Mobile wireless customizable health and condition monitor

• US 8,378,811 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NRV-Wellness, LLC
• Original Assignee: Aframe Digital Inc. (Neos Technologies, LLC)
• Inventors: Crump, Cindy A., Wilson, Bruce G., Videtich, John
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US12/568,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20100016745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/539.12
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A wearable sensor may be provided. The wearable sensor may include a timing mechanism; a plurality of sensor pairs coupled to the timing mechanism wherein each sensor pair comprises an emitter and a detector; and a microcontroller coupled in communication to the timing mechanism and the plurality of sensor pairs.

Claims

1. A wearable sensor comprising:

a timing mechanism;

a plurality of sensor pairs coupled to said timing mechanism wherein each sensor pair comprises an emitter and a detector;

a microcontroller coupled in communication to said timing mechanism and said plurality of sensor pairs; and

a band that facilitates coupling said plurality of sensor pairs to a user,

wherein said plurality of sensor pairs are positioned in an array on at least one of said band and said timing mechanism, and

wherein said microcontroller is adapted to determine which of said plurality of sensor pairs detect an acceptable signal from the user.

2. A wearable sensor in accordance with claim 1 further comprising an accelerometer coupled to said microcontroller.

3. A wearable sensor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said timing mechanism comprises a watch.

4. A wearable sensor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said emitter comprises a light emitting device.

5. A wearable sensor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said detector comprises a photodiode.

6. A monitoring system, comprising:

at least one wearable monitor coupled to a user, said at least one wearable monitor comprising;

a timing mechanism;

a plurality of sensor pairs coupled to said timing mechanism wherein each sensor pair comprises an emitter and a detector; and

a microcontroller coupled in communication to said timing mechanism and said plurality of sensor pairs;

at least one gateway having a second transceiver;

at least one device located at a remote location; and

at least one server coupled in communication using a wide area network to the at least one gateway and the at least one device, said at least one wearable monitor is coupled in wireless communication to said at least one gateway, said plurality of sensor pairs facilitate sensing a heart rate of the user and transmit the heart rate to said at least one server; and

a band that facilitates coupling said plurality of sensor pairs to a user,

wherein said plurality of sensor pairs are positioned in an array on at least one of said band and said timing mechanism, and

wherein said microcontroller is adapted to determine which of said plurality of sensor pairs detect an acceptable signal from the user.

7. A system in accordance with claim 6 further comprising an accelerometer coupled to said microcontroller, said accelerometer facilitates detecting movement of said wearable sensor.

8. A system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said timing mechanism comprises a watch.

9. A system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said emitter comprises a light emitting device.

10. A system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said detector comprises a photodiode.

11. A method of sensing a heart rate using a wearable monitor, said wearable monitor comprising:

a timing mechanism;

a memory;

a plurality of sensor pairs coupled to the timing mechanism wherein each sensor pair comprises an emitter and a detector;

a microcontroller coupled in communication to the timing mechanism, the memory and the plurality of sensor pairs; and

a band that facilitates coupling said plurality of sensor pairs to a user,

wherein said plurality of sensor pairs are positioned in an array on at least one of said band and said timing mechanism, and

wherein said microcontroller is adapted to determine which of said plurality of sensor pairs detect am the user,

said method comprising;

coupling the wearable monitor to a user;

emitting an electromagnetic wave from the emitter into the user;

receiving an electromagnetic wave signal from the user at the detector;

stabilizing the electromagnetic wave;

determining a first pulse;

determining a plurality of subsequent pulses;

calculating a heart rate of the user; and

recording the heart rate of the user in at least one server.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein stabilizing the electromagnetic wave further comprises:

filtering ambient electromagnetic waves; and

biasing the detector to facilitate receiving a readable electromagnetic wave signal.

13. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein determining a first pulse further comprises:

sensing a first peak amplitude in the electromagnetic wave signal using a first sensor pair;

determining whether the first peak amplitude is acceptable;

adjusting an electromagnetic wave emission level of the emitter in the event the peak amplitude is not acceptable;

sensing the first peak amplitude in the electromagnetic wave signal using a second sensor pair in the event the first sensor pair cannot sense an acceptable peak amplitude;

recording a first acceptable peak amplitude in the memory of the wearable monitor; and

recording the most recently used sensor pair in the memory of the wearable monitor.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein determining a plurality of subsequent pulses further comprises:

sensing at least three subsequent peak amplitudes in the signal using the same sensor pair that detected the first acceptable peak amplitude, wherein each subsequent peak amplitude is within an acceptable range with respect to the preceding peak amplitude; and

recording the at least three subsequent peak amplitudes in the memory of the wearable monitor.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein calculating a heart rate of the user further comprises:

recording the time between each peak amplitude to determine the instantaneous heart rate of the user; and

averaging the recorded times between peak amplitudes to determine the average heart rate of the user.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein calculating a heart rate of the user further comprises:

calculating statistical variation in heart rate over time;

using Fourier Transforms to transform variations in the instantaneous heart rate of the user into a frequency domain for spectral analysis of heart rate variation.

17. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein determining a first pulse further comprises:

detecting movements of the wearable monitor caused by the movements of the user using an accelerometer that is coupled to the microcontroller;

determining false-positive peak amplitudes that coincide with movements of the wearable monitor detected by the accelerometer; and

omitting the false-positive peak amplitudes from said step of calculating a heart rate such that the wearable monitor may sense the heart rate of the user while the user is moving.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein determining a first pulse further comprises:

increasing the occurrence of acceptable peak amplitudes by mathematically compensating peak amplitudes based on the amplitude and direction of the movements of the user.

19. A health care monitoring system comprising:

means for emitting electromagnetic waves into a user;

means for receiving the emitted electromagnetic waves as a signal;

means for determining a plurality of peak amplitudes within the signal;

means for calculating a heart rate of the user;

means for recording the heart rate on at least one server; and

means for sensing the electromagnetic waves using a second sensor pair in the event a first sensor pair cannot sense an acceptable peak amplitude.

20. A health care monitoring system in accordance with claim 19 further comprising means for filtering ambient electromagnetic waves.

21. A health care monitoring system in accordance with claim 19 further comprising means for omitting false-positive peak amplitudes in the signal caused by the movements of the user.

22. A health care monitoring system in accordance with claim 19 further comprising means for increasing the occurrence of acceptable peak amplitudes by mathematically compensating peak amplitudes based on the amplitude and direction of the movements of the user.