Apparatus and device for performance monitoring

• US 20080119329A1
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suunto Oy (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Suunto Oy (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Punkka, Eero, Lindman, Erik, Martikka, Mikko
• Granted Patent: US 8,292,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0535 Impedance plethysmography for measuring blood flow A61B5/0295
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0809 by impedance pneumography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7239 using differentiation including higher order derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/04 heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills

Abstract

The invention relates both to a method and wristop device for monitoring physical exercise, and to a new use. The wristop device (20) comprises a central unit, in which there is a display face (25) and to which a wristband (23) is, or can be attached, sensor means for collecting a hemodynamic signal from the wrist (21), and a data-processing unit (26) functionally connected to the sensor means, for deriving at least one physiological parameter from the hemodynamic signal. The data-processing unit (26) of the wristop device is arranged to derive from the hemodynamic signal at least one physiological parameter depicting respiration, and further, on the basis of this, to calculate at least one training-effect parameter depending on the person and the exercise. With-the aid of the invention, it is possible to eliminate the use of pulse bands in monitoring the training effect of exercise.

Claims

1. Method for monitoring a person'"'"'s physical exercise during the exercise, in which method

hemodynamic signal is collected using a sensor,

the hemodynamic signal is transmitted to a data-processing unit, in which at least one physiological parameter is derived from the signal,

characterized by the combination that

a sensor and data-processing unit are used, which are located in the same portable wristop device,

in the data-processing unit, at least one physiological parameter depicting respiration is derived from the hemodynamic signal, and further, on the basis of this, at least one training-effect parameter, dependent on the person and the exercise, is calculated.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the hemodynamic signal is collected using a sensor located on the dorsal side of the wrist.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a sensor is used, which comprises at least two, preferably four, bio-impedance measurement electrodes.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that a sensor is used, which comprises an electrode pair for feeding current to the wrist and an electrode pair for detecting the respiration-modulated bio-impedance of the wrist.

5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a sensor, such as an electret membrane, preferably an EMFi membrane, detecting the pressure of the surface of the skin, is used.

6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that in the data-processing unit the frequency of the respiration modulation is detected from the hemodynamic signal, in order to determine the respiratory frequency.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the frequency of the respiration modulation is detected in a manner independent of the heart-rate modulation.

8. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the frequency of the respiration modulation is detected from the hemodynamic signal using a low-pass filter and by investigating the periodicity of the filtered signal.

9. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that, in the data-processing unit, the frequency of the pulse modulation, or a variable correlating to this, is detected from the hemodynamic signal, in order to determine the absolute or relative heart rate, and that it comprises in addition a stage, in which the heart rate and the respiratory frequency are compared with each other.

10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a stage, in which temporal changes in the absolute or relative heart rate, relative to the changes in the respiratory frequency, are detected, in order to assess the stress state of the person.

11. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the frequency of the respiration modulation is determined by detecting the cyclic change in the amplitude of the heartbeats.

12. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the frequency of the respiration modulation is determined by detecting the periodicity of the heartbeat interval noise.

13. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a parameter depicting respiration is derived from the hemodynamic signal, even though the quality of the signal is insufficient for the reliable detection of heart rate.

14. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the said training-effect parameter is energy consumption, or a derivative of it.

15. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the said training-effect parameter is EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), or a derivative of it.

16. Wristop device for monitoring a person'"'"'s physical exercise during the exercise, which wristop device comprises

a central unit, in which there is a display face and to which a wristband is, or can be attached,

sensor means for collecting a hemodynamic signal from the wrist, and

a data-processing unit functionally connected to the sensor means, for deriving at least one physiological parameter from the hemodynamic signal,

characterized in that

the data-processing unit is arranged to derive from the hemodynamic signal at least one physiological parameter depicting respiration, and further, on the basis of this, to calculate at least one training-effect parameter depending on the person and the exercise.

17. Wristop device according to claim 16, characterized in that the sensor means are located on the rear panel on the opposite side of the central unit to the display face.

18. Wristop device according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the sensor means comprise at least two, preferably four bio-impedance measurement electrodes.

19. Wristop device according to claim 18, characterized in that the sensor means comprise an electrode pair for feeding current to the wrist and an electrode pair for detecting the heart-rate and respiration-modulated bio-impedance of the wrist.

20. Wristop device according to claim 16, characterized in that the sensor means comprise means for detecting pressure from the surface of the skin, such as an electret membrane, preferably an EMFi membrane.

21. Wristop device according to claim 16, characterized in that the data-processing unit is arranged to detect the frequency of the respiration modulation from the hemodynamic signal, in order to determine the respiratory frequency.

22. Wristop device according to claim 21, characterized in that the data-processing unit is arranged to detect the frequency of the respiration modulation from the hemodynamic signal in a manner independent of the heart-rate modulation.

23. Wristop device according to claim 22, characterized in that the data-processing unit is arranged to detect the frequency of the respiration modulation from the hemodynamic signal, by low-pass filtering the hemodynamic signal and determining the periodicity of the filtered signal.

24. Wristop device according to claim 16, characterized in that the data-processing unit is arranged also to detect the frequency of the pulse modulation from the hemodynamic signal, in order to determine the heart rate and further to compare the heart rate and the respiratory frequency with each other.

25. Wristop device according to claim 24, characterized in that the data-processing unit is arranged to detect temporal changes in the absolute or relative heart rate relative to changes in the respiratory frequency and to further assess the person'"'"'s stress state on the basis of these changes.

26. Wristop device according to claim 21, characterized in that the data-processing unit is arranged to detect the frequency of the respiration modulation from the hemodynamic signal, by detecting the cyclic change in the amplitude of the heartbeats.

27. Wristop device according to claim 21, characterized in that the data-processing unit is arranged to detect the frequency of the respiration modulation from the hemodynamic signal, by detecting the periodicity of the heart-rate interval noise.

28. Wristop device according to claim 16, characterized in that the data-processing unit is arranged to derive a parameter depicting respiration from the hemodynamic signal, even though the signal is insufficient for the reliable detection of the heart rate.

29. Wristop device according to claim 16, characterized in that the training-effect parameter is energy consumption, or a derivative of it.

30. Wristop device according to claim 16, characterized in that the training-effect parameter is EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), or a derivative of it.