System and method for obtaining bodily function measurements using a mobile device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10478075-B2
Application number	US-201414278062-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2014
Priority date	Oct 25, 2013
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement are presented. A mobile device includes an outer body sized to be portable for user, a processor contained within the outer body, and a plurality of sensors physically coupled to the outer body. The sensors are configured to obtain a first measurement indicative of blood volume and a second measurement indicative of heart electrical activity in response to a user action. A blood pressure measurement is determined based on the first measurement and the second measurement. The sensors also include electrodes where a portion of a user's body positioned between the electrodes completes a circuit and a measurement to provide at least one measure of impedance associated with the user's body. A hydration level measurement is determined based on the measure of impedance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile device for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement, comprising:
an outer body sized to be portable for a user;
a processor contained within the outer body;
a plurality of sensors physically coupled to the outer body for obtaining data accessible by the processor; and
a multifunctional surface;
wherein a first sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to obtain a photoplethysmography (PPG) measurement;
wherein a second sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to obtain an electrocardiography (ECG) measurement; and
wherein the multifunctional surface comprises at least one of the first or second sensors and wherein the multifunctional surface is configured to, responsive to a contact with the multifunctional surface, (i) cause the first sensor to obtain the PPG measurement, and (ii) transmit a user input signal to the processor;
wherein the second sensor is configured to obtain the ECG measurement in response to the contact; and
wherein the processor is configured to facilitate generation of a blood pressure measurement based on the PPG measurement and the ECG measurement.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is configured to perform a primary function and a secondary function, and wherein the processor is configured to facilitate generation of the blood pressure measurement as the secondary function of the mobile device.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the one or more of the sensors configured to obtain the PPG measurement comprises at least one light sensor, and wherein the mobile device further comprises at least one light source and the at least one light sensor measures reflected light from the light source reflected off of blood vessels within a user of the mobile device to obtain the PPG measurement.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the second sensor comprises at least a first electrode and a second electrode, and wherein the second sensor is configured to obtain the ECG measurement based on a portion of a user of the mobile device's body completing a circuit between the first electrode and the second electrode.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a watch.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a smartphone device.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the multifunctional surface is configured to simultaneously (i) cause the first sensor to obtain the PPG measurement or cause the second sensor to obtain the ECG measurement, and (ii) transmit the user input signal.

8. A method for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement via a mobile device, comprising:
in response to a user contact with a multifunctional surface of the mobile device:
causing, by the multifunctional surface, a first sensor of a plurality of sensors physically coupled to an outer body of the mobile device to obtain a photoplethysmography (PPG) measurement; and
transmitting, by the multifunctional surface, a user input signal to a processor of the mobile device;

obtaining, via a second sensor of the plurality of sensors, an electrocardiography (ECG) measurement in response to the user contact; and
generating, via a processor of the mobile device, a blood pressure measurement based on the photoplethysmography (PPG) measurement and the ECG measurement,
wherein the processor is contained within the outer body of the mobile device, the outer body sized to be portable for the user, and
wherein the multifunctional surface comprises at least one of the first or second sensors.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the mobile device is configured to perform a primary function and a secondary function, and wherein the facilitating step is performed as the secondary function of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one light sensor and the mobile device comprises at least one light source, and wherein obtaining the PPG measurement comprises measuring, via the at least one light sensor, reflected light from the light source reflected off of blood vessels within a user of the mobile device to obtain the PPG measurement.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least a first electrode and a second electrode, and wherein obtaining the ECG measurement comprises detecting completion of a circuit between the first electrode and the second electrode via a portion of the user's body.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the mobile device is a watch.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the mobile device is a smartphone device.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the multifunctional surface is configured to simultaneously (i) cause the first sensor to obtain the PPG measurement or cause the second sensor to obtain the ECG measurement, and (ii) transmit the user input signal.

15. An apparatus for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement, comprising:
first means for obtaining a photoplethysmography (PPG) measurement in response to a user action;
second means for obtaining an electrocardiography (ECG) measurement in response to the user action;
means for detecting a user contact and, responsive to a contact with the means for detecting the user contact, (i) causing the first means for obtaining to obtain the PPG measurement, and (ii) transmitting a user input signal to a processor, the means for detecting the user contact comprising at least one of the first or second means for obtaining; and
means for generating, via a processor of the apparatus, a blood pressure measurement based on the PPG measurement and the ECG measurement, wherein the processor is contained within an outer body of the apparatus, the outer body sized to be portable for the user.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the apparatus is configured to perform a primary function and a secondary function, and wherein the facilitating is performed as the secondary function of the apparatus.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein one of the first or second means comprises at least one light sensor and the apparatus comprises at least one light source, and wherein the first means for obtaining the PPG measurement comprises means for measuring, via the at least one light sensor, reflected light from the light source reflected off of blood vessels within a user of the apparatus to obtain the PPG measurement.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein one of the first or second means comprises at least a first electrode and a second electrode, and wherein the second means for obtaining the ECG measurement comprises means for detecting completion of a circuit between the first electrode and the second electrode via a portion of the user's body.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the means for detecting is configured to simultaneously (i) cause the first means for obtaining to obtain the PPG measurement or cause the second means for obtaining to obtain the ECG measurement, and (ii) transmit the user input signal.

20. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement that, when executed, cause one or more computing devices included in a mobile device to:
obtain, via a first sensor of a plurality of sensors physically coupled to an outer body of the mobile device, a photoplethysmography (PPG) measurement in response to a user action;
obtain, via a second sensor of the plurality of sensors, an electrocardiography (ECG) measurement in response to the user a

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Martin Russel Allyn
• Sheynblat Leonid
• Hoffman Douglas Wayne

Classifications

• A61B5/681

  Wristwatch-type devices · CPC title

• A61B5/0261 Primary

  using optical means, e.g. infrared light · CPC title

• A61B5/021 Primary

  Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels · CPC title

• A61N1/36585

  controlled by two or more physical parameters · CPC title

• A61B5/6898

  Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers · CPC title