Physiological signal monitoring and apparatus therefor
Inventors
Sharma, Arjun • Brockway, Marina • Brockway, Brian
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11103145-B1
Publication Date
2021-08-31
Expiration Date
Abstract
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to apparatuses and methods for monitoring vital signs from a human being. Various such aspects involve an apparatus or method involving the monitoring of vital signs in a manner that facilitates enhanced characterization of physiological conditions. In many embodiments, two or more such vital signs are monitored. A signal acquisition, digitization, and computing module removing noise, extracts information useful for diagnosing a health or fitness characteristic of the human being, and/or compresses information to reduce data volume. A wireless communications circuit transmits the vital signs to a receiver.
Core Innovation
The invention is an apparatus configured and arranged to monitor two or more vital signs from a human being. The apparatus includes two or more sensing circuit components, including at least two of electrodes configured and arranged to sense an ECG signal, monochromatic LEDs and light sensors configured and arranged to sense one or more photoplethysmography (PPG) signals, a temperature sensor, and electrodes configured and arranged to sense a thoracic impedance signal. The sensing is arranged to produce data characterizing the two or more vital signs.
A signal acquisition, digitization, and computing module is provided with circuitry configured and arranged to compress information to reduce data volume while providing specified performance metrics. In particular, the module is configured and arranged to provide >7× compression while maintaining a quality of signal reconstruction (QSR) of >95%. In another aspect, the module is configured and arranged to remove noise and to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of an input ECG signal by >15 dB while maintaining QSR of >95%.
The apparatus further includes a wireless communications circuit configured and arranged to transmit the data characterizing the two or more vital signs to a receiver. The module can be configured and arranged to extract information useful for diagnosing a health or fitness characteristic of the human being, and to perform one or more of removing noise, extracting information, and compressing information. The described monitoring thus targets obtaining diagnostic- and fitness-relevant information while reducing data volume for wireless transmission.
Claims Coverage
Independent claims include apparatus claims that define three inventive features and a method claim that defines monitoring multiple vital signs with quantitative compression and wireless transmission.
Wireless multi-vital-sign wearable monitoring with quantitative compression and reconstruction quality
An apparatus configured and arranged to monitor two or more vital signs from a human being, comprising sensing circuit components including ECG electrodes, monochromatic LEDs and light sensors for PPG, a temperature sensor, and thoracic impedance electrodes; a signal acquisition, digitization, and computing module configured and arranged to compress information to provide >7× compression while maintaining QSR of >95% to produce data characterizing the two or more vital signs; and a wireless communications circuit configured and arranged to transmit the data to a receiver.
Noise removal and ECG SNR improvement with quantitative SNR/QSR while monitoring multiple vital signs
An apparatus to monitor two or more vital signs from a human being, comprising sensing circuit components including ECG electrodes, monochromatic LEDs and light sensors for PPG, a temperature sensor, and thoracic impedance electrodes; a signal acquisition, digitization, and computing module configured and arranged to perform one or more of removing noise, extracting information useful for diagnosing a health or fitness characteristic, and compressing information to reduce data volume, wherein the computing module is configured and arranged to increase the SNR of an input ECG signal by >15 dB while maintaining QSR of >95%; and a wireless communications circuit configured and arranged to transmit the two or more vital signs to a receiver.
Monitoring multiple vital signs with quantitative compression and wireless transmission
A method for monitoring two or more vital signs from a human being, the method comprising sensing an ECG signal, sensing PPG via monochromatic LEDs and light sensors, sensing temperature, and sensing thoracic impedance via electrodes; compressing information to provide >7× compression while maintaining QSR of >95% to produce data characterizing the two or more vital signs; and wirelessly transmitting the data characterizing the two or more vital signs to a receiver.
Across the independent claims, the invention centers on monitoring multiple vital signs using ECG, monochromatic-LED PPG, temperature, and thoracic impedance sensing, and using a computing module that achieves >7× compression while maintaining QSR of >95%. One independent claim additionally requires noise removal and an ECG SNR increase of >15 dB while maintaining QSR of >95%, with extraction of information useful for diagnosing a health or fitness characteristic.
Stated Advantages
Provides >7× compression while maintaining QSR of >95%.
Increases the SNR of an input ECG signal by >15 dB while maintaining QSR of >95%.
Enables extraction of information useful for diagnosing a health or fitness characteristic of the human being.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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