pole; and

an isolated ground plane formed on said bottom surface of said first circuit board, said isolated ground plane suitable for increasing a signal-to-noise ratio of said analog circuits of said amplifier module.

2. The miniature wireless apparatus of claim 1, said bottom surface of said second circuit board connected to one of said positive pole and said negative pole of said battery so as to be a power source layer, said upper surface of said third circuit board connected to the other of said positive pole and said negative pole of said battery so as to be another power source layer.