Time-based unobtrusive active eye interrogation

• US 9,101,297 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2012
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Brown, Allen L. Jr., Burger, Douglas C., Horvitz, Eric, Hyde, Roderick A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Leuthardt, Eric C., Kare, Jordin T., Karkanias, Chris Demetrios, Manferdelli, John L., Mundie, Craig J., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Pell, Barney, Tegreene, Clarence T., Wattenburg, Willard H., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Zare, Richard N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Stephone B
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, BRANDI N
• Application Number:
  US13/711,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20140160434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 351/243, 351/205, 351208-210, 351/211, 351/221, 351/200, 351/203, 351/206, 351/223
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0025 characterised by electronic signal processing, e.g. eye models
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0041 characterised by display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0091 Fixation targets for viewing direction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/10 Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/152 for aligning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• 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 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/163 by tracking eye movement, gaze, or pupil change
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/42 Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the gastrointestinal, the endocrine or the exocrine systems A61B1/00, A61B5/4857, A61B5/486, A61B5/4866, A61B5/4869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6821 Eye
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor

Abstract

Methods and systems for determining a physiological parameter of a subject through interrogation of an eye of the subject with an optical signal are described. Interrogation is performed unobtrusively. The physiological parameter is determined from a signal sensed from the eye of a subject according to a schedule, under the control of a scheduling controller.

Claims

1. A system for sensing information from an eye of a subject, comprising:

an interrogation signal source for delivering an interrogation signal to the eye of the subject;

a response signal sensor for sensing a response signal produced by the eye of the subject responsive to the interrogation signal; and

signal processing circuitry including;

a response signal processor configured to process a response signal sensed from the eye of the subject to determine a physiological parameter from the response signal; and

a scheduling controller configured to direct collection of samples of the physiological parameter according to a schedule.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the scheduling controller is configured to direct collection of a predetermined number of samples of the physiological parameter during a sampling period.

3. The system of claim 1, including:

a gaze signal sensor adapted for receiving a gaze signal containing information indicative of a gaze direction of the eye of the subject;

wherein the signal processing circuitry includes;

a gaze signal processor configured to determine the gaze direction of the eye of the subject based upon the gaze signal; and

an alignment detector configured to determine whether the eye of the subject is in alignment with respect to at least one of the interrogation signal source and the response signal sensor; and

wherein the response signal processor is configured to process the response signal sensed from the eye of the subject when the eye of the subject is in alignment with respect to the at least one of the interrogation signal source and the response signal sensor to determine the physiological parameter from the response signal.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the scheduling controller is configured to direct collection of a predetermined number of samples of the physiological parameter during a sampling period.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the signal processing circuitry is configured to cause the alignment of the eye of the subject with respect to the at least one of the interrogation signal source and the response signal sensor if a predetermined number of samples meeting an acceptance criterion has not been collected within a predetermined portion of the sampling period.

6. The system of claim 5, including:

at least one actuator configured to move at least one of the interrogation signal source and the response signal sensor;

wherein the signal processing circuitry is configured to cause the alignment of the eye of the subject with respect to the at least one of the interrogation signal source and the response signal sensor by directing the actuator to move at least one of the interrogation signal source and the response signal sensor into alignment with the eye of the subject.

7. The system of claim 5, including:

a gaze attractor adapted to attract the gaze of the subject to thereby cause the eye of the subject to move into alignment with at least one of the interrogation signal source and the response signal sensor;

wherein the signal processing circuitry is configured to activate the gaze attractor to cause the alignment of the eye of the subject with respect to the at least one of the interrogation signal source and the response signal sensor if a predetermined number of samples meeting an acceptance criterion has not been collected within a predetermined portion of the sampling period.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the response signal sensor is adapted to sense a response signal from an interior of the eye of the subject responsive to the interrogation signal.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the interrogation signal source is adapted to deliver a pulsed interrogation signal.

15. The system of claim 3, wherein the gaze signal sensor includes at least one camera, infrared camera, CCD camera, optical sensor, or optical sensor array.

16. The system of claim 1, including at least one of an output structure adapted to output a signal relating to the determined physiological parameter and a display adapted to display information relating to the determined physiological parameter.

10. A system for controlling the sensing of information from an eye of a subject, comprising:

signal processing circuitry including;

a response signal input adapted to receive a response signal sensed from the eye of the subject by a response signal sensor responsive to delivery of an interrogation signal to the eye of the subject;

a response signal processor configured to process the response signal sensed from the eye of the subject by the response signal sensor to determine a physiological parameter from the response signal; and

a scheduling controller configured to direct collection of samples of the physiological parameter according to a schedule.

11. The system of claim 10, including:

a gaze signal input adapted to receive a gaze signal containing information indicative of a gaze direction of the eye of the subject sensed from at least the eye of the subject;

a gaze signal processor configured to determine the gaze direction of the eye of the subject based upon the gaze signal; and

an alignment detector configured to determine whether the eye of the subject is in alignment with respect to at least one of the interrogation signal source and the response signal sensor based at least in part upon the gaze direction.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the response signal processor is configured to process the response signal sensed from the eye of the subject by the response signal sensor when the eye of the subject is in alignment with respect to the at least one of the interrogation signal source and the response signal sensor to determine at least one of a measurement of oxygenation, a measurement of blood glucose, a heart rate, a measurement of glycosylated hemoglobin, a temperature, a body temperature, a blood flow, or a substance in the eye of the subject from the response signal.

12. A system comprising:

a housing;

an interrogation signal source housed in the housing and adapted for delivering an interrogation signal to an eye of a subject, the interrogation signal source including at least one light source and at least one optical system;

a response signal sensor housed within the housing and adapted for sensing a response signal produced by the eye of the subject responsive to the interrogation signal, the response signal containing information regarding a physiological parameter of the subject;

signal processing circuitry including;

a response signal processor configured to process a response signal sensed from the eye of the subject to determine a physiological parameter from the response signal; and

a scheduling controller configured to direct collection of samples of the physiological parameter according to a schedule;

an output structure adapted for transmitting an output signal; and

mounting means adapted for mounting the housing with respect to a display in such a manner that the interrogation signal source and response signal sensor are alignable with the eye of the subject during normal use of the display by the subject.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the mounting means is adapted for mounting the housing with respect to the display such that during normal use of the display by the subject, the interrogation signal source and response signal sensor are positioned within the visual field of at least one eye of the subject.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the mounting means is adapted for mounting the housing with respect to the display such that the interrogation signal source and response signal sensor are oriented in substantially the same direction as the display surface of the display.