Pulse measurement device, method and medium controlling sensor according to exercise activity level

• US 8,727,999 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2007
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Youn Ho, Shin, Kun Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kahelin, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): MESSERSMITH, ERIC J
• Application Number:
  US11/783,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20070244399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,602 Days
• Field of Search: 600323-340, 600500-503
• US Class Current: 600/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only

Abstract

A pulse measurement device for more precisely measuring a pulse, including a sensing unit to sense a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal and an acceleration signal obtained from a user, a pressure control unit to control pressure applied to the sensing unit, and a signal determination unit to determine an optimum pressure range by analyzing the PPG signal varying with a change of the pressure applied to the sensing unit by the pressure control unit and to determine an exercise level of the user by using the acceleration signal.

Claims

1. A pulse measurement device, comprising:

a sensing unit to sense a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal and to directly sense an acceleration signal obtained from a user;

a pressure control unit to control pressure applied to the sensing unit;

a light amount control unit to control an amount of incident light on the sensing unit; and

a signal determination unit to determine an optimum pressure range by analyzing the PPG signal varying with a change of the pressure applied to the sensing unit by the pressure control unit and to determine an exercise level of an activity of the user by using the acceleration signal,

wherein the optimal pressure range corresponds to a range of maximum peak values of the PPG signal which have a value greater than a preset percentage of a maximum value among the maximum peak values of the PPG signal,

wherein the optimal pressure range is a range of pressure values from a minimum pressure value to a maximum pressure value, in which external pressure is applied in accordance with the user'"'"'s exercise level, the minimum pressure value corresponds to a first maximum peak value of the PPG signal having a value corresponding to the preset percentage of the maximum value among the maximum peak values, and the maximum pressure value corresponds to a second maximum peak value of the PPG signal having a value corresponding to the preset percentage of the maximum value among the maximum peak values, and

when the exercise level is determined by the signal determination unit as corresponding to a relatively high level of activity, the pressure control unit controls the pressure applied to the sensing unit to exceed the optimum pressure range and the light amount control unit controls the amount of incident light on the sensing unit to be increased to compensate for any decrease in the PPG signal due to the pressure control unit controlling the pressure to exceed the optimum pressure range.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the pressure control unit controls the pressure applied to the sensing unit to be the minimum pressure of the optimum pressure range when the exercise level corresponds to a rest state.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the pressure control unit controls the pressure applied to the sensing unit to be the maximum pressure of the optimum pressure range when the exercise level corresponds to a light walking state.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the light amount control unit selectively controls the amount of incident light applied to the sensing unit by only increasing the incident light when the exercise level is determined to be a relatively high level of activity and the pressure applied to the sensing unit exceeds the optimum pressure range.

5. A pulse measurement device, comprising:

a sensing unit to sense a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal and an acceleration signal obtained from a user;

a pressure control unit to control pressure applied to the sensing unit;

a light amount control unit to control an amount of incident light on the sensing unit; and

a signal determination unit to determine an optimum pressure range to be applied to the sensing unit by analyzing the PPG signal varying with a change of the pressure applied to the sensing unit by the pressure control unit and to determine an exercise level of an activity of the user by using the acceleration signal,

wherein the light amount control unit selectively controls the amount of incident light applied to the sensing unit by increasing the incident light according to different exercise levels, and

wherein when the exercise level corresponds to a relatively high level of activity, the pressure control unit controls the pressure applied to the sensing unit to exceed the optimum pressure range and the light amount control unit controls the amount of incident light on the sensing unit to be increased to compensate for any decrease in the PPG signal due to the increased pressure by the pressure control unit.

6. A pulse measurement method, comprising:

establishing an optimum pressure range of a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor by changing pressure applied to the PPG sensor and analyzing a PPG signal detected by the PPG sensor;

measuring an exercise level of a user by analyzing an acceleration signal directly detected by an acceleration sensor;

controlling the pressure applied to the PPG sensor based on the optimum pressure range according to the exercise level of the user; and

measuring a pulse by analyzing the PPG signal detected by the PPG sensor to which the controlled pressure is given,

wherein the optimal pressure range corresponds to a range of maximum peak values of the PPG signal which have a value greater than a preset percentage of a maximum value among the maximum peak values of the PPG signal,

wherein the optimal pressure range is a range of pressure values from a minimum pressure value to a maximum pressure value, in which external pressure is applied in accordance with the user'"'"'s exercise level, the minimum pressure value corresponds to a first maximum peak value of the PPG signal having a value corresponding to the preset percentage of the maximum value among the maximum peak values, and the maximum pressure value corresponds to a second maximum peak value of the PPG signal having a value corresponding to the preset percentage of the maximum value among the maximum peak values, and

when the exercise level is measured as corresponding to a relatively high level of activity, controlling the pressure applied to the PPG sensor to exceed the optimum pressure range and increasing an amount of incident light on the PPG sensor to compensate for any decrease in the PPG signal due to the controlling of the pressure to exceed the optimum pressure range.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, in the establishing an optimum pressure range of a PPG sensor by changing pressure applied to the PPG sensor and analyzing a PPG signal detected by the PPG sensor,

the PPG signal detected by the PPG sensor is analyzed by increasing the pressure applied to the PPG sensor.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein, in the controlling the pressure applied to the PPG sensor based on the optimum pressure range according to the exercise level of the user,

when the exercise level of the user is corresponding to a rest state, the pressure applied to the PPG sensor is controlled to be the minimum pressure of the optimum pressure range.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, in the controlling the pressure applied to the PPG sensor based on the optimum pressure range according to the exercise level of the user,

when the exercise amount of the user is corresponding to a walking state, the pressure applied to the PPG sensor is controlled to be the maximum pressure of the optimum pressure range.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising selectively controlling an amount of incident light applied to the PPG sensor by increasing the incident light according to different exercise levels of the user.

10. A non-transitory medium comprising computer readable code to control at least one processing element to implement a pulse measurement method, the method comprising:

establishing an optimum pressure range of a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor by changing pressure applied to the PPG sensor and analyzing a PPG signal detected by the PPG sensor;

measuring an exercise level of a user by analyzing an acceleration signal directly detected by an acceleration sensor;

controlling the pressure applied to the PPG sensor based on the optimum pressure range according to the exercise level of the user; and

measuring a pulse by analyzing the PPG signal detected by the PPG sensor to which the controlled pressure is given,

wherein the optimal pressure range corresponds to a range of maximum peak values of the PPG signal which have a value greater than a preset percentage of a maximum value among the maximum peak values of the PPG signal,

wherein the optimal pressure range is a range of pressure values from a minimum pressure value to a maximum pressure value, in which external pressure is applied in accordance with the user'"'"'s exercise level, the minimum pressure value corresponds to a first maximum peak value of the PPG signal having a value corresponding to the preset percentage of the maximum value among the maximum peak values, and the maximum pressure value corresponds to a second maximum peak value of the PPG signal having a value corresponding to the preset percentage of the maximum value among the maximum peak values, and

when the exercise level is measured as corresponding to a relatively high level of activity, controlling the pressure applied to the PPG sensor to exceed the optimum pressure range and increasing an amount of incident light on the PPG sensor to compensate for any decrease in the PPG signal due to the controlling of the pressure to exceed the optimum pressure range.