Wearable device and method for controlling the same

• US 9,782,128 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2016
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Jea-Hyuck, Min, Jin-Hong, Baek, In-Geol, Lee, Min-Hyoung, Cho, Jae-Geol
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US14/991,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20160199002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 34053912
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes 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 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• 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 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6844 Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• 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

Abstract

Provided are a wearable device and a method for controlling the same. The wearable device may include a distance sensor unit configured to output a first signal for determining a distance between a user and the wearable device and to receive the first signal reflected from the user. The wearable device may also include a biometric sensor unit configured to output a second signal for determining biometric information of the user and to receive the second signal reflected from the user, and a controller configured to determine the distance based on the received first signal and to obtain the biometric information of the user based on a change in an attribute of the received second signal. The controller may control the biometric sensor unit to output the second signal if the determined distance is equal to or less than a reference distance.

Claims

1. A wearable device comprising:

a distance sensor unit configured to output a first signal for determining a distance between a user and the wearable device and to receive the first signal reflected from the user, when the wearable device is worn by the user;

a biometric sensor unit configured to output a second signal for determining biometric information of the user for at least a portion of a position where the wearable device is worn by the user and to receive the second signal reflected from the user; and

a controller configured to determine the distance based on the reflected first signal and to obtain the biometric information of the user based on a change in an attribute of the reflected second signal,

wherein the controller controls the biometric sensor unit to output the second signal to the at least a portion of the position until a skin temperature of the user is increased to a reference temperature if the determined distance is equal to or less than a reference distance.

2. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the distance sensor unit comprises a time of flight (ToF) light source configured to output the first signal and a light-receiving unit configured to receive the reflected first signal.

3. The wearable device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to control the ToF light source to output a wearing sensing signal for determining whether the wearable device is worn by the user at preset time intervals.

4. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the biometric sensor unit comprises a pulse measuring light source configured to output the second signal and a light-receiving unit configured to receive the reflected second signal.

5. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the reference distance comprises the determined distance between the user and the wearable device at an initial point in time when the wearable device is worn by the user.

6. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the biometric information comprises at least one of pulse rate, oxygen saturation, and amount of consumed calories, and

wherein the controller is configured to control storing of the biometric information obtained during a preset time in a storage unit.

7. The wearable device of claim 6, further comprising a communication unit configured to transmit the biometric information stored in the storage unit to an electronic device connected with the wearable device through wired or wireless communication.

8. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display additional information regarding changes to specific biometric information, if the specific biometric information is above a high threshold when a normal reading of the specific biometric information is below the high threshold, or if the specific biometric information is below a low threshold when a normal reading of the specific biometric information is below the low threshold.

9. The wearable device of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor unit configured to sense a skin temperature of the user when the wearable device is worn by the user.

10. The wearable device of claim 9, wherein the controller controls the distance sensor unit to output the first signal during a preset time to increase the skin temperature, if the sensed skin temperature is equal to or less than a reference temperature.

11. A wearable device comprising:

a heat providing unit;

a temperature sensor unit configured to receive biometric information of a user to sense a skin temperature of the user when the wearable device is worn by the user; and

a controller configured to;

determine the skin temperature of the user for at least a portion of a position where the wearable device is worn by the user based on the biometric information received by the temperature sensor unit,

determine whether the determined skin temperature is less than a reference temperature, and

if the skin temperature of the user is less than the reference temperature, control the heat providing unit to output light to the at least a portion of the position until the skin temperature of the user is increased to the reference temperature.

12. The wearable device of claim 11, wherein the heat providing unit comprises a time of flight (ToF) light source configured to output infrared (IR) light.

13. A method for controlling a wearable device, the method comprising:

outputting a first signal for determining a distance between a user and the wearable device and receiving the first signal reflected from the user, when the wearable device is worn by the user;

determining the distance based on the reflected first signal;

outputting a second signal for determining biometric information of the user for at least a portion of a position where the wearable device is worn by the user and receiving the second signal reflected from the user, if the determined distance is equal to or less than a reference distance;

obtaining the biometric information of the user based on a change in an attribute of the reflected second signal; and

outputting the second signal to the at least a portion of the position until a skin temperature of the user is increased to a reference temperature if the determined distance is equal to or less than the reference distance.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first signal is output from a time of flight (ToF) light source, and the reflected first signal is received through a light-receiving unit.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising outputting, by the ToF light source, a wearing sensing signal for determining whether the wearable device is worn by the user, at preset time intervals.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the second signal is output from a pulse measuring light source, and the reflected second signal is received through a light-receiving unit.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the reference distance comprises the distance between the user and the wearable device at an initial point in time when the wearable device is worn by the user.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the biometric information comprises at least one of pulse rate, oxygen saturation, and amount of consumed calories, and the method further comprise storing the biometric information obtained during a preset time in a storage unit.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing additional information regarding changes to specific biometric information, if the specific biometric information is above a high threshold when a normal reading of the specific biometric information is below the high threshold, or if the specific biometric information is below a low threshold when a normal reading of the specific biometric information is below the low threshold.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting the biometric information stored in the storage unit to an electronic device connected with the wearable device through wired or wireless communication.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising sensing a skin temperature of the user when the wearable device is worn by the user.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising outputting the first signal during a preset time to increase the skin temperature, if the sensed skin temperature is equal to or less than the reference temperature.

23. A method for controlling a wearable device, the method comprising:

receiving by a temperature sensor unit biometric information for a skin temperature of a user when the wearable device is worn by the user;

determining the skin temperature of the user for at least a portion of a position where the wearable device is worn by the user based on the biometric information received by the temperature sensor unit;

determining whether the determined skin temperature is equal to or less than a reference temperature; and

if the determined skin temperature is equal to or less than the reference temperature, outputting light to the at least a portion of the position until the skin temperature of the user is increased to the reference temperature.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the light is infrared (IR) light output from a time of flight (ToF) light source.

25. A wearable device comprising:

a first light source unit comprising a first time of flight (ToF) light source configured to output a first signal for determining a distance between a user and the wearable device when the wearable device is worn by the user;

a second light source unit comprising a second ToF light source configured to output the first signal and a light source configured to output a second signal for sensing a pulse of the user;

a light-receiving unit configured to receive the first signal and the second signal reflected from the user; and

a controller configured to determine the distance based on the reflected first signal and to obtain biometric information of the user for at least a portion of a position where the wearable device is worn by the user based on a change in an attribute of the reflected second signal,

wherein the controller controls the light source to output the second signal to the at least a portion of the position until a skin temperature of the user is increased to a reference temperature if the determined distance is equal to or less than a reference distance.

26. A wearable device comprising:

a controller;

a temperature sensor unit configured to sense a skin temperature of a user wearing the wearable device;

a first light source unit comprising a first time of flight (ToF) light source configured to output a first signal for increasing the skin temperature; and

a second light source unit comprising a second ToF light source configured to output the first signal and a light source configured to output a second signal for obtaining biometric information of the user for at least a portion of a position where the wearable device is worn by the user,

wherein, if the sensed skin temperature is equal to or less than a reference temperature, the controller controls the ToF light source to output the first signal to the at least a portion of the position until the skin temperature of the user is increased to a reference temperature.