APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEASURING HEART RATE AND OTHER PHYSIOLOGICAL DATA

• US 20080171945A1
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Firebird Fitness Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Firebird Fitness Tech LLC
• Inventors: Dotter, James E.
• Application Number:
  US11/942,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20080171945A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/514
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take 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 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence

Abstract

Apparatus for measuring a user'"'"'s heart rate and other physiological parameters derived from two electrodes at least one of which is in contact with the user'"'"'s head. The second electrode is in contact with the user'"'"'s skin. A heart rate detection circuit is coupled to the electrodes to detect the user'"'"'s heart rate as electrical potential difference between the first and second electrodes. The electrodes may be integral with user apparel such as hats, headbands, helmets, eyewear, etc. The electrodes may be integral with headphone speakers in contact with the user'"'"'s ears. The heart rate detection circuit may be integral with or coupled to an audio source device such as an MP3 player or a portable communication device. The detected heart rate may be presented to the user as audio signals or as visually displayed information. A third electrode may be added to improve the quality of the sensed signals.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting heart rate of a user, the apparatus comprising:

a first electrode adapted to be placed in contact with the user'"'"'s head;

a second electrode adapted to be placed in contact with the user'"'"'s skin;

a heart rate detection circuit electrically coupled to the first and second electrodes and adapted to determine the heart rate of the user from electrical signals sensed from the first and second electrodes; and

a presentation device communicatively coupled to the heart rate detection circuit to receive heart rate information regarding the heart rate from the heart rate detection circuit and adapted to present the heart rate information to the user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1

wherein the first electrode is adapted to be positioned in contact with the user'"'"'s skin in, on, and/or around the ear.

3. The apparatus of claim 1

wherein the first electrode is adapted to be positioned in contact with the user'"'"'s skin in, on, and/or around the temple.

4. The apparatus of claim 1

wherein the first electrode is integral with headwear apparel.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the headwear apparel includes any of:

headphones, eyeglasses, sunglasses, hats, helmets, headbands, goggles, goggle straps, eyeglass or sunglass lanyards, and/or ear muffs.

6. The apparatus of claim 1

wherein the heart rate detection circuit is further adapted to determine other physiological data of the user from electrical signals sensed from the first and second electrodes, wherein the other physiological data is derived from the heart rate information;

and

wherein the presentation device is further adapted to receive the other physiological data from the heart rate detection circuit and to present the other physiological information to the user.

7. The apparatus of claim 6

wherein the other physiological data is a respiration rate of the user.

8. The apparatus of claim 1

wherein the presentation device is coupled to the heart rate detection device by a wireless interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1

wherein the presentation device presents the heart rate information to the user as displayed information.

10. The apparatus of claim 1

wherein the first electrode is integral with a speaker.

11. The apparatus of claim 10

wherein the presentation device presents the heart rate information to the user as audio signals applied to the speaker.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

an audio source device coupled to the speaker for applying audio signals to the speaker.

13. The apparatus of claim 12

wherein the presentation device is coupled to the audio source device such that the heart rate information is presented to the user as audio signals applied to the speaker.

14. The apparatus of claim 1

wherein the second electrode is in contact with the user'"'"'s head.

15. The apparatus of claim 14

wherein the second electrode is adapted to be positioned in contact with the user'"'"'s skin in, on, and/or around the ear.

16. The apparatus of claim 14

wherein the second electrode is adapted to be positioned in contact with the user'"'"'s skin in, on, and/or around the temple.

17. The apparatus of claim 14

wherein the first electrode is integral with headwear apparel.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the headwear apparel includes any of:

headphones, eyeglasses, sunglasses, hats, helmets, headbands, goggles, goggle straps, eyeglass or sunglass lanyards, and/or ear muffs.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a third electrode positioned in contact with the user'"'"'s skin other than on the user'"'"'s head,

wherein the heart rate detection circuit is further adapted to determine the heart rate from electrical signals sensed from the first, second, and third electrodes.

20. The apparatus of claim 19

wherein the third electrode is positioned on the user'"'"'s arm.

21. The apparatus of claim 19

wherein the third electrode is positioned on the user'"'"'s wrist.

22. The apparatus of claim 19

wherein the third electrode is positioned on the user'"'"'s waist.

23. A system comprising:

a speaker positioned proximate an ear of a user;

a first electrode integral with the speaker and positioned such that the first electrode is in contact with the skin of said ear;

a second electrode positioned in contact with the user'"'"'s skin;

an audio source device coupled for applying audio signals to the speaker to generate sound audible to the user; and

a heart rate detection circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes and adapted to determine the heart rate of the user from electrical signals sensed from the first and second electrodes wherein the heart rate detection circuit is adapted to generate heart rate information for presentation to the user.

24. The system of claim 23

wherein the heart rate detection circuit is coupled to the speaker, and

wherein the heart rate detection circuit is adapted to generate heart rate related audio signals representing the heart rate information and to apply the generated heart rate related audio signals to the speaker.

25. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

a presentation device communicatively coupled to the heart rate detection circuit to receive the heart rate information and adapted to present the heart rate information to the user.

26. The system of claim 25

wherein the presentation device further comprises a display device for displaying to the user visual information representing the heart rate information.

27. The system of claim 25

wherein the presentation device is coupled to the heart rate detection circuit by a wireless interface.

28. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

a third electrode positioned in the user'"'"'s skin other than on the user'"'"'s head,

wherein the heart rate detection circuit is further adapted to determine the heart rate from electrical signals sensed from the first, second, and third electrodes.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the third electrode is integral to a mounting device for holding or carrying an audio source device while exercising.

30. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

a second speaker positioned proximate the other ear of said user wherein the second speaker is coupled to receive audio signals from the audio source device,

wherein the second electrode is integral with the second speaker.

31. The system of claim 23 wherein the second electrode is positioned on the user'"'"'s arm.

32. The system of claim 23 wherein the second electrode is positioned on the user'"'"'s wrist.

33. The system of claim 23 wherein the second electrode is positioned on the user'"'"'s torso.

34. The system of claim 23 wherein the audio source device comprises a music player.

35. The system of claim 23 wherein the audio source device comprises a mobile telephone.