HEADSET APPARATUS FOR DETECTING MULTI BIO-SIGNAL

• US 20160262704A1
• Filed: 09/02/2015
• Published: 09/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SOSO Company Limited
• Original Assignee: SOSO Company Limited
• Inventors: MIN, Dong-Bin, KEUM, Dae-Sik, HWANG, Yoon-Ha, KIM, Won-Pyo, KIM, Sang-Tak, JUNG, Yoo-Jin, LEE, Jae-Yong
• Granted Patent: US 10,213,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4884 inducing physiological or psychological stress, e.g. applications for stress testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6816 Ear lobe

Abstract

The invention relates to a headset apparatus for detecting a multi bio-signal comprising: a headset body configured to be mounted on a user'"'"'s head; a plurality of electrodes which are exposed on an outer surface of the headset body so as to be in contact with a forehead of a user when the headset body is mounted on a user'"'"'s head; a brainwave detection unit which is embedded in the headset body and which detects a brainwave signal based on a signal detected by the plurality of electrodes; a heartbeat detection module which extends from the headset body through a signal cable and which is configured to be mounted on a user'"'"'s ear to detect a heartbeat signal; and a headset controller to determine a complex stress index based on the brainwave signal detected by the brainwave detection unit and the heartbeat signal detected by the heartbeat detection module. Accordingly, the apparatus can measure a user'"'"'s stress index accurately by measuring a multi bio-signal such as a brainwave and can be manufactured in the form of a wearable device.

Claims

1. A headset apparatus for detecting a multi bio-signal comprising:

a headset body configured to be mounted on a user'"'"'s head;

a plurality of electrodes which are exposed on an outer surface of the headset body so as to be in contact with a forehead of a user when the headset body is mounted on a user'"'"'s head;

a brainwave detection unit which is embedded in the headset body and which detects a brainwave signal based on a signal detected by the plurality of electrodes;

a heartbeat detection module which extends from the headset body through a signal cable and which is configured to be mounted on a user'"'"'s ear to detect a heartbeat signal; and

a headset controller to determine a complex stress index based on the brainwave signal detected by the brainwave detection unit and the heartbeat signal detected by the heartbeat detection module.

2. The headset apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the headset controller is configured to analyze frequencies of the brainwave signal to extract an alpha wave and a high-beta wave and to calculate a brainwave stress index based on the alpha wave and the high-beta wave;

to calculate a heartbeat stress index based on the variation of a R-peak interval of the heartbeat signal; and

to apply a predetermined weight factor to the brainwave stress index and the heartbeat stress index, respectively and add them up to calculate a complex stress index.

3. The headset apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the headset controller is configured to divide the brainwave stress index into 10 levels and divide the heartbeat stress index into 5 levels, and the headset controller is configured to divide a complex stress index into 10 levels by calculating the complex stress index using the following formula:

SI=ROUND(((n×

SI_B)+(m×

SI_H))/2,1)

wherein SI is a complex stress index, SI_B is a brainwave stress index, SI_H is a heartbeat stress index, n is a weight factor for the brainwave stress index, m is a weight factor for the heartbeat stress index, and a function of ROUND( ) is a round-off function to raise decimals to the next whole number.

4. The headset apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the headset controller is configured to divide the brainwave stress index into 10 levels by calculating the brainwave stress index by the following formula:

SI_B=ROUND((α

/β

)×

10,1)

wherein α

is a magnitude of an alpha wave and β

is a magnitude of a high-beta wave.

5. The headset apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the headset controller is configured to measure a R-peak interval from the heartbeat signal for a predetermined time;

to calculate a Full width at half maximum (FWHM) of a histogram of the R-peak interval; and

to calculate the heartbeat stress index by normalizing the FWHM to a value ranging from 0 to 1, by multiplying the normalized value by 5 and then by omitting decimals, such that the heartbeat stress index is divided into 5 levels.

6. The headset apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a headset wireless communication unit embedded in the headset body to carry out a wireless communication, wherein the headset controller is configured to send the complex stress index to an external device through the headset wireless communication unit.

7. The headset apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a headset wireless communication unit embedded in the headset body to carry out a wireless communication, wherein the headset controller comprises a headset control module embedded in the headset body to send the brainwave signal and the heartbeat signal to an external device through the headset wireless communication unit and a stress measuring program installed on the external device to measure a complex stress index based on the brainwave signal and the heartbeat signal which are sent to the external device through the headset wireless communication unit.

8. The headset apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heartbeat detection module is configured in the form of clamps to be mounted on a user'"'"'s ear.

9. The headset apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a permanent magnet which is provided on one of an outer surface of the heartbeat detection module and an outer surface of the headset body; and

a magnetic substance which is provided on the other of the outer surface of the heartbeat detection module and the outer surface of the headset body and which has magnetic material or magnetizable material,

wherein the heartbeat detection module are configured to be attached to and detached from the headset body by the attachment of the permanent magnet and the magnetic substance.