OPPOSING ACCELEROMETERS FOR A HEART RATE MONITOR

• US 20160317040A1
• Filed: 12/10/2014
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Russell, James Knox, Liu, Chenguang, Duric, Haris
• Granted Patent: US 10,772,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• 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 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6819 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7214 using signal cancellation, e.g. based on input of two identical physiological sensors spaced apart, or based on two signals derived from the same sensor, for different optical wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting

Abstract

A heart rate monitor (40) for detecting a pulse of a person (10) employs a platform (43), a plurality of multi-axis accelerometers (41R, 41L) and a pulse detector (44). The multi-axis accelerometers (41R, 41L) are adjoined to the platform (43) to generate differential mode signals (A_ZR, A_ZL) indicative of a sensing by the accelerometers (41) of physiological motion (12) of the person (10) relative to acceleration sensing axes (42R, 42L) and to generate common mode signals (A_XR, A_XL, A_YR, A_YL) indicative of a sensing by the accelerometers (41R, 41L) of extraneous motion by the person (10) relative to the acceleration sensing axes (42R, 42L). The pulse detector (44) is operably connected to the multi-axis accelerometers (41R, 41L) to generate a pulse signal (PS)as a function of a vertical alignment of the acceleration sensing axes (42R, 42L) combining the differential mode signals (A_ZR, A_ZL) and cancelling the common mode signals (A_XR, A_XL, A_YR, A_YL).

Claims

1. A method for pulse detection of a person by a heart rate monitor including a plurality of multi-axis accelerometers, the method comprising:

mounting, via a platform, the accelerometers on a nose of the person, wherein the platform comprises a hinged nose clip structurally configured to flexibly affix the accelerometers to opposite right and left sides of a bridge of the nose of the person, whereby an underlying nasal bone rigidly maintains an angular orientation of the accelerometers with respect to each other and the nose of the person;

generating, via the accelerometers, differential mode signals indicative of a sensing by the accelerometers of physiological motion of the person relative to acceleration sensing axes of the multi-axis accelerometers;

generating, the accelerometers, common mode signals indicative of a sensing by the accelerometers of extraneous motion by the person relative to the acceleration sensing axes; and

generating, via the heart rate monitor, a pulse signal as a function of a vertical alignment of the acceleration sensing axes combining the differential mode signals and cancelling the common mode signals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of multi-axis accelerometers further comprise accelerometers for being positioned over temples of the person, the method further comprising:

mounting, via the platform, the accelerometers over the temples of the person, wherein the platform comprises one of a headband or head strap structurally configured with hardened surfaces to respectively affix the accelerometers at the hardened surfaces to opposite right and left temples of the person.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, via a display, a pulse of the person responsive to the pulse signal.

2. (canceled)

5. A heart rate monitor for detecting a pulse of a person, the heart rate monitor comprising:

a platform;

a plurality of multi-axis accelerometers adjoined to the platform to generate differential mode signals indicative of a sensing by the accelerometers of physiological motion of the person relative to acceleration sensing axes and to generate common mode signals indicative of a sensing by the accelerometers of extraneous motion by the person relative to the acceleration sensing axes, wherein the platform comprises a nose clip operable to mount the accelerometers on a nose of the person, wherein the nose clip further comprises a hinged nose clip structurally configured to flexibly affix the accelerometers to opposite right and left sides of a bridge of the nose of the person, whereby an underlying nasal bone rigidly maintains an angular orientation of the accelerometers with respect to each other and the nose of the person; and

a pulse detector operably connected to the multi-axis accelerometers to generate a pulse signal as a function of a vertical alignment of the acceleration sensing axes combining the differential mode signals and cancelling the common mode signals.

7. The heart rate monitor of claim 5, wherein the plurality of multi-axis accelerometers further comprise accelerometers for being positioned over temples of the person, and wherein the platform further comprises a headband operable to position the accelerometers over temples of the person, wherein the headband is structurally configured with hardened surfaces to respectively affix the accelerometers at the hardened surfaces to opposite right and left temples of the person.

9. The heart rate monitor of claim 5, further comprising:

a display operably connected to the pulse detector to display a pulse of the person responsive to the pulse signal.

10. A cardiac therapy device comprising:

a heart rate monitor according to claim 5; and

a pulse monitor operably connected to the pulse detector to monitor a the pulse of the person responsive to the pulse signal.

12. The cardiac therapy device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of multi-axis accelerometers further comprise accelerometers for being positioned over temples of the person, and wherein the platform further comprises a headband operable to position the accelerometers over temples of the person wherein the headband is structurally configured with hardened surfaces to respectively affix the accelerometers at the hardened surfaces to opposite right and left temples of the person.

13. The cardiac therapy device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of multi-axis accelerometers further comprise accelerometers for being positioned over temples of the person, and wherein the platform further comprises a head strap operable to position the accelerometers over temples of the person, wherein the head strap is structurally configured with hardened surfaces to respectively affix the accelerometers at the hardened surfaces to opposite right and left temples of the person.

14. The cardiac therapy device of claim 10, wherein the heart rate monitor further includes:

a display operably connected to the pulse detector to display a pulse of the person responsive to the pulse signal.

15. The cardiac therapy device of claim 14, wherein the pulse monitor incorporates the display.

6. (canceled)

8. The heart rate monitor of wherein the plurality of multi-axis accelerometers further comprise accelerometers for being positioned over temples of the person, and wherein the platform further comprises a head strap operable to position the accelerometers over temples of the person, wherein the head strap is structurally configured with hardened surfaces to respectively affix the accelerometers at the hardened surfaces to opposite right and left temples of the person.

11. (canceled)