Electronic device for measuring biometric information and method of operating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017255812-A1
Application number	US-201715449141-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 3, 2017
Priority date	Mar 4, 2016
Publication date	Sep 7, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of operating an electronic device is provided. The method includes detecting a gesture through a first sensor module, acquiring first biometric information through a second sensor module in response to the gesture, determining whether a user's skin contacts the second sensor module based on the first biometric information, and acquiring second biometric information from the user's skin through the second sensor module according to a result of the determination.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:
detecting a gesture through a first sensor module; acquiring first biometric information through a second sensor module in response to the gesture; determining whether a user's skin contacts the second sensor module based on the first biometric information; and acquiring second biometric information from the user's skin through the second sensor module according to a result of the determination.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the gesture comprises:
comparing the gesture with a preset gesture; and driving the second sensor module according to a result of the comparison.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the driving of the second sensor module comprises outputting an infrared light of the second sensor module.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of whether the user's skin contacts the second sensor module comprises:
determining whether an object contacts the second sensor module; and determining whether the object is the user's skin based on the first biometric information.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of whether the user's skin contacts the second sensor module comprises:
acquiring the first biometric information from the user's skin through the second sensor module; and determining whether the user's skin contacts the second sensor module by comparing the first biometric information with preset biometric information.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the determining of whether the user's skin contacts the second sensor module comprises determining whether the user's skin contacts the second sensor module based on at least one of a waveform of the first biometric information, a peak point of the waveform, and a pattern of the waveform.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquiring of the second biometric information comprises:
determining whether the second sensor module is in a state where the second biometric information can be acquired through the first sensor module; and acquiring the second biometric information according to a result of the determination.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of whether the user's skin contacts the second sensor module comprises:
turning on an infrared light source; and determining whether the user's skin contacts the second sensor module based on an infrared light output from the infrared light source.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the determining of whether the user's skin contacts the second sensor module comprises, when the user's skin does not contact the second sensor module, turning off the infrared light source.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the acquiring of the second biometric information comprises:
when the user's skin contacts the second sensor module, turning on a visible light from the second sensor module; and acquiring the second biometric information based on at least one of the infrared light output from the infrared light source and a visible light output from the visible light source.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the acquiring of the second biometric information comprises providing a state in which the second biometric information is measured through at least one of visual information, auditory information, and tactile information.

12 . An electronic device comprising:
a memory; a first sensor configured to detect a gesture; a second sensor configured to measure biometric information; and at least one processor configured to:
acquire first biometric information through the second sensor module in response to the gesture,
determine whether a user's skin contacts the second sensor module based on the first biometric information, and
acquire second biometric information from the user's skin according to a result of the determination.

13 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
compare the gesture with a preset gesture stored in the memory, and output an infrared light from the second sensor module in order to acquire the first biometric information according to a result of the comparison.

14 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein, to determine whether the user's skin contacts the second sensor module, the at least one processor is further configured to:
acquire the first biometric information from the user's skin through the second sensor module, and compare the first biometric information with the preset biometric information stored in the memory.

15 . The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine whether the user's skin contacts the second sensor module based on at least one of a waveform of the first biometric information, a peak point of the waveform, and a pattern of the waveform.

16 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
determine whether the second sensor module is in a state where the second biometric information can be acquired through the first sensor module, and acquire the second biometric information according to a result of the determination.

17 . The electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising an infrared light, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine whether the user's skin contacts the second sensor module based on an infrared light output from the infrared light.

18 . The electronic device of claim 17 , further comprising a visible light source, wherein, when the user's skin contacts the second sensor module, the at least one processor is further configured to:
output a visible light from the visible light source, and acquire the second biometric information based on at least one of the infrared output from the infrared light and a visible light output from the visible light source.

19 . The electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising a camera module, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
acquire the first biometric information from the user's skin through the camera module, and determine whether the user's skin contacts the second sensor module based on the first biometric information.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium configured to store one or more computer programs including instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to control for:
detecting a gesture through a first sensor module; acquiring first biometric information through a second sensor module in response to the gesture; determining whether a user's skin contacts the second sensor module based on the first biometric information; and acquiring second biometric information from the user's skin through the second sensor module according to a result of the determination.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kwon Soon-Hwan

Classifications

• G06V40/28 Primary

  Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language (static hand signs G06V40/113) · CPC title

• G06V40/15

  Biometric patterns based on physiological signals, e.g. heartbeat, blood flow · CPC title

• G06V10/143

  Sensing or illuminating at different wavelengths · CPC title

• G06V40/13

  Sensors therefor · CPC title

• G06F2203/04105

  Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position · CPC title