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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12290340-B2
Application number	US-202418587274-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2024
Priority date	Oct 25, 2013
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

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 wearable device for obtaining at least one bodily function measurement, comprising:
an outer body shaped as a part of a wristwatch and configured to be wearable on a wrist adjacent to a first hand of a user, the outer body including a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface;
a touchscreen coupled to the top surface of the outer body;
a plurality of sensors, a first sensor of the plurality of sensors comprising a first electrode coupled to the bottom surface of the outer body, the first electrode positioned to be contacted by the wrist of the user;
a multifunction contact button comprising a second electrode of the first sensor, wherein the multifunction contact button is coupled to the side surface of the outer body and positioned to be contacted by a finger or thumb of a second hand of the user, the multifunction contact button configured to (i) receive user input to interact with the wearable device, (ii) provide, based on the user input, information to initiate a transition of the wearable device from a normal course of operation to a measurement mode and to initiate an electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement, or (iii) a combination thereof, and wherein the wearable device is configured to obtain photoplethysmography (PPG) measurements in the normal course of operation; and
a processor contained within the outer body and communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors, the processor configured to, in response to the wearable device transitioning to the measurement mode, obtain one or more ECG measurements based on signals received from the first electrode and the second electrode, obtain one or more PPG measurements based on signals received from a second sensor of the plurality of sensors, or a combination thereof.

2. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
measure electrical impulses received by the first electrode and the second electrode; and
determine the one or more ECG measurements based on the measured electrical impulses.

3. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the user input to interact with the wearable device comprises providing input to an application on the wearable device.

4. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the user input to interact with the wearable device comprises non-sensor related activities.

5. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain the one or more ECG measurements in response to the user making contact with the first electrode and the second electrode.

6. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the multifunction contact button is configured to obtain a hydration level measurement, and wherein the processor is configured to obtain the hydration level measurement based on the signals received from the first electrode and the second electrode.

7. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine blood oxygen content based on the PPG measurements.

8. The wearable device of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the blood oxygen content in the measurement mode.

9. A method of obtaining at least one bodily function measurement, comprising:
receiving, via a multifunction contact button of a wearable device, user input to interact with the wearable device, the wearable device comprising:
an outer body shaped as a part of a wristwatch and configured to be wearable on a wrist adjacent to a first hand of a user, the outer body including a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface; and
a touchscreen coupled to the top surface of the outer body;
a plurality of sensors, a first sensor of the plurality of sensors comprising a first electrode coupled to the bottom surface of the outer body, the first electrode positioned to be contacted by the wrist of the user;
wherein the multifunction contact button comprises a second electrode of the first sensor, and wherein the multifunction contact button is coupled to the side surface of the outer body and positioned to be contacted by a finger or thumb of a second hand of the user;

providing, based on the user input, information to initiate a transition of the wearable device from a normal course of operation to a measurement mode and to initiate an electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement, wherein the wearable device is configured to obtain photoplethysmography (PPG) measurements in the normal course of operation; and
obtaining, by a processor in response to the wearable device transitioning to the measurement mode, one or more ECG measurements based on signals received from the first electrode and the second electrode, one or more PPG measurements based on signals received from a second sensor of the plurality of sensors, or a combination thereof, the processor being contained within the outer body and communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
measuring electrical impulses received by the first electrode and the second electrode; and
determining the one or more ECG measurements based on the measured electrical impulses.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the user input to interact with the wearable device comprises providing input to an application on the wearable device.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the user input to interact with the wearable device comprises non-sensor related activities.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising obtaining the one or more ECG measurements in response to the user making contact with the first electrode and the second electrode.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the multifunction contact button is configured to obtain a hydration level measurement, and further comprising obtaining the hydration level measurement based on the signals received from the first electrode and the second electrode.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining blood oxygen content based on the PPG measurements.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the blood oxygen content is determined in the measurement mode.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:
receive, via a multifunction contact button of a wearable device, user input to interact with the wearable device, the wearable device comprising:
an outer body shaped as a part of a wristwatch and configured to be wearable on a wrist adjacent to a first hand of a user, the outer body including a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface; and
a plurality of sensors, a first sensor of the plurality of sensors comprising a first electrode coupled to the bottom surface of the outer body, the first electrode positioned to be contacted by the wrist of the user;
wherein the multifunction contact button comprises a second electrode of the first sensor, and wherein the multifunction contact button is coupled to the side surface of the outer body and positioned to be contacted by a finger or thumb of a second hand of the user;

provide, based on the user input, information to initiate a transition of the wearable device from a normal course of operation to a measurement mode and to initiate an electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement, wherein the wearable device is configured to obtain photoplethysmography (PPG) measurements in the normal course of operation; and
obtain, in response to the wearable device transitioning to the measurement mode, one or more ECG measurements based on signals received from the first electrode and the second electrode, one or more PPG measurements based on signals received

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Martin Russel Allyn
• Sheynblat Leonid
• Hoffman Douglas Wayne

Classifications

• A61B5/02028

  Determining haemodynamic parameters not otherwise provided for, e.g. cardiac contractility or left ventricular ejection fraction · CPC title

• A61B5/332

  Portable devices specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• A61B5/6824

  Arm or wrist · CPC title

• A61B5/681

  Wristwatch-type devices · CPC title

• A61B5/0261 Primary

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