Wrist-mounted device with integrated electronics

• US 9,913,591 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2015
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verily Life Sciences LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lapetina, John, Fong, Shannon, Weintraub, Jeff, Palchak, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S
• Application Number:
  US14/790,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20170000415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 600390
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0238 Optical sensor arrangements for performing transmission measurements on body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• 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 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6885 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3861 carried in a hand or on fingers

Abstract

A device is provided that includes a housing and a mount configured to mount the housing to a wrist of a wearer. The device also includes a first electrical contact disposed on an inner surface of the mount and configured to contact skin at a first external body surface. The device also includes a second electrical contact disposed on an outer surface of the mount and configured to be contacted by skin of a second external body surface. The device also includes a signal conditioner disposed in the housing. The signal conditioner is configured to determine data indicative of a biological state of the wearer based on voltage fluctuations between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.

Claims

1. A wearable device comprising:

a housing;

a mount configured to mount the housing to a first external body surface, wherein the first external body surface is at a wrist location of a particular arm of a wearer;

a first electrical contact disposed on an inner surface of the mount, wherein the first electrical contact is configured to contact skin at the first external body surface responsive to the housing being mounted to the first external body surface;

a second electrical contact disposed on an outer surface of the mount, wherein the second electrical contact is configured to be contacted by skin of a second external body surface, and wherein the second external body surface is at a location other than the particular arm;

a third electrical contact disposed also on the inner surface of the mount, wherein the third electrical contact is electrically isolated from the first electrical contact, wherein the third electrical contact is configured to contact skin at the first external body surface responsive to the housing being mounted to the first external body surface,

a signal conditioner disposed in the housing, wherein the signal conditioner is electrically coupled to the first electrical contact, the second electrical contact, and the third electrical contact, and wherein the signal conditioner is configured to determine data indicative of a biological state of the wearer based on voltage fluctuations between the second electrical contact and an average voltage of the first electrical contact and the third electrical contact.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first electrical contact comprises a flexible conductive material.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the mount is shaped to flexibly surround at least part of a wrist of the wearer responsive to the housing being mounted to the first external body surface.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the mount comprises a fabric, and wherein the first electrical contact comprises electrically conductive threads interwoven with other threads in the fabric along the inner surface of the mount.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the mount comprises:

an inner layer that includes the inner surface of the mount, wherein the first electrical contact comprises conductive material at least partially embedded in the inner layer;

an outer layer that includes the outer surface of the mount, wherein the second electrical contact comprises conductive material at least partially embedded in the outer layer; and

a middle layer interposed between the inner layer and the outer layer, wherein the middle layer is configured to electrically isolate the first electrical contact of the inner layer from the second electrical contact of the outer layer.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first electrical contact is located opposite to the second electrical contact.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first electrical contact is within a threshold distance from the third electrical contact, and wherein the signal conditioner is configured to determine data indicative of electrodermal activity of the wearer based on voltage fluctuations between the first electrical contact and the third electrical contact.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a light source disposed on the inner surface of the mount, wherein the light source is configured to emit light into subsurface vasculature of the wearer through an overlying skin location of the wearer responsive to the housing being mounted to the first external body surface; and

a light sensor disposed adjacent to the light source along the inner surface of the mount, wherein the light source is configured to receive light from the subsurface vasculature through the overlying skin location.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the mount is a modular mount, wherein the modular mount comprises a frame, wherein the housing is configured to be removably seated in the frame, and wherein the device further comprises:

at least one spring-loaded contact, wherein the signal conditioner is electrically coupled to the first electrical contact via the at least one spring-loaded contact.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second electrical contacts has a surface comprising stainless steel.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second electrical contacts are configured to capacitively couple to skin at the first and second locations, respectively.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal conditioner is further configured to determine whether the first and second electrical contacts are in contact with skin.

13. A method comprising:

receiving, by a device that includes one or more processors, a first electrical signal from a first electrical contact disposed on an inner surface of a mount in the device, wherein the mount is configured to mount a housing of the device to a first external body surface, wherein the first external body surface is at a wrist location of a particular arm of a wearer, and wherein the first electrical contact is configured to contact skin at the first external body surface responsive to the housing being mounted to the first external body surface;

receiving a second electrical signal from a second electrical contact disposed on an outer surface of the mount, wherein the second electrical contact is configured to be contacted by skin of a second external body surface, and wherein the second external body surface is at a location other than the particular arm;

receiving a third electrical signal from a third electrical contact also disposed on the inner surface of the mount, wherein the third electrical contact is electrically isolated from the first electrical contact, wherein the third electrical contact is configured to be contacted by skin of the first external body surface;

selecting an electrical contact from the first electrical contact and the third electrical contact; and

providing an output indicative of a biological state of the wearer based on voltage fluctuations between the selected electrical contact and the second electrical contact, wherein the voltage fluctuations are based on the second electrical signal and the electrical signal corresponding to the selected electrical contact.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting data related to the biological state.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining that the first and second electrical contacts are in contact with skin, wherein receiving the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal is responsive to the determining.

16. A wrist-mountable device comprising:

a housing for electronic components;

a first strap coupled to a first side of the housing;

a second strap coupled to a second side of the housing opposite to the first side, wherein the first strap is configured to couple with the second strap to mount the housing to a first external body surface, wherein the first external body surface is at a wrist location of a particular arm of a wearer;

a first inner electrode disposed on an inner surface of the first strap, wherein the first inner electrode is configured to contact skin at the first external body surface responsive to the housing being mounted to the first external body surface;

a second inner electrode disposed on an inner surface of the second strap, wherein the second inner electrode is configured to contact skin at the first external body surface that is a threshold distance from the skin contacted by the first inner electrode;

a first outer electrode disposed on an outer surface of the first strap, wherein the first outer electrode is configured to be contacted by skin of a second external body surface, and wherein the second external body surface is at a location other than the particular arm;

a second outer electrode disposed on an outer surface of the second strap, wherein the second outer electrode is configured to be contacted by skin of the second external body surface; and

a signal conditioner disposed in the housing, wherein the signal conditioner is electrically coupled to the first inner electrode, the second inner electrode, the first outer electrode, and the second outer electrode, and wherein the signal conditioner is configured to;

(i) select an electrode from among the first outer electrode and the second outer electrode; and

(ii) determine data indicative of an electrocardiographic waveform of the wearer based on voltage fluctuations between the selected electrode and an average voltage of the first inner electrode and the second inner electrode.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the signal conditioner is further configured to determine whether the first inner electrode is in contact with skin, wherein the signal conditioner is configured to determine the data indicative of the electrocardiographic waveform in response to determining that the first inner electrode is in contact with skin.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the signal conditioner is configured to determine data indicative of electrodermal activity of the wearer based on voltage fluctuations between the first inner electrode and the second inner electrode.

19. The device of claim 16, further comprising a modular mount, wherein the modular mount comprises a frame, wherein the housing is configured to be removably seated in the frame, and wherein the device further comprises:

at least one spring-loaded contact, wherein the signal conditioner is electrically coupled to the first outer electrode via the at least one spring-loaded contact.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first inner electrode or the second inner electrode is configured to capacitively couple to skin of the first external body surface.