Apparatus for measuring bioelectrical signals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016143554-A1
Application number	US-201514947640-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2015
Priority date	Nov 20, 2014
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring bioelectrical signals is provided. The apparatus includes a sensor electrode, a sensor support, and a main body. The sensor electrode has a tapering portion that narrows toward one end and a protruding portion that extends from the one end of the tapering portion, contacts a body part, and senses bioelectrical signals. The sensor support maintains the contact between the sensor electrode and the body part. The main body is connected to the sensor support and is wearable on a living body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for measuring bioelectrical signals, the apparatus comprising:
a sensor electrode comprising a tapering portion that narrows toward one end and a protruding portion that extends from the one end of the tapering portion and contacts a body part, and senses bioelectrical signals; a sensor support configured to support the sensor electrode to maintain the contact between the sensor electrode and the body part; and a main body connected to the sensor support and being wearable on a living body.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, a gradient of a longitudinal section of an outer surface of the protruding portion is greater than a gradient of a longitudinal section of an outer surface of the tapering portion with respect to a bottom surface of the other end of the tapering portion.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the protruding portion comprises a flexible material, has a flexibility greater than a flexibility of the tapering portion, and is bent when contacting the body part so that a side portion of the protruding portion contacts the body part, and the tapering portion supports the protruding portion.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the flexible material is conductive silicon or conductive rubber.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electrode supporter to which the other end of the tapering portion is attached and which is configured to support the sensor electrode,
wherein an electrode pattern for electrically connecting to the sensor electrode is provided on one of a mount surface of the electrode supporter on which the sensor electrode is mounted and a rear surface of the electrode supporter.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a sensor
circuit disposed on the rear surface of the electrode supporter or disposed inside the electrode supporter and configured to process bioelectrical signals detected by the sensor electrode into analog signals or digital signals.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor support elastically supports the sensor electrode so that the sensor electrode moves in 3-axis directions.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the sensor support comprises a spiral spring, and the sensor electrode is coupled to one of two ends of the spiral spring,
wherein a surface on which one end of the spiral spring is placed protrudes beyond a surface on which the other end of the spiral spring is placed.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein an elasticity of the spiral spring along a central axis of the spiral spring is greater than an elasticity of the spiral spring in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of the spiral spring.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a connection frame configured to connect the sensor support and the main body and to allow the sensor electrode to contact a head of the living body.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the main body comprises a slot, and one end of the connection frame is detachably inserted into the slot.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary frame having a hair band shape, a cap shape, or a headband shape, and configured to fix the main body to a head of the living body.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the main body has a circular band shape or a semicircular band shape to be located along an inner circumferential surface of a cap.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
two main frames corresponding to respective ears of a head of the living body when being worn on the head of the living body; a plurality of connection frames configured to support the sensor electrode, extend from the two main frames, and configured to allow the sensor electrode to contact the head of the living body when being worn on the head of the living body; and an auxiliary frame configured to elastically connect the two main frames and to fix the two main frames to the head of the living body when being worn on the head of the living body, wherein the main body is provided on at least one of the two main frames.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an attachment/detachment coupler configured to detachably couple the main body to a headphone.

16 . An apparatus for measuring bioelectrical signals, the apparatus comprising:
a sensor module comprising a sensor electrode that senses bioelectrical signals, wherein the sensor electrode comprises a tapering portion that narrows toward one end and a protruding portion that extends from the one end of the tapering portion, contacts a body part, and senses bioelectrical signals; a communication circuit that communicates with an external device; an output circuit that outputs an alarm; and a controller that determines an emergency level of a user based on bioelectrical signals sensed by the sensor module, and controls the output circuit to output an alarm corresponding to the determined emergency level through the output circuit or controls the communication circuit to transmit information about the determined emergency level to the external device through the communication circuit.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a memory that stores a risk evaluation model for evaluating a first risk level and a second risk level from bioelectrical signals, the second risk level being higher than the first risk level,
wherein the controller controls the output circuit to output an alarm through the output circuit when the emergency level of the user corresponds to the first risk level and controls the communication circuit to transmit information about the emergency level of the user to the external device through the communication circuit when the emergency level of the user corresponds to the second risk level.

18 . A mobile device for receiving bioelectrical signals from an apparatus for measuring bioelectrical signals, the apparatus comprising: a sensor electrode comprising a tapering portion that narrows toward one end and a protruding portion that extends from the one end of the tapering portion, contacts a body part, and senses bioelectrical signals; a sensor support configured to support the sensor electrode to maintain the contact between the sensor electrode and the body part; and a main body connected to the sensor support and being wearable on a living body,
the mobile device comprising:
a communication circuit configured to communicate with the apparatus and an external device;
an output circuit configured to output an alarm; and
a controller configured to determine an emergency level of a user based on bioelectrical signals received from the apparatus and to control the output circuit to output an alarm corresponding to the determined emergency level through the output circuit or to control the communication circuit to transmit information about the determined emergency level to the external device through the communication circuit.

19 . The mobile device of claim 18 , further comprising a memory configured to store a risk evaluation model for evaluating a first risk level and a second risk level from bioelectrical signals, the second risk level being higher than the first risk level,
wherein the controller controls the output circuit to output an alarm through the output circuit when the emergency level of the user corresponds to the first risk level and controls the communication circuit to transmit information about the emergency level of the user to the external device through the communication circuit when the em

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lim Se-Hoon
• Park Jun-Hyung
• Jo Hee-Jae
• Yang Jang-Beom
• Jung Jae-Min
• Oh Eun-Mi
• Choi Jong-Ho
• Koh Jun-Ho
• Lee Chang-Hyun
• Lim Yong-Hyun
• Chun Hae-In

Classifications

• A61B5/6814

  Head · CPC title

• A61B5/6843 Primary

  Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure · CPC title

• A61B5/0006

  ECG or EEG signals · CPC title

• A61B2560/0475

  Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards · CPC title

• A61B5/6803

  Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles · CPC title