Patents by Inventor Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
Thomas Ying-Ching Lo has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8514068Abstract: A monitor provides a wireless signal with respective pulses, based on a heartbeat, repetitive physical movement, or other repetitive bodily action of a user. The pulses include longer duration pulses whose duration identifies the monitor, and distinguishes it from other monitors which may provide crosstalk interference. The longer duration pulses are interspersed among short duration pulses to reduce power consumption. A receiver unit processes the signal to determine a rate of the bodily action and provide a corresponding output. The receiver unit can operate in a baseline mode when crosstalk is not detected, where each pulse is used to determine the rate, or in a crosstalk mode when crosstalk is detected, where only the longer duration pulses are used to determine the rate. The receiver unit can synchronize with two or more consecutive longer duration pulses. The pulse duration can be fixed or determined dynamically, e.g., non-deterministically.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2010Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Salutron, Inc.Inventors: Karthik H. Katingari, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
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Patent number: 8436729Abstract: A monitor provides a wireless signal with respective pulses, based on a heartbeat, repetitive physical movement, or other repetitive bodily action of a user. The pulses include longer duration pulses whose duration identifies the monitor, and distinguishes it from other monitors which may provide crosstalk interference. The longer duration pulses are interspersed among short duration pulses to reduce power consumption. The pulses are transmitted in successive cycles, where the number of the longer duration pulses is set adaptively in each cycle based on a detected rate, or rate of change, of respective instances of the bodily action. A receiver unit processes the signal to determine a rate of the bodily action and provide a corresponding output. The receiver unit can synchronize with two or more consecutive longer duration pulses. The pulse duration can be fixed or determined dynamically, e.g., non-deterministically.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2010Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: Salutron, Inc.Inventors: Karthik H. Katingari, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
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Patent number: 8121672Abstract: Electro static discharge (ESD) protection is provided for electronic devices with integrated circuits, such as for example heart rate monitors. The ESD protection protects against voltage accumulation and discharge through device external parts that are connected to internal device circuitry. The ESD protection isolates the internal device circuitry and provides a low impedance path over which electro static charges and any transient voltages in the device may discharge. The integrated circuits, electrical components, and other parts protected from ESD may be connected to monitor circuitry and be externally exposed, such as sensing or measurement parts exposed outside the device. The external parts may include a sensing case back, sensing push-buttons, or other components that provide a signal to or are otherwise in communication with the internal device circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2008Date of Patent: February 21, 2012Assignee: Salutron, Inc.Inventors: Bill Lau, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
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Patent number: 8073533Abstract: A heart rate monitor determines a heart rate for a primary subject by reducing noise and cross-talk from unwanted signal transmission sources. A set of pulse peaks having about the same amplitude and an amplitude greater than any other set of peaks are processed to determine a subject's heart rate, while data having an amplitude below that of the set of peaks is ignored. To retrieve enough data to determine a peak amplitude, the signal having heart rate information is sampled at a frequency higher than a normal sampling frequency. In some embodiments, if no data is received for a set time period which is in or above the range, the threshold resets to zero under an assumption that the primary subject is no longer within transmitting range.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2010Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Salutron, Inc.Inventors: Chor Kuen Eddy Hui, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
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Patent number: 8046058Abstract: A subject's heart rate is determined. A heart rate monitor receives a Doppler signal reflected from an artery of a target, performs demodulation and heart beat recognition techniques to determine a set of features in each frame of the signal. Pattern classification is performed to determine if the extracted feature sequence is associated with heart beats. The pattern classification may include finding the optimal state sequence by calculating the probability of each allowable state sequence based on the extracted feature sequence and heart beat models or additional noise models. Or, a heart beat candidate is determined using frame energy and dynamic thresholding followed by computing the probabilities between the feature sequence and each stored heart beat model or additional noise models. Or, heart beat candidates are determined using frame energy and dynamic thresholding which compute the similarity between the feature sequences and each of the stored heart beat templates.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2007Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Salutron, Inc.Inventors: Szming Lin, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
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Publication number: 20110205051Abstract: A monitor provides a wireless signal with respective pulses, based on a heartbeat, repetitive physical movement, or other repetitive bodily action of a user. The pulses include longer duration pulses whose duration identifies the monitor, and distinguishes it from other monitors which may provide crosstalk interference. The longer duration pulses are interspersed among short duration pulses to reduce power consumption. A receiver unit processes the signal to determine a rate of the bodily action and provide a corresponding output. The receiver unit can operate in a baseline mode when crosstalk is not detected, where each pulse is used to determine the rate, or in a crosstalk mode when crosstalk is detected, where only the longer duration pulses are used to determine the rate. The receiver unit can synchronize with two or more consecutive longer duration pulses. The pulse duration can be fixed or determined dynamically, e.g., non-deterministically.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2010Publication date: August 25, 2011Inventors: Karthik H. Katingari, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
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Publication number: 20110205063Abstract: A monitor provides a wireless signal with respective pulses, based on a heartbeat, repetitive physical movement, or other repetitive bodily action of a user. The pulses include longer duration pulses whose duration identifies the monitor, and distinguishes it from other monitors which may provide crosstalk interference. The longer duration pulses are interspersed among short duration pulses to reduce power consumption. The pulses are transmitted in successive cycles, where the number of the longer duration pulses is set adaptively in each cycle based on a detected rate, or rate of change, of respective instances of the bodily action. A receiver unit processes the signal to determine a rate of the bodily action and provide a corresponding output. The receiver unit can synchronize with two or more consecutive longer duration pulses. The pulse duration can be fixed or determined dynamically, e.g., non-deterministically.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2010Publication date: August 25, 2011Inventors: Karthik H. Katingari, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
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Publication number: 20100331714Abstract: A heart rate monitor determines a heart rate for a primary subject by reducing noise and cross-talk from unwanted signal transmission sources. A set of pulse peaks having about the same amplitude and an amplitude greater than any other set of peaks are processed to determine a subject's heart rate, while data having an amplitude below that of the set of peaks is ignored. To retrieve enough data to determine a peak amplitude, the signal having heart rate information is sampled at a frequency higher than a normal sampling frequency. In some embodiments, if no data is received for a set time period which is in or above the range, the threshold resets to zero under an assumption that the primary subject is no longer within transmitting range.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2010Publication date: December 30, 2010Inventors: Chor Kuen Eddy Hui, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
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Patent number: 7822469Abstract: A heart rate monitor with analog and digital input mechanisms is provided with electro static discharge (ESD) protection which protects electrical components within the monitor. The heart rate monitor input mechanisms may include externally exposed sensors comprised of a conducting material, such as metal. The sensors may include push buttons, a dial, and one or more sensors for retrieving a heart rate signal, such as a case back for the monitor device. Internal circuitry such as an integrated circuit (IC) performs operations to provide time, a heart rate, and other information through a display. The ESD protection prevents any voltage discharge accumulating on the externally exposed sensors from reaching the one or more ICs and interrupting or negatively affecting performance of the monitor.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2008Date of Patent: October 26, 2010Assignee: Salutron, Inc.Inventor: Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
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Patent number: 7815575Abstract: An ultrasonic monitor implemented on a PCB includes a transmission medium. The transmission medium may be biocompatible and implemented as an oil-based transmission medium, a gel pad, or a combination thereof. Ultrasonic signals are transmitted between the ultrasonic monitor and a living subject through the transmission medium. An air gap is formed in the PCB underneath transducer elements to provide for more efficient signal transmission. The entire ultrasonic monitor may be encapsulated in plastic, a transmission medium, or both to provide water resistant properties.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2005Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: Salutron, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Ying-Ching Lo, Rong Jong Chang
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Patent number: 7798970Abstract: An ultrasonic monitor implemented on a PCB includes a gel pad comprised of a gel layer and a membrane layer. Ultrasonic signals are transmitted between the ultrasonic monitor and a living subject through the gel pad. An air gap is formed in the PCB underneath transducer elements to provide for more efficient signal transmission. These features provide for a low power, low cost, more efficient ultrasonic monitor. The entire ultrasonic monitor may be encapsulated in plastic, a gel, or both to provide water resistant properties.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2004Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: Salutron, IncInventors: Thomas Ying-Ching Lo, Rong Jong Chang
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Patent number: 7797038Abstract: A heart rate monitor determines a heart rate for a primary subject by reducing noise and cross-talk from unwanted signal transmission sources. A set of pulse peaks having about the same amplitude and an amplitude greater than any other set of peaks are processed to determine a subject's heart rate, while data having an amplitude below that of the set of peaks is ignored. To retrieve enough data to determine a peak amplitude, the signal having heart rate information is sampled at a frequency higher than a normal sampling frequency. In some embodiments, if no data is received for a set time period which is in or above the range, the threshold resets to zero under an assumption that the primary subject is no longer within transmitting range.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2007Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: Salutron, IncInventors: Chor Kuen Eddy Hui, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
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Publication number: 20090312656Abstract: Electro static discharge (ESD) protection is provided for electronic devices with integrated circuits, such as for example heart rate monitors. The ESD protection protects against voltage accumulation and discharge through device external parts that are connected to internal device circuitry. The ESD protection isolates the internal device circuitry and provides a low impedance path over which electro static charges and any transient voltages in the device may discharge. The integrated circuits, electrical components, and other parts protected from ESD may be connected to monitor circuitry and be externally exposed, such as sensing or measurement parts exposed outside the device. The external parts may include a sensing case back, sensing push-buttons, or other components that provide a signal to or are otherwise in communication with the internal device circuitry.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2008Publication date: December 17, 2009Applicant: SALUTRON, INC.Inventors: Bill Lau, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
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Publication number: 20090312655Abstract: A heart rate monitor with analog and digital input mechanisms is provided with electro static discharge (ESD) protection which protects electrical components within the monitor. The heart rate monitor input mechanisms may include externally exposed sensors comprised of a conducting material, such as metal. The sensors may include push buttons, a dial, and one or more sensors for retrieving a heart rate signal, such as a case back for the monitor device. Internal circuitry such as an integrated circuit (IC) performs operations to provide time, a heart rate, and other information through a display. The ESD protection prevents any voltage discharge accumulating on the externally exposed sensors from reaching the one or more ICs and interrupting or negatively affecting performance of the monitor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2008Publication date: December 17, 2009Applicant: Salutron, Inc.Inventor: Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
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Patent number: 7559899Abstract: A heart rate monitor implements power saving algorithms while monitoring a subject's heart rate. The monitor continuously monitors a subject during an initial period to determine an initial heart rate. After the initial heart rate is acquired, power may not be provided for portions of the monitor until a heart beat is expected to occur. At some point before the expected heart beat occurs, power is returned to the components which have not received power. The expected heart beat is then detected, and power to selected portions of the monitor is terminated again until another expected heart beat approaches in time. By providing power to monitor components just before an expected heart beat, the monitor may still detect the heart beat and determine the corresponding heart rate of the user. The period of time during which power is terminated for some components may be determined from the detected heart rate. The number of heart beats during which power is terminated for selected monitor components may vary.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2006Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Salutron, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Ying-Ching Lo, Karthik H. Katingari
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Patent number: 7547282Abstract: The invention provides an ultrasonic monitor for measuring pulse rate values in a living subject, including a module with at least one source of ultrasonic energy, a gel pad comprised of a polymer and from about 50 to about 95% by weight of an ultrasound conductive diluent, wherein the gel pad is positioned in direct contact between the module and the living subject; an ultrasonic energy detector and associated hardware and software for detecting, calculating and displaying a readout of the measured rate values.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2004Date of Patent: June 16, 2009Assignee: Salutron, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Ying-Ching Lo, Tolentino Escorcio, Ron Jong Chang
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Publication number: 20090043216Abstract: A subject's heart rate is determined by recognizing heart beat patterns in a heart beat signal. A heart rate monitor receives a Doppler signal reflected from an artery of a target, performs demodulation and heart beat recognition techniques on the received signal to determine a set or sequence of features in each frame of the signal. Once a feature sequence is extracted from the signal, pattern classification is performed to determine if the extracted feature sequence is associated with one or more heart beats. The pattern classification may include finding the optimal state sequence by calculating the probability of each allowable state sequence based on the extracted feature sequence and heart beat models or additional noise models. Another pattern classification technique may determine a heart beat candidate using frame energy and dynamic thresholding methods followed by computing the probabilities between the feature sequence and each stored heart beat model or additional noise models.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2007Publication date: February 12, 2009Inventors: Szming Lin, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
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Publication number: 20090043217Abstract: A heart rate monitor determines a heart rate for a primary subject by reducing noise and cross-talk from unwanted signal transmission sources. A set of pulse peaks having about the same amplitude and an amplitude greater than any other set of peaks are processed to determine a subject's heart rate, while data having an amplitude below that of the set of peaks is ignored. To retrieve enough data to determine a peak amplitude, the signal having heart rate information is sampled at a frequency higher than a normal sampling frequency. In some embodiments, if no data is received for a set time period which is in or above the range, the threshold resets to zero under an assumption that the primary subject is no longer within transmitting range.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2007Publication date: February 12, 2009Inventors: Chor Kuen Eddy Hui, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
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Patent number: 6843771Abstract: The invention provides an ultrasonic monitor for measuring pulse rate values in a living subject, including a module with at least one source of ultrasonic energy, a gel pad comprised of a polymer and from about 50 to about 95% by weight of an ultrasound conductive diluent, wherein the gel pad is positioned in direct contact between the module and the living subject; an ultrasonic energy detector and associated hardware and software for detecting, calculating and displaying a readout of the measured rate values.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2003Date of Patent: January 18, 2005Assignee: Salutron, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Ying-Ching Lo, Tolentino Escorcio
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Publication number: 20040167409Abstract: The invention provides an ultrasonic monitor for measuring pulse rate values in a living subject, including a module with at least one source of ultrasonic energy, a gel pad comprised of a polymer and from about 50 to about 95% by weight of an ultrasound conductive diluent, wherein the gel pad is positioned in direct contact between the module and the living subject; an ultrasonic energy detector and associated hardware and software for detecting, calculating and displaying a readout of the measured rate values.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2004Publication date: August 26, 2004Applicant: Salutron, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Ying-Ching Lo, Tolentino Escorcio, Ron Jong Chang