Hearing device-based systems and methods for determining a heart rate value

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12303258-B2
Application number	US-202217588573-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2022
Priority date	Jan 31, 2022
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

An illustrative hearing system may be configured to receive, from a motion sensor included in a hearing device configured to be worn by a user, motion data representative of motion of the user while the user wears the hearing device and an output signal generated by a heart rate sensor in contact with the user. The hearing system may be further configured to determine, based the motion data, a heart rate probability distribution function and to determine, based on the output signal and the heart rate probability distribution function, a heart rate value for the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, from a motion sensor included in a hearing device configured to be worn by a user, motion data representative of motion of the user while the user wears the hearing device;
receiving an output signal generated by a heart rate sensor in contact with the user;
receiving an audio signal detected by a microphone included in the hearing device;
determining, based on the motion data and the audio signal, a heart rate probability distribution function, the heart rate probability distribution function indicative of a probability of occurrence of potential heart rate values; and
determining, based on the output signal and the heart rate probability distribution function, a heart rate value for the user, wherein the determining the heart rate value comprises selecting the heart rate value from a plurality of potential heart rate values included in the output signal based on the probability of occurrence of each potential heart rate value in the heart rate probability distribution function.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output signal is processed in a frequency domain.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the heart rate value comprises:
weighting, based on the heart rate probability distribution function, one or more potential heart rate values included in the output signal; and
determining, from the weighted potential heart rate values, the heart rate value.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the heart rate value is determined by selecting the heart rate value from the weighted potential heart rate values depending on an amplitude of the weighted potential heart rate values.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising updating the heart rate probability distribution function based on the determined heart rate value of the user.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining, based on one or both of the motion data or the output signal of the heart rate sensor, a signal quality metric of the output signal, wherein the updating of the heart rate probability distribution function is executed depending on the signal quality metric.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising setting a probability determination criterion defining a dependency of the heart rate probability distribution function from the motion data and the audio signal such that the heart rate probability distribution function can be determined from the motion data and the audio signal depending on the probability determination criterion, wherein the probability determination criterion is set based on a characteristic of the user.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the characteristic of the user is determined from one or both of data input via a user interface or a measurement performed on the user by the heart rate sensor.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the characteristic of the user comprises at least one of: an age of the user, a body mass index of the user, a gender of the user, a precondition of the user, a fitness level of the user, and a cardiorespiratory property of the user.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heart rate probability distribution function is determined from the motion data and the audio signal by one or both of:
selecting the heart rate probability distribution function from a plurality of heart rate probability distribution functions depending on the motion data and the audio signal; or
calculating the heart rate probability distribution function based on at least one parameter derived from the motion data and the audio signal.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing, based on the motion data, an operation with respect to the hearing device.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein, when the motion data is above a threshold, the operation comprises abstaining from receiving the output signal generated by the heart rate sensor.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein, when the motion data is above a threshold, the operation comprises disabling the heart rate sensor configured to measure heart rate data of the user.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting the heart rate value is based on normalizing the output signal relative to the heart rate probability distribution function.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, based on the motion data and the audio signal, an activity state of the user, wherein the determining the heart rate probability distribution function is based on the activity state of the user.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the activity state is indicative of at least one of: an intensity of an activity performed by the user; a type of an activity performed by the user; or a level of stress to the user.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the heart rate probability distribution has one or both of a mean value or a variance that is dependent on the activity state.

18. A system comprising:
a hearing device configured to be worn by a user and comprising a motion sensor; and
a processing unit communicatively coupled to the motion sensor and configured to:
receive, from the motion sensor, motion data representative of motion of the user while the user wears the hearing device;
receive an output signal generated by a heart rate sensor in contact with the user;
receive an audio signal detected by a microphone included in the hearing device;
determine, based on the motion data and the audio signal, a heart rate probability distribution function, the heart rate probability distribution function indicative of a probability of occurrence of potential heart rate values; and
determine, based on the output signal and the heart rate probability distribution function, a heart rate value for the user, wherein the determining the heart rate value comprises selecting the heart rate value from a plurality of potential heart rate values included in the output signal based on the probability of occurrence of each potential heart rate value in the heart rate probability distribution function.

19. A hearing device configured to be worn by a user, the hearing device comprising:
a motion sensor;
a heart rate sensor;
a microphone; and
a processing unit communicatively coupled to the motion sensor and the heart rate sensor, the processing unit configured to:
receive, from the motion sensor, motion data representative of motion of the user while the user wears the hearing device;
receive an output signal generated by the heart rate sensor in contact with the user while the user wears the hearing device;
receive an audio signal detected by the microphone while the user wears the hearing device;
determine, based on the motion data and the audio signal, a heart rate probability distribution function, the heart rate probability distribution function indicative of a probability of occurrence of potential heart rate values; and
determine, based on the output signal and the heart rate probability distribution function, a heart rate value for the user, wherein the determining the heart rate value comprises selecting the heart rate value from a plurality of potential heart rate values included in the output signal based on the probability of occurrence of each potential heart rate value in the heart rate probability distribution function.

Assignees

• Sonova Ag

Inventors

• Stumpf Nina
• Murtola Evgeny
• El Guindi Nadim
• Ignasiak Niklas
• Parker Anna M
• Ohs Nicholas
• Feilner Manuela
• Roeck Hans-Ueli

Classifications

• A61B5/024

  Measuring pulse rate or heart rate · CPC title

• A61B5/165

  Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety · CPC title

• A61B5/1118

  Determining activity level · CPC title

• A61B5/7475

  User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick · CPC title

• A61B5/6815

  Ear · CPC title