Apparatus for biometric measurement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11234605-B2
Application number	US-201515537373-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2015
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus comprising at least one light source, at least one photodetector, a first layer of optical material configured to embed the at least one light source, and a second layer of optical material configured to embed the at least one photodetector. The first and second layer of optical material are configured to guide light from the at least one light source and to prevent the light from the at least one light source directly reaching the at least on photodetector, and the second layer of optical material is configured to guide light towards the at least one photodetector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a first substrate layer, the first substrate layer being at least one of flexible and stretchable;
at least one light source mounted on a first side of the first substrate layer;
a first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material embedding the at least one light source on the first side of the first substrate layer;
at least one photodetector directly mounted on and contacting a surface of the first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material;
a second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material embedding the at least one photodetector on the surface of the first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material without covering the at least one light source; and
a skin-safe adhesive layer covering at least the second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material, the skin-safe adhesive layer being provided for attaching the apparatus to skin of a user,
wherein:
the first and second layers of optically absorbing or reflecting material guide light from the at least one light source to blood-perfused tissue of the user without enabling the light to reach the at least one photodetector directly from the at least one light source;
the second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material guides the light returning from the blood-perfused tissue towards the at least one photodetector; and
the first substrate layer, the first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material, and the second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material faun a laminate;
wherein, in use, the apparatus is attached to the skin of the user, the second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material embedding the at least one photodetector facing the skin in order to perform photoplethysmographic measurements using the light from the at least one light source returning to the apparatus from the blood-perfused tissue of the user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source includes a light-emitting diode.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source is configured to guide ambient light from a micro-lens array of the apparatus towards the skin of the user and the blood-perfused tissue of the user.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the micro-lens array is mounted on a second side of the first substrate layer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first circuit element having a low-power amplifier circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the low-power amplifier circuit is mounted on a second circuit element attached to the first circuit element.

7. A system comprising:
an apparatus comprising:
a first substrate layer, the first substrate layer being at least one of flexible and stretchable;
at least one light source mounted on a first side of the first substrate layer;
a first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material embedding the at least one light source on the first side of the first substrate layer;
at least one photodetector directly mounted on and contacting a surface of the first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material;
a second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material embedding the at least one photodetector on the surface of the first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material without covering the at least one light source; and
a skin-safe adhesive layer covering at least the second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material, the skin-safe adhesive layer being provided for attaching the apparatus to skin of a user,
wherein:
the first and second layers of optically absorbing or reflecting material guide light from the at least one light source to blood-perfused tissue of the user without enabling the light to reach the at least one photodetector directly from the at least one light source;
the second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material guides the light returning from the blood-perfused tissue towards the at least one photodetector; and
the first substrate layer, the first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material, and the second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material form a laminate;
wherein, in use, the apparatus is attached to the skin of the user, the second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material embedding the at least one photodetector facing the skin in order to perform photoplethysmographic measurements using the light from the at least one light source returning to the apparatus from the blood-perfused tissue of the user; and

a power and non-transitory memory element connected to the apparatus.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the power and memory element is included in a second apparatus.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second apparatus is selected from the group consisting of a personal electronic device, a wristwatch, a smart watch, an activity bracelet, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet, a computer and a television.

10. A method of manufacturing an apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises:
a first substrate layer, the first substrate layer being at least one of flexible and stretchable;
at least one light source mounted on a first side of the first substrate layer;
a first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material embedding the at least one light source on the first side of the first substrate layer;
at least one photodetector directly mounted on and contacting a surface of the first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material;
a second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material embedding the at least one photodetector on the surface of the first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material without covering the at least one light source; and
a skin-safe adhesive layer covering at least the second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material, the skin-safe adhesive layer being provided for attaching the apparatus to skin of a user,
wherein:
the first and second layers of optically absorbing or reflecting material guide light from the at least one light source to blood-perfused tissue of the user without enabling the light to reach the at least one photodetector directly from the at least one light source;
the second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material guides the light returning from the blood-perfused tissue towards the at least one photodetector; and
the first substrate layer, the first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material, and the second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material form a laminate;
wherein, in use, the apparatus is attached to the skin of the user, the second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material embedding the at least one photodetector facing the skin in order to perform photoplethysmographic measurements using the light from the at least one light source returning to the apparatus from the blood-perfused tissue of the user,
the method comprising:
mounting the at least one light source on the first side of the first substrate layer;
applying the first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material to embed the at least one light source on the first side of the first substrate layer;
mounting the least one photodetector on the surface of the first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material;
applying the second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material to embed the at least one photodetector on the surface of the first layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material without covering the at least one light source; and
applying the skin-safe adhesive layer to cover at least the second layer of optically absorbing or reflecting material.

Assignees

• Nokia Technologies Oy

Inventors

• Bower Christopher
• Malik Surama

Classifications

• A61B5/6898

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

• A61B5/6832

  using adhesives (conductive adhesive for bioelectric electrodes A61B5/259) · CPC title

• A61B5/681

  Wristwatch-type devices · CPC title

• A61B5/6802

  Sensor mounted on worn items · CPC title

• A61B2562/12

  Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements · CPC title