Physiological monitoring methods

• US 8,942,776 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2014
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Inventors: LeBoeuf, Steven Francis, Tucker, Jesse Berkley, Aumer, Michael Edward, Just, Steven Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): FULLER, RODNEY EVAN
• Application Number:
  US14/298,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20140288394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 235 Days
• Field of Search: 600/310
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0082 adapted for particular medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• 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 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02154 by optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• 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 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/091 Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• 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 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 : Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 : Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 : Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6816 : Ear lobe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 : Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6835 : Supports or holders, e.g., articulated arms
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7225 : Details of analog processing, e.g. isolation amplifier, gain or sensitivity adjustment, filtering, baseline or drift compensation A61B5/30, A61B5/316 take precedence; transformers for specific applications H01F38/00; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 : Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 : Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083

Abstract

A method of monitoring a subject includes attaching a sensor module having at least one optical emitter and detector to a body of the subject, delivering light from the at least one optical emitter into the body of the subject via a first light guide that is in optical communication with the at least one optical emitter, and collecting light from the body of the subject via a second light guide that is in optical communication with the at least one optical detector. The first light guide has a proximal end optically coupled to the at least one optical emitter and delivers light from the at least one optical emitter via a distal end thereof. The second light guide has a proximal end optically coupled to the at least one optical detector and collects light from the body of the subject via the distal end thereof.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a subject via a sensor module, wherein the sensor module includes at least one optical emitter and at least one optical detector, a first light guide having a proximal end optically coupled to the at least one optical emitter and an opposite distal end with a free end surface, and a second light guide having a proximal end optically coupled to the at least one optical detector and an opposite distal end with a free end surface, the method comprising:

attaching the sensor module to a body of the subject such that the respective distal end free end surfaces of the first and second light guides engage respective portions of the body of the subject;

delivering light from the at least one optical emitter directly into the body of the subject via the distal end free end surface of the first light guide; and

collecting light directly from the body of the subject via the distal end free end surface of the second light guide.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor module includes at least one motion sensor, and further comprising sensing motion information from the subject via the at least one motion sensor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensor module includes at least one signal processor, and further comprising removing, via the at least one signal processor, motion artifacts from signals produced by the at least one optical detector in response to signals produced by the at least one motion sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor module includes at least one signal processor, and further comprising processing, via the at least one signal processor, signals produced by the at least one optical detector to detect and/or measure physiological information about the subject.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor module includes at least one signal processor and at least one motion sensor, and further comprising processing, via the at least one signal processor, signals produced by the at least one optical detector and signals produced by the at least one motion sensor to determine subject heart rate and respiration rate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor module is included within an earbud of a headset, wherein attaching the sensor module to a body of the subject comprises positioning the earbud within an ear of the subject such that the respective distal end free end surfaces of the first and second light guides engage respective portions of the ear, wherein delivering light from the at least one optical emitter directly into the body of the subject via the distal end free end surface of the first light guide comprises delivering light from the optical emitter into an ear region, and wherein collecting light from the body of the subject via the distal end free end surface of the second light guide comprises collecting light from the ear region.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the ear region is between the anti tragus and concha of the ear.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor module includes a signal processor, and further comprising executing an adaptive filter algorithm via the signal processor to remove noise from signals produced by the at least one optical emitter.

9. A method of monitoring a subject via a headset, wherein the headset includes at least one optical emitter, at least one optical detector, a first light guide having a proximal end optically coupled to the at least one optical emitter and an opposite distal end, a second light guide having a proximal end optically coupled to the at least one optical detector and an opposite distal end, and a housing configured to be positioned within an ear of a subject, the method comprising:

positioning the housing within the ear of the subject such that the housing is supported by the ear and such that the first and second light guide distal ends are not located within the ear canal;

delivering light from the at least one optical emitter into the ear in a first direction away from the ear canal via the first light guide distal end; and

collecting light from the ear in a second direction away from the ear canal via the second light guide distal end.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein delivering light from the at least one optical emitter into the ear comprises delivering light to a region of the ear between the anti tragus and concha.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second directions are substantially parallel.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the headset includes at least one motion sensor, and further comprising sensing motion information from the subject via the at least one motion sensor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the headset includes at least one signal processor, and further comprising removing, via the at least one signal processor, motion artifacts from signals produced by the at least one optical detector in response to signals produced by the at least one motion sensor.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the headset includes at least one signal processor, and further comprising processing, via the at least one signal processor, signals produced by the at least one optical detector to detect and/or measure physiological information about the subject.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the headset includes at least one signal processor and at least one motion sensor, and further comprising processing, via the at least one signal processor, signals produced by the at least one optical detector and signals produced by the at least one motion sensor to determine subject heart rate and respiration rate.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the sensor module includes a signal processor, and further comprising executing an adaptive filter algorithm via the signal processor to remove noise from signals produced by the at least one optical emitter.

17. A method of monitoring a subject via a headset, wherein the headset includes at least one optical emitter, at least one optical detector, at least one signal processor, a first light guide having a proximal end optically coupled to the at least one optical emitter and an opposite distal end with a free end surface, a second light guide having a proximal end optically coupled to the at least one optical detector and an opposite distal end with a free end surface, and a housing configured to be positioned within an ear of a subject, the ear having an anti tragus and a concha, the method comprising:

positioning the housing within the ear of the subject such that the housing is supported by the ear and such that the respective distal end free end surfaces of the first and second light guides engage respective portions of the ear between the anti tragus and concha;

delivering light from the at least one optical emitter into a region of the ear between the anti tragus and concha via the distal end free end surface of the first light guide;

collecting light from the region of the ear between the anti tragus and concha via the distal end free end surface of the second light guide; and

processing, via the at least one signal processor, signals produced by the at least one optical detector to determine subject heart rate and respiration rate.

18. The method of claim 17:

wherein

processing the signals produced by the at least one optical detector to determine subject heart rate and respiration rate comprises utilizing at least one digital filter and at least one peak finding algorithm.