Personal medical device interference mitigation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9955325-B2
Application number	US-201615149039-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2016
Priority date	May 6, 2016
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

A system may include a sensor system and a control system configured for communication with the sensor system. The sensor system may include an ultrasonic sensor system. The control system may be capable of determining, based at least in part on signals from the ultrasonic sensor system, whether a personal medical device is within a predetermined distance from the mobile device. The control system may be capable of adjusting one or more mobile device settings in response to a determination that the personal medical device is within the predetermined distance of the mobile device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mobile device, comprising:
a sensor system that includes an ultrasonic sensor system; and
a control system coupled to the sensor system, the control system being capable of:
determining, based at least in part on signals from the ultrasonic sensor system, whether a personal medical device is within a predetermined distance from the mobile device; and
adjusting one or more mobile device settings in response to a determination that the personal medical device is within the predetermined distance of the mobile device, and

wherein the control system is further capable of:
determining, based on signals received from the sensor system, a position of at least a portion of a person's body;
controlling the ultrasonic sensor system to obtain ultrasonic image data from the portion of the person's body; and
determining, based at least in part on the ultrasonic image data, whether the personal medical device is an implantable medical device that is within the portion of the person's body.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system includes at least one camera and wherein the control system is capable of determining that the personal medical device is within the predetermined distance based, at least in part, on data received from the at least one camera.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system includes at least one camera and wherein the control system is capable of:
receiving data from the at least one camera; and
determining the position of at least the portion of the person's body based, at least in part, on the data received from the at least one camera.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the control system is capable of controlling the ultrasonic sensor system to cause transmitted ultrasonic waves to be transmitted in one or more selected directions.

5. The mobile device of claim 4 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor system includes an array of individually controllable piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs) and wherein the control system is capable of controlling the array of PMUTs to cause constructive interference in the one or more selected directions.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system includes apparatus for receiving radio frequency (RF) signals emitted by the personal medical device.

7. The mobile device of claim 6 , wherein the mobile device includes an RF transmitter capable of transmitting an RF signal for causing a responsive RF signal from a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag or a near-field communication tag on the personal medical device.

8. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor system is capable of receiving ultrasonic signals that are emitted from an active ultrasonic transmitter on the personal medical device and wherein the control system is capable of determining, based at least in part on the ultrasonic signals, whether the personal medical device is within the predetermined distance.

9. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the control system is capable of determining the predetermined distance based, at least in part, on one or more contextual indications.

10. The mobile device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one induction coil, wherein the control system is capable of determining the predetermined distance based, at least in part, on input from the at least one induction coil.

11. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the control system is capable of controlling the at least one induction coil to provide metal detection functionality.

12. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the control system is capable of controlling the at least one induction coil to provide passive or active near-field communications (NFC) functionality.

13. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined distance corresponds with an interference range within which electromagnetic interference from the mobile device can cause interference with operation of the personal medical device.

14. The mobile device of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface, wherein the control system is capable of varying the predetermined distance according to one or more factors selected from a list of factors consisting of input received via the user interface, information regarding a device type of the personal medical device and signals from the ultrasonic sensor system.

15. The mobile device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more microphones, wherein the control system is capable of determining whether the personal medical device is within the predetermined distance based, at least in part, on microphone data received from the one or more microphones.

16. A system, comprising:
a sensor system that includes an ultrasonic sensor system; and
control means configured for communication with the sensor system, the control means including means for:
determining, based at least in part on signals from the ultrasonic sensor system, whether a personal medical device is within a predetermined distance from a mobile device; and
adjusting one or more mobile device settings in response to a determination that the personal medical device is within the predetermined distance of the mobile device, and

wherein the control means further comprises means for:
determining, based on signals received from the sensor system, a position of at least a portion of a person's body;
controlling the ultrasonic sensor system to obtain ultrasonic image data from the portion of the person's body; and
determining, based at least in part on the ultrasonic image data, whether the personal medical device is an implantable medical device that is within the portion of the person's body.

17. The mobile device of claim 16 , wherein the sensor system includes a camera and wherein the control means includes means for determining that the personal medical device is within the predetermined distance based, at least in part, on data received from the camera.

18. A method of controlling a mobile device, comprising:
determining, based at least in part on signals from a sensor system that includes an ultrasonic sensor system, whether a personal medical device is within a predetermined distance from the mobile device; and
adjusting one or more mobile device settings in response to a determination that the personal medical device is within the predetermined distance of the mobile device, and wherein the method further comprises:
determining, based on signals received from the sensor system, a position of at least a portion of a person's body;
controlling the ultrasonic sensor system to obtain ultrasonic image data from the portion of the person's body; and
determining, based at least in part on the ultrasonic image data, whether the personal medical device is an implantable medical device that is within the portion of the person's body.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the sensor system includes at least one camera, further comprising determining that the personal medical device is within the predetermined distance based, at least in part, on data received from the at least one camera.

20. A non-transitory medium having software stored thereon, the software including instructions for controlling a mobile device for:
determining, based at least in part on signals from a sensor system that includes an ultrasonic sensor system, whether a personal medical device is within a predetermined distance from the mobile device; and
adjusting one or more mobile device settings in response to a dete

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Chrisikos George
• Wietfeldt Richard

Classifications

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H04W4/18 Primary

  Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals · CPC title

• H04B5/0031

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04B5/0081

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W4/008

  Electricity · mapped topic