Physiological sampling during predetermined activities

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11786137-B2
Application number	US-202117521377-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2021
Priority date	Jun 2, 2017
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

This disclosure relates to methods for measuring one or more physiological signals while the user is engaged in a predetermined activity. Exemplary predetermined activities can include activities such as walking, climbing stairs, biking, and the like. The physiological measurements can include, but are not limited to, heart rate signals. The physiological measurements may be affected by the predetermined activity, so the system may be configured to employ one or more criteria prior to measuring physiological information to minimize the effects. The one or more criteria can include, but are not limited to, an inter-sampling waiting time, continuous motion criteria, predetermined activity criteria, a post-physiological measurement amount of time, and a confidence value. The continuous motion criteria can be based on the type of predetermined activity. For example, walking may have walking state criteria and a step count criteria.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
one or more sensors configured to measure motion and output one or more motion signals indicative of the measured motion;
one or more light sources configured to emit light;
one or more light detectors configured to detect a reflection of the emitted light; and
a processor configured to:
determine that the measured motion matches a motion criteria in response to determining that the measured motion changed from a first defined range to a second defined range;
in accordance with the measured motion continuing to satisfy the motion criteria for a time threshold, determine whether the one or more motion signals are associated with a predetermined activity; and
in accordance with determining that the one or more motion signals are associated with the predetermined activity:
emit the light with the one or more light sources;
detect the reflection of the emitted light with the one or more light detectors; and
determine physiological information based on the reflection of the emitted light.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more sensors comprise an accelerometer; and
the one or more motion signals comprise acceleration measurements.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein:
the first defined range comprises acceleration values associated with a first activity; and
the second defined range comprises acceleration values associated with a second activity.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein:
the first activity comprises sitting; and
the second activity comprises one of walking, running, biking, or climbing stairs.

5. The device of claim 2 , wherein determining that the measured motion matches the motion criteria comprises determining that the measured motion remains within the second defined range.

6. The device of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to:
in accordance with the measured motion continuing not satisfying the motion criteria for the time threshold, the processor is configured to:
stop measuring the motion;
wait an amount of time; and
in response to waiting the amount of time:
increment an inter-sampling timing counter; and
continue to measure the motion and output the one or more motion signals indicative of the measured motion.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the amount of time is based on a current value associated with the inter-sampling timing counter.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein the amount of time is based on at least one of a battery life of the device, a sampling frequency of the one or more sensors, or a computational load of the device.

9. A method of operating a physiological measurement device, the method comprising:
measuring motion of a user using a motion sensor at the physiological measurement device;
outputting one or more signals indicative of the measured motion;
determining that the measured motion matches a motion criteria in response to determining that the one or more signals change from a first defined range to a second defined range;
in accordance with the measured motion continuing to satisfy the motion criteria for a time threshold, determining whether the one or more signals are associated with a predetermined activity; and
in accordance with determining that the one or more signals are associated with the predetermined activity:
emitting light with one or more light sources;
detecting a reflection of the emitted light with one or more light detectors; and
determining physiological information of the user based on the reflection of the emitted light.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the motion sensor comprises an accelerometer configured to output an acceleration signal: and
determining that the measured motion matches the motion criteria comprises determining whether an acceleration signal value of the acceleration signal is within a defined range of acceleration signal values.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the motion sensor comprises an infrared sensor configured to output a signal: and
determining that the measured motion matches the motion criteria comprises determining whether a signal value of the signal is within a defined range of infrared signal values.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising
prior to determining that the one or more signals are associated with the predetermined activity, emitting light having a first wavelength; and
in accordance with determining that the one or more signals are associated with the predetermined activity, emitting light having a second wavelength.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein
the first wavelength comprises an infrared wavelength; and
the second wavelength comprises a green wavelength.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein in accordance with the measured motion continuing not satisfying the motion criteria for the time threshold:
stopping measuring the motion of the user;
waiting an amount of time; and
in response to waiting the amount of time, continuing to measure the motion and output the one or more signals indicative of the measured motion.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the amount of time is based on at least one of a battery life of an electronic device, a sampling frequency of one or more sensors, or a computational load of the electronic device.

16. A wearable electronic device comprising:
a motion sensing unit comprising one or more motion sensors and configured to:
detect, using the one or more motion sensors, motion data corresponding to motion of the wearable electronic device;
determine whether the motion data meets one or more motion criteria for a time threshold;
in accordance with measured motion continuing to satisfy the one or more motion criteria for the time threshold, determine whether one or more signals are associated with a predetermined activity; and
output a signal in response to determining that the one or more signals are associated with the predetermined activity; and

a physiological measurement unit comprising one or more light detectors and configured to initiate, using the one or more light detectors, measurement of physiological information in response to the signal.

17. The wearable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the physiological measurement unit further comprises:
a first light source configured to emit first light having a first wavelength; and
a second light source configured to emit second light having a second wavelength.

18. The wearable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein:
the first wavelength comprises an infrared wavelength; and
the second wavelength comprises a green wavelength.

19. The wearable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the physiological measurement unit is further configured to:
determine whether the measurement of the physiological information is successful; and
in accordance with the measurement not being successful, adjust an operating condition of the one or more light detectors.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Deng Siyi
• Waydo Stephen J
• Blahnik Jay
• Dong Lun
• Shapiro Ian R

Classifications

• A61B5/02405 Primary

  Determining heart rate variability · CPC title

• A61B5/021

  Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels · CPC title

• A61B5/0205

  Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition · CPC title

• A61B5/02416

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

• A61B5/02427

  Details of sensor · CPC title