Configurable photoplethysmogram system
Inventors
Vallius, Tero Juhani • Heikkinen, Olli Petteri • Järvelä, Jussi Petteri • Huttunen, Heikki Juhani • Haverinen, Teemu Juhani • Rantanen, Antti Aleksi • Pelkonen, Sami Seppo • Syrjälä, Juha-Pekka • Koskela, Markku Olavi
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12431971-B2
Publication Date
2025-09-30
Expiration Date
Abstract
Methods, systems, and devices for optical signal measurement are described. A wearable electronic device may activate a first combination of optical sensors, the first combination of optical sensors including a set of transmitter sensors and a set of receiver sensors. In some cases, one or more optical sensor of the first combination of optical sensors may be positioned under a protrusion on an inner surface of the wearable electronic device. The device may measure, at the set of receiver sensors at a first time, one or more signals from the set of transmitter sensors, determine a signal quality metric associated with the one or more signals, and select a second combination of optical sensors for use at a second time based on the signal quality metric.
Core Innovation
A configurable photoplethysmogram (PPG) system is described for a wearable ring device that includes a ring-shaped housing with an inner curved surface configured to contact a tissue of a user when worn. The ring-shaped housing supports one or more receiver sensors positioned on or within the inner curved surface and a set of one or more transmitter sensors positioned on or within the inner curved surface at one or more radial positions. The receiver sensors and the transmitter sensors support light associated with a first wavelength and a second wavelength and a third wavelength, where the transmitter sensors occupy at least two radial positions.
The system uses one or more processors to activate a first combination of optical sensors at a first time, where the first combination comprises at least one receiver sensor and at least one transmitter sensor from transmitter sets emitting associated wavelengths. The device measures one or more signals from the at least one transmitter sensor via the at least one receiver sensor and determines a signal quality metric associated with the one or more signals. Based at least in part on the signal quality metric, the processors select a combination of optical sensors for use at a second time.
The selected combination of optical sensors for the second time comprises either the first combination of optical sensors or a second combination of optical sensors, enabling changes in which sensor combination is used over time. The configurable arrangement is further supported by positioning optical sensors at different radial positions along the inner curved surface, including arrangements where optical sensors are positioned beneath protrusions extending from the inner curved surface. The described configuration supports selecting combinations that include transmitter sensors at multiple wavelengths and receiver sensors at an additional radial position, and the selection is based on the measured signal quality metric.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent claims (device, method, and apparatus), each centered on activating optical sensor combinations, measuring signals, determining a signal quality metric, and selecting a second optical sensor combination for a later time based on that metric. Across the independent claims, the inventive coverage is directed to the configurable selection of optical transmitter/receiver sensor combinations based on signal quality metric, with transmitter wavelengths and sensor radial positioning as core constraints.
Activating and selecting optical sensor combinations based on signal quality metric
A wearable ring device where one or more processors activate a first combination of optical sensors, measure one or more signals from the at least one transmitter sensor via the at least one receiver sensor at a first time, determine a signal quality metric associated with the one or more signals, and select a combination of optical sensors for use at a second time based at least in part on the signal quality metric, where the selected combination comprises the first combination or a second combination.
Configurable optical sensing with multi-wavelength transmitters at multiple radial positions
A method for measuring optical signals by a wearable ring device where a first combination of optical sensors is activated, the first combination includes a set of transmitter sensors comprising at least one transmitter sensor of a first wavelength, at least one transmitter sensor of a second wavelength, and at least one transmitter sensor of a third wavelength positioned at two or more radial positions along an inner curved surface, and a set of receiver sensors positioned at least at an additional radial position, followed by measuring signals at a first time, determining a signal quality metric, and selecting a second combination for use at a second time based at least in part on the signal quality metric.
Apparatus with processors and instructions to select a second optical sensor combination
An apparatus for measuring optical signals by a wearable ring device including at least one processor and at least one memory with instructions executable to activate a first combination of optical sensors comprising transmitter sensors at multiple wavelengths positioned at two or more radial positions and receiver sensors positioned at least at an additional radial position, measure signals at a first time at the receiver sensors, determine a signal quality metric, and select a second combination of optical sensors for use at a second time based at least in part on the signal quality metric.
All independent claims share the same core framework: activate a first optical sensor combination on a wearable ring, measure signals, determine a signal quality metric, and select a second optical sensor combination at a later time based on that signal quality metric. The device claim grounds this in a specific ring housing arrangement with receiver and transmitter sensors at different radial positions, while the method and apparatus claims further emphasize transmitters at multiple wavelengths positioned at multiple radial positions and receiver sensors positioned at an additional radial position.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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