Biometric monitoring device with heart rate measurement activated by a single user-gesture

• US 9,042,971 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2014
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Brumback, Christine Boomer, Myers, Nicholas Adrian, Yuen, Shelten Gee Jao, Park, James, Diemer, Todd Sutham
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Unsu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lamprecht, Joel
• Application Number:
  US14/154,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20140135631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 340/576, 600/407, 600/365, 600/595, 600/300, 600/309, 600/340, 600/509, 600/510, 600/521
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• 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 5/11 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 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A biometric monitoring device measuring various biometric information is provided that allows the person to take and/or display a heart rate reading by a simple user interaction with the device, e.g., by simply touching a heart rate sensor surface area or moving the device in a defined motion pattern. Some embodiments of this disclosure provide biometric monitoring devices that allow a person to get a quick heart rate reading without removing the device or interrupting their other activities. Some embodiments provide heart rate monitoring with other desirable features such as feedback on data acquisition status.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

one or more biometric sensors comprising a heart rate sensor;

an activator of the heart rate sensor;

a heart rate sensor surface area through which the heart rate sensor can collect heart rate data from a user;

an activator surface area through which the activator can receive activation signals from the user;

at least one processor; and

a memory,

wherein;

the one or more biometric sensors, the activator, the at least one processor, and the memory are communicatively connected, and

the memory stores computer-executable instructions for controlling the at least one processor to cause the heart rate sensor to;

start collecting heart rate data through the heart rate sensor surface area in response to the activator receiving an activation signal through the activator surface area caused by a single user-gesture; and

automatically stop collecting heart rate data when a heart rate reading of a predetermined level of heart rate data quality is obtained and remain in a state that does not collect heart rate data until another activation signal caused by a new user-gesture is received without requiring further user-gestures in addition to the single user-gesture.

2. An apparatus comprising:

one or more biometric sensors comprising an optical heart rate sensor;

an activator of the optical heart rate sensor;

a heart rate sensor surface area through which the heart rate sensor can collect heart rate data from a user;

an activator surface area through which the activator can receive activation signals from the user;

a feedback mechanism;

at least one processor; and

a memory,

wherein;

the optical heart rate sensor, the activator, the at least one processor, and the memory are communicatively connected, and the memory stores computer-executable instructions for controlling the at least one processor to;

cause the optical heart rate sensor to start collecting heart rate data through the heart rate sensor surface area in response to the activator receiving an activation signal through the activator surface area caused by a single user-gesture, and

provide user feedback, through the feedback mechanism, with reference to the collected heart rate data without requiring further user-gestures in addition to the single user-gesture.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an altimeter communicatively connected with the heart rate sensor, the activator, the at least one processor, and the memory, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions for controlling the at least one processor to obtain altitude data from the altimeter.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the heart rate sensor only collects data when the single user-gesture is occurring and only from a body part of the user used to provide the single user-gesture.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the heart rate sensor surface area and the activator surface area are arranged on a substantially flat plane, thereby allowing a single body part of a user to simultaneously interact with the activator and the heart rate sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions for controlling the at least one processor to cause the heart rate sensor to stop collecting heart rate data after a defined criterion is met without requiring further user gestures in addition to the single user-gesture.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus further comprises a vibration motor and the feedback to the user is provided as haptic vibration.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a housing that houses at least the heart rate sensor and the activator, wherein the heart rate sensor surface area and the activator surface area are less than 1 centimeter apart as measured by the distance along the exterior surface of the housing, thereby allowing a single body part of a user to simultaneously interact with the activator and the heart rate sensor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the heart rate sensor surface area and the activator surface area are less than 0.5 centimeters apart as measured by the distance along the exterior surface of the housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the heart rate sensor surface area and the activator surface area overlap along the exterior surface of the housing.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the heart rate sensor surface area is a seamless portion of the surface of the housing.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the activator surface area is a seamless portion of the surface of the housing.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus has only one heart rate sensor surface area.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the heart rate sensor surface area and the activator surface area form one continuous surface area.

15. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the activator of the heart rate sensor is a proximity sensor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the single user-gesture consists of the user bringing a body part into proximity with the activator surface area.

17. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the single user-gesture consists of a touch of the activator surface area with a single body part.

18. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured to be removably attachable to a wearable accessory, and the activator surface area and heart rate sensor surface area are configured to be accessible for user interaction when attached to the wearable accessory.

19. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the heart rate sensor, the activator, the at least one processor, and the memory are communicatively connected to a user interface on the apparatus.

20. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the heart rate sensor, the activator, the at least one processor, and the memory are communicatively connected to a user interface on a linked smartphone, tablet, or computer.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the user interface comprises one or more of the following:

the heart rate sensor surface area, the activator surface area, a touch screen, a display, an LED, a button, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a finger print reader, a vibration motor, a proximity sensor, and a speaker.

22. A method for monitoring heart rate using a biometric monitoring device, comprising:

receiving, by an activator, an activation signal representing a single user-gesture by a user;

activating a heart rate sensor, in response to the activation signal, to start collecting heart rate data from the user;

providing user feedback, through a feedback mechanism, with reference to the collected heart rate data without requiring further user-gestures in addition to the single user-gesture; and

causing the heart rate sensor to stop collecting heart rate data when a heart rate reading of a predetermined level of heart rate data quality is obtained without requiring further user-gestures in addition to the single user-gesture.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the heart rate sensor only collects data when the single user-gesture is occurring and from a body part of the user used to provide the single user-gesture.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the user feedback comprises an indication that heart rate data collection is successful.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the user feedback comprises an indication that heart rate data collection has failed.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the user feedback comprises one or more of the following:

average heart rate, minimum heart rate, maximum heart rate, heart rate variability, heart rate relative to target heart rate zone, heart rate relative to resting heart rate, change in heart rate, decrease in heart rate, increase in heart rate, training advice with reference to heart rate, and a medical condition with reference to heart rate.

24. The method of 22, wherein the user feedback provided comprises haptic vibration.

28. The method of 22, further comprising causing the heart rate sensor to remain in a state that does not collect heart rate data until another activation signal caused by a new user-gesture is received.