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Publication Number
US-10448831-B2
Publication Date
2019-10-22
Expiration Date
Abstract
A wearable health sensor and methods of operating the same are herein described, the wearable health sensor and methods of operation having a variety of clinical and non-clinical uses.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a wearable health monitor that co-locates at least one active sensor and at least one passive sensor on a unitary patch. The active sensor emits a signal comprising electromagnetic radiation or electrical energy into a user and measures a change in the signal that corresponds to a first type of biometric data, while the passive sensor measures a biometric signal of the user that corresponds to a second type of biometric data.
A synchronization multiplexer analyzes the passive biometric signal for repeating segments and determines which portion or portions of the repeating segments are relatively constant. The synchronization multiplexer synchronizes outputs from the active sensor so that the impact of the emitted active-sensor outputs on the passive sensor’s second type of biometric data is minimized by assigning periods of the emitted signal to those repeating segments of the passive biometric signal that are relatively constant.
The synchronization is performed under an interference condition, where the signal emitted from the active sensor would result in interference if emitted during the measurement of the biometric signal by the passive sensor. The active sensor is assigned at least one time slot to transmit the signal corresponding with a repeating period of relatively-constant signal reception by the passive sensor, and the relatively-constant signal received by the passive sensor is the biometric signal not transmitted by the active sensor.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are 1, 13, and 18. Across these claims, the coverage centers on synchronizing at least one active sensor’s transmissions with repeating, relatively constant segments of a passive sensor’s biometric signal to minimize interference, with the active and passive sensors residing on a unitary patch.
Synchronized active and passive sensors on a unitary patch
A wearable health monitor with at least one active sensor emitting electromagnetic radiation or electrical energy into a user and measuring a change corresponding to a first biometric data type, and at least one passive sensor measuring a biometric signal corresponding to a second biometric data type, with the active sensor and passive sensor residing on a unitary patch.
Repeating-segment synchronization multiplexer to minimize interference
A synchronization multiplexer configured to analyze the passive biometric signal for repeating segments, determine which portion or portions of the repeating segments are relatively constant, and synchronize outputs from the active sensor so that the impact of active outputs on the passive-measured second biometric data is minimized by assigning emitted-signal periods to the relatively constant repeating segments.
Time-slot assignment aligned to relatively-constant passive reception
The active sensor is assigned at least one time slot to transmit the signal corresponding with a repeating period of relatively-constant signal reception by the passive sensor, where the relatively-constant signal received by the passive sensor is the biometric signal not transmitted by the active sensor.
Interference-conditioned active emission scheduling
Synchronization is performed such that, for the signal emitted from the active sensor, if the signal were emitted during measurement of the biometric signal by the passive sensor, interference would result, and the synchronization multiplexer assigns periods to avoid that interference impact on the second type of biometric data.
System of wearable health monitors with body-path signal transfer
A system of wearable health monitors comprising at least two wearable health monitors, where at least one first wearable health monitor transmits a second signal through a body of the user using skin contact sensors configured to create a tissue pathway to a receiver, and at least one second wearable health monitor receives said second signal.
Self-configuring master/slave or peer-to-peer monitor roles
At least two wearable health monitors are configured to automatically self-configure as master/slave nodes or peer-to-peer nodes depending on network requirements.
Overlapping biometric data normalization by error omission and averaging
The system collects overlapping biometric data from at least two monitors, compares the overlapping biometric data, and normalizes by omitting erroneous data and averaging non-erroneous data.
Wideband noise sensor included for additional sensing
The wearable health monitor system includes a wideband noise sensor.
Reverse phase noise cancellation using multiple wearable health monitors
The system includes at least 5 wearable health monitors configured to provide reverse phase noise cancellation functionality.
Method of monitoring using repeating-constant passive intervals
A method monitoring biometric data in a patient using a wearable health monitor with active and passive sensors on a unitary patch, analyzing the passive biometric signal for repeating segments, determining relatively constant portions, monitoring the second biometric data using the passive sensor, determining repeating time periods where the passive biometric signal is relatively constant, assigning the active sensor to the repeating time periods, emitting the signal using the active sensor, and measuring the change in the signal emitted by the active sensor.
Across the independent claims, the core inventive concept is a synchronization multiplexer that detects repeating, relatively constant segments of a passive biometric signal and schedules active sensor transmissions into aligned time slots to minimize interference, with active and passive sensors residing on a unitary patch. The broader system and method claims extend this concept to multi-monitor arrangements, role/network behaviors, overlapping-data normalization, optional wideband noise sensing, and reverse phase noise cancellation using multiple monitors.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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