Wearable physiological monitoring devices

Inventors

Barker, Nicholas Evan • Muhsin, Bilal • Kiani, Massi Joe E.

Assignees

Masimo Corp

Abstract

A wearable device including at least one sensor configured to sense a physiological parameter of a user. The wearable device including a base housing and a removable housing attachable to the base housing. The base housing and the removable housing portions each including a battery and an electronic subsystem in communication with each other. The battery of the removable housing portion charges the battery of the base housing portion when the removable housing portion is attached to the base housing portion. A second embodiment includes two or more fitness trackers each having an enclosure. The enclosures of the two or more fitness trackers having complimentary shapes that form a unified enclosure when the enclosures are placed adjacently. In a third embodiment, a wearable device includes a first screen display and a second screen display. The second screen display is transparent in at least one operational mode of the wearable device.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to wearable devices configured for monitoring physiological parameters of a user and providing improved charging methods. The core innovation includes a multi-part wearable device having a base housing portion—positionable on the user's limb with sensors—and a removable housing portion that attaches to the base. Each portion contains a battery and an electronic subsystem, with the removable housing's battery charging the base housing's battery when attached. This design allows continuous physiological monitoring even while the removable portion is charging separately.

Furthermore, the invention discloses systems comprising multiple fitness trackers, each having complementary enclosure shapes that enable them to interlock and form a unified appearance when placed adjacently on the user's limb. This modular approach allows a user to select specific fitness functionalities by combining trackers with discrete capabilities, reducing bulk and enabling aesthetic customization.

Additionally, the invention addresses the need for wearable devices capable of displaying certain functionalities more persistently while saving power. A wearable device embodiment includes a first screen for interactive display and a transparent second screen overlay that can be switched between displaying low refresh rate images (like an analog watch face) and becoming transparent to reveal the interactive display beneath. This dual-display system conserves power by maintaining essential information visible in low power mode.

The problem being solved, as described in the background, is the limitation of existing smartwatches and wearable devices that require disconnection during charging, resulting in a loss of capability to monitor physiological parameters continuously. There is also a recognized need for wearable fitness trackers having only selected, user-chosen functionalities that can be combined efficiently while maintaining an aesthetic and less bulky form factor. Moreover, the invention caters to the demand for wearable devices that can display frequently needed information, such as time or step counts, in an always-on or low power display mode.

Claims Coverage

The patent contains one independent claim detailing the structural and functional configuration of a wearable device with a removable housing for battery charging and display visualization, capturing key inventive features.

The claims principally cover a modular wearable device structure wherein a removable housing with a battery physically and electrically connects to a main body with sensors and a display. The removable housing charges the main body’s battery through defined electrode contacts while permitting display visibility through an opening, providing a novel charging and operational configuration.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications