Controlling devices based on physiological measurements

• US 9,504,386 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2011
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: O'Connell, Brian Marshall, Kozloski, James Robert, Marzorati, Mauro, Pickover, Clifford Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Archer, Marie
• Application Number:
  US13/277,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20130102852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 600300-301, 482/4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• 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 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/409 characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40585 Chemical, biological sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention control a device based on physiological measurements associated with a user. A determination is made that a user has manually adjusted a controlled device. A context associated with the user is identified in response to determining that the user has manually adjusted the controlled device. A change is detected in at least one physiological measurement associated with the user in response to the controlled device being manually adjusted. A target physiological measurement associated with at least one physiological measurement is modified based on the change that has been detected. The context that has been identified is associated with the target physiological measurement that has been modified.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a device based on physiological measurements associated with a user, the method comprising:

determining, with a processor, that a user has manually adjusted a controlled device;

identifying a context associated with the user in response to determining that the user has manually adjusted the controlled device;

detecting a change, in response to the controlled device being manually adjusted, in at least one physiological measurement associated with the user;

modifying a target physiological measurement associated with at least one physiological measurement based on the change that has been detected;

associating the context that has been identified with the target physiological measurement that has been modified, wherein a controllable device is operable based on the modified target physiological measurement for the context;

determining that the user is coupled to a physiological response monitor and at least one other user fails to be coupled to a physiological response monitor; and

utilizing at least one physiological measurement associated with the user that is coupled to the physiological response monitor for the at least one other user that fails to be coupled to a physiological response monitor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one physiological measurement is at least one of:

a heart rate;

electrical activity of muscles;

a galvanic skin response; and

a respiration measurement.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the context is at least one of:

a time of day;

a given activity; and

a scheduled calendar event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the target physiological measurement is a time-varying function of a physiological measurement.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing at least one physiological measurement associated with the user to at least one target physiological measurement;

determining, based on the comparing, if the at least one physiological measurement substantially corresponds to the target physiological measurement;

at least one of maintaining and placing a controlled device in an energy saving state in response to the at least one physiological measurement substantially corresponding to the target physiological measurement; and

adjusting at least one operating condition of the controlled device in response to the at least one physiological measurement failing to substantially correspond to the target physiological measurement.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving at least one additional physiological measurement associated with at least one additional user;

identifying a weighting metric associated with each of the at least one user and the at least one additional user; and

comparing the weighting metric associated with the at least one user to the weighting metric associated with the at least one additional user; and

selecting the physiological measurement for comparison with the at least one target physiological measurement based on the weighting metric associated with the user having a higher priority than the weighting metric associated with the at least one additional user.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein adjusting at least one operating condition of the controlled device changes the physiological measurement to substantially correspond to the target physiological measurement.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising selecting the at least one target physiological measurement for comparison with the at least one physiological measurement based on the context that has been identified, and wherein the at least one target physiological measurement is the target physiological measurement that has been modified.

9. A system for controlling a device based on physiological measurements associated with a user, the system comprising:

a memory;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory; and

a controlling system communicatively coupled to the memory and the processor, wherein the controlling system is configured for

determining that a user has manually adjusted a controlled device;

identifying a context associated with the user in response to determining that the user has manually adjusted the controlled device;

detecting a change, in response to the controlled device being manually adjusted, in at least one physiological measurement associated with the user;

modifying a target physiological measurement associated with at least one physiological measurement based on the change that has been detected;

associating the context that has been identified with the target physiological measurement that has been modified, wherein a controllable device is operable based on the modified target physiological measurement for the context

determining that the user is coupled to a physiological response monitor and at least one other user fails to be coupled to a physiological response monitor; and

utilizing at least one physiological measurement associated with the user that is coupled to the physiological response monitor for the at least one other user that fails to be coupled to a physiological response monitor.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the context is at least one of:

a time of day;

a given activity; and

a scheduled calendar event.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the controlling system is further configured for:

comparing at least one physiological measurement associated with the user to at least one target physiological measurement;

determining, based on the comparing, if the at least one physiological measurement substantially corresponds to the target physiological measurement;

at least one of maintaining and placing a controlled device in an energy saving state in response to the at least one physiological measurement substantially corresponding to the target physiological measurement; and

adjusting at least one operating condition of the controlled device in response to the at least one physiological measurement failing to substantially correspond to the target physiological measurement.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein adjusting at least one operating condition of the controlled device changes the physiological measurement to substantially correspond to the target physiological measurement.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the controlling system is further configured for:

receiving at least one additional physiological measurement associated with at least one additional user;

identifying a weighting metric associated with each of the at least one user and the at least one additional user; and

comparing the weighting metric associated with the at least one user to the weighting metric associated with the at least one additional user; and

selecting the physiological measurement for comparison with the at least one target physiological measurement based on the weighting metric associated with the user having a higher priority than the weighting metric associated with the at least one additional user.

14. A computer program product tangibly embodying computer readable non-transitory instructions which, when implemented, cause a computer to carry out the steps of a method for controlling a device based on physiological measurements associated with a user, the method comprising:

determining that a user has manually adjusted a controlled device;

identifying a context associated with the user in response to determining that the user has manually adjusted the controlled device;

detecting a change, in response to the controlled device being manually adjusted, in at least one physiological measurement associated with the user;

modifying a target physiological measurement associated with at least one physiological measurement based on the change that has been detected;

associating the context that has been identified with the target physiological measurement that has been modified, wherein a controllable device is operable based on the modified target physiological measurement for the context;

determining that the user is coupled to a physiological response monitor and at least one other user fails to be coupled to a physiological response monitor; and

utilizing at least one physiological measurement associated with the user that is coupled to the physiological response monitor for the at least one other user that fails to be coupled to a physiological response monitor.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

comparing at least one physiological measurement associated with the user to at least one target physiological measurement;

determining, based on the comparing, if the at least one physiological measurement substantially corresponds to the target physiological measurement;

at least one of maintaining and placing a controlled device in an energy saving state in response to the at least one physiological measurement substantially corresponding to the target physiological measurement; and

adjusting at least one operating condition of the controlled device in response to the at least one physiological measurement failing to substantially correspond to the target physiological measurement.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein adjusting at least one operating condition of the controlled device changes the physiological measurement to substantially correspond to the target physiological measurement.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving at least one additional physiological measurement associated with at least one additional user;

identifying a weighting metric associated with each of the at least one user and the at least one additional user; and

comparing the weighting metric associated with the at least one user to the weighting metric associated with the at least one additional user; and

selecting the physiological measurement for comparison with the at least one target physiological measurement based on the weighting metric associated with the user having a higher priority than the weighting metric associated with the at least one additional user.