Interface for removable wrist device

• US 9,730,591 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whoop, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Whoop, Inc.
• Inventors: Liden, Carl Johan, Tom, Brett Tobias, Ahmed, William, Capodilupo, John, Nicolae, Aurelian, Aruh, Rinat
• Primary Examiner(s): DIETRICH, JOSEPH M
• Application Number:
  US14/744,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20160367187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0475 Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0238 Optical sensor arrangements for performing transmission measurements on body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0257 Proximity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0082 adapted for particular medical purposes
• 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 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• 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 5/0255 Recording instruments specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response
• 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 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 : Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 : Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 : Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 : Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4815 : Sleep quality
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 : Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 : Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6813 : Specially adapted to be attached to a specific body part A61B5/6802 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 : Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 : Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 : Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/684 : Indicating the position of the sensor on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6844 : Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 : Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7267 : involving training the classification device
• 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 5/7282 : Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7285 : for synchronising or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal A61B6/5205, A61B6/541, A61B8/5207, A61B8/543 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 : User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 : Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 : Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 : heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 : Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0075 : Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 : Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 : Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 : relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation

Abstract

A removable wrist device in a continuous physiological monitoring system includes a mounting fixture with a pair of rails to securely retain another device, such as a battery, a watch, or a display. The rails may be curved to secure the device against displacement during purely translational movement while conveniently conforming to the shape of a wrist. At the same time, the rails can permit movement around the axis of the wrist (where significant rotational forces are not regularly encountered) to permit convenient attachment and removal of the other device to the wrist-mounted device through a rotational, sliding motion. This configuration provides an advantageous combination of ease of use (sliding on and off in a natural motion), mounting tenacity, and comfort.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a monitoring system including a processor and one or more sensors configured to monitor a physiological condition;

a strap configured to secure the monitoring system in a predetermined location on a limb of a user; and

one or more curved rails raised on an outer surface of the monitoring system providing a mounting fixture facing away from the limb of the user when placed for use on the limb, the one or more curved rails having a radius of curvature of at least eighty millimeters, the one or more curved rails including;

one or more curved flanges on the one or more curved rails forming a draw path configured for coupling to and removal from a device in a corresponding curved path, and to mechanically retain the device against pure translational displacement when coupled thereto, a mechanical stop to prevent the device from sliding along the draw path beyond a predetermined position, two or more electrical contacts positioned to electrically couple the monitoring system to the device when in the predetermined position, and a locking mechanism configured to releasably secure the device in the predetermined position along the draw path;

wherein the one or more sensors protrude beyond an inside of the radius of curvature on a bottom surface of the monitoring system when placed for use against a wearer'"'"'s skin.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more curved rails have a radius of curvature of about eighty seven millimeters.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a battery coupled to the mounting fixture as the device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the battery is configured to recharge a second battery of the monitoring system to supply electrical power independent from the battery when the battery is detached from the mounting fixture.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a display coupled to the mounting fixture as the device.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a watch coupled to the mounting fixture as the device.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the two or more electrical contacts include four contacts.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the four contacts include two contacts configured to supply power to the monitoring system and two contacts configured to transceive data with the monitoring system.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the two or more electrical contacts include at least one contact with a concave feature to receive a spring contact in the device.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the spring contact in the device maintains electrical contact and mechanical contact to hold the device in position in the mounting fixture.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the device includes a lock to secure the spring contact in place, thereby mechanically securing the device against sliding in the mounting fixture.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the strap is a wrist strap that secures the monitoring system on a wrist.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the monitoring system is a continuous physiological monitoring system.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the system can be recharged during use with a battery coupled to the mounting fixture.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the physiological condition includes a heart rate.

16. The system of claim 1 further comprising a memory in the monitoring system configured to store physiological data.

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising a light source controlled by the processor, wherein the one or more sensors include at least one light detector.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the processor is configured to process data from the one or more sensors to substantially continuously calculate an instantaneous heart rate, thereby providing heart rate data.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a heart rate variability from the heart rate data.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the monitoring system includes a motion sensor, wherein the processor is configured to infer an activity of the user based on input from the motion sensor.