Optical communication with optical sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016166153-A1
Application number	US-201414572587-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 16, 2014
Priority date	Dec 16, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A wearable computing device includes an electro-optical sensor to translate received light into an electrical signal. During a first mode of operation of the wearable computing device, a physical parameter of a wearer of the wearable computing device is assessed from the electrical signal. During a second mode of operation of the wearable computing device, encoded communication data is extracted from the electrical signal.

First claim

1 . A wearable computing device comprising:
an electro-optical sensor to translate received light into an electrical signal; a logic machine; and a storage machine holding instructions executable by the logic machine to:
during a first mode, assess a physical parameter of a wearer of the wearable computing device from the electrical signal; and
during a second mode, extract communication data encoded in the electrical signal.

2 . The wearable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the electro-optical sensor is a pulse oximeter, and the physical parameter is a blood oxygen level.

3 . The wearable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the electro-optical sensor is an optical pulse rate sensor, and the physical parameter is a pulse rate of the wearer.

4 . The wearable computing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an optical emitter to emit a diagnostic reference light; wherein the electro-optical sensor is configured to translate the diagnostic reference light and a communication light into the electrical signal; and wherein the storage machine further holds instructions executable by the logic machine to:
during the first mode, instruct the optical emitter to emit the diagnostic reference light;
during the first mode, recognize the electrical signal translated from the diagnostic reference light; and
during the second mode, recognize the electrical signal translated from the communication light.

5 . The wearable computing device of claim 4 , wherein the optical emitter is a light emitting diode.

6 . The wearable computing device of claim 4 , wherein the storage machine further holds instructions executable by the logic machine to, during the second mode, instruct the optical emitter to emit communication light encoding communication data.

7 . The wearable computing device of claim 6 , wherein during the second mode, the received light is received from a communication cable.

8 . The wearable computing device of claim 7 , further comprising:
an alignment mechanism to align the electro-optical sensor with an optical emitter of the communication cable and align the optical emitter with an electro-optical sensor of the communication cable.

9 . The wearable computing device of claim 7 , further comprising:
an inductive loop receiver to receive an electrical charge from an inductive loop transmitter of the communication cable.

10 . The wearable computing device of claim 7 , further comprises:
a band to couple the wearable computing device to the wearer; a skin conductance sensor including a first electrode positioned in a first portion of the band to contact a first portion of skin of the wearer and a second electrode positioned in a second portion of the band to contact a second portion of skin of the wearer; and wherein the storage machine further holds instructions executable by the logic machine to:
during the first mode, apply a diagnostic electrical signal across the first electrode and the second electrode;
during the first mode, assess a galvanic skin response of the wearer of the wearable computing device from the diagnostic electrical signal; and
during the second mode, receive an electrical charge across the first electrode and the second electrode from the communication cable.

11 . A wearable computing device comprising:
an optical emitter to emit a diagnostic reference light; an electro-optical sensor to translate diagnostic reference light and communication light into an electrical signal; a logic machine; and a storage machine holding instructions executable by the logic machine to:
during a first mode, instruct the optical emitter to emit the diagnostic reference light;
during the first mode, recognize the electrical signal translated from the diagnostic reference light;
during the first mode, assess a physical parameter of a wearer of the wearable computing device from the electrical signal;
during a second mode, recognize the electrical signal translated from the communication light, and
during the second mode, extract communication data encoded in the electrical signal.

12 . The wearable computing device of claim 11 , wherein the electro-optical sensor is a pulse oximeter, and the physical parameter is a blood oxygen level.

13 . The wearable computing device of claim 11 , wherein the electro-optical sensor is an optical pulse rate sensor, and the physical parameter is a pulse rate of the wearer.

14 . The wearable computing device of claim 11 , wherein the optical emitter is a light emitting diode.

15 . The wearable computing device of claim 11 , wherein the storage machine further holds instructions executable by the logic machine to, during the second mode, instruct the optical emitter to emit communication light encoding communication data.

16 . The wearable computing device of claim 15 , wherein during the second mode, the received light is received from a communication cable.

17 . The wearable computing device of claim 16 , further comprising:
an alignment mechanism to align the electro-optical sensor with an optical emitter of the communication cable and align the optical emitter with an electro-optical sensor of the communication cable.

18 . The wearable computing device of claim 16 , further comprising:
an inductive loop receiver to receive an electrical charge from an inductive loop transmitter of the communication cable.

19 . The wearable computing device of claim 16 , further comprises:
a band to couple the wearable computing device to the wearer; a skin conductance sensor including a first electrode positioned in a first portion of the band to contact a first portion of skin of the wearer and a second electrode positioned in a second portion of the band to contact a second portion of skin of the wearer; and wherein the storage machine further holds instructions executable by the logic machine to:
during the first mode, apply a diagnostic electrical signal across the first electrode and the second electrode;
during the first mode, assess a galvanic skin response of the wearer of the wearable computing device from the diagnostic electrical signal; and
during the second mode, receive an electrical charge across the first electrode and the second electrode from the communication cable.

20 . A computing device comprising:
an electro-optical sensor to translate received light into an electrical signal; a logic machine; and a storage machine holding instructions executable by the logic machine to:
during a first mode, assess a physical parameter of an environment of the computing device from the electrical signal; and
during a second mode, extract communication data encoded in the electrical signal.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Woo Kevin
• De Leon Ceasar Barcenas
• Hingorani Vinod L
• Holverson Erik

Classifications

• A61B2562/222

  Electrical cables or leads therefor, e.g. coaxial cables or ribbon cables · CPC title

• A61B5/02427 Primary

  Details of sensor · CPC title

• H04B10/1143 Primary

  Bidirectional transmission · CPC title

• A61B5/681

  Wristwatch-type devices · CPC title

• A61B2560/0214

  of power generation or supply · CPC title