Measurement device to capture vital parameters

• US 9,820,685 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Rake, Ludger, Giefer, Andreas, Meyer, Joerg
• Primary Examiner(s): WINAKUR, ERIC FRANK
• Application Number:
  US14/357,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20140316227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• 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 5/02433 for infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02444 Details of sensor A61B5/02427 takes precedence
• 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 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• 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 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6893 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0872 Driver physiology
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches

Abstract

The invention concerns a measurement device to capture at least one vital parameter of a person in a motor vehicle with a steering wheel. The measurement device includes a finger sensor device with an optical sensor device, where the finger sensor device is attached to the steering wheel in the transition zone between a steering wheel spoke and the hub of the steering wheel.

Claims

1. A device for measuring a health condition parameter of a user, the device comprising:

a toggle switch with at least a depressed position; and

a finger sensor comprising a finger sensor surface,

wherein the finger sensor is configured to measure the health condition parameter when a finger of the user is placed on the finger sensor surface,

wherein the toggle switch is configured to be installed on a steering wheel of a motor vehicle,

wherein the finger sensor surface comprises at least a portion of an actuating surface of the toggle switch configured to ensure a reproducible contact pressure between the finger of the user and the finger sensor surface, and

wherein the toggle switch is electrically connected with and sends an activation signal to a system in the motor vehicle, where the system performs a function other than initiating measurement of the health condition parameter when the toggle switch is depressed.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the health condition parameter is a plethysmography parameter, a pulse oximetry parameter, or an electrocardiogram parameter.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the finger sensor is installed in a transitional zone between a spoke and a hub of the steering wheel.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the finger sensor is installed on a rear side of the steering wheel and faces away from the user, and wherein the finger sensor surface is positioned to make contact with a finger of the user when the user grasps the steering wheel at the transitional zone.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the finger sensor surface is installed on a front side of the steering wheel and faces towards the user, and wherein the finger sensor surface is configured to be positioned to make contact with a thumb of the user when the user grasps the steering wheel.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the finger sensor comprises an optical sensor located on the finger sensor surface, the optical sensor comprising:

a light source configured to detect the health condition parameter when the user places a finger on the optical sensor; and

a light-sensitive element configured to measure the health condition parameter.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the light source is configured to generate visible light and invisible light, and the health condition parameter comprises blood vessel volume or blood constituents.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the finger sensor comprises a finger depression recessed on the finger sensor surface and is fingertip-shaped so as to house a fingertip of the user, and wherein an optical sensor is located in the finger depression.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the toggle switch is configured to initiate measurement of the health condition parameter when the toggle switch is depressed.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the finger sensor surface is additionally configured to initiate measurement of the health condition parameter when the toggle switch is in a position other than the depressed position.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the system in the motor vehicle is a gear shift system.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the finger sensor surface comprises an electrically conductive surface connected to an electrocardiogram measurement device.

13. The device of claim 1,

wherein the finger sensor surface comprises a left finger sensor surface and a right finger sensor surface, and

wherein the left finger sensor surface and the right finger sensor surface are configured to be symmetrically located in opposite sectors of the steering wheel so that the left finger sensor surface is configured to contact a left-hand finger of the user and the right finger sensor surface is configured to contact a right-hand finger of the user.

14. The device of claim 1, the device including a first state and a second state,

wherein in the first state, the finger sensor measures the health condition parameter when the finger of the user is placed on the finger sensor surface and the toggle switch is depressed,

wherein in the second state, the system in the motor vehicle other than to initiate measurement of the health condition parameter is activated when the toggle switch is depressed, and

wherein the device further comprises a second switch controlling whether the device is in the first state or the second state.

15. A method for measuring a health condition parameter of a user and activating a system of a motor vehicle with a toggle switch other than initiating measurement of the health condition parameter, the toggle switch including a finger sensor surface located on a driving wheel of a motor vehicle, wherein the finger sensor surface comprises an actuating surface of the toggle switch configured to ensure a reproducible contact pressure between the finger of the user and the finger sensor surface, the method comprising:

measuring a health condition of a user when the finger sensor surface contacts a finger of the user while the user'"'"'s finger is located on the driving wheel of the motor vehicle; and

activating the system of the motor vehicle with the toggle switch when the toggle switch is depressed by the user during operation of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein measuring the health condition parameter comprises measuring a plethysmography parameter, a pulse oximetry parameter, or an electrocardiogram parameter.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

depressing the toggle switch connected to the finger sensor surface; and

measuring the health condition parameter while the toggle switch is depressed.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the system of the motor vehicle is a gear shift system.

19. A steering wheel of a motor vehicle, the steering wheel comprising:

a steering wheel body;

a device for measuring a health condition parameter of a user, the device comprising;

a finger sensor comprising a finger sensor surface,

wherein the finger sensor measures the health condition parameter when a finger of the user is placed on the finger sensor surface at least when the steering wheel is in a first state,

wherein the finger sensor surface is installed on the steering wheel body,

wherein the finger sensor surface comprises an actuating surface of a toggle switch configured to ensure a reproducible contact pressure between the finger of the user and the finger sensor surface,

wherein the toggle switch is electrically connected with and sends an activation signal to a system in the motor vehicle, where the system performs a function other than to initiate measurement of the health condition parameter when the toggle switch is depressed when the steering wheel is in a second state.