Device and method for providing feedback on breathing rate

• US 9,610,017 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2015
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BioBeats Group Ltd. (Huma Therapeutics Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: BioBeats Group Ltd. (Huma Therapeutics Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dei, Ambra, Morelli, Davide, Plans Casal, David, Clarke, Christopher Turrall, Leonard, Paul John
• Primary Examiner(s): Gedeon, Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tejani, Ankit D
• Application Number:
  US14/696,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20160296123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• 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 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/35 by template matching
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/725 using specific filters therefor, e.g. Kalman or adaptive filters A61B5/316 take precedence
• 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: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

Devices and methods for providing feedback on breathing rate are disclosed. The device comprises: a sensor interface configured to receive an electrocardiogram ECG signal; an ECG analysis unit configured to obtain a breathing rate from the received ECG signal; a feedback output mechanism for providing feedback; and a feedback generator configured to obtain an optimal breathing rate in accordance with a desired outcome and one or more heart rate and/or breathing rate characteristics detected from the ECG signal. The feedback generator is further configured to control the feedback output mechanism to output feedback synchronized to the optimal breathing rate, and subsequently adapt the feedback in accordance with changes in the one or more heart rate and/or breathing rate characteristics while the feedback is being outputted.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a sensor interface configured to receive an electrocardiogram ECG signal;

an ECG analysis unit configured to obtain a breathing rate from the received ECG signal;

a feedback output mechanism for providing feedback; and

a feedback generator configured to obtain an optimal breathing rate in accordance with a desired outcome and one or more heart rate and/or breathing rate characteristics detected from the ECG signal, control the feedback output mechanism to output feedback synchronised to the optimal breathing rate, and subsequently adapt the feedback in accordance with changes in the one or more heart rate and/or breathing rate characteristics while the feedback is being outputted,

wherein the feedback generator is configured to generate a feedback control signal having values ranging from a first limit to a second limit, the first limit corresponding to a defined point in an exhalation phase and the second limit corresponding to a defined point in an inhalation phase,

wherein the feedback output mechanism is configured to provide the feedback in accordance with the feedback control signal, and

wherein the feedback generator is configured to;

obtain a first filtered signal by applying a moving average filter with a first time window to the received ECG signal;

obtain a second filtered signal by applying a moving average filter with a second time window to the received ECG signal, the second time window being longer than the first time window;

obtain a difference signal by subtracting the second filtered signal from the first filtered signal;

determine a maximum value and a minimum value of the difference signal within a third time window;

normalise the difference signal relative to the feedback control signal based on the determined maximum and minimum values, to obtain a normalised signal having values ranging from the first limit of the feedback control signal to the second limit of the control signal; and

obtain a performance metric based on a correlation between the normalised signal and the feedback control signal, where the performance metric is related to how closely the breathing rate detected from the ECG signal is matched to the optimal breathing rate.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first time window is substantially equal to 3 seconds, and/or the second time window is substantially equal to 17 seconds.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the feedback is configured to include cues for instructing a user when to inhale and when to exhale, in accordance with the determined optimal breathing rate.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an abnormality detection mechanism configured to detect one or more predefined abnormalities based on the determined heart rate variability and/or breathing rate, and to signal a detected abnormality to the feedback generator,

wherein the feedback generator is further configured to obtain the optimal breathing rate in accordance with the detected abnormality.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising:

a network interface for communicating with one or more other devices over a network,

wherein the abnormality detection mechanism is configured to detect the one or more predefined abnormalities by transmitting the ECG signal to a diagnostic server via the network interface and receiving a diagnostic result indicating whether any of the predefined abnormalities were detected in the ECG signal.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a network interface for communicating with one or more other devices over a network,

wherein the ECG analysis unit is configured to obtain the breathing rate by transmitting the ECG signal to a server via the network interface, and receiving a message containing the detected breathing rate via the network interface, and/or

wherein the feedback generator is configured to obtain the optimal breathing rate by querying a server via the network interface.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the feedback output mechanism comprises:

a plurality of light sources distributed across the device, the plurality of light sources being controllable to emit visible light of different wavelengths in accordance with the generated feedback.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the feedback output mechanism comprises:

a speaker for outputting an audio component of the generated feedback, and

wherein the feedback generator is further configured to control the speaker to provide haptic feedback in the form of low-frequency audio.

9. The device of claim 1, configured to be held and supported by a user, wherein the sensor interface comprises:

first and second electrocardiographic electrodes disposed on a surface of the device, the first and second electrocardiographic electrodes being arranged to detect the ECG signal when the device is held by the user.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

a third electrocardiographic electrode arranged to contact both hands when the device is being held by the user,

wherein the ECG analysis unit is configured to measure a reference potential from the third electrocardiographic electrode when receiving the ECG signal through the first and second electrocardiographic electrodes.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the ECG analysis unit is configured to determine the breathing rate as being equal to a variation in peak amplitude of a pulse detected from the ECG signal.

12. A method comprising:

receiving an electrocardiogram ECG signal;

obtaining a breathing rate from the received ECG signal;

obtaining an optimal breathing rate in accordance with a desired outcome and one or more heart rate and/or breathing rate characteristics detected from the ECG signal;

controlling a feedback output mechanism to output feedback synchronised to the optimal breathing rate, wherein the feedback is provided in accordance with a feedback control signal having values ranging from a first limit to a second limit, the first limit corresponding to a defined point in an exhalation phase and the second limit corresponding to a defined point in an inhalation phase;

subsequently adapting the feedback in accordance with changes in the one or more heart rate and/or breathing rate characteristics while the feedback is being outputted;

obtaining a first filtered signal by applying a moving average filter with a first time window to the received ECG signal;

obtaining a second filtered signal by applying a moving average filter with a second time window to the received ECG signal, the second time window being longer than the first time window;

obtaining a difference signal by subtracting the second filtered signal from the first filtered signal;

determining a maximum value and a minimum value of the difference signal within a third time window;

normalising the difference signal relative to the feedback control signal based on the determined maximum and minimum values, to obtain a normalised signal having values ranging from the first limit of the feedback control signal to the second limit of the control signal; and

obtaining a performance metric based on a correlation between the normalised signal and the feedback control signal, where the performance metric is related to how closely the breathing rate detected from the ECG signal is matched to the optimal breathing rate.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is stored computer program instructions which, when executed, perform the method according to claim 12.