Living body measurement apparatus

• US 20080039729A1
• Filed: 04/18/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hwang, In-Duk, Park, Kun-Kook, Cho, Jae-Geol, Kim, Kyoung-Youm
• Granted Patent: US 8,116,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/473
• 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 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4869 Determining body composition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4872 Body fat

Abstract

Disclosed is a living body measurement apparatus including: a first light source placed on the surface of the skin in a living body and radiating a first light in a visible light wavelength range onto the surface of the skin; a second light source placed on the surface of the skin and radiating a second light in a near-infrared wavelength range onto the surface of the skin; an optical detector placed on the surface of the skin at a predetermined distance from the first and second light sources to detect, as an electric signal, first or second detection light penetrating up through the skin and inputted thereto among the radiated first or second light; and a controller for sequentially driving the first and second light sources.

Claims

1. A living body measurement apparatus comprising:

a first light source being disposed on a surface of a skin in a living body and being configured to radiate a first light in a visible light wavelength range onto the surface of the skin;

a second light source being disposed on the surface of the skin and being configured to radiate a second light in a near-infrared wavelength range onto the surface of the skin;

an optical detector being disposed on the surface of the skin at a predetermined distance from the first and second light sources and being configured to detect, as an electric signal, one of first and second detection light output from the skin; and

a controller being configured to sequentially drive the first and second light sources.

2. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a memory being configured to store a first table showing the relationship between the intensities of the first and second detection lights and the thickness of the skin, and the relationship between the intensities of the first and second detection lights and the color of the skin, wherein said controller is configured to determine the thickness and color of the skin corresponding to the intensities of the first and second detection lights based on the first table.

3. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a third light source being disposed on the surface of the skin at a location farther away from the optical detector than the first and second light sources and being configured to radiate a third light onto the surface of the skin, wherein said optical detector is configured to detect, as an electric signal, the third detection light output from the skin, and wherein said controller is configured to sequentially drive the first, second, and third light sources.

4. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said memory is configured to store a second table showing the relationship between the thickness of subcutaneous fat and the intensity of the third detection light, according to the thickness and color of the skin, and wherein said controller is configured to determine the thickness of the subcutaneous fat corresponding to the intensity of the third detection light, based on the second table.

5. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a second optical detector being disposed on the surface of the skin at a location farther away from the first and second light sources than the said optical detector, the second optical detector being configured to detect, as an electric signal, a third detection light output from the skin.

6. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said memory being configured to store a second table showing the relationship between the thickness of subcutaneous fat and the intensity of the third detection light, according to the thickness and color of the skin, and wherein said controller is configured to determine the thickness of the subcutaneous fat corresponding to the intensity of the third detection light based on the second table.

7. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first wavelength is in a range of visible bandwidth.

8. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first wavelength has a wavelength of 660 nm.

9. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second wavelength is in a range of near infra-red bandwidth.

10. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second wavelength has a wavelength of 940 nm.

11. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said second wavelength is in a range of near infra-red bandwidth.

12. A living body measurement apparatus comprising:

a first light source being disposed on a surface of a skin in a living body and being configured to radiate a first light having a first wavelength onto the surface of the skin;

a second light source being disposed on the surface of the skin and being configured to radiate a second light having a second wavelength, which is different from the first wavelength, onto the surface of the skin;

a third light source being disposed on the surface of the skin at a location farther away from an optical detector than the first and second light sources and being configured to radiate a third light onto the surface of the skin;

an optical detector configured to detect, as an electric signal, one of first, second, and third detection light output from the skin; and

a controller configured to sequentially drive the first, second and third light sources.

13. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a memory configured to store a first table showing the relationship between the intensities of the first and second detection lights and the thickness of the skin, and the relationship between the intensities of the first and second detection lights and the color of the skin, and wherein said controller is being configured to determine the thickness and color of the skin corresponding to the intensities of the first and second detection lights, based on the first table.

14. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said memory is being configured to store a second table showing the relationship between the thickness of subcutaneous fat and the intensity of the third detection light, according to the thickness and color of the skin, and wherein said controller is being configured to determine the thickness of the subcutaneous fat corresponding to the intensity of the third detection light, based on the second table.

15. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said first wavelength is in a range of near-infrared bandwidth.

16. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said second wavelength is in a range of visible light bandwidth.

17. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a waveguide being disposed on the surface of the skin between the first and second light sources and the third light source and being configured to allow the third light inputted from the third light source to travel with total internal reflection; and

at least one light extracting pattern being configured to extract the third light traveling with total internal reflection from the waveguide and being configured to radiate the third light onto the surface of the skin.

18. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said waveguide has a circular ring shape, a bottom surface contacting the skin, and a top surface at the opposite side of the bottom surface, said light extracting pattern being formed on the top surface of the waveguide.

19. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a waveguide being disposed on the surface of the skin, between the optical detector and the first and second light sources, the waveguide being configured to allow light inputted from one of the first and second light sources to travel internally with total reflection

20. The living body measurement apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said waveguide has a circular ring shape, a bottom surface contacting the skin, and a top surface at the opposite side of the bottom surface, said light extracting pattern being formed on the top surface of the waveguide.