Noninvasive physiological analysis using excitation-sensor modules and related devices and methods

• US 8,512,242 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2012
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yukka Magic LLC
• Original Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Inventors: LeBoeuf, Steven Francis, Tucker, Jesse Berkley, Aumer, Michael Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US13/554,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20120283578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 600/310, 600/322, 600/500, 600/502, 600/503, 600/309
• US Class Current: 600/309
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02116 of pulse wave amplitude A61B5/02225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02141 Details of apparatus construction, e.g. pump units or housings therefor, cuff pressurising systems, arrangements of fluid conduits or circuits A61B5/02233, A61B5/0235 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0295 using plethysmography, i.e. measuring the variations in the volume of a body part as modified by the circulation of blood therethrough, e.g. impedance plethysmography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/721 using a separate sensor to detect motion or using motion information derived from signals other than the physiological signal to be measured

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for qualifying and quantifying excitation-dependent physiological information extracted from wearable sensors in the midst of interference from unwanted sources are provided. An organism is interrogated with at least one excitation energy, energy response signals from two or more distinct physiological regions are sensed, and these signals are processed to generate an extracted signal. The extracted signal is compared with a physiological model to qualify and/or quantify a physiological property. Additionally, important physiological information can be qualified and quantified by comparing the excitation wavelength-dependent response, measured via wearable sensors, with a physiological model.

Claims

1. An apparatus that monitors at least one physiological property of an organism, wherein the apparatus is configured to be worn by the organism, wherein the apparatus comprises:

at least one energy emitter configured to direct energy at a target region of the organism and at a region adjacent the target region, wherein the target region comprises substantially more blood vessels or blood flow than the adjacent region;

at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal from the target region and an energy response signal from the adjacent region; and

at least one processor in communication with the at least one detector, wherein the at least one processor is configured to process the detected signals to produce an extracted energy response signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one energy emitter is configured to direct electromagnetic radiation, mechanical energy, acoustical energy, electrical energy, and/or thermal energy at the target region and at the adjacent region.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to subtract the energy response signal from the adjacent region from the energy response signal from the target region to produce the extracted energy response signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to differentially amplify the energy response signal from the target region and the energy response signal from the adjacent region prior to producing the extracted energy response signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to compare the extracted energy response signal with a physiological model to assess a physiological condition of the organism.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter in communication with the at least one processor that is configured to transmit the extracted energy response signal to a remote computing device, communication device, and/or entertainment device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the transmitter comprises a wireless transmitter.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one energy emitter comprises at least one optical emitter.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one optical emitter is selected from the group consisting of laser diodes (LDs), light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one optical emitter comprises at least one array of optical emitters.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one array of optical emitters comprises at least one monolithic array of optical emitters.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one array of optical emitters comprises at least one partially monolithic array of optical emitters.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one detector is selected from the group consisting of acoustic detectors, auscultatory detectors, motion detectors, optical detectors, thermal detectors, and piezoelectric detectors.

14. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the physiological condition of the organism includes properties of skin, blood, and/or blood vessels of the organism.

15. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the physiological condition of the organism comprises one or more of the following:

blood pressure, volume of blood flow through a blood vessel, and size of at least one blood vessel.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one detector comprises at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal associated with skin, blood, and/or at least one blood vessel of the organism.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one detector comprises at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal from the target region and at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal from the adjacent region.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal from the target region comprises at least one array of detectors, and wherein the at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal from the adjacent region comprises at least one array of detectors.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one energy emitter is configured to direct electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one detector is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one detector is configured to measure blood flow in the organism by detecting electromagnetic radiation at a first wavelength, and wherein the at least one detector is configured to measure motion of the organism by detecting electromagnetic radiation at a second wavelength that is shorter than the first wavelength.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one energy emitter comprises at least one flexible polymer-based energy emitter.

23. An apparatus that monitors at least one physiological property of an organism, comprising:

a housing configured to be worn by the organism;

at least one energy emitter attached to the housing that is configured to direct energy at a target region of the organism and at a region adjacent the target region, wherein the target region comprises substantially more blood vessels or blood flow than the adjacent region;

at least one detector attached to the housing that is configured to detect an energy response signal from the target region and an energy response signal from the adjacent region; and

at least one processor attached to the housing, wherein the at least one processor is in communication with the at least one detector and is configured to process the detected signals to produce an extracted energy response signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the housing comprises an earpiece configured to be attached to an ear of the organism.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is configured to compare the extracted energy response signal with a physiological model to assess a physiological condition of the organism.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one energy emitter is configured to direct electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one detector is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one detector is configured to measure blood flow in the organism by detecting electromagnetic radiation at a first wavelength, and wherein the at least one detector is configured to measure motion of the organism by detecting electromagnetic radiation at a second wavelength that is shorter than the first wavelength.

25. An apparatus that monitors at least one physiological property of an organism, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one array of optical emitters configured to direct electromagnetic radiation at a target region of the organism, wherein at least one optical emitter in the array is configured to be electrically biased by at least one processor so as to detect an energy response signal from the target region and an energy response signal from a region adjacent to the target region;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to process the detected signals to produce an extracted energy response signal.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the at least one processor is configured to compare the extracted energy response signal with a physiological model to assess a physiological condition of the organism.

31. An apparatus that monitors at least one physiological property of an organism, wherein the apparatus is configured to be worn by the organism, wherein the apparatus comprises:

at least one energy emitter configured to direct energy at a target region of the organism;

at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal from the target region and an energy response signal from a region adjacent the target region, wherein the adjacent region has a substantially less amount of blood vessels or blood flow than the target region; and

at least one processor in communication with the at least one detector, wherein the at least one processor is configured to process the detected signals to produce an extracted energy response signal and to compare the extracted energy response signal with a physiological model to assess a physiological condition of the organism.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one energy emitter is configured to direct electromagnetic radiation, mechanical energy, acoustical energy, electrical energy, and/or thermal energy at the target region.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one processor is configured to subtract the energy response signal from the adjacent region from the energy response signal from the target region to produce the extracted energy response signal.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one processor is configured to differentially amplify the energy response signal from the target region and the energy response signal from the adjacent region prior to producing the extracted energy response signal.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the at least one processor is configured to amplify the extracted energy response signal prior to comparing the extracted energy response signal with a physiological model to assess a physiological condition of the organism.

36. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a transmitter in communication with the at least one processor that is configured to transmit the extracted energy response signal to a remote computing device, communication device, and/or entertainment device.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the transmitter comprises a wireless transmitter.

38. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one energy emitter comprises at least one optical emitter.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the at least one optical emitter is selected from the group consisting of laser diodes (LDs), light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).

40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the at least one optical emitter comprises at least one array of optical emitters.

41. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one detector is selected from the group consisting of acoustic detectors, auscultatory detectors, motion detectors, optical detectors, thermal detectors, and piezoelectric detectors.

42. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the physiological condition of the organism includes properties of skin, blood, and/or blood vessels of the organism.

43. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the physiological condition of the organism comprises one or more of the following:

blood pressure, volume of blood flow through a blood vessel, and size of at least one blood vessel.

44. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one detector comprises at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal associated with skin, blood, and/or at least one blood vessel of the organism.

45. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one detector comprises at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal from the target region and at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal from the adjacent region.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal from the target region comprises at least one array of detectors, and wherein the at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal from the adjacent region comprises at least one array of detectors.

47. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one energy emitter is configured to direct electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths.

48. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one detector is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the at least one detector is configured to measure blood flow in the organism by detecting electromagnetic radiation at a first wavelength, and wherein the at least one detector is configured to measure motion of the organism by detecting electromagnetic radiation at a second wavelength that is shorter than the first wavelength.

50. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one energy emitter comprises at least one flexible polymer-based energy emitter.

51. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one energy emitter comprises a plurality of flexible polymer-based energy emitters arranged in an array.

53. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one processor is configured to amplify the extracted energy response signal prior to comparing the extracted energy response signal with a physiological model to assess a physiological condition of the organism.

54. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one energy emitter is configured to direct energy at a region adjacent the target region.

52. An apparatus that monitors at least one physiological property of an organism, comprising:

a housing configured to be worn by the organism;

at least one energy emitter attached to the housing that is configured to direct energy at a target region of the organism;

at least one detector attached to the housing that is configured to detect an energy response signal from the target region and an energy response signal from a region adjacent the target region, wherein the adjacent region has a substantially less amount of blood vessels or blood flow than the target region, wherein the at least one detector is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths and is configured to measure blood flow in the organism by detecting electromagnetic radiation at a first wavelength, and wherein the at least one detector is configured to measure motion of the organism by detecting electromagnetic radiation at a second wavelength that is shorter than the first wavelength; and

at least one processor attached to the housing, wherein the processor is in communication with the at least one detector and is configured to process the detected signals to produce an extracted energy response signal.

55. An apparatus that monitors at least one physiological property of an organism, wherein the apparatus is configured to be worn by the organism, wherein the apparatus comprises:

at least one energy emitter configured to direct energy at a target region of the organism;

at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal from the target region and an energy response signal from a region adjacent the target region, wherein the adjacent region has a substantially less amount of blood vessels or blood flow than the target region; and

at least one processor in communication with the at least one detector, wherein the at least one processor is configured to subtract the energy response signal from the adjacent region from the energy response signal from the target region to produce an extracted energy response signal.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, further comprising at least one energy emitter configured to direct energy at a region adjacent the target region.

57. An apparatus that monitors at least one physiological property of an organism, wherein the apparatus is configured to be worn by the organism, wherein the apparatus comprises:

at least one energy emitter configured to direct energy at a target region of the organism;

at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal from the target region and at least one detector configured to detect an energy response signal from a region adjacent the target region, wherein the adjacent region has a substantially less amount of blood vessels or blood flow than the target region; and

at least one processor in communication with each of the at least one detectors, wherein the at least one processor is configured to process the detected signals to produce an extracted energy response signal.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, further comprising at least one energy emitter configured to direct energy at a region adjacent the target region.