Monitoring device with a pedometer

• US 10,058,252 B1
• Filed: 11/18/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yukka Magic LLC
• Original Assignee: Health Watch, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Inventors: Rulkov, Nikolai, Hunt, Mark, Brady, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Neyzari, Ali
• Application Number:
  US15/817,201
• Time in Patent Office: 283 Days
• Field of Search: 600485, 600500, 600503, 702160
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0017 transmitting optical signals transmission by light H04B10/00
• 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 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• 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 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• 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 5/02433 for infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• 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 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/721 using a separate sensor to detect motion or using motion information derived from signals other than the physiological signal to be measured
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 : Pedometers

Abstract

A monitoring device with a pedometer function preferably comprises an article, an optical sensor, an accelerometer and processor. The optical sensor preferably comprises a photodetector and a plurality of light emitting diodes. A sensor signal from the optical sensor is processed with a filtered accelerometer output signal from the accelerometer to generate a pedometer function.

Claims

1. An arm-based pedometer comprising:

an article to be worn on an arm of a user, the article having a first surface and a second surface;

a processor;

a powering source;

a short range wireless transceiver for transmitting data from the article;

an accelerometer; and

an optical sensor communicably coupled to the processor for generating a signal corresponding to the heart rate of the user, the optical sensor comprises a light-to-voltage photodetector capable of transmitting a digital signal, and one or more light emitting diodes capable of radiating green light in a range between 500 to 570 nanometers;

wherein the processor is configured to generate a real-time heart rate from a signal from the optical sensor, and to process a signal from the accelerometer in a pedometer function to determine distance traveled by the user.

2. The arm-based pedometer of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more light emitting diode is capable of radiating light at 567 nanometers.

3. The arm-based pedometer of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more light emitting diode is capable of radiating light at 520 nanometers.

4. The arm-based pedometer of claim 1, wherein the accelerometer is a multi-axis accelerometer.

5. The arm-based pedometer of claim 1 wherein the short range wireless transceiver operates on a communication protocol using at least one of:

BLUETOOTH, PART 15, WiFi, Infrared, and ultrasound.

6. The arm-based pedometer of claim 1, further comprising a display on the article to display pedometer data for the user.

7. The arm-based pedometer of claim 1, further comprising a port for wired communication with any one of:

a computer, a tablet, a video monitor, and a mobile communication device.

8. The arm-based pedometer of claim 1, further comprising an attachment band, wherein the article is adapted to be secured to the user by said attachment band, said attachment band composed of any one of:

neoprene, leather, synthetic leather, LYCRA, or a combination thereof.

9. The arm-based pedometer of claim 8, wherein said optical sensor is disposed within said article so as to be positioned in proximity to an artery of the user when the arm-based pedometer is worn, through use of the attachment band, by the user.

10. The arm-based pedometer of claim 1, wherein the powering source comprises a battery.

11. The arm-based pedometer of claim 10, wherein the battery comprises a rechargeable battery.

12. The arm-based pedometer of claim 11, further comprising a port for recharging the rechargeable battery.

13. The arm-based pedometer of claim 1, further comprising a display and a plurality of control buttons, said control buttons being positioned in relation to the display to allow the user visual feedback in response to user-actuation of one of the control buttons.

14. The arm-based pedometer of claim 1, further comprising a thermistor.

15. A system for monitoring a plurality of real-time vital signs of the user and providing a pedometer function, the system comprising:

the arm-based pedometer of claim 1, and a base station for receiving signals from the arm-based pedometer.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the receiving device is a smartphone.

17. The arm-based pedometer of claim 1, wherein the optical sensor includes two light emitting diodes, each having a center of an active area spaced apart by a distance and wherein the photodetector is positioned in the middle of the distance.

18. The arm-based pedometer of claim 17, wherein the distance is in the range of 3-4 mm from one another.

19. The arm-based pedometer of claim 17, wherein the distance is 5-6 mm from one another.

20. The arm-based pedometer of claim 1 wherein the one or more light emitting diodes and the photodetector are separated by an opaque light shield.

21. The arm-based pedometer of claim 1, wherein an active area of the photodetector of the optical sensor is positioned between the centers of the active areas of the light emitting diodes.

22. An arm-based pedometer comprising:

an article to be worn on an arm of a user, the article having a first surface and a second surface;

a processor;

a powering source;

a short range wireless transceiver for transmitting data from the article;

an accelerometer; and

an optical sensor communicably coupled to the processor for generating a signal corresponding to the heart rate of the user, wherein the optical sensor comprises a light-to-voltage photodetector capable of transmitting a digital signal, and at least one light emitting diode capable of radiating light in a range between 550 nanometers to 1100 nanometers;

wherein the processor is configured to generate a real-time heart rate from a signal from the optical sensor, and to process a signal from the accelerometer in a pedometer function to determine distance traveled by the user.

23. The arm-based pedometer of claim 22, wherein at least one of the one or more light emitting diode is capable of radiating light at approximately 900 nanometers.