Finger mounted physiology sensor
First Claim
1. A physiology sensor adapted to be worn on a single finger of a wearer, the sensor comprising:
- a one-finger sensor body having a finger-facing surface and defining a longitudinal axis, the sensor body including first and second raised mounds protruding from the finger-facing surface and being longitudinally spaced-apart such as to define a transverse air gap therebetween, the first and second raised mounds respectively retaining first and second electrodes each defining a skin-abutting electrode surface being raised relative to the finger-facing surface and adapted to abut longitudinally spaced-apart palmar surfaces of the single finger, one of the first and second electrodes having one or more openings in the skin-abutting electrode surface thereof, the skin-abutting electrode surfaces being at an elevation greater than an elevation of a remainder of the sensor body to position the spaced-apart palmar surfaces of the single finger above the sensor body;
one or more physiological sensing devices housed within the body, the physiological sensing devices including a skin conductance sensing device operable to measure skin conductance using the first and second electrodes when abutted against the palmar surfaces of the single finger, the physiological sensing devices also including a photoplethysmography sensing device having an optical emitter and an optical receiver both disposed beneath said one of the first and second electrodes having the openings in the skin-abutting electrode surface, the optical emitter being operable to generate a light beam to project through at least one of said openings against the skin abutting against the electrode surface thereof, and the optical receiver being operable to receive the light beam returned by the skin through the same or another one of said openings; and
a processor housed within the body and in communication with the electrodes and the physiological sensing devices, the processor modulating application of an electrical excitation to the skin conductance sensing device and processing physiological signals captured by the physiological sensing devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The described physiology sensor is worn on a single finger to capture one or more different physiological signals and has a sensor body including first and second raised mounds, protruding from its surface and being longitudinally spaced-apart such as to define a transverse air gap therebetween. The mounds each retain electrodes which abut palmar surfaces of the single finger. The sensor also has one or more physiological sensing devices housed within the body, including a skin conductance sensing device. The sensor can also have at least one of a temperature sensing device, and a photoplethysmography sensing device. A processor is housed within the body and communicates with the electrodes and the sensing devices to apply an electrical excitation thereto, and to process the physiological measurements.
48 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A physiology sensor adapted to be worn on a single finger of a wearer, the sensor comprising:
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a one-finger sensor body having a finger-facing surface and defining a longitudinal axis, the sensor body including first and second raised mounds protruding from the finger-facing surface and being longitudinally spaced-apart such as to define a transverse air gap therebetween, the first and second raised mounds respectively retaining first and second electrodes each defining a skin-abutting electrode surface being raised relative to the finger-facing surface and adapted to abut longitudinally spaced-apart palmar surfaces of the single finger, one of the first and second electrodes having one or more openings in the skin-abutting electrode surface thereof, the skin-abutting electrode surfaces being at an elevation greater than an elevation of a remainder of the sensor body to position the spaced-apart palmar surfaces of the single finger above the sensor body; one or more physiological sensing devices housed within the body, the physiological sensing devices including a skin conductance sensing device operable to measure skin conductance using the first and second electrodes when abutted against the palmar surfaces of the single finger, the physiological sensing devices also including a photoplethysmography sensing device having an optical emitter and an optical receiver both disposed beneath said one of the first and second electrodes having the openings in the skin-abutting electrode surface, the optical emitter being operable to generate a light beam to project through at least one of said openings against the skin abutting against the electrode surface thereof, and the optical receiver being operable to receive the light beam returned by the skin through the same or another one of said openings; and a processor housed within the body and in communication with the electrodes and the physiological sensing devices, the processor modulating application of an electrical excitation to the skin conductance sensing device and processing physiological signals captured by the physiological sensing devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A physiological sensor adapted to be worn on a single finger of a wearer to capture a number of different physiological signals, the physiology sensor comprising:
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a one-finger sensor body having a finger-facing surface and defining a longitudinal axis, the sensor body including first and second raised mounds protruding from the finger-facing surface and being longitudinally spaced-apart such as to define a transverse air gap therebetween, the first and second raised mounds respectively retaining first and second electrodes each defining a skin-abutting electrode surface being raised relative to the finger-facing surface and adapted to abut longitudinally spaced-apart palmar surface of the single finger, one of the first and second electrodes having one or more openings in the skin-abutting electrode surface thereof; two or more physiological sensing device housed within the sensor body, the physiological sensing device comprising;
a skin conductance sensing device; and
at least one of a temperature sensing device and a photoplethysmography sensing device;
the skin conductance sensing device being operable to measure skin conductance using the first and second electrodes, the temperature sensing device being disposed beneath the second electrode and thermally coupled therewith for sensing temperature of the skin abutted against the skin-abutting electrode surface of the second electrode, and the photoplethysmography sensing device including an optical emitter and an optical receiver both disposed beneath said one of the first and second electrodes having the openings in the skin-abutting electrode surface, the optical emitter being operable to generate a light beam to project through at least one of said openings against the skin abutting against the electrode surface thereof, and the optical receiver being operable to receive the light beam returned by the skin through the same or another one of said openings; anda processor housed within the body and in communication with the electrodes and the at least two physiological sensing devices, the processor modulating application of an electrical excitation to the skin conductance sensing device and processing physiological signals captured by the at least two physiological sensing devices. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for capturing a plurality of different physiological signal from palmar surfaces of a single finger with physiology sensor, the method comprising:
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providing the physiology sensor with first and second electrodes mounted to a sensor body, the first and second electrodes having skin-abutting electrode surfaces which are elevated relative to a surface of the body, the skin-abutting electrode surfaces being at an elevation greater than an elevation of a remainder of the sensor body to position the palmar surfaces of the single finger above the sensor body, one of the first and second electrodes having one or more openings in the skin-abutting electrode surface thereof; contacting spaced-apart palmar surfaces of the single finger with the skin-abutting electrode surfaces of the respective first and second electrodes of the sensors; and using the sensor to capture skin conductance and using the sensor to capture and at least one of temperature and blood volume pulse with one or more physiological sensing devices housed within the sensor and disposed beneath the skin-abutting electrode surface of at least one of the first and second electrodes, the step of capturing skin conductance of the skin of the palmar surfaces of the single finger including applying an electrical excitation to the electrodes, and the step of capturing blood volume pulse including emitting a light beam through at least one of said openings in the skin-abutting electrode surface and receiving the light beam returned by the skin throught the same or another one of said openings in the skin-abutting electrode surface.
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Specification