Pulse measurement device, method and medium

• US 20070244399A1
• Filed: 04/05/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Shin, Kun Soo, Kim, Youn Ho
• Granted Patent: US 8,727,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/502
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• 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 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only

Abstract

A pulse measurement device for more precisely measuring a pulse, including a sensing unit to sense a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal and an acceleration signal obtained from a user, a pressure control unit to control pressure applied to the sensing unit, and a signal determination unit to determine an optimum pressure range by analyzing the PPG signal varying with a change of the pressure applied to the sensing unit by the pressure control unit and to determine an exercise level of the user by using the acceleration signal.

Claims

1. A pulse measurement device, comprising:

a sensing unit to sense a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal and an acceleration signal obtained from a user;

a pressure control unit to control pressure applied to the sensing unit; and

a signal determination unit to determine an optimum pressure range by analyzing the PPG signal varying with a change of the pressure applied to the sensing unit by the pressure control unit and to determine an exercise level of an activity of the user by using the acceleration signal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the pressure control unit controls the pressure applied to the sensing unit based on the optimum pressure range according to the determined exercise level.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal determination unit determines the optimum pressure range by analyzing a maximum peak of the PPG signal according to the change of the pressure.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the pressure control unit controls the pressure applied to the sensing unit to be a minimum pressure of the optimum pressure range when the exercise level corresponds to a rest state.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the pressure control unit controls the pressure applied to the sensing unit to be a maximum pressure of the optimum pressure range when the exercise level corresponds to a light walking state.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a light amount control unit to control an amount of incident light on the sensing unit.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein:

the pressure control unit controls the pressure applied to the sensing unit to be more than a maximum pressure of the optimum pressure range when the exercise level corresponds to a running state; and

the light amount control unit controls the amount of incident light on the sensing unit to be increased when the exercise level corresponds to the running state.

8. A pulse measurement method, comprising:

establishing an optimum pressure range of a PPG sensor by changing pressure applied to the PPG sensor and analyzing a PPG signal detected by the PPG sensor;

measuring an exercise level of a user by analyzing an acceleration signal detected by an acceleration sensor;

controlling the pressure applied to the PPG sensor based on the optimum pressure range according to the exercise level of the user; and

measuring a pulse by analyzing the PPG signal detected by the PPG sensor to which the controlled pressure is given.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, in the establishing an optimum pressure range of a PPG sensor by changing pressure applied to the PPG sensor and analyzing a PPG signal detected by the PPG sensor,

the PPG signal detected by the PPG sensor is analyzed by increasing the pressure applied to the PPG sensor, and a pressure range corresponding to a range established based on a maximum peak value of the PPG signal is established as the optimum pressure range of the PPG sensor.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein, in the controlling the pressure applied to the PPG sensor based on the optimum pressure range according to the exercise level of the user,

when the exercise level of the user is corresponding to a rest state, the pressure applied to the PPG sensor is controlled to be a minimum pressure of the optimum pressure range.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein, in the controlling the pressure applied to the PPG sensor based on the optimum pressure range according to the exercise level of the user,

when the exercise amount of the user is corresponding to a walking state, the pressure applied to the PPG sensor is controlled to be a maximum pressure of the optimum pressure range.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the controlling the pressure applied to the PPG sensor based on the optimum pressure range according to the exercise level of the user comprises:

controlling the pressure applied to the PPG sensor to be more than a maximum pressure of the optimum pressure range; and

controlling an amount of incident light on the PPG sensor to be increased.

13. A medium comprising computer readable code to control at least one processing element to implement a pulse measurement method, the method comprising:

establishing an optimum pressure range of a PPG sensor by changing pressure applied to the PPG sensor and analyzing a PPG signal detected by the PPG sensor;

measuring an exercise level of a user by analyzing an acceleration signal detected by an acceleration sensor;

controlling the pressure applied to the PPG sensor based on the optimum pressure range according to the exercise level of the user; and

measuring a pulse by analyzing the PPG signal detected by the PPG sensor to which the controlled pressure is given.