Device for diagnosing physiological state and device for controlling the same

• US 6,126,595 A
• Filed: 04/02/1997
• Issued: 10/03/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Amano, Kazuhiko, Ishiyama, Hitoshi, Uebaba, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US08/765,465
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 600/322, 600/323, 600/485, 600/490, 600/793-6, 600/500, 600/503, 600/504, 600/505, 600/529, 600/532, 600/538, 600/579, 600/561, 600/544-5
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• 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 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4854 Diagnosis based on concepts of traditional oriental medicine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6806 Gloves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6821 Eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for diagnosing physiological state based on blood pulse waves detected in the body. It is the objective of the present invention to provide a device which correctly diagnoses the current physiological state based on changes in physiological state measured over a specified period of time in the past while taking into consideration the cyclical variation exhibited in physiological state. In order to realize this objective, the device according to the present invention has as its main components: blood pulse wave detector 381 and stroke-volume-per-beat measurer 382 which respectively detect blood pulse wave and stroke volume in the body; blood pulse wave extraction memory 386 which extracts characteristic information from the detected blood pulse wave; memory 383 in which the physiological state calculated from the stroke volume and this characteristic information is stored; output portion 385 which outputs an alarm; and microcomputer 387 which controls each part inside the device. The microcomputer calculates the circulatory parameters based on characteristic information obtained from the waveform extraction memory, and stores the parameters in memory at specified time intervals. At these times, microcomputer 387 calculates the circulatory parameters from the stroke volume per beat and the characteristic information of the blood pulse wave at specified time intervals, and stores the parameters in memory 383. Further, microcomputer 387 reads out from memory 383 the circulatory parameters from a specified time interval in the past, and calculates the average value and standard deviation. Microcomputer 387 then determines whether or not the current circulatory parameters are within a specified range determined by their average value and standard deviation. When the circulatory parameters are determined to be outside this range, microcomputer 387 controls output portion 385 to sound an alarm.

Claims

1. A device for diagnosing physiological state comprising:

measuring means for measuring an indicator of the physiological state over a specified period of time so as to detect a cyclical variation of the physiological state; and

diagnosing means for making a diagnosis of the physiological state, with taking account of the cyclical variation, based on the indicator measured over a specified period of time.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator of physiological state is a circulatory parameter.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the circulatory parameter is determined based on the amplitude of the fundamental wave, and the amplitude and the phase of the high harmonic wave of the blood pulse wave measured in the body.

4. A device according to claim 2, wherein the circulatory parameter is determined from the blood pulse wave distortion obtained from the amplitude of the high harmonic wave and the fundamental wave of the blood pulse wave spectrum detected in the body, and the relational equations between the distortion and the circulatory parameters.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the circulatory parameters are calculated from a regression formula between the circulatory parameters, and the phase of the high harmonic wave of the blood pulse wave spectrum and the distortion in the blood pulse wave obtained from the amplitude of the high harmonic wave and the fundamental wave of the blood pulse wave spectrum detected in the body.

6. A device to according to claim 1, wherein the indicator of physiological state is the amplitude of the high harmonic component of the blood pulse wave.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator of physiological state is the phase of the high harmonic component of the blood pulse wave.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the phase is the phase of the forth harmonic wave of the blood pulse wave spectrum in which the change in physical condition appears well.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator of physiological state is the amplitude of a spectral component obtained as a result of calculating the time interval between each beat of successive blood pulse waves, and carrying out spectral analysis on the variation during the time interval.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator of physiological state is the ratio of the amplitudes of two spectral components selected from a plurality of spectral components obtained as a result of calculating the time interval between each beat of successive blood pulse waves, and carrying out spectral analysis on the variation during the time interval.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator of physiological state is a fixed number by which the amount of change in adjacent time intervals exceeds a specified time after calculating the time interval of each beat of adjacent blood pulse waves.

12. A device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator of physiological state is the number of beats calculated from the blood pulse wave detected in the body.

13. A device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring means has blood pulse wave detection means which detects the blood pulse wave in the body, and extracts the indictor of physiological state from the blood pulse waveform.

14. A device according to claim 13, wherein the blood pulse wave detection means has a pressure sensor, and detects the blood pulse wave by measuring the blood pulse pressure using the pressure sensor.

15. A device according to claim 13, wherein the blood pulse wave detection means is provided with a photoelectric blood pulse wave sensor having a light generating element which irradiates the blood vessels under the skin with light, and a photo sensor which receives light reflected from the blood vessels under the surface of the skin.

16. A device according to claim 13, wherein the device is provided with command detection means for detecting a blood pulse wave measurement command from the user, the blood pulse wave detecting means detecting the blood pulse wave when a blood pulse wave measurement command is detected.

17. A device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator of physiological state is corrected for annual variations therein.

18. A device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator of physiological state is corrected for ambient temperature.

19. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device is provided with means for carrying out notification by vibrating a piezoelement attached to a concavity provided to a portable piece of equipment incorporating the device, the diameter of the piezoelement being about 80% of the diameter of the concavity.

20. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device is equipped with communication means for sending and receiving communications information including the indicators of physiological state with external equipment provided outside the device.

21. A device according to claim 20, wherein the transfer of data between the device and the external equipment is carried out using compressed data.

22. A device according to claim 20, wherein the communications means is equipped with recognition information recording means assigned a unique recognition number, the communications means assigning a recognition number to communication information and communicating with the external equipment.

26. A device for diagnosing physiological state according to claim 3, wherein the device has means for creating and outputting a graph superimposing the waveforms of daily variation in the indicator over a plurality of days.

23. A device for diagnosing physiological state, the device having:

measuring means which measures an indicator of physiological state at a plurality of times during the day;

recording means; and

control means which records the indicator of physiological state in the recording means at the plurality of times, determines based on the stored data in the recording means whether or not the current indicator is within the range of variation demonstrated by the indicator at the same time of the day over a specified period of time in the past, and provides notification of the results of this determination.

24. A device for diagnosing physiological state according to claim 23, wherein the control means calculates current times and the indicator values at those times during an interval of time in the past by means of interpolation employing each of the indicators obtained during the past timer interval that are stored in the recording means, and determines the range of variation in the indicator based on the calculated results.

25. A device for diagnosing physiological state according to claim 23, wherein the control means obtains the correlation between the waveform of daily variation in an indicator obtained over a plurality of days, and outputs this result.

27. A device for diagnosing physiological state, the device having:

measuring means which measures an indicator of physiological state at a plurality of times during the day;

recording means; and

control means which stores the indicator of physiological state in the recording means at the plurality of times, and provides notification of the deviation in the current indicator from a standard indicator calculated from indicators measured at the same time of the day over a specified period of time in the past.

28. A device for diagnosing physiological state, the device having:

measuring means which measures an indicator of physiological state at a plurality of times during the day;

recording means; and

control means which stores the indicator of physiological state in the recording means at the plurality of times during the day, obtains the mode of change in each of the indicators calculated on the present day and stores this data in the recording means, determines based on the data stored in the recording means whether or not the mode of change in the current indicator is in line with the mode of change in indicators measured at the same time of the day during a specified period of time in the past, and provides notification of the results of this determination.

29. A device for diagnosing physiological state, the device having:

measuring means which measures an indicator of physiological state at a plurality of times during the day;

recording means; and

control means which stores the indicator of physiological state in the recording means at the plurality of times during the day, obtains based on each indicator calculated on the present day the time at which the indicator takes on a maximum value and stores this information in the recording means, determines based on the data stored in the recording means whether or not the mode of change in the current indicator is in line with the mode of change demonstrated by indicators measured at the same time of the day over a specified period of time in the past, and provides notification of the results of this determination.

30. A device for diagnosing physiological state, the device having:

measuring means which measures an indicator of physiological state at a plurality of times during the day;

recording means; and

control means which stores the indicator of physiological state in the recording means at a plurality of times during the day, obtains based on each of the indicators calculated on the present day the time at which the indicator takes on a minimum value and stores this information in the recording means, determines based on the data stored in the recording means whether or not the mode of change in the current indicator is in line with the mode of change demonstrated in indicators measured at the same time of the day over a specified period of time in the past, and provides notification of the results of this determination.

31. A device for diagnosing physiological state, the device having:

measuring means which measures an indicator of physiological state;

recording means which stores the indicator of physiological state;

first control means which uptakes the indicator of physiological state measured by the measuring means over a specified period of time and stores the indicator in the recording means;

calculating means which, upon direction by the user, extracts the indicator stored in the recording means, carries out specified calculations, and outputs the results of this calculation;

second control means which, upon direction by the user, uptakes the indicator at that point in time from the measuring means; and

notifying means which provides notification of the calculated results and the indicator at the time of the user'"'"'s direction.

32. A device for diagnosing physiological state according to claim 31, wherein the calculating means calculates the moving average related to the indicator measured at the time of direction by the user for the indicators of physiological state from a specified number of days in the past;

and the notification means provides notification of the moving average and the indicator at the time of direction by the user.

33. A device for diagnosing physiological state according to claim 31, wherein the calculating means outputs the indicators from a specified number of days in the past without modification;

and the notification means provides notification of the transition over time in the indicator over a specified number of days in the past.

34. A device for diagnosing physiological state, the device having:

measuring means which measures an indicator of physiological state;

recording means which stores an indicator of physiological state;

first control means which uptakes the indicator measured by the measuring means over a specified period of time, and stores the indicators in the recording means;

calculating means which, upon direction by the user, extracts indicators measured over a specified number of days in the past from the recording means, and obtains the maximum value from among these past indicators;

second control means which, upon direction by the user, uptakes the indicator at that point in time from the measuring means, compares this indicator to the maximum value, and determines that an abnormal state is present when the indicator at the time of direction by the user is larger than the maximum value, or determines that an abnormal state is not present when the value of the indicator at the time of direction by the user is not larger than the maximum value; and

notifying means which provides notification of the results for the determination of the presence or absence of an abnormal state.

35. A device for diagnosing physiological state according to claim 34, wherein the calculating means calculates the separate maximum values of the indicator of physiological state during the daytime and evening periods;

and the second control means checks whether the current time belongs to the daytime or evening period, obtains the maximum value from among the indicators stored over a specified number of days in the past which were measured during the same time period of the day as the current indicator, and compares the indicator at the time of direction by the user with the maximum value.

36. A device for diagnosing physiological state, the device having:

measuring means which measures an indicator of physiological state;

recording means which stores the indicator of physiological state;

first control means which uptakes the indicator of physiological state measured by the measuring means over a specified period of time, and stores the indicators in the recording means;

calculating means which, upon direction by the user, extracts indicators measured over a specified number of days in the past from the recording means, and obtains the minimum value from among these past indicators;

second control means which, upon direction by the user, uptakes the indicator at that point in time from the measuring means, compares this indicator to the minimum value, and determines that an abnormal state is present when the value of the indicator at the time of direction by the user is smaller than the minimum value, or determines that an abnormal state is not present when the value of the indicator at the time of direction by the user is not smaller than the minimum value; and

notifying means which provides notification of the results for the determination of the presence or absence of an abnormal state.

37. A device for diagnosing physiological state according to claim 36, wherein the calculating means calculates the separate minimum values of the indicator of physiological state for the daytime and evening periods;

and the second control means checks whether the current time falls in the daytime or evening period, obtains the minimum value from among the indicators from a specified number of days in the past which were measured during the same time period of the day as the current indicator, and compares the indicator at the time of direction by the user with the minimum value indicator.

38. A device for diagnosing physiological state, the device having:

measuring means which measures an indicator of physiological state;

physical activity detection means which detects the physical activity of the body;

recording means which stores the indicator of physiological state and the value measured by the physical activity detection means;

first control means which uptakes the indicator of physiological state from the measurement means and the measured value of the physical activity detection means over a specified period of time, and stores these together in the recording means;

calculating means which, upon direction by the user, uptakes the current value of physical activity measured by the physical activity detection means, selects from among the values measured by the physical activity detection means stored in the recording means the value closest to the current value for physical activity, and reads out and outputs the selected measured value and the indicator that was stored together with the selected measured value in the recording means;

second control means which, upon direction by the user, uptakes the indicator at that point in time from the measuring means; and

notifying means which provides notification of the indicator output by the calculating means and the indicator uptaken by the second control means at the time of direction by the user.

39. A device for diagnosing physiological state comprising

measuring means for measuring an indicator of the physiological state over a specified period of time so as to detect a cyclical variation of the physiological state;

analysing means for analyzing the physiological state, with taking account of the cyclical variation, based on the measured indicator measured over a specified period of time; and

control means for affecting the physiological state into a desirable state.

40. A device for diagnosing physiological state comprising:

measuring means for measuring an indicator of the physiological state over a specified period of time so as to detect a cyclical variation of the physiological state;

diagnosing means for making a diagnosis of the physiological state, with taking account of the cyclical variation, based on the indicator measured over a specified period of time; and

wherein the measuring means has blood pulse wave detection means which detects the blood pulse wave in the body, and extracts the indictor of physiological state from the blood pulse waveform,

physical activity detection means for measuring physical activity, wherein the blood pulse wave detection means detects blood pulse waves when the physical activity detection value detected by the physical activity detection means is below a specified value.

41. A device according to claim 40, wherein the blood pulse wave detection means detects blood pulse waves only when the physical activity detection value remains below a specified value for a fixed period of time.

42. A device for diagnosing physiological state comprising:

measuring means for measuring an indicator of the physiological state over a specified period of time so as to detect a cyclical variation of the physiological state;

diagnosing means for making a diagnosis of the physiological state, with taking account of the cyclical variation, based on the indicator measured over a specified period of time;

wherein the measuring means has blood pulse wave detection means which detects the blood pulse wave in the body, and extracts the indictor of physiological state from the blood pulse waveform,

physical activity detection means for measuring physical activity;

storing means for storing the blood pulse waveform detected by the blood pulse wave detection means and the physical activity detection value detected by the physical activity detection means; and

extraction means for extracting from the storing means the blood pulse waveform at a time when a physical activity detection value below a specified value was measured, after the blood pulse waveform and the physical activity detection value measured at that point in time are stored in the storing means over a specified period of time.

43. A device for diagnosing physiological state comprising:

measuring means for measuring an indicator of the physiological state over a specified period of time so as to detect a cyclical variation of the physiological state;

diagnosing means for making a diagnosis of the physiological state, with taking account of the cyclical variation, based on the indicator measured over a specified period of time; and

physical activity detection means for measuring physical activity, and carries out correction of the indicator of physiological state based on the measured results of the physical activity detector.