Methods and apparatus for improving signal quality in wearable biometric monitoring devices

• US 9,794,653 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2015
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yukka Magic LLC
• Original Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Inventors: Aumer, Michael Edward, LeBoeuf, Steven Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Casillashernandez, Omar
• Application Number:
  US14/829,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20160094899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 34087007
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6802 Sensor mounted on worn items
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083

Abstract

A wearable biometric monitoring device is configured to assess the biometric signal quality of one or more sensors associated with the monitoring device, determine how the user should adjust the device to improve the biometric fit, and instruct the user to wear the biometric monitoring device a certain way. Communicating instructions to a user may include instructing the user to execute a testing regimen while wearing the biometric monitoring device. The testing regimen facilitates an estimation of a signal quality that can be used to provide feedback to the user that he/she needs to adjust the device to improve the biometric fit and the biometric signal quality.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring signal quality of a wearable biometric monitoring device, wherein the biometric monitoring device includes at least one optical sensor configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from a subject wearing the biometric monitoring device, at least one motion sensor, and at least one processor in communication with the at least one optical sensor and the at least one motion sensor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive and analyze signals produced by the at least one optical sensor and the at least one motion sensor, the method comprising the following performed via the at least one processor:

processing information from the at least one optical sensor and/or the at least one motion sensor to determine if the monitoring device is being worn;

initiating a signal quality test of the at least one optical sensor in response to determining that the monitoring device is being worn, comprising;

instructing the subject to begin an exercise regimen; and

processing information from the at least one optical sensor and the at least one motion sensor during the exercise regimen to determine if signal quality produced by the at least one optical sensor is acceptable, comprising calculating a ratio of physiological information to motion information in a signal from the at least one optical sensor, wherein a higher ratio of physiological information to motion information indicates a higher quality of the signal; and

communicating information to the subject regarding the signal quality during the exercise regimen, the communicating comprising informing the subject that the device is being worn correctly if the signal quality is acceptable, and informing the subject that the device is not being worn correctly if the signal quality is not acceptable.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating information to the subject regarding the signal quality further comprises communicating instructions to the subject to adjust the biometric monitoring device relative to the body of the subject in response to detecting that the signal quality is not acceptable.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating information to the subject regarding the signal quality comprises communicating information to the subject that the signal quality is above a threshold level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing the subject to begin an exercise regimen comprises sending an audio and/or visual communication to a remote device in communication with the biometric monitoring device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating information to the subject regarding the signal quality comprises sending an audio and/or visual communication to a remote device in communication with the biometric monitoring device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing the subject to begin an exercise regimen comprises causing the biometric monitoring device and/or a remote device to vibrate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating information to the subject regarding the signal quality comprises causing the biometric monitoring device and/or a remote device to vibrate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the biometric monitoring device includes an actuator, and further comprising automatically adjusting the biometric monitoring device relative to the body of the subject via the actuator in response to determining that if the signal quality is not acceptable.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the subject has begun the exercise regimen by detecting a change in subject activity via the at least one motion sensor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the biometric monitoring device is integrated within an earbud, an audio headset, a wrist strap, a wrist watch, an ankle bracelet, or an armband.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the biometric monitoring device comprises a band configured to at least partially encircle a portion of a body of the subject, and wherein the portion of the body comprises a limb, a nose, an earlobe, and/or a digit.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the subject is wearing the biometric monitoring device by determining via the at least one motion sensor if body motion over a period of time is above a threshold.

13. A method of monitoring signal quality of a wearable biometric monitoring device, wherein the biometric monitoring device includes at least one optical sensor configured to detect physiological information from a subject wearing the biometric monitoring device, at least one motion sensor configured to detect motion information from the subject, and at least one processor in communication with the at least one optical sensor and the at least one motion sensor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive and analyze signals produced by the at least one optical sensor and the at least one motion sensor, the method comprising:

instructing the subject to begin an activity; and

processing information from the at least one optical sensor and the at least one motion sensor during the activity to measure signal quality produced by the at least one optical sensor during the activity comprising calculating a ratio of physiological information to motion information in the signal of the at least one optical sensor, wherein a higher ratio of physiological information to motion information indicates a higher quality of the signal produced by the at least one optical sensor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one optical sensor comprises a PPG sensor.

15. A method of generating a status indication that a biometric monitoring device is being worn by a subject, wherein the biometric monitoring device includes a PPG sensor, a motion sensor, and at least one processor in communication with the PPG sensor and motion sensor, the method comprising the following performed via the at least one processor:

instructing the subject to begin an activity;

processing information from the PPG sensor and the motion sensor during the activity to determine quality of a signal produced by the PPG sensor, comprising calculating a ratio of physiological information to motion information in the signal, wherein a higher ratio of physiological information to motion information indicates a higher quality of the signal;

making an estimate as to whether the biometric monitoring device is being worn based on the signal quality of the PPG sensor; and

generating a status indication that the biometric monitoring device is being worn by processing the estimate as to whether the biometric monitoring device is being worn in context with the signal quality of the PPG sensor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the biometric monitoring device is integrated within an earbud, an audio headset, a wrist strap, a wrist watch, an ankle bracelet, or an armband.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the biometric monitoring device comprises a band configured to at least partially encircle a portion of a body of the subject, and wherein the portion of the body comprises a limb, a nose, an earlobe, and/or a digit.