Sensor device for optical measurement of biological properties
Inventors
Ben Ishay, Arik • Sarussi, Israel • May, Johanan
Assignees
Publication Number
US-10813578-B1
Publication Date
2020-10-27
Expiration Date
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Abstract
A device, a substrate including a connection port. The substrate includes traces to enable a circuit of the substrate. The circuit is connected to the connection port. A light sensor mechanically and electrically attached respectfully to a first planar surface of the substrate and the circuit. A light source is mechanically and electrically attached respectively to the first planar surface and the circuit. The light source is located lateral to the light sensor at a first distance. A light signal of the light source emanates from the light source at an angle perpendicular to the first planar surface and a reflector mechanically attached to the first planar surface and located between the light sensor and the light source. The light signal is substantially reflected by the reflector away from the light sensor.
Core Innovation
The invention discloses a structure for a sensor device designed for optical measurement of biological properties of a subject employing a reflective measurement technique. The device comprises a substrate including a connection port and traces to enable a circuit, a light sensor mechanically and electrically attached to a first planar surface of the substrate and the circuit, a light source mechanically and electrically attached to the first planar surface and the circuit located lateral to the light sensor, and a reflector mechanically attached to the first planar surface and located between the light sensor and the light source so that a light signal of the light source emanating at an angle perpendicular to the first planar surface is substantially reflected by the reflector away from the light sensor.
The background identifies limitations of reflective measurement techniques including low signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) and low AC/DC ratios, and notes attempts to overcome these by increasing irradiated light which may increase noise and baseline DC component. The disclosed structure addresses these limitations by selecting directions, distances and angles between light emitters, reflectors and a light detector so that most light components reaching the detector are scattered from perfused tissue layers and many components reflected from non-perfused near-surface layers do not reach the detector, thereby substantially improving magnitudes, SNR and AC/DC ratios of measured optical signals.
Embodiments include use of one or more light emitters and one or more reflectors with profiles such as linear, concave, convex or parabolic, and may include lenses or prisms to collimate or offset beams, multiple emitters arranged around a detector, and a control unit configured to select parameters including wavelength and light intensity and to receive and process measurement data to determine biological properties. The disclosure further describes wearable implementations such as medical watches or patches and measurement of blood-related properties including heart rate, oxygen saturation and analyte concentrations.
Claims Coverage
One independent claim was identified and yields four main inventive features extracted from the claim language.
Substrate with connection port and circuit traces
A substrate including a connection port, wherein the substrate includes traces to enable a circuit of the substrate, wherein the circuit is connected to the connection port.
Light sensor mounted on first planar surface and connected to the circuit
A light sensor mechanically and electrically attached respectfully to a first planar surface of the substrate and the circuit.
Light source mounted lateral to the light sensor emitting perpendicular light
A light source mechanically and electrically attached respectively to the first planar surface and the circuit, wherein the light source is located lateral to the light sensor at a first distance, wherein a light signal of the light source emanates from the light source at an angle perpendicular to the first planar surface.
Reflector between sensor and source reflecting light away from sensor
A reflector mechanically attached to the first planar surface and located between the light sensor and the light source, wherein the light signal is substantially reflected by the reflector away from the light sensor.
The independent claim centers on a substrate-based sensor arrangement with a light sensor and laterally located light source mounted on a planar substrate and a reflector positioned between them to substantially reflect emitter light away from the sensor, with the circuit and connection port integrated into the substrate.
Stated Advantages
Improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and increased AC/DC ratios of the measured optical signals.
Ability to conduct optical measurements on almost any part of the body, including thick organs.
Reduced energy consumption compared to transmissive techniques.
Mitigation of optical signal distortions induced by movements of the body part/organ to which the sensor device is attached.
Enables wearable implementations such as medical watches or patches.
Documented Applications
Use in wearable devices to be worn over body segments, such as medical watches or patches, including chest patch, head, neck, torso, or limbs (e.g., over the wrist like a watch).
Optical measurement of blood-related biological properties including heart rate, blood flow, arterial blood oxygen saturation, and concentrations/levels of analytes such as glucose/sugar, cholesterol, hemoglobin and bilirubin.
Application to non-invasive optical measurement techniques including pulse oximetry and photoplethysmography (PPG) measurements.
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