Methods, systems, and devices for improved skin temperature monitoring
Inventors
Sunden, Lindsey • Deshpande, Aniket Sanjay • Lafon, Belen
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12156717-B2
Publication Date
2024-12-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present disclosure provides computer-implemented methods, systems, and devices for improved skin temperature monitoring. Accurate estimates of skin and ambient temperature are generated based on determinations and comparisons of skin and internal device temperature sensor measurements contained on or within example devices. The estimates of skin and ambient temperature measurements facilitate monitoring skin and core temperature changes, detecting physiological events of a wearer of example devices, and determining when skin temperature changes are environmentally or physiologically induced.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to computer-implemented methods and a wrist-worn wearable device that improve skin temperature monitoring by determining an internal device temperature and determining a first estimate of a skin temperature. The wearable device includes a thermally conductive baseplate configured to be in direct thermal contact with skin of the user, and a plurality of temperature sensors incorporated into a band configured to fasten to the wrist of the user. Sensor data from the wearable device is used by a computing system to generate skin temperature estimates.
The invention further improves ambient-aware monitoring by estimating an ambient air temperature based at least in part on the first estimate of the skin temperature and the internal device temperature. The method refines the first estimate of the skin temperature based at least in part on the estimated ambient air temperature to generate a second estimate of the skin temperature. In some implementations, the estimate and refinement are further supported by additional sensors, including at least one of a location sensor, a geo-sensor, a weather sensor, a motion sensor, an altitude sensor, an altimeter temperature sensor, the ambient light sensor, or a heart rate sensor, and by sleep data.
The invention also supports additional temperature-related outputs and interpretation by extending the temperature estimation pipeline to physiological monitoring. Further examples include modifying a confidence value associated with the refined skin temperature estimate based on temperature differentials, and determining one or more physiological events by estimating a core temperature from the second estimate of the skin temperature and distinguishing physiologically induced core temperature changes from environmentally induced changes. The approach includes optional core-temperature estimation and outputs that can be associated with physiological events such as fever and thermal comfort.
Claims Coverage
The partial claims include two independent claims. Across these, the core coverage centers on estimating internal device temperature and a first skin temperature, estimating ambient air temperature from internal and skin estimates, and refining the skin temperature estimate using the ambient air estimate.
Internal device temperature determination for skin temperature monitoring
Determining an internal device temperature of the wearable device worn by the user based on first sensor data received from a first sensor included on or contained within the wearable device.
Skin temperature estimation using band temperature sensors
Determining a first estimate of a skin temperature of the user based on second sensor data received from a second sensor included on or contained within the wearable device, wherein the second sensor is part of the plurality of temperature sensors incorporated into the band.
Ambient air temperature estimation from skin and internal temperature
Estimating an ambient air temperature based at least in part on the first estimate of the skin temperature and the internal device temperature.
Refining the skin temperature estimate using ambient air temperature
Refining the first estimate of the skin temperature based at least in part on the estimated ambient air temperature to generate a second estimate of the skin temperature.
Wrist-worn wearable device with thermally conductive baseplate in direct thermal contact with skin
A wearable device having a thermally conductive baseplate located on an opposite side of the device from the display, the thermally conductive baseplate configured to be in direct thermal contact with skin of the user, and a band configured to be fastened to the wrist of the user with a plurality of temperature sensors incorporated into the band.
Ambient air temperature estimation and refinement performed by wearable processors
Operations including determining an internal device temperature within the device housing based at least in part on internal device temperature sensor data received from a second sensor included on or contained within the wearable device, determining a first estimate of a skin temperature based on skin temperature sensor data received from a first sensor, estimating an ambient air temperature based at least in part on the first estimate of the skin temperature and the internal device temperature, and refining the first estimate of the skin temperature based at least in part on the estimated ambient air temperature to generate a second estimate of the skin temperature.
In the partial record, both independent claims cover a temperature-monitoring pipeline for a wrist-worn wearable device that uses internal device temperature and band-based skin temperature sensing to estimate ambient air temperature, and then refines a skin temperature estimate using the ambient air temperature estimate.
Stated Advantages
Improves skin temperature monitoring by refining a skin temperature estimate using an estimated ambient air temperature.
Enables ambient air temperature estimation based on skin temperature and internal device temperature.
Allows refinement of skin temperature estimates to produce a second estimate based on ambient air temperature.
Supports determining physiological events by estimating a core temperature and distinguishing physiologically induced changes from environmentally induced changes.
Modifies confidence associated with refined skin temperature using temperature differentials.
Documented Applications
Skin temperature monitoring using a wrist-worn wearable device.
Ambient air temperature estimation to support skin temperature monitoring.
Detection, determination, or output related to physiological events using estimated core temperature and distinguishing physiologically induced versus environmentally induced temperature changes (e.g., fever, circadian rhythm, menstruation/ovulation, heat stress, thermal comfort).
Core-temperature estimation derived at least in part from refined skin temperature estimates.
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