Two-wrist data gathering system

• US 8,332,020 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2011
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proteus Digital Health, Inc. (Otsuka Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Proteus Digital Health, Inc. (Otsuka Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Zdeblick, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaetzle, Kennedy
• Application Number:
  US13/260,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20120022341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/07 Endoradiosondes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/20 Pills, tablets, discs, rods A61K9/0004, A61K9/0007, A61K9/0056, A61K9/0065 take precedence; for reconstitution of a drink A61K9/0095
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body

Abstract

Sensing is carried out from locations at considerable remove from the stomach. Cooperating sensor electronics are placed at each of two wrists of the patient. The potential discomfort and inconvenience of an abdominal patch are reduced or eliminated. And alternative power sources become available.

Claims

1. A data gathering method carried out with respect to a first device and a second device, each of the first device and the second device comprising a respective electrical signal detector having respective first and second electrodes, the method comprising the steps of:

placing a first device upon a first limb of a living body, the first device encircling said first limb, the first electrode of the first device juxtaposed with said first limb, the second electrode of the first device more distant from the first limb than the first electrode;

placing a second device upon a second limb of a body, the second device encircling said second limb, the second limb being a limb other than the first limb, the first electrode of the first device juxtaposed with said second limb, the second electrode of the second device more distant from the second limb than the first electrode;

at the first device, measuring electrical signals at the respective signal detector differentially between the respective first and second electrodes, yielding a first data stream indicative thereof;

at the second device, measuring electrical signals at the respective signal detector differentially between the respective first and second electrodes, yielding a second data stream indicative thereof; and

analyzing the first data stream and the second data stream together, thereby deriving information of interest about the body.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing step further comprises synchronizing the first data stream to the second data stream by aligning common-mode events therein.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing step is carried out at equipment separate from the first device and separate from the second device, the method further comprising the steps of:

communicating the first data stream from the first device to the equipment, and

communicating the second data stream from the second device to the equipment.

4. The method of claim 1 further characterized in that the first limb is a first arm of the body, and the second limb is a second arm of the body, and wherein the encircling of the first device comprises encircling a wrist of the first limb, and wherein the encircling of the second device comprises encircling a wrist of the second limb.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing step comprises detecting at least one of a signal and a communication associated with an ingestible device ingested by the body.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device has a rechargeable energy storage, the method further comprising the step of moving the first limb, and converting movement of the first limb into electrical energy, said electrical energy recharging the rechargeable energy storage.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

inferring a level of physical activity of the body from the converted electrical energy, and

communicating the inferred level of physical activity external to the first device and external to the second device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the measuring of electrical signals at the first device comprises carrying out an analog-to-digital conversion, the first data stream being digital, and wherein the measuring of electrical signals at the second device comprises carrying out an analog-to-digital conversion, the second data stream being digital.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the analog-to-digital conversions take place with a resolution of at least sixteen bits.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing step comprises carrying out an electrocardiogram measurement with respect to a heart of the body.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

emitting first electrical energy within a first band at the first device;

detecting the first electrical energy at the second device;

emitting second electrical energy within a second band at the first device, the second band different from the first band;

detecting the second electrical energy at the second device; and

comparing the detected first electrical energy and the detected second energy with each other, thereby deriving information of interest about the body.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of deriving information of interest about the body comprises inferring a ratio of fluid to non-fluid within the body.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of deriving information of interest about the body comprises inferring blood volume within the body.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

communicating the first data stream from the first device to the second device;

wherein the analyzing step is carried out within the second device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the communicating step is carried out by means of infrared light communications or by means of high frequency radio frequency communications.

16. A system comprising a first device and a second device,

the first device comprising a respective electrical signal detector having respective first and second electrodes;

the second device comprising a respective electrical signal detector having respective first and second electrodes;

the first device shaped for encircling a limb of a subject, the first electrode of the first device disposed to be juxtaposed with said limb when the first device encircles the limb, the second electrode of the first device disposed to be more distant from the limb than the first electrode when the first device encircles the limb;

the second device shaped for encircling a limb of a subject, the first electrode of the second device disposed to be juxtaposed with said limb when the second device encircles the limb, the second electrode of the second device disposed to be more distant from the limb than the first electrode when the second device encircles the limb;

the electrical signal detector of the first device responsive to signals at the respective first and second electrodes, yielding a first data stream indicative of a difference between the signals at the respective first and second electrodes;

the electrical signal detector of the second device responsive to signals at the respective first and second electrodes, yielding a second data stream indicative of a difference between the signals at the respective first and second electrodes;

the system further comprising an analysis means, said means responsive to the first data stream and the second data stream, for deriving information of interest about the body.

17. The system of claim 16 where the analysis means is separate from the first device and separate from the second device, the system further comprising:

a communications link from the first device to equipment, and

a communications link from the second device to the equipment.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the first device further comprises a rechargeable energy storage, the first device further comprising a means converting movement into electrical energy, said electrical energy recharging the rechargeable energy storage.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the analysis means infers a level of physical activity of the body from the converted electrical energy, and

communicates the inferred level of physical activity external to the first device and external to the second device.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the first device further comprises an analog-to-digital converter converting analog signals from the respective first and second electrodes into digital data, the first data stream comprising said digital data.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the analog-to-digital converter has a resolution of at least sixteen bits.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein the first device comprises an emitter controllably emitting first electrical energy within a first band at the first device and controllably emitting second electrical energy within a second band at the first device, the second band different from the first band;

and wherein the second device comprises a detector disposed to detect first electrical energy and the second electrical energy;

the analysis means disposed to compare the detected first electrical energy and the detected second energy with each other, thereby deriving information of interest.

23. The system of claim 16 wherein the first device communicates the first data stream to the second device;

and

wherein the analyzing means is within the second device.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein communicating is carried out by means of an infrared light communications channel or by means of a high frequency radio frequency communications channel.