Sizable wrist-worn pressure sensing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016287103-A1
Application number	US-201514750804-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 25, 2015
Priority date	Apr 2, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A wrist-worn pressure sensing device includes a pressure sensor. The wrist-worn pressure sensing device also includes a first strap that sets the position of the pressure sensor on a wearer's wrist and a second strap that engages with the first strap to adjust the overall length of the strap without moving the set position of the pressure sensor on the wearer's wrist.

First claim

1 . A wrist-worn pressure sensing device, comprising:
a primary device; a pressure sensor; a first strap adjustable to fix a position of the pressure sensor relative to the primary device, the first strap comprising:
a first end connected to the primary device;
a second end connected to the pressure sensor; and
primary fastening componentry; and
a second strap comprising:
a first end connected to the primary device; and
secondary fastening componentry usable to adjust a circumference of the wrist-worn pressure sensing device without moving the fixed position of the pressure sensor relative to the primary device by adjustably engaging the secondary fastening componentry with the primary fastening componentry.

2 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor is communicatively coupled to a compute machine located within the primary device via the first strap.

3 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the first strap folds back towards the first end of the first strap to position the pressure sensor at a desired effective distance from the primary device.

4 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the circumference of the wrist-worn pressure sensing device is inversely proportionate to an amount of overlap between the first strap and the second strap when the primary fastening componentry is engaged with secondary fastening componentry.

5 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the circumference of the wrist-worn pressure sensing device is inversely proportionate to an amount of self-overlap along the second strap when the primary fastening componentry is engaged with secondary fastening componentry.

6 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the position of the pressure sensor relative to the primary device is adjustable by physically altering a length of the first strap, while maintaining connective componentry of the first strap that mediates connecting the first end of the first strap to the primary device and the second end of the first strap to the pressure sensor.

7 . A wrist-worn pressure sensing device, comprising:
a primary device; a first strap comprising:
a first end connected to the primary device;
primary fastening componentry; and
a plurality of possible sensing locations, each possible sensing location having a different effective distance from the primary device along the first strap;
a pressure sensor adjustably connected to the first strap at a selected sensing location of the plurality of possible sensing locations, the pressure sensor having a fixed position relative to the primary device when connected to the first strap; and a second strap comprising:
a first end connected to the primary device; and
secondary fastening componentry usable to adjust a circumference of the wrist-worn pressure sensing device without moving the pressure sensor from the selected sensing location by adjustably engaging the secondary fastening componentry with the primary fastening componentry.

8 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 7 , further comprising:
a satellite device configured to attach the pressure sensor to the first strap, and further configured to mediate communication between the pressure sensor and a compute device situated within the primary device.

9 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 8 , wherein the first strap further comprises one or more conducting wires extending from the primary device through the plurality of possible sensing locations, and wherein the satellite device includes one or more conductive contacts that interface with the one or more conducting wires when the satellite device is attached to the first strap at the selected sensing location of the plurality of possible sensing locations.

10 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more conductive wires are located within a slit of the first strap.

11 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more conductive wires are located on an interior of the first strap, and wherein the satellite device includes one or more piercing conductive contacts configured to penetrate the first strap when the satellite device is attached to the first strap.

12 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of possible sensing locations are located within a groove of the first strap.

13 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 8 , further comprising an energy-storage device coupled within the primary device, and wherein the satellite device is further configured to transfer power from the energy-storage device to the pressure sensor via the first strap.

14 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 8 , wherein the primary device further comprises one or more inductive coils, and wherein the satellite device includes one or more inductive coils enabling one or more of wireless power transfer and wireless communication.

15 . A wrist-worn pressure sensing device, comprising:
a primary device; a first strap connected to the primary device; a pressure sensor coupled to the first strap at a fixed position relative to the primary device; a second strap connected to the primary device, the second strap comprising fastening componentry usable to adjust a circumference of the wrist-worn pressure sensing device without moving the fixed position of the pressure sensor relative to the primary device; powered sizing actuators configured to adjust a circumference of the wrist-worn pressure sensing device; and a sizing subsystem to actuate the powered sizing actuators responsive to a change in pressure between the pressure sensor and a wearer's wrist.

16 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 15 , wherein the sizing subsystem is further configured to:
receive from the pressure sensor an indication of a pressure between the pressure sensor and the wearer's wrist; and provide a user instruction to manually adjust a conformation of the wrist-worn pressure sensing device relative to the wearer's wrist.

17 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 15 , wherein the powered sizing actuators comprise:
one or more inflatable bladders pneumatically connected to a piezo air pump.

18 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 17 , wherein the sizing subsystem is further configured to:
actuate the piezo air pump responsive to a decrease in pressure between the pressure sensor and the wearer's wrist; and release air from the one or more inflatable bladders responsive to an increase in pressure between the pressure sensor and the wearer's wrist.

19 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 15 , wherein the powered sizing actuators comprise:
one or more linear motors coupled to one or more of the first strap and second strap within one or more contraction regions, the contraction regions configured to contract responsive to activation of the one or more linear motors in a first direction, and further configured to expand responsive to activation of the one or more linear motors in a second, opposite direction.

20 . The wrist-worn pressure sensing device of claim 19 , wherein the sizing subsystem is further configured to:
actuate the one or more linear motors in the first direction responsive to a decrease in pressure between the pressure sensor and the wearer's wrist; and actuate the linear motors in the second

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Saponas T Scott
• Basu Sumit
• Morris Daniel
• Gupta Sidhant
• Malladi Sailaja
• Tan Desney S
• Villar Nicolas
• Patel Shwetak N
• Cohn Gabriel Adam
• Lester Jonathan
• Smith Gregory R
• Paulsen Ronald E

Classifications

• A61B5/02233 Primary

  Occluders specially adapted therefor (tourniquets A61B17/132) · CPC title

• A61B2560/0462

  Apparatus with built-in sensors · CPC title

• A61B5/02444

  Details of sensor (A61B5/02427 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B5/6824

  Arm or wrist · CPC title

• A61B5/681

  Wristwatch-type devices · CPC title