APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY MEASURING BIO SIGNALS

• US 20100249537A1
• Filed: 06/11/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Kyung-ho, KIM, Youn-ho, Bae, Sang-kon, Kim, Hong-sig
• Granted Patent: US 8,043,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4872 Body fat

Abstract

An apparatus and method for simultaneously measuring at least two different bio signals without interference are provided. The apparatus includes a stimulus signal generating unit generating the stimulus signal to be applied to a human body, a sensing unit contacting the human body, including a plurality of electrodes to which the stimulus signal is applied and from which at least one intermediate signal containing the first and second bio signals is detected, configured to share at least one of the plurality of electrodes to apply the stimulus signal or to detect each intermediate signal, and a signal acquisition unit separating and acquiring the first and second bio signals from each intermediate signal detected from the sensing unit.

Claims

1. A bio signal measurement apparatus for simultaneously measuring a first bio signal generated in response to a stimulus signal and a second bio signal naturally generated by a human body, the apparatus comprising:

a stimulus signal generating unit which generates the stimulus signal to be applied to the human body;

a sensing unit which contacts the human body and includes a plurality of electrodes to which the stimulus signal is applied and from which at least one intermediate signal containing the first and second bio signals is detected, the sensing unit being configured to share at least one of the plurality of electrodes to apply the stimulus signal or to detect the at least one intermediate signal; and

a signal acquisition unit which separates and acquires the first and second bio signals from the at least one intermediate signal detected from the sensing unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal acquisition unit comprises:

a first acquisition unit which obtains the first bio signal from a first intermediate signal detected from the sensing unit; and

a second acquisition unit which electrically separates and obtains the second bio signal from a second intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second acquisition unit comprises:

a filtering unit which filters a frequency band in which the second bio signal exists from the second intermediate signal; and

an isolating unit which isolates the stimulus signal contained in the second intermediate signal which is filtered.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the isolating unit comprises one of a buffer, a photo coupler and a transformer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a first temporal separating unit which operates in response to a control signal and applies a first stimulus signal in a first interval of each sampling period and a second stimulus signal in a second interval of each sampling period, to the human body via the sensing unit;

a second temporal separating unit which operates in response to the control signal and provides a first intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in the first interval and a second intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in the second interval, to the signal acquisition unit; and

a controller which generates the control signal,

wherein the signal acquisition unit obtains the first bio signal from the first and second intermediate signals and obtains the second bio signal by electrically separating the second intermediate signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the signal acquisition unit:

a filtering unit which filters a frequency band in which the second bio signal exists from the second intermediate signal; and

an isolating unit which isolates the second stimulus signal contained in the second intermediate signal which is filtered.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the isolating unit comprises one of a buffer, a photo coupler and a transformer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a first temporal separating unit which operates in response to a control signal and applies a first stimulus signal to the human body via the sensing unit in a first interval of each sampling period;

a second temporal separating unit which operates in response to the control signal and provides a first intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in the first interval and a second intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in a second interval of each sampling period to the signal acquisition unit; and

a controller which generates the control signal,

wherein a second stimulus signal is applied to the human body via the sensing unit in the first and second intervals to detect a third intermediate signal from the sensing unit, and the signal acquisition unit obtains the first bio signal from the first and third intermediate signals and obtains the second bio signal by electrically separating the second intermediate signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the signal acquisition unit:

a filtering unit which filters a frequency band in which the second bio signal exists from the second intermediate signal; and

an isolating unit which isolates the second stimulus signal contained in the second intermediate signal which is filtered.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the isolating unit comprises one of a buffer, a photo coupler and a transformer.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a first temporal separating unit which operates in response to a control signal and applies first and second stimulus signals to the human body via the sensing unit in a first interval of each sampling period;

a second temporal separating unit which operates in response to the control signal and provides a first intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in the first interval and a second intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in a second interval of each sampling period to the signal acquisition unit; and

a controller which generates the control signal,

wherein the signal acquisition units obtains two first bio signals from the first intermediate signal using first and second frequencies, respectively and obtains the second bio signal from the second intermediate signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the stimulus signal generating unit comprises:

a first current generator which generates current of a first frequency to be used as the first stimulus signal;

a second current generator which generates current of a second frequency to be used as the second stimulus signal; and

a combining unit which combines the first and second stimulus signals.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each sampling period includes a third interval for discharging interposed between the first interval and the second interval.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a resistor which externally discharges the first and second stimulus signals remaining in the human body, in the third interval.

15. A bio signal measurement method of simultaneously measuring a first bio signal generated in response to a stimulus signal and a second bio signal naturally generated in a human body, the method comprising:

providing a sensing unit contacting the human body, including a plurality of electrodes to which the stimulus signal is applied and from which at least one intermediate signal containing the first and second bio signals is detected, configured to share at least one of the plurality of electrodes to apply the stimulus signal or to detect the at least one intermediate signal;

generating the stimulus signal to be applied to the human body; and

separating and acquiring the first and second bio signals from the at least one intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

applying a first stimulus signal in a first interval of each sampling period and a second stimulus signal in a second interval of each sampling period, to the human body, in response to a control signal; and

generating a first intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in the first interval and a second intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in the second interval, in response to the control signal,

wherein the first bio signal is obtained from the first and second intermediate signals and the second bio signal is obtained by electrically separating the second intermediate signal.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

applying a first stimulus signal to the human body via the sensing unit in a first interval of each sampling period, in response to a control signal; and

providing a first intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in the first interval and a second intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in a second interval of each sampling period, in response to the control signal,

wherein a second stimulus signal is applied to the human body via the sensing unit in the first and second intervals to detect a third intermediate signal from the sensing unit, and the first bio signal is obtained from the first and third intermediate signals and the second bio signal is obtained by electrically separating the second intermediate signal.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

applying a first and a second stimulus signal to the human body via the sensing unit in a first interval of each sampling period, in response to a control signal; and

providing a first intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in the first interval and a second intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in a second interval of each sampling period, in response to the control signal,

wherein two first bio signals are obtained from the first intermediate signal the using a first and a second frequencies, respectively and the second bio signal is obtained from the second intermediate signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each sampling period includes a third interval for discharging between the first interval and the second interval.

20. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-readable program for performing a bio signal measurement method of simultaneously measuring a first bio signal generated in response to a stimulus signal and a second bio signal naturally generated, the method comprising:

providing a sensing unit contacting a human body, including a plurality of electrodes to which the stimulus signal is applied and from which at least one intermediate signal containing the first and second bio signals is detected, configured to share at least one of the plurality of electrodes to detect the at least one intermediate signal;

generating the stimulus signal to be applied to the human body; and

separating and acquiring the first and second bio signals from the at least one intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit.

21. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 20, wherein the separating and acquiring the first and second bio signals comprises:

obtaining the first bio signal from a first intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit; and

electrically separating and obtaining the second bio signal from a second intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit.

22. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

applying a first stimulus signal in a first interval of each sampling period and a second stimulus signal in a second interval of each sampling period, to the human body, in response to a control signal; and

providing a first intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in the first interval and a second intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in the second interval, in response to the control signal,

wherein the first bio signal is obtained from the first and second intermediate signals and the second bio signal is obtained by electrically separating the second intermediate signal.

23. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

applying a first stimulus signal to the human body via the sensing unit in a first interval of each sampling period, in response to a control signal; and

providing a first intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in the first interval and a second intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in a second interval of each sampling period, in response to the control signal,

wherein a second stimulus signal is applied to the human body via the sensing unit in the first and second intervals to detect a third intermediate signal from the sensing unit, and the first bio signal is obtained from the first and third intermediate signals and the second bio signal is obtained by electrically separating the second intermediate signal.

24. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

applying a first and a second stimulus signal to the human body via the sensing unit in a first interval of each sampling period, in response to a control signal; and

providing a first intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in the first interval and a second intermediate signal detected by the sensing unit in a second interval of each sampling period, in response to the control signal,

wherein two first bio signals are obtained from the first intermediate signal the using a first and a second frequencies, respectively and the second bio signal is obtained from the second intermediate signal.