Detecting conditions using heart rate sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12433542-B2
Application number	US-202318374233-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2023
Priority date	Mar 28, 2017
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

This relates to methods for measuring irregularities in a signal and corresponding devices. The devices can include a PPG sensor unit configured to detect multiple occurrences of a given event in the measured signal(s) over a sampling interval. In some instances, the device can register the occurrences of the events. In some examples, the device can include one or more motion sensors configured to detect whether the device is in a low-motion state. The device may delay initiating measurements when the device is not in a low-motion state to enhance measurement accuracy. Examples of the disclosure further include resetting the sample procedure based on one or more factors such as the number of non-qualifying measurements. In some examples, the device can be configured to perform both primary and secondary measurements, where the primary measurements can include readings using a set of operating conditions different from the secondary measurements.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
performing a measurement of one or more physiological signals, the one or more physiological signals indicative of one or more physiological parameters of a user;
determining that at least one parameter of the one or more physiological signals meets a criteria threshold;
in accordance with the determination that the at least one parameter meets the criteria threshold, increasing an occurrence value;
determining that the occurrence value does not meet an occurrence threshold;
in accordance with the determination that the occurrence value does not meet the occurrence threshold:
determining that a first amount of time has elapsed since the measurement of the one or more physiological signals; and
in accordance with a determination that the first amount of time has elapsed since the measurement of the one or more physiological signals, resetting a sampling procedure; and

in response to resetting the sampling procedure:
waiting a second amount of time; and
performing a subsequent measurement of one or more subsequent physiological signals.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
measuring motion information;
determining that the motion information meets a motion threshold; and
in accordance with the determination that the motion information meets the motion threshold, delaying the subsequent measurement of the one or more subsequent physiological signals.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing a second measurement of the one or more physiological signals; and
determining, using the second measurement, that the at least one parameter of the one or more physiological signals does not meet the criteria threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
measuring motion information;
determining that the motion information meets a motion threshold; and
in accordance with the determination that the motion information meets the motion threshold, delaying the subsequent measurement of the one or more subsequent physiological signals.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more physiological signals includes a heart rate signal of the user; and
the at least one parameter includes at least one of an intensity or a beat-to-beat timing of the heart rate signal of the user.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the measurement is performed by a first device; and
the method further comprises sending at least a portion of the measured one or more physiological signals to a second device, separate and distinct from the first device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the occurrence threshold is based on one or more of a sampling interval and characteristics of the user associated with the one or more physiological signals.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the occurrence threshold is based on an average time between adjacent qualifying events, wherein the adjacent qualifying events are associated with the increase in the occurrence value.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more physiological signals are photoplethysmography (PPG) signals.

10. A method comprising:
performing a measurement of a heart rate signal of a user;
determining that a beat-to-beat-timing of the heart rate signal meets a criteria threshold;
in accordance with the determination that the beat-to-beat-timing of the heart rate signal meets the criteria threshold, increasing an occurrence value;
determining that the occurrence value does not meet an occurrence threshold;
in accordance with the determination that the occurrence value does not meet the occurrence threshold:
determining that a first amount of time has elapsed since the measurement of the heart rate signal; and
in accordance with the determination that the first amount of time has elapsed since the measurement of the heart rate signal, resetting a sampling procedure; and
in accordance with the occurrence value meeting the occurrence threshold, providing a notification in a graphical user interface; and

in response to resetting the sampling procedure:
waiting a second amount of time; and
performing a subsequent measurement of a subsequent heart rate signal.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising, in accordance with the beat-to-beat-timing of the heart rate signal not meeting the criteria threshold waiting a third amount of time.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
measuring motion information;
determining that the motion information meets a motion threshold; and
in accordance with the determination that the motion information meets the motion threshold, delaying the subsequent measurement of the subsequent heart rate signal.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising in accordance with the occurrence value meeting the occurrence threshold, registering an instance, wherein:
the measurement is performed by a first device; and
the method further comprises:
displaying a notification in the graphical user interface in response to registering the instance; and
sending at least a portion of the measured one or more physiological signals to a second device, separate and distinct from the first device.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the occurrence threshold is based on one or more of a sampling interval and characteristics of the user associated with the heart rate signal.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the occurrence threshold is based on an average time between adjacent qualifying events, wherein the adjacent qualifying events are associated with the increase in the occurrence value.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the heart rate signal is a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining that a confidence value for the heart rate signal meets a confidence value threshold; and
increasing in the occurrence value is further is in accordance with determining that the confidence value meets the confidence value threshold.

18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising detecting irregularities in the heart rate signal.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Waydo Stephen J
• Brouse Christopher J
• Shapiro Ian R
• Mcbride Joseph C
• O'Reilly Michael
• Haggerty Myra Mary

Classifications

• A61B5/349

  Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle · CPC title

• A61B5/681

  Wristwatch-type devices · CPC title

• A61B5/02405

  Determining heart rate variability · CPC title

• A61B5/7221

  Determining signal validity, reliability or quality (preventing, reducing or removing noise induced by motion artefacts A61B5/7207; noise originating from a therapeutic or surgical apparatus A61B5/7217) · CPC title

• G16H40/63

  for local operation · CPC title