Detecting Blood Vessel Pulsation Patents (Class 600/500)
  • Publication number: 20140180145
    Abstract: A human fatigue assessment device capable of performing highly accurate fatigue assessment is provided. The human fatigue assessment device includes: a physiological signal measuring unit configured to measure a heartbeat or pulse wave of a user as a physiological signal; a feature value extracting unit configured to extract feature values each indicating amount of parasympathetic nerve activity and each obtained from the measured physiological signal measured; a storage unit in which the extracted feature values are stored; and a fatigue type determining unit configured to determine a type of fatigue of the user as to whether the fatigue of the user is due to a first work or due to a second work more monotonous than the first work, using the extracted feature values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Etsuko KANAI, Masami FUNAKURA, Yasuyoshi WATANABE, Masaaki TANAKA, Yoshihito SHIGIHARA, Kei MIZUNO
  • Patent number: 8758259
    Abstract: Pulse waves of a subject are detected in time sequence. Amplitude of the pulse waves is detected, and an interval between two pulse waves adjacent along a time axis is detected. A first change ratio of the interval along the time axis, and a second change ratio of the amplitude divided by the interval along the time axis are calculated respectively. By comparing the first change ratio and the second change ratio with a first threshold and a second threshold respectively, it is decided whether the pulse waves of the subject are irregular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8747326
    Abstract: A manual pressurization electronic sphygmomanometer includes a specific component detection unit for detecting a synthetic wave of a manual fluctuation wave and a pressure pulse wave as a specific component from a cuff pressure signal obtained during pressurization; a derivation processing unit for deriving a pressurization target value based on the detection result of the specific component detection unit; and a display unit for notifying to urge pressurization up to the pressurization target value. The derivation processing unit calculates a pulse wave component based on the waveform before and after the specific component and the waveform of the specific component, and determines a value obtained by adding a predetermined value to the systolic blood pressure value estimated based on the amplitude of the pulse wave component as the pressurization target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: OMRON HEALTHCARE Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kinoshita
  • Publication number: 20140155714
    Abstract: Apparatus is provided, including a sensor, adapted to generate a sensor signal indicative of biorhythmic activity of a user of the apparatus, the sensor signal having a first characteristic, indicative of a voluntary action of the user, and a second characteristic, indicative of a benefit-related variable of the user. The apparatus also includes a control unit, adapted to receive the sensor signal, and, responsive to the second characteristics generate an output signal which directs the user to modify a parameter of the voluntary action indicated by the first characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: INTERCURE LTD.
    Inventor: Benjamin Gavish
  • Publication number: 20140155755
    Abstract: A telepresence device may autonomously check patients. The telepresence device may determine the frequency of checking based on whether the patient has a risk factor. The telepresence device may include an image sensor, a thermal camera, a depth sensor, one or more systems for interacting with patients, or the like. The telepresence device may be configured to evaluate the patient's condition using the one or more sensors. The telepresence device may measure physiological characteristics using Eulerian video magnification, may detect pallor, fluid level, or fluid color, may detect thermal asymmetry, may determine a psychological state from body position or movement, or the like. The telepresence device may determine whether the patient is experiencing a potentially harmful condition, such as sepsis or stroke, and may trigger an alarm if so. To overcome alarm fatigue, the telepresence device may annoy a care provider until the care provider responds to an alarm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Marco Pinter, Timothy C. Wright, H. Neal Reynolds
  • Patent number: 8740803
    Abstract: A system and method for processing oscillometric data from a plurality of pressure steps to determine the blood pressure of a patient. A heart rate monitor connected to the patient acquires the patient's heart rate. A time-to-frequency domain converter receives oscillometric data and converts the oscillometric data into the frequency domain. Based upon the calculated heart rate, the system and method filters the frequency domain oscillometric signal with pass bands centered at the fundamental frequency and at least one fundamental frequency. The energy of the frequency domain signal within the pass bands is compared to at least a portion of the energy of the frequency domain oscillometric signal outside of the pass bands. Based upon the comparison, the signal determines whether the signal at the current pressure step should be utilized in calculating the blood pressure of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lawrence T. Hersh, Sai Kolluri
  • Patent number: 8744543
    Abstract: A technique is provided for processing a physiological signal to compensate for artifacts. The technique includes identifying artifacts within the physiological signal. The technique also includes performing one or more multi-resolution decompositions, such as wavelet transformations, on the physiological signal and compensating for the identified artifacts in some or all of the respective decomposition components. The modified decomposition components may be reconstructed to generate an artifact-compensated signal which may be provided to a monitor or other device which is otherwise not configured to compensate for signal artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Li Li, Paul Mannheimer
  • Publication number: 20140142441
    Abstract: A biosignal measuring device has a first information acquisition module, a second information acquisition module, a first calculation module, a second calculation module, a third calculation module, a heartbeat interval estimation module, a determination module, and an output module. The first information acquisition module acquires the pulse wave signal. The second information acquisition module acquires an electrocardiogram signal. The first calculation module calculates a pulse wave velocity based. The second calculation module determines a heartbeat interval. The third calculation module calculates a relationship between pulse wave velocity and the heartbeat interval. The heartbeat interval estimation module estimates an estimated heartbeat interval based on pulse wave velocity and calculated relationship. The determination module determines whether the position of the first and second information acquisition modules has changed based on the heartbeat interval and the estimated heartbeat interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Sawa Fuke, Takuji Suzuki, Kanako Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8727999
    Abstract: A pulse measurement device for more precisely measuring a pulse, including a sensing unit to sense a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal and an acceleration signal obtained from a user, a pressure control unit to control pressure applied to the sensing unit, and a signal determination unit to determine an optimum pressure range by analyzing the PPG signal varying with a change of the pressure applied to the sensing unit by the pressure control unit and to determine an exercise level of the user by using the acceleration signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youn Ho Kim, Kun Soo Shin
  • Publication number: 20140135635
    Abstract: A system for determining a physiological signal of a person supported by a person support apparatus using signals from force transducers is described herein. Force transducers communicate with a controller to transmit signals indicative of weight acting on them. The controller determines blood volume pulse information from the signals received from the force transducers. Heart rate and respiratory rate information is derived from the blood volume pulse information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Irvin J. Vanderpohl, III
  • Patent number: 8725244
    Abstract: A device determines values for one or more metrics that indicate the quality of a patient's sleep based on sensed physiological parameter values. Sleep efficiency, sleep latency, and time spent in deeper sleep states are example sleep quality metrics for which values may be determined. The sleep quality metric values may be used, for example, to evaluate the effectiveness of a therapy delivered to the patient by a medical device. In some embodiments, determined sleep quality metric values are automatically associated with the therapy parameter sets according to which the medical device delivered the therapy when the physiological parameter values were sensed, and used to evaluate the effectiveness of the various therapy parameter sets. The medical device may deliver the therapy to treat a non-respiratory neurological disorder, such as epilepsy, a movement disorder, or a psychological disorder. The therapy may be, for example, deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith A. Miesel, Kenneth T. Heruth, Jonathan C. Werder, Steve R. LaPorte, Nina M. Graves
  • Patent number: 8721557
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a system and method for determining a physiologic parameter of a patient. Specifically, embodiments provided herein include methods and systems for non-invasive determination of blood pressure. Information from a photoplethysmography sensor may be used to determine a systolic pressure, which in turn may be used to control a deflation pattern of a blood pressure cuff.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Bo Chen, Youzhi Li, Daniel Lisogurski
  • Publication number: 20140128752
    Abstract: Techniques associated with amplifying orientation changes for enhanced motion detection by a motion sensor are described, including structures configured to enhance detection of motion, the structure having an articulator configured to amplify a motion and a pin configured to apply a force on a pivot point on the articulator, a motion sensor coupled to the structure and configured to detect motion of the structure, and circuitry configured to translate data associated with rotational motion of the articulator into a movement of an adjacent surface. In some embodiments, a method includes coupling a motion sensor to a skin surface using an articulator, the articulator configured to rotate in multiple planes, detecting rotational motion of the articulator using the motion sensor, and deriving data associated with movement on the skin surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: AiphCom
    Inventor: Thomas Alan Donaldson
  • Publication number: 20140128754
    Abstract: Embodiments relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and wearable computing devices for sensing health and wellness-related physiological characteristics. More specifically, disclosed is a physiological sensor using, for example, acoustic signal energy to determine physiological characteristics in one mode, such as a heart rate, the physiological sensor being disposed in a wearable device (or carried device), and generating data communication signals using acoustic signal energy in another mode. The physiological sensor also can be configured to receive data communication signals. In at least one embodiment, an apparatus includes one or more multimodal physiological sensors configured to receive physiological signals in a first mode and at least generate data communication signals in a second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: AliphCom
    Inventors: Michael Edward Smith Luna, Scott Fullam
  • Publication number: 20140128751
    Abstract: Techniques associated with a wearable device structure with enhanced motion detection by a motion sensor are described, including a band configured to be worn, a nodule coupled to the band, the nodule including a structure configured to enhance detection of movement of an adjacent skin surface, the structure having an articulator configured to rotate in a plurality of planes, and a sensor coupled to the structure and configured to detect rotational motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: AliphCom
    Inventor: Thomas Alan Donaldson
  • Publication number: 20140128753
    Abstract: Embodiments relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and wearable computing devices for sensing health and wellness-related information. More specifically, disclosed is a physiological sensor using, for example, acoustic signal energy to determine physiological characteristics, such as a heart rate, the physiological sensor being disposed in a wearable device (or carried device). In one embodiment, a physiological signal generator is disposed substantially in a wearable housing. At least a portion of a skin surface microphone (“SSM”) including a piezoelectric sensor is configured to receive acoustic signals. The wearable housing is configured to position the SSM to receive an acoustic signal originating from human tissue. The physiological signal generator is configured to receive a piezoelectric signal based on an acoustic signal, and to generate a physiological signal including data representing a heartbeat or heart rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: AliphCom
    Inventors: Michael Edward Smith Luna, Scott Fullam
  • Patent number: 8715195
    Abstract: A system for accurate placement of a catheter tip in a patient, the system including a catheter adapted for placement within a patient, the catheter having a tip at a distal end thereof and having a proximal end which is normally located outside of the patient, a pressure sensor adapted to sense pressure at the tip of the catheter and catheter tip placement location indicating circuitry operative in response to at least an output of the pressure sensor for indicating the location of the catheter tip in the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Elcam Medical Agricultural Cooperative
    Inventor: David Ziv
  • Publication number: 20140121547
    Abstract: A sensor device for transcutaneous monitoring a blood flow within a human or animal, the sensor device including: a microphone for picking up pneumo-acoustic changes; and a diaphragm interposed between the microphone and the surface of a user when in use, forming a sealed cavity between the microphone and diaphragm surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Inventors: Evian Gordon, Peter Maul
  • Patent number: 8706206
    Abstract: A human fatigue assessment device capable of performing highly accurate fatigue assessment is provided. The human fatigue assessment device includes: a physiological signal measuring unit which measures a pulse wave signal of a user; a feature value extracting unit which extracts first feature values each of which is obtained from a systolic posterior component of the pulse wave signal measured by the physiological signal measuring unit; a storage unit in which the first feature values extracted by the feature value extracting unit are stored; and a fatigue determining unit which determines whether or not the user is fatigued, using the first feature values extracted by the feature value extracting unit, in which the fatigue determining unit compares a first feature value among the first feature values extracted by the feature value extracting unit and at least one of the first feature values stored in the storage unit, to determine whether or not the user is fatigued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Etsuko Kanai, Masami Funakura, Yasuyoshi Watanabe, Masaaki Tanaka, Yoshihito Shigihara, Kei Mizuno
  • Patent number: 8702683
    Abstract: A dermal or transdermal drug-delivery skin patch has a blood pressure sensor structurally integrated or built into it. The skin patch when attached to a skin portion of an individual determines a blood pressure of the individual and in response needle-lessly delivers a treatment drug to the individual if necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Michael H. Baym, Edward S. Boyden, Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Eric C. Leuthardt, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8706196
    Abstract: A method for simulating a blood flow in a vascular segment of a patient is proposed. A 3D image dataset of an examination region is recorded by a radiographic diagnostic device for generating a 3D vascular model. Contrast agent propagation in the examination region is captured by a dynamic 2D angiography method for generating a real 2D angiography recording. A CFD simulation of the blood flow is performed in the 3D vascular model based on a blood flow parameter for generating a virtual 2D angiography recording. A degree of correspondence between the real and the virtual 2D angiography recordings is determined from identical angulation and adjusted recording geometry of the patient and compared with predefinable tolerance values. The CFD simulation is iteratively optimized while changing the blood flow parameter as a function of the comparison. The degree of correspondence is outputted when the optimum CFD simulation is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Thomas Redel
  • Patent number: 8696580
    Abstract: The disclosed is an arteriosclerosis evaluating apparatus capable of easily separating pulse wave data detected at one measurement site into an incident wave and a reflected wave and capable of easily determining and evaluating the degree of arteriosclerosis. The pulse wave transmitted through an artery is detected at one site of a living body by a pulse wave detection device, and the detected pulse wave is fitted with a fitting function by a breakdown device so that the detected pulse wave can be broken down into an incident wave and a reflected wave. The degree of arteriosclerosis is evaluated from the amplitude intensities (i.e., peak intensities) of the incident wave and the reflected wave broken down from the pulse wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignees: The Doshisha, Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mami Matsukawa, Yoshiaki Watanabe, Masashi Saito, Takaaki Asada, Mio Furuya
  • Patent number: 8696585
    Abstract: According to embodiments, techniques for detecting probe-off events are disclosed. A sensor or probe may be used to obtain a plethysmograph or photoplethysmograph (PPG) signal from a subject. A wavelet transform of the signal may be performed and a scalogram may be generated based at least in part on the wavelet transform. One or more characteristics of the scalogram may be determined. The determined characteristics may include, for example, an energy decrease, a broadscale high-energy cone, a regular, repeated high-scale pattern, a low-scale information pattern; and a pulse band. The absence or presence of these and other characteristics, along with information about the characteristics, may be analyzed to detect a probe-off event. A confidence indicator may be calculated in connection with probe-off event detections and alarms may be generated when probe-off events occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: Paul Stanley Addison, James Nicholas Watson
  • Patent number: 8690787
    Abstract: An implantable coronary perfusion monitoring device for in-vivo determination of a coronary perfusion index (CPI) indicative of the coronary perfusion of a heart has a time measurement unit to determine a blood pressure reflection wave measure t indicating the timely position in the heart cycle of the maximum of a reflected blood pressure wave and in a time period starting at a preset point of time in systole and ending at a local maximum of blood pressure following aortic valve closure and, a diastolic peak pressure measurement unit adapted to determine a diastolic peak blood pressure measure DPP related to diastolic aortic peak pressure and a systolic arterial pressure measurement unit adapted to determine a systolic arterial blood pressure measure SAP related to systolic arterial pressure, and a coronary perfusion index calculating unit adapted to determine said coronary perfusion index CPI as (t·DPP)/SAP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical AB
    Inventors: Andreas Blomqvist, Karin Järverud, Michael Broomè
  • Publication number: 20140094672
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for analyzing multiple scale bands in the scalogram of a physiological signal in order to obtain information about a physiological process. An analysis may be performed to identify multiple scale bands that are likely to contain the information sought. Each scale band may be assessed to determine a band quality, and multiple bands may be combined based on the band quality. Information about a physiological process may determined based on the combined band. In an embodiment, analyzing multiple scale bands in a scalogram arising from a wavelet transformation of a photoplethysmograph signal may yield clinically relevant information about, among other things, the blood oxygen saturation of a patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: James P. Ochs, Paul Stanley Addison, James N. Watson
  • Patent number: 8684938
    Abstract: A biological condition evaluation apparatus determines a symptom of a heart abnormality based on at least one index calculated from a heartbeat interval and/or a pulse interval. The apparatus determines whether it is in a referential period where an amount of change in the index is comparatively small. The apparatus determines whether a plurality of conditions are satisfied or not in an evaluation period set after the referential period. One condition is that an amount of change in the index in the evaluation period is greater than that observed during the referential period. Another condition is that a rate of change in the index is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. The apparatus determines that there is a symptom of a heart abnormality, when both the conditions are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Nippon Medical School Foundation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sakai, Shinji Nanba, Takao Katoh, Motohisa Osaka, Yoshitaka Fuwamoto
  • Patent number: 8684939
    Abstract: A blood pressure measurement device is mounted with a radio-controlled clock function in a main body without lowering reception performance of the standard radio wave of the radio-controlled clock. A substrate including a sensor mounting surface and a sensor non-mounting surface is mounted with a pressure sensor. An antenna for receiving the standard radio wave including time information of the radio-controlled clock is mounted. The antenna includes a bar-shaped magnetic body core and a coil wound around the magnetic body core. A pump is arranged such that an axis line direction of the motor and an extending direction of the magnetic body core are substantially orthogonal. The substrate and the substrate are arranged so that the sensor non-mounting surface of the substrate and the antenna mounting surface of the sensor face each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: OMRON HEALTHCARE Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kishimoto, Yuuichiro Tamaki
  • Patent number: 8679017
    Abstract: A biological information measurement apparatus includes an electromagnetic wave applying unit configured to apply, to a living body, a first electromagnetic wave and a second electromagnetic wave having a frequency different from a frequency of the first electromagnetic wave; a reflected wave receiver configured to receive a first reflected wave corresponding to the first electromagnetic wave and a second reflected wave corresponding to the second electromagnetic wave; a correlation value configured to calculate unit calculating a correlation value between the first and second reflected waves; a correlation value evaluating unit configured to determine whether the correlation value satisfies a given condition; and a biological information measuring unit configured to measure biological information based on the first or second reflected wave when the correlation value evaluating unit determines that the correlation value satisfies the given condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Ichirou Ida
  • Patent number: 8682424
    Abstract: A method and system for measuring the electrical impedance of sections of a living body. The measurement is carried out utilizing a plurality of electrodes each of which is disposed on a section of the living body, where the electrodes are capable of applying an electrical current through at least one probed section, and measure the electrical voltage over the probed section. The voltages over the probed sections are measured and the impedances (Z(t)) and their changes (?Z(t)), and the resistances R(t) and their changes (?R(t)), are calculated, by considering the electrical current distortion components resulting from the electrical currents flowing in the other sections which are not probed, utilizing an electrical model based on the distribution of the electrical currents through the body sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: DST Delta Segments Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Noson Tsoglin, Arkady Hanon Margolin
  • Patent number: 8679028
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and devices of obtaining plethysmograph readings and utilizing plethysomography to identify when pilots are about to experience GLOC. Furthermore, in other embodiments, the invention pertains to methods and devices designed to warn a pilot that he/she is about to enter GLOC and/or automatically averting catastrophic damage or injuries by directing a plane being piloted to take predetermined corrective actions. Specifically disclosed is a system embodiment for assisting in the prevention of gravity induced loss of consciousness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignees: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc., Beta Biomed Services, Inc., Convergent Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Melker, Michael J. Banner, Brian S. Fuehrlein, George E. Worley, Neil R. Euliano
  • Patent number: 8679027
    Abstract: According to embodiments, techniques for using continuous wavelet transforms to process pulses from a photoplethysmographic (PPG) signal are disclosed. The continuous wavelet transform of the PPG signal may be used to identify and characterize features and their periodicities within a signal. Regions, phases and amplitudes within the scalogram associated with these features may then be analyzed to identify, locate, and characterize a true pulse within the PPG signal. Having characterized and located the pulse in the PPG (possibly also using information gained from conventional pulse processing techniques such as, for example, by identifying turning points for candidate pulse maxima and minima on the PPG, frequency peak picking for candidate scales of pulses, etc.), the PPG may be parameterized for ease of future processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: Paul Stanley Addison, James Nicholas Watson
  • Publication number: 20140081098
    Abstract: A sensor system is provided for determining a pulse transit time measurement of a patient. The sensor system includes a carotid sensor device configured to be positioned on a neck of the patient over a carotid artery of the patient. The carotid sensor device is configured to detect a plethysmograph waveform from the carotid artery. The sensor system includes a temporal sensor device that is operatively connected to the carotid sensor device. The temporal sensor device is configured to be positioned on the patient over a temporal artery of the patient. The temporal sensor device is configured to detect a plethysmograph waveform from the temporal artery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC
    Inventors: Kristi Cohrs, James Nicholas Watson, Paul Stanley Addison, Mark Su
  • Publication number: 20140081160
    Abstract: A flexible multi-point pulse sensing device is a kind of pulse detection device using capacitive sensor array. Characterized by simple structure, flexible material, high sensitivity, stability and precision, it makes possible to be applied to and coordinated with watch-type medical device, which can achieve convenient detection and monitoring of physiological parameters such as pulse rate and pressure at any time or place. It enables remote health monitoring a daily pulse changes without going to hospital every day.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventor: Jiannan Xiang
  • Patent number: 8672852
    Abstract: Apparatus is provided, including a sensor, adapted to generate a sensor signal indicative of biorhythmic activity of a user of the apparatus, the sensor signal having a first characteristic, indicative of a voluntary action of the user, and a second characteristic, indicative of a benefit-related variable of the user. The apparatus also includes a control unit, adapted to receive the sensor signal, and, responsive to the second characteristic, generate an output signal which directs the user to modify a parameter of the voluntary action indicated by the first characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Intercure Ltd.
    Inventor: Benjamin Gavish
  • Publication number: 20140073486
    Abstract: Embodiments provide physiological measurement systems, devices and methods for continuous health and fitness monitoring. A lightweight wearable system is provided to collect various physiological data continuously from a wearer without the need for a chest strap. The system also enables monitoring of one or more physiological parameters in addition to heart rate including, but not limited to, body temperature, heart rate variability, motion, sleep, stress, fitness level, recovery level, effect of a workout routine on health, caloric expenditure. Embodiments also include computer-executable instructions that, when executed, enable automatic interpretation of one or more physiological parameters to assess the cardiovascular intensity experienced by a user (embodied in an intensity score or indicator) and the user's recovery after physical exertion (embodied in a recovery score). These indicators or scores may be displayed to assist a user in managing the user's health and exercise regimen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: BOBO ANALYTICS, INC.
    Inventors: William Ahmed, John Capodilupo, Aurelian Nicolae
  • Patent number: 8663118
    Abstract: A monitoring device with a pedometer is disclosed herein. The monitoring device preferably comprises an article, an optical sensor, an accelerometer and processor. The optical sensor preferably comprises a photodetector and a plurality of light emitting diodes. A sensor signal from the optical sensor is processed with a filtered accelerometer output signal from the accelerometer to generate a pedometer function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Impact Sports Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Brady, Nikolai Rulkov, Mark Hunt
  • Patent number: 8663119
    Abstract: A wrist sphygmomanometer includes an operation unit operable by a user. A manometer measures blood pressure. A detector detects the posture of the user. A storage stores an optimum posture for the user. A comparator compares the posture detected by the detector and the optimum posture stored beforehand in the storage to generate posture information. A communication unit communicates the posture information to the user. A setting unit sets the optimum posture in the storage. The storage includes a first storage section, which stores a fixed optimum posture corresponding to an unspecified user, and a second storage section, which stores a second optimum posture corresponding to a specified used. The setting unit stores the second posture based on a value detected by the detector as the second optimum posture in the second storage section in accordance with an operation of the operation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Izumi, Fumuro Shinichi, Akihiro Mizuuchi
  • Patent number: 8657755
    Abstract: A medical diagnostic device performs diagnostics for assessing the ability of the arteries to respond to an increase in blood flow. The medical diagnostic device determines relative changes in arterial volume of the limb segment during a time period after a stimulus relative to the arterial volume of the limb segment during a baseline period using the amplitudes or other portions of the component pulse waves (such as early systolic components) of volume pulse waves during the baseline period and after the stimulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Angiologix, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander S. Parfenov, Maria A. Parfenova, Nikolay V. Konstantinov
  • Patent number: 8657752
    Abstract: In measurement requiring application of pressure to a tissue of a living body such as blood pressure measurement, noise due to vibration tends to occur. It is difficult to accurately measure a pulse wave and a blood pressure value. It is also difficult to measure blood pressure in life activities or to measure blood pressure at intervals or continuously where a tonometer is always attached. There is consequently a problem of holding a biologic information detecting apparatus. The present invention solves the problems by providing an easy-to-wear biologic information detecting apparatus for stably detecting biologic information. The biologic information detecting apparatus includes a sensor for detecting biologic information in a pair of arms connected via a spindle, and the sensor is tightly attached to a projecting part in a living body, particularly, a tragus of an auricle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Naoe Tatara, Kimihisa Aihara, Shinji Mino, Hiroshi Koizumi, Shoichi Hayashida, Taisuke Oguchi, Junichi Shimada, Shoichi Sudo, Osamu Tochikubo, Hidetoshi Miura
  • Patent number: 8652054
    Abstract: In measurement requiring application of pressure to a tissue of a living body such as blood pressure measurement, noise due to vibration tends to occur. It is difficult to accurately measure a pulse wave and a blood pressure value. It is also difficult to measure blood pressure in life activities or to measure blood pressure at intervals or continuously where a tonometer is always attached. There is consequently a problem of holding a biologic information detecting apparatus. The present invention solves the problems by providing an easy-to-wear biologic information detecting apparatus for stably detecting biologic information. The biologic information detecting apparatus includes a sensor for detecting biologic information in a pair of arms connected via a spindle, and the sensor is tightly attached to a projecting part in a living body, particularly, a tragus of an auricle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Naoe Tatara, Kimihisa Aihara, Shinji Mino, Hiroshi Koizumi, Shoichi Hayashida, Taisuke Oguchi, Junichi Shimada, Shoichi Sudo, Osamu Tochikubo, Hidetoshi Miura
  • Patent number: 8652060
    Abstract: A perfusion trend indicator inputs a plethysmograph waveform having pulses corresponding to pulsatile blood flow within a tissue site. Perfusion values are derived corresponding to the pulses. Time windows are defined corresponding to the perfusion values. Representative perfusion values are defined corresponding to the time windows. A perfusion trend is calculated according to differences between representative perfusion values of adjacent ones of the time windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventor: Ammar Al-Ali
  • Patent number: 8652052
    Abstract: In measurement requiring application of pressure to a tissue of a living body such as blood pressure measurement, noise due to vibration tends to occur. It is difficult to accurately measure a pulse wave and a blood pressure value. It is also difficult to measure blood pressure in life activities or to measure blood pressure at intervals or continuously where a tonometer is always attached. There is consequently a problem of holding a biologic information detecting apparatus. The present invention solves the problems by providing an easy-to-wear biologic information detecting apparatus for stably detecting biologic information. The biologic information detecting apparatus includes a sensor for detecting biologic information in a pair of arms connected via a spindle, and the sensor is tightly attached to a projecting part in a living body, particularly, a tragus of an auricle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Naoe Tatara, Kimihisa Aihara, Shinji Mino, Hiroshi Koizumi, Shoichi Hayashida, Taisuke Oguchi, Junichi Shimada, Shoichi Sudo, Osamu Tochikubo, Hidetoshi Miura
  • Patent number: 8652053
    Abstract: In measurement requiring application of pressure to a tissue of a living body such as blood pressure measurement, noise due to vibration tends to occur. It is difficult to accurately measure a pulse wave and a blood pressure value. It is also difficult to measure blood pressure in life activities or to measure blood pressure at intervals or continuously where a tonometer is always attached. There is consequently a problem of holding a biologic information detecting apparatus. The present invention solves the problems by providing an easy-to-wear biologic information detecting apparatus for stably detecting biologic information. The biologic information detecting apparatus includes a sensor for detecting biologic information in a pair of arms connected via a spindle, and the sensor is tightly attached to a projecting part in a living body, particularly, a tragus of an auricle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Naoe Tatara, Kimihisa Aihara, Shinji Mino, Hiroshi Koizumi, Shoichi Hayashida, Taisuke Oguchi, Junichi Shimada, Shoichi Sudo, Osamu Tochikubo, Hidetoshi Miura
  • Patent number: 8647283
    Abstract: A pulse abnormality detecting device comprises a band attached to a wrist, a first sliding member with which the band is armored and which slides in the circumference direction of the band along the band, a second sliding member which is slidably provided on the first sliding member and which slides in the axis direction of the band, a pulse sensor which is provided on the second sliding member and which is provided in such a manner that the position of the sensor can be adjusted to the inner side or the side of the band, and a pulse abnormality detecting unit for detecting the abnormality of the pulse from the output data of the pulse sensor. The device can accurately detect the pulse of a user with high precision, adapting to a personal difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: The Matsumoto Institute of Leading Edge of Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Matsumoto, Kazuko Komatsu
  • Patent number: 8650415
    Abstract: System, methods, and apparatuses produce simulated human physiological waveforms such as electrocardiograph (ECG) and blood pressure signals where the microcontroller and/or digital-to-analog converters may be switched to a lower power-consuming state by programmable instructions and switched on in response to a programmable sleep timer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: PRONK Technologies, Inc
    Inventor: Karl Ruiter
  • Patent number: 8636667
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for analyzing multiple scale bands in the scalogram of a physiological signal in order to obtain information about a physiological process. An analysis may be performed to identify multiple scale bands that are likely to contain the information sought. Each scale band may be assessed to determine a band quality, and multiple bands may be combined based on the band quality. Information about a physiological process may determined based on the combined band. In an embodiment, analyzing multiple scale bands in a scalogram arising from a wavelet transformation of a photoplethysmograph signal may yield clinically relevant information about, among other things, the blood oxygen saturation of a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: James P. Ochs, Paul Stanley Addison, James Nicholas Watson
  • Patent number: 8632471
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a noninvasive medical pulsimeter sensor using a hall device. By forming a pulse-sensing part array with a hall device as a magnetic sensor, over the skin-contacting part which consists of a magnetic material, the present invention increases the integrity of sensors, enables to understand the spatial characteristics of the pulse which cannot be determined by the conventional pressure sensors, minimize the time for searching the pulse, and is applicable widely to portable pulsimeters and the likes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Inventors: Sang Suk Lee, Sang Dae Choi, Myoung Chone An, Young Kuen Choi, Ki Wang Kim, Dal Ho Park, Do Gwun Hwang, Soo Yong Ahn, Mi Sun Kim, Hyun Sook Lee, Hyeon Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 8632472
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting venous pulsation are provided. In one embodiment, a metric of the pulse shape of one or more plethysmographic signals is derived and the presence of venous pulsation is detected based on the metric of pulse shape. Examples, of metrics of pulse shape include a skew metric and a ratio of a minima-to-maxima time over a pulse period interval. In an exemplary embodiment, the presence of venous pulsation is detected based on a metric of the pulse shape of one or more plethysmographic signals and on a phase comparison of the plethysmographic signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Clark R. Baker, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8630812
    Abstract: Embodiments include a system for determining cardiovascular information for a patient. The system may include at least one computer system configured to receive patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient's heart, and create a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the patient's heart based on the patient-specific data. The at least one computer system may be further configured to create a physics-based model relating to a blood flow characteristic of the patient's heart and determine a fractional flow reserve within the patient's heart based on the three-dimensional model and the physics-based model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: HeartFlow, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles A. Taylor
  • Patent number: 8628476
    Abstract: A phase line tilt calculating unit (actual measurement) receives phase characteristics Pa(f) and Pb(f) outputted from frequency conversion units, and calculates phase difference characteristics of actual measurement based on a phase difference on each frequency component between the phase characteristics. A phase line tilt calculating unit (model) calculates phase difference characteristics between a transfer function Ga(f) and a transfer function Gb(f) calculated by a transfer function calculating unit, and outputs the calculated phase difference characteristics to a search unit. The search unit fits a variable k and determines a variable kopt (optimum solution) in which a tilt g(k) and a tilt gexp substantially match each other. The variable kopt is an index indicating a degree of arterial sclerosis of a subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: OMRON HEALTHCARE Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Utsuno, Shinya Umeda, Hiroshi Matsuhisa, Hironori Sato, Toshihiko Ogura