Patent US10178973 AI Biotech/Diagnostics: Cardio

Search All Patents in AI Biotech/Diagnostics: Cardio

Fitbit | Website | LinkedIn | Stock Symbol: FIT | Headquarters: San Francisco, CA

Patent US10178973

Issued 2019-01-15

Wearable Heart Rate Monitor

A biometric monitoring device is used to determine a user's heart rate by using a heartbeat waveform sensor and a motion detecting sensor. In some embodiments, the device collects output data from the heartbeat waveform sensor and output data from the motion detecting sensor, determines an expected heart rate range from the output data from the motion detecting sensor, and determines the user's heart rate within the expected heart rate range using the output data from the heartbeat waveform sensor.

Much More than Average Length Specification

View the Patent Matrix® Diagram to Explore the Claim Relationships

USPTO Full Text Publication >

2 Independent Claims

1. A method of determining a user's heart rate using a wearable biometric monitoring device comprising a plurality of sensors including a heartbeat waveform sensor and a motion detecting sensor, wherein the heartbeat waveform sensor comprises at least one light source and at least one photodetector, the method comprising: (a) pulsing the at least one light source to emit light pulses in a time period when the wearable biometric monitoring device is worn by the user; (b) operating the at least one photodetector to detect the light pulses emitted by the at least one light source after the light pulses interact with the user's tissue, and obtaining, through the at least one photodetector, output data from the heartbeat waveform sensor, wherein the output data from the heartbeat waveform sensor contains information about the user's heart rate and is susceptible to motion artifacts; (c) operating the motion detecting sensor in the time period when the wearable biometric monitoring device is worn by the user, and obtaining output data from the motion detecting sensor, wherein the output data from the motion detecting sensor provides information about the user's physical movements other than heartbeats; (d) determining a range of expected heart rates using the output data from the motion detecting sensor; (e) determining the user's heart rate from output data from the heartbeat waveform sensor or from data derived therefrom, wherein determining the user's heart rate comprises: (i) excluding from consideration one or more putative heart rates outside of the range of expected heart rates, and (ii) determining the user's heart rate within the range of expected heart rates; and (f) presenting the user's heart rate.
17. A wearable biometric monitoring device comprising: a motion sensor configured to provide output corresponding to motion by a user wearing the wearable biometric monitoring device; a heartbeat waveform sensor comprising at least one light source and at least one photodetector; and control logic comprising instructions for: (a) pulsing the at least one light source to emit light pulses in a time period when the wearable biometric monitoring device is worn by the user; (b) operating the at least one photodetector to detect the light pulses emitted by the at least one light source after the light pulses interact with the user's tissue, and obtaining, through the at least one photodetector, output data from the heartbeat waveform sensor, wherein the output data from the heartbeat waveform sensor contains information about the user's heart rate and is susceptible to motion artifacts; (c) operating the motion detecting sensor in the time period when the wearable biometric monitoring device is worn by the user, and obtaining output data from the motion detecting sensor, wherein the output data from the motion detecting sensor provides information about the user's physical movements other than heartbeats; (d) determining a range of expected heart rates using the output data from the motion detecting sensor; (e) determining the user's heart rate from output data from the heartbeat waveform sensor or from data derived therefrom, wherein determining the user's heart rate comprises: (i) excluding from consideration one or more putative heart rates outside of the range of expected heart rates, and (ii) determining the user's heart rate within the range of expected heart rates; and (f) presenting the user's heart rate.