Dynamic operation of optical heart rate sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10238305-B2
Application number	US-201414292504-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2014
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

An optical heart rate sensor includes an optical source configured to illuminate one or more blood vessels through a user's skin, an optical sensor configured to measure reflected illumination from the blood vessels, and one or more energy storage cells. A controller operates the optical source and optical sensor at a first rate of energy consumption during a first condition, and operates the optical source and optical sensor at a second rate of energy consumption during a second condition.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical heart rate sensor, comprising:
an optical source configured to illuminate one or more blood vessels through a user's skin;
an optical sensor configured to measure reflected illumination from the blood vessels; and
a storage machine holding instructions executable by a logic machine to:
determine a heart rate of the user over time based on signals output by the optical sensor;
execute a programmed workout application having a workout schedule including two or more workout segments;
dynamically operate the optical source and optical sensor at a first rate of energy consumption based on the workout schedule indicating that a first workout segment of the two or more workout segments has begun; and
a period of time after completion of the first workout segment, dynamically operate the optical source and optical sensor at a second rate of energy consumption based on the workout schedule indicating that a second workout segment of the two or more workout segments has replaced the first workout segment.

2. The optical heart rate sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first rate of energy consumption is greater than the second rate of energy consumption.

3. The optical heart rate sensor of claim 1 , further comprising a motion sensor.

4. The optical heart rate sensor of claim 3 , wherein the first workout segment comprises a greater amount of motion than the second workout segment, and the first rate of energy consumption is greater than the second rate of energy consumption, and wherein the programmed workout application being executed was selected based on signals derived from the motion sensor.

5. The optical heart rate sensor of claim 1 , wherein the programmed workout application being executed was selected by the user.

6. The optical heart rate sensor of claim 1 , wherein the optical source is configured to pulse on and off with a pulsation frequency and a greater rate of energy consumption corresponds with a higher pulsation frequency.

7. The optical heart rate sensor of claim 6 , wherein the pulsation frequency is increased above a default pulsation frequency when the user is engaged in the second workout segment, and further increased when the user is engaged in the first workout segment.

8. The optical heart rate sensor of claim 6 , wherein the pulsation frequency is decreased below a default pulsation frequency when the user is engaged in the second workout segment, and increased over the default pulsation frequency when the user is engaged in the first workout segment.

9. The optical heart rate sensor of claim 6 , wherein the pulsation frequency is based on a user-defined pulsation frequency profile.

10. The optical heart rate sensor of claim 1 , wherein the optical source is configured to emit light with a light intensity and a greater rate of energy consumption corresponds with a greater light intensity.

11. A method for a determining a heart rate, comprising:
illuminating one or more blood vessels through a user's skin with an optical source configured to pulse on and off at a pulsation frequency;
measuring reflected illumination from the one or more blood vessels with an optical sensor; and
dynamically adjusting the pulsation frequency of the optical source based on a downstream application, but not based on a motion signal, the downstream application configured to track a preprogrammed workout including two or more workout segments, and further configured to dynamically increase the pulsation frequency of the optical source based on receiving a signal indicating that first workout segment of the two or more workout segments has begun, and, following a period of time after completion of the first workout segment, to dynamically adjust the pulsation frequency of the optical source based on the preprogrammed workout indicating that a second workout segment of the two or more workout segments has replaced the first workout segment.

12. The optical heart rate sensor of claim 11 , wherein dynamically adjusting the pulsation frequency of the optical source based on a downstream application configured to track a preprogrammed workout further comprises:
dynamically adjusting the pulsation frequency of the optical source for a data-collection window duration based on a duration of a workout segment.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
pulsing the optical sensor on and off at a pulsation frequency; and
dynamically adjusting the pulsation frequency of the optical sensor concurrent with dynamically adjusting the pulsation frequency of the optical source.

14. An optical heart rate sensor, comprising:
a user interface configured to receive input indicating a programmed workout including two or more segments;
an optical source configured to illuminate one or more blood vessels through a user's skin, and further configured to pulse on and off with a pulsation schedule dictated by the programmed workout, the pulsation schedule pulsing the optical source on and off at a first pulsation frequency based on receiving a signal indicating that a first segment of the two or more segments has begun and pulsing the optical source on and off at a second, different, pulsation frequency based on receiving a signal indicating that a second segment of the two or more segments has begun;
an optical sensor configured to measure illumination from the one or more blood vessels.

15. The optical heart rate sensor of claim 14 , further comprising
a storage machine holding instructions executable by a logic machine to:
receive a signal from the optical sensor; and
increase the first pulsation frequency responsive to a signal-to-noise ratio derived from the signal received from the optical sensor decreasing below a threshold.

16. The optical heart rate sensor of claim 14 , further comprising one or more motion sensors, and a storage machine holding instructions executable by a logic machine to:
receive input from a user indicating a programmed workout including two or more segments;
dynamically adjust the first pulsation frequency based on signals received from the one or motion sensors indicating whether the user is actively engaged in a segment of the programmed workout.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Hingorani Vinod L
• Albadawi Haithem

Classifications

• A61B5/681

  Wristwatch-type devices · CPC title

• A61B5/721

  using a separate sensor to detect motion or using motion information derived from signals other than the physiological signal to be measured · CPC title

• A61B2560/0209

  adapted for power saving · CPC title

• A61B5/02416 Primary

  using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation (A61B5/14552 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B5/02438

  with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient · CPC title