Light-guiding devices and monitoring devices incorporating same

• US 9,289,175 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2014
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• 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:
  US14/554,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20150080741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 600/310
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 monitoring device configured to be attached to the ear of a person includes a base, an earbud housing extending outwardly from the base that is configured to be positioned within an ear of a subject, and a cover surrounding the earbud housing. The base includes a speaker, an optical emitter, and an optical detector. The cover includes light transmissive material that is in optical communication with the optical emitter and the optical detector and serves as a light guide to deliver light from the optical emitter into the ear canal of the subject wearing the device at one or more predetermined locations and to collect light external to the earbud housing and deliver the collected light to the optical detector.

Claims

1. A monitoring device, comprising:

a housing configured to be supported by an ear of a subject;

an optical emitter and an optical detector; and

at least one light guide associated with the housing, wherein the at least one light guide comprises a distal end that engages a non-ear canal region of the ear when the housing is supported by the ear, wherein the at least one light guide is in direct optical communication with the optical emitter or optical detector, and wherein the at least one light guide is configured to deliver light directly from the optical emitter into the non-ear canal region via the distal end thereof or collect light from the non-ear canal region via the distal end thereof and deliver collected light directly to the optical detector.

2. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the distal end of the at least one light guide extends outwardly from the housing.

3. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the at least one light guide comprises optical filtering material.

4. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the at least one light guide comprises an elastomeric light transmissive material.

5. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the at least one light guide comprises a substantially rigid light transmissive material.

6. The monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising light blocking material positioned between the optical emitter and detector such that the optical emitter and detector are not in direct optical communication with each other.

7. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the optical emitter comprises optical coupling material, and wherein the at least one light guide is in optical communication with the optical emitter via the optical coupling material.

8. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the optical detector comprises optical coupling material, and wherein the at least one light guide is in optical communication with the optical detector via the optical coupling material.

9. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the at least one light guide comprises a cladding material that at least partially confines light within the light guide and/or blocks light from an external source from entering the at least one light guide.

10. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the at least one light guide comprises a plurality of light guides, each having a distal end that engages a respective different portion of the ear of a subject.

11. The monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of optical emitters, wherein the at least one light guide comprises a plurality of light guides, and wherein the plurality of light guides are in optical communication with the plurality of optical emitters and configured to deliver light from the plurality of optical emitters to the non-ear canal region of the ear.

12. The monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of optical detectors, wherein the at least one light guide comprises a plurality of light guides, and wherein the plurality of light guides are in optical communication with the plurality of optical detectors and are configured to collect light from the non-ear canal region of the ear and deliver collected light to the plurality of optical detectors.

13. The monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising a signal processor configured to receive and process signals produced by the optical detector.

14. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the optical emitter and optical detector are attached to the housing.

15. A monitoring device, comprising:

a housing configured to be supported by an ear of a subject;

an optical emitter and an optical detector; and

first and second light guides associated with the housing, wherein the first and second light guides each comprise respective distal ends that engage respective first and second non-ear canal regions of the ear of the subject, wherein the first light guide is in direct optical communication with the optical emitter and is configured to deliver light directly from the optical emitter into the first non-ear canal region via the first light guide distal end thereof, and wherein the second light guide is in direct optical communication with the optical detector and is configured to collect light from the second non-ear canal region via the second light guide distal end thereof and deliver collected light directly to the optical detector.

16. The monitoring device of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the first light guide distal end and/or the second light guide distal end extends outwardly from the housing.

17. The monitoring device of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first and second light guides comprises optical filtering material.

18. The monitoring device of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first and second light guides comprises an elastomeric light transmissive material.

19. The monitoring device of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first and second light guides comprises a substantially rigid light transmissive material.

20. The monitoring device of claim 15, further comprising light blocking material positioned between the optical emitter and detector such that the optical emitter and detector are not in direct optical communication with each other.

21. The monitoring device of claim 15, wherein the optical emitter comprises optical coupling material, and wherein the first light guide is in optical communication with the optical emitter via the optical coupling material.

22. The monitoring device of claim 15, wherein the optical detector comprises optical coupling material, and wherein the second light guide is in optical communication with the optical detector via the optical coupling material.

23. The monitoring device of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first and second light guides comprises a cladding material that at least partially confines light within the at least one of the first and second light guides and/or blocks light from an external source from entering the at least one of the first and second light guides.

24. The monitoring device of claim 15, further comprising a signal processor configured to receive and process signals produced by the optical detector.

25. The monitoring device of claim 15, wherein the optical emitter and optical detector are attached to the housing.

26. The monitoring device of claim 15, wherein the distal ends of the first and second light guides are in adjacent spaced-apart relationship.