Electronic device that computes health data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9723997-B1
Application number	US-201514617422-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 9, 2015
Priority date	Sep 26, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

An electronic device includes a camera, an ambient light sensor, and a proximity sensor. The electronic device uses one or more of the camera and the proximity sensor to emit light into a body part of a user touching a surface of the electronic device and one or more of the camera, the ambient light sensor, and the proximity sensor to receive at least part of the emitted light reflected by the body part of the user. The electronic device computes health data of the user based upon sensor data regarding the received light. In some implementations, the electronic device may also include one or more electrical contacts that contact one or more body parts of the user. In such implementations, the health data may be further computed based on the an electrical measurement obtained using the electrical contacts.

First claim

I claim:

1. A mobile personal computing device, comprising:
a camera;
an ambient light sensor;
a proximity sensor; and
a processing unit communicably coupled to the camera, the ambient light sensor, and the proximity sensor;
wherein the processing unit is configured to:
use the camera and the proximity sensor to emit light into a body part of a user touching a surface of the mobile personal computing device;
use at least one of the camera, an ambient light sensor, or the proximity sensor to receive at least part of the emitted light reflected by the body part of the user and generate sensor data; and
compute health data of the user, utilizing the processing unit, using at least the sensor data regarding the received light.

2. The mobile personal computing device of claim 1 , wherein the camera, the ambient light sensor, and the proximity sensor are positioned to be at least partially covered by the body part of the user at a same time.

3. The mobile personal computing device of claim 1 , wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect multiple wavelengths of light.

4. The mobile personal computing device of claim 3 , wherein multiple light wavelength proximity sensor is configured to emit and receive infrared and visible light.

5. The mobile personal computing device of claim 3 , wherein multiple light wavelength proximity sensor is configured to emit and receive infrared and red light.

6. The mobile personal computing device of claim 1 , wherein the ambient light sensor is a at least one of a silicon ambient light sensor or an indium gallium arsenide ambient light sensor.

7. The mobile personal computing device of claim 1 , wherein the camera is configured to detect infrared light.

8. The mobile personal computing device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to compute the health-related information when the body part of the user is positioned at least partially over the camera, the ambient light sensor, and the proximity sensor.

9. The mobile personal computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit utilizes the camera to determine when the body part of the user is misaligned with the camera, the ambient light sensor, and the proximity sensor for purposes of detecting the information about the body part of the user.

10. The mobile personal computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processing unit provides an output that can be used as guidance to correct a misalignment.

11. The mobile personal computing device of claim 10 , wherein the processing unit is configure to provide the output to at least one visual output component, audio output component, or haptic output component.

12. The mobile personal computing device of claim 1 , wherein the camera is configured with a focal distance greater than a distance between the camera and the body part of the user when the body part is touching the surface of the mobile personal computing device.

13. The mobile personal computing device of claim 1 , further comprising
electrical contacts disposed on an exterior surface of the device, wherein the processing unit is further configured to compute additional health-related information regarding the user based on an electrical measurement obtained using the electrical contacts.

14. The mobile personal computing device of claim 13 , wherein the electrical contacts are positioned to contact the body part of the user and an additional body part of the user.

15. The mobile personal computing device of claim 14 , wherein the electrical measurement obtained using the electrical contacts corresponds to an electrical property across the user's chest.

16. The mobile personal computing device of claim 13 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to:
use at least the proximity sensor to emit the light;
use the ambient light sensor and the camera to receive the reflected light; and
compute a blood pressure index, a body fat content, and an electrocardiogram using data from the ambient light sensor, the camera, and the electrical contacts.

17. The mobile personal computing device of claim 13 , wherein the proximity sensor is a multiple light wavelength proximity sensor that utilizes infrared and visible light, the ambient light sensor is a indium gallium arsenide ambient light sensor, and the processing unit is further configured to:
use at least the proximity sensor to emit the light;
use the ambient light sensor and the camera receive the reflected light; and
compute a blood hydration using data from the ambient light sensor, the camera, and the electrical contacts.

18. The mobile personal computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to:
use at least the ambient light sensor and the camera receive the reflected light; and
compute an oxygen saturation, a pulse rate, a perfusion index, or a photoplethysmogram using data from the ambient light sensor and the camera.

19. The mobile personal computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to use data from the camera indicating characteristics of the body part that influence light absorption to adjust the sensor data regarding the received light as part of computing the health data.

20. A method for using a mobile personal computing device to obtain health data, comprising:
using a camera and a proximity sensor to emit light into a body part of a user touching a surface of the mobile personal computing device;
using at least two of the camera, an ambient light sensor, or the proximity sensor to receive at least part of the emitted light reflected by the body part of the user and generate sensor data; and
computing health data of the user, utilizing the processing unit, using at least the sensor data regarding the received light.

21. A computer program product including a non-transitory storage medium, comprising:
a first set of instructions, stored in the non-transitory storage medium, executable by at least one processing unit to use a camera and a proximity sensor to emit light into a body part of a user touching a surface of a mobile personal computing device;
a second set of instructions, stored in the non-transitory storage medium, executable by the least one processing unit to use the camera and an ambient light sensor to receive at least part of the emitted light reflected by the body part of the user and generate sensor data; and
a third set of instructions, stored in the non-transitory storage medium, executable by the least one processing unit to compute health data of the user using at least the sensor data regarding the received light.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Lamego Marcelo M

Classifications

• A61B5/0245

  by using sensing means generating electric signals, {i.e. ECG signals} · CPC title

• A61B5/0077

  Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens · CPC title

• A61B5/02055

  Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature · CPC title

• A61B5/02438

  with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient · CPC title

• A61B2562/0257

  Proximity sensors · CPC title