Wearable device and apparatus for estimating biological information

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a wearable device including an external light collector configured to collect external light, a sensor including an auxiliary light source and a light receiver and configured to measure a biological signal of a subject, and a processor configured to determine whether the external light is sufficient to measure the biological signal and control driving of the auxiliary light source based on the determination, and an apparatus for estimating biological information.

Description

[0001] This application is based on and claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0072335, filed on June 15, 2020, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to wearable devices (such as smart headphones, smart rings, smart glasses, smart necklaces, smart earrings, etc.) and methods for measuring biosignals using wearable devices. Background Technology

[0003] Photoplethysmography (PPG) is a general non-invasive technique for measuring biosignals. In this technique, biosignals are measured by emitting light onto the body surface using a light source, and the amount of light reflected from tissues or blood vessels in the skin is measured using a light-receiving sensor. In this case, heart rate can be measured by measuring the relative changes in blood flow in blood vessels based on the amplitude changes of a continuously measured light signal, and cardiovascular indices (such as blood pressure, blood glucose, triglycerides, etc.) can be analyzed by analyzing the shape of the signal. For measuring PPG signals, a light source and a light-receiving element are required, with the light source consuming most of the power during the measurement of the PPG signal. Since smart wearable systems are intended to be conveniently worn and used by users during daily activities, they are manufactured to be lightweight and compact, thus limiting the battery capacity that can be installed. Therefore, there is a need to optimize power consumption to properly commercialize the measurement of biosignals based on photoplethysmography in smart wearable systems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to the disclosed aspects, a wearable device includes: an external light collector configured to collect external light; a sensor including an auxiliary light source and a light receiver, the sensor being configured to measure biosignals of a subject; and a processor configured to: determine whether the external light is sufficient to measure the biosignals, and control the driving of the auxiliary light source based on the determination.

[0005] When the auxiliary light source is turned off in the early stages of biosignal measurement, the sensor can measure biosignals using only external light.

[0006] The processor can be configured to: extract the low-frequency signal component of the biological signal measured using only external light when the auxiliary light source is turned off in the early stages of the measurement of the biological signal, and determine whether the external light is sufficient to measure the biological signal based on the amplitude of the extracted low-frequency signal component.

[0007] In response to a first determination that external light is sufficient to measure the biological signal, the processor may be configured to keep the auxiliary light source off, and in response to a second determination that external light is insufficient to measure the biological signal, the processor may be configured to turn on the auxiliary light source.

[0008] The wearable device may further include a battery configured to power an auxiliary light source, wherein, in response to a second determination that external light is insufficient to measure biosignals, the processor is configured to check the state of charge of the battery and determine, based on the checked state of charge, whether to turn on the auxiliary light source.

[0009] The wearable device may include at least one of smart headphones, smart rings, smart necklaces, smart earrings, smartwatches, and smart glasses.

[0010] The wearable device may further include: a subject worn on an object, wherein, when the subject is worn on the object, an external light collector is integrally formed in the area of ​​the subject exposed to the outside of the object.

[0011] The wearable device may further include: a subject worn on an object, wherein, when the subject is worn on the object, an external light collector is detachably disposed in an area of ​​the subject exposed to the outside of the object.

[0012] An external light collector may include a lens, and the lens may include a filter or may be formed of a predetermined color to allow external light of a predetermined wavelength to pass through.

[0013] An external light collector may include a waveguide configured to transmit collected external light to an object.

[0014] The optical receiver may include a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor.

[0015] The wearable device may also include a communication interface configured to transmit biosignals measured by sensors to an external device.

[0016] The wearable device may also include a storage device configured to store biosignals measured by sensors.

[0017] According to the disclosed aspects, a method for measuring biosignals includes: collecting external light using an external light collector; measuring the biosignals of a subject using a light receiver; determining, using a processor, whether the external light is sufficient to measure the biosignals; and controlling the driving of an auxiliary light source by the processor based on said determination.

[0018] The steps for measuring biosignals may include using only external light to measure biosignals when the auxiliary light source is turned off in the early stages of biosignal measurement.

[0019] The steps to determine whether external light is sufficient to measure a biological signal may include: extracting the low-frequency signal component of the biological signal measured using only external light, and determining whether the external light is sufficient to measure the biological signal based on the amplitude of the extracted low-frequency signal component.

[0020] The steps of controlling the driving of the auxiliary light source may include: in response to a first determination that the external light is sufficient to measure the biological signal, keeping the auxiliary light source in a closed state, and in response to a second determination that the external light is insufficient to measure the biological signal, turning on the auxiliary light source.

[0021] The method may further include: transmitting the measured biosignal to an external device.

[0022] The method may also include: storing the measured biological signals.

[0023] According to the disclosed aspects, an apparatus for estimating biological information includes: a first device including an external light collector configured to collect external light, the first device being configured to: measure a biological signal of a subject; determine whether the external light is sufficient to measure the biological signal; control the driving of an auxiliary light source based on the determination; and transmit the measured biological signal to a second device; and a second device configured to: receive the biological signal from the first device and estimate biological information based on the received biological signal.

[0024] The first device can be configured to measure biological signals using only external light when the auxiliary light source is turned off in the early stages of the measurement of the biological signal.

[0025] The first device can be configured to: extract the low-frequency signal component of the biological signal measured using only external light when the auxiliary light source is turned off in the early stages of the measurement of the biological signal, and determine whether the external light is sufficient to measure the biological signal based on the amplitude of the extracted low-frequency signal component.

[0026] In response to a first determination that external light is sufficient to measure a biological signal, the first device may be configured to keep the auxiliary light source off, and in response to a second determination that external light is insufficient to measure a biological signal, the first device may be configured to turn on the auxiliary light source.

[0027] The second device may be configured to receive information about the charging state of the battery of the first device, and to control the measurement of biosignals or the charging of the battery based on the received information.

[0028] Bioinformation may include one or more of the following: blood pressure, vascular age, arterial stiffness, aortic pressure waveform, vascular compliance, stress index, and fatigue level.

[0029] According to the disclosed aspects, an apparatus includes: a sensor configured to measure biosignals of a user of the apparatus; a light source; and a processor configured to operate the light source based on the measured biosignals.

[0030] The processor can be configured to extract components of a first biosignal measured when the light source is turned off, and to operate the light source based on the extracted components.

[0031] The processor can be configured to determine the amplitude of the extracted component and operate the light source based on the determined amplitude.

[0032] The processor can be configured to operate the light source based on the difference between a determined amplitude and a threshold amplitude.

[0033] The processor can be configured to: control the sensor to measure the second biosignal when the light source is turned off in response to a determined amplitude being greater than or equal to a threshold amplitude; and to turn on the light source and control the sensor to measure the second biosignal when the light source is turned on in response to a determined amplitude being less than the threshold amplitude. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating a wearable device according to an embodiment.

[0035] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating a wearable device according to an embodiment.

[0036] Figure 3A , Figure 3B , Figure 4A , Figure 4B as well as Figures 5A to 5D This is an illustration showing various examples of wearable devices.

[0037] Figures 6A to 6C This is a diagram illustrating an example of measuring a pulse wave signal according to an embodiment.

[0038] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating a method for measuring biosignals according to an embodiment.

[0039] Figure 8 This is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for estimating biological information according to an embodiment.

[0040] Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating a second apparatus for estimating biological information according to an embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0041] Details of the embodiments are included in the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. The advantages and features of the disclosure, as well as the methods for implementing the disclosure, will become clearer from the following embodiments described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings and detailed description, the same reference numerals will be understood to denote the same elements, features, and structures, unless otherwise described.

[0042] It will be understood that although the terms first, second, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well. It will also be understood that, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, when an element is referred to as “comprising” or “including” another element, that element is not intended to exclude one or more other elements, but rather to further include one or more other elements. In the following description, terms such as “unit” and “module” indicate a unit used to perform at least one function or operation that can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0043] In the following, embodiments of wearable devices and methods for measuring biosignals using wearable devices will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Various embodiments of wearable devices may include, but are not limited to, smart headphones, smart rings, smart glasses, smart necklaces, smart earrings, smartwatches, head-mounted displays (HMDs), etc.

[0044] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating a wearable device according to an embodiment.

[0045] Reference Figure 1 The wearable device 100 includes an external light collector 110, a sensor 120, and a processor 130. The external light collector 110 may be disposed in the body region, which is exposed to the outside of the body when the body of the wearable device 100 is worn on an object. In this case, the object may be a part of the user's body that comes into contact with the body of the wearable device 100, and may be various parts including the inner or outer part of the ear, fingers, neck, nose, etc. The external light collector 110 may have various shapes depending on the shape of the body.

[0046] For example, the external light collector 110 may include a lens for collecting light. If the wearable device 100 includes headphones, a ring, etc., the lens may be a convex lens that can be disposed on the surface of the wearable device 100. However, the external light collector 110 is not limited to this and may be modified into various shapes (such as cylindrical, polygonal, etc.) to match the various shapes of the wearable device 100.

[0047] Additionally, the external light collector 110 may include a waveguide to transmit the collected external light to an object that comes into contact with the body when the user wears the body. The waveguide may include an optical fiber. However, the external light collector 110 is not limited thereto, and the path of the external light to the object may be modified in various ways depending on the distance between the lens of the external light collector 110 and the object, the structure of the body, etc. For example, the light path may be formed in a hollow space between the contact area between the lens and the object. In this case, the external light collector 110 may include a filter for allowing light in a specific wavelength band to pass through, which is then collected by the lens. Optionally, the lens may be formed in a specific color to allow external light of a specific wavelength to pass through.

[0048] Sensor 120 may include an auxiliary light source 121 and a light receiver 122. Sensor 120 may transmit external light and / or emit light from the auxiliary light source 121 onto an object, and may acquire biological signals by detecting light scattered or reflected from the object using the light receiver 122. In this case, the biological signal may include, but is not limited to, a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal.

[0049] The auxiliary light source 121 can emit auxiliary light onto an object and may include light-emitting diodes (LEDs), laser diodes, halogen lamps, etc. The auxiliary light source 121 can be formed as a single light source or an array of multiple light sources. In this case, the multiple auxiliary light sources 121 can emit light of different wavelengths. Furthermore, at least some of the multiple auxiliary light sources 121 can have different power consumption levels.

[0050] When light collected and transmitted by the external light collector 110 and / or light emitted by the auxiliary light source 121 is scattered or reflected from the surface of the object or internal body tissue below the surface of the object, the light receiver 122 can detect the scattered or reflected light. The light receiver 122 may include, but is not limited to, a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, and may include a photodiode, a phototransistor, a charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor, etc.

[0051] Additionally, sensor 120 may include an external light transmitter connected to the waveguide of external light collector 110 to transmit external light to the object. The external light transmitter may be positioned between auxiliary light source 121 and light receiver 122, but its location is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the external light transmitter may be separated from auxiliary light source 121 and light receiver 122 by a partition wall.

[0052] Processor 130 is electrically connected to sensor 120. Processor 130 can control sensor 120 to measure biosignals. Once the subject is worn on the object, processor 130 can control sensor 120 to continuously measure biosignals at predetermined time intervals.

[0053] To minimize power consumption when sensor 120 measures biosignals, processor 130 can control sensor 120 to measure biosignals using only external light without turning on auxiliary light source 121. Furthermore, when sensor 120 uses only external light to measure biosignals, processor 130 can determine whether the external light is sufficient for measurement; if insufficient, processor 130 can adjust the amount of light emitted to the target by turning on auxiliary light source 121.

[0054] While sensor 120 uses only external light to measure biological signals, processor 130 can extract low-frequency signal components by performing low-pass filtering on the biological signals, and can determine whether the external light is sufficient based on the amplitude of the extracted low-frequency signal components. For example, if the amplitude of the extracted low-frequency signal components is less than a predetermined threshold, processor 130 can determine that the external light is insufficient and can turn on auxiliary light source 121. If the amplitude of the extracted low-frequency signal components is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold, processor 130 can determine that the external light is sufficient and can keep auxiliary light source 121 off.

[0055] Furthermore, based on the difference between the amplitude of the low-frequency signal component measured using external light and a predetermined threshold, the processor can adjust the amount of light emitted by the auxiliary light source 121 in stages. For example, the processor 130 can divide the difference between the low-frequency signal component and the predetermined threshold into multiple stages (e.g., three stages), and can control the auxiliary light source 121 to emit different amounts of light for each stage. Optionally, in the case where multiple auxiliary light sources 121 exist and have different power consumption levels, the processor 130 can consider each power consumption level of the auxiliary light source 121 and can drive an appropriate auxiliary light source 121 suitable for the stage corresponding to the difference between the low-frequency signal component and the predetermined threshold. In this case, the driving conditions of the auxiliary light source 121 can be predefined.

[0056] As described above, by controlling the driving of the auxiliary light source 121 in real time based on whether the external light is sufficient, the processor 130 can control the sensor 120 to effectively measure biosignals from the object while minimizing power consumption.

[0057] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating a wearable device according to an embodiment.

[0058] Reference Figure 2The wearable device 200 includes an external light collector 110, a sensor 120, a processor 130, a storage device 210, a communication interface 220, and a battery 230. The external light collector 110, sensor 120, and processor 130 have been described in detail above, so redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0059] Storage device 210 can store various information related to the measurement of biological signals. For example, storage device 210 can store the biological signal measurement cycle, the driving conditions of the auxiliary light source 121 (e.g., the low-frequency signal component of the biological signal measured using external light, the threshold used as a comparison standard, the stages of the difference between the low-frequency signal component and the threshold, and information on the auxiliary light source 121 to be driven for each stage), etc. Additionally, storage device 210 can store conditional information regarding whether to measure biological signals based on battery status, whether to drive the auxiliary light source 121, etc. Furthermore, storage device 210 can store user characteristic information (such as the user's age, gender, height, weight, health status, etc.). However, the stored information is not limited to these.

[0060] In this case, the storage device 210 may include at least one storage medium selected from flash memory, hard disk memory, multimedia card memory, microcard memory (e.g., SD memory, XD memory, etc.), random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), magnetic storage, magnetic disk and optical disk, etc., but is not limited thereto.

[0061] The communication interface 220, under the control of the processor 130, can communicate with external devices using wired or wireless communication technologies, and can send and receive various data from and from external devices. For example, the communication interface 220 can receive requests from external devices for measuring biosignals or for providing measured biosignals, and can send the measured biosignals to the external devices. Additionally, the communication interface 220 can send battery status information (e.g., information about the remaining capacity of the battery 230) to external devices. In this case, the external devices may include cuff-type blood pressure measuring devices and information processing devices (such as smartphones, tablet PCs, desktop computers, laptop computers, etc.).

[0062] In this context, examples of communication technologies may include Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Near Field Communication (NFC), WLAN, Zigbee, Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Wi-Fi Direct (WFD), Ultra Wideband (UWB), Ant+, Wi-Fi, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), 3G, 4G, and 5G. However, these are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting.

[0063] Battery 230 can power sensor 120, processor 130, storage device 210, communication interface 220, and various other modules of wearable device 200. Battery 230 can be integrally formed with wearable device 200 or can be detachably installed in wearable device 200. Battery 230 can receive power from an external source via wired or wireless means.

[0064] Processor 130 can check the state of battery 230 (e.g., remaining battery capacity) and can control sensor 120 based on the remaining battery capacity. For example, if it is determined that external light is insufficient for sensor 120 to measure biological signals, and therefore an auxiliary light source 121 needs to be driven, processor 130 checks the remaining battery capacity. If the remaining battery capacity is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold (e.g., 20%), processor 130 can control sensor 120 to continuously measure biological signals without driving auxiliary light source 121, or can control sensor 120 to stop measuring biological signals.

[0065] Optionally, the processor 130 can subdivide the remaining battery capacity into multiple stages and control the sensor 120 under different conditions for each stage. For example, the processor 130 can divide the remaining battery capacity into a first stage (20% to 10%), a second stage (10% to 5%), and a third stage (5% or less). If the remaining battery capacity is in the first stage, the processor 130 can drive an auxiliary light source 121 with low power consumption; if the remaining battery capacity is in the second stage, the processor 130 can control the sensor 120 to continuously measure biosignals without driving the auxiliary light source 121; if the remaining battery capacity is in the third stage, the processor 130 can control the sensor 120 to stop measuring biosignals. In this case, the control conditions of the sensor 120 according to the remaining battery capacity can be predefined and stored in the storage device 210.

[0066] Figures 3A to 5D This is an illustration showing various examples of wearable devices. Figures 3A to 5D The wearable device shown is merely an example. Therefore, the embodiments are not limited to the wearable device shown, but can be applied to various other types of wearable devices. The following description will refer to Figures 3A to 5DThe light is concentrated in the external light collector 110 and sensor 120. The processor 130, battery 230, etc., are located in the main unit MB and can be electrically connected to the sensor 120, but to reduce its complexity, [the following is omitted]. Figures 3A to 5D Its configuration has been omitted.

[0067] Reference Figure 3A and Figure 3B The wearable device 100 can be a smart headset. The smart headset can be a Bluetooth headset, a wired headset, a neckband headset, a bone conduction headset, etc., and is not limited to any of these types of headsets.

[0068] like Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, when the earphone body MB is inserted into the ear, sensor 120 can be positioned in the area in contact with the inner part of the ear. Sensor 120 may include an auxiliary light source 121, a light receiver 122, and an external light transmitter 123, as shown herein. The auxiliary light source 121, light receiver 122, and external light transmitter 123 of sensor 120 may be individually positioned in specific areas of the body MB that contact the ear (e.g., as shown). Figure 3A and Figure 3B (as shown in the lower end). However, the arrangement is not limited to this, and multiple auxiliary light sources 121, light receivers 122 and external light transmitters 123 may be arranged in circular, elliptical, rectangular and triangular shapes along the portion of the main body area in contact with the ear, or on the upper and lower ends of the main body, without limitation on their shape.

[0069] Furthermore, as shown here, when the main body MB is in contact with the ear, an external light collector 110 may be disposed in an area of ​​the main body MB exposed to the outside of the ear. The external light collector 110 may include a lens and a waveguide 111, such that external light collected by the lens may be transmitted to an external light transmitter 123 for transmission to the inner part of the ear.

[0070] like Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, the external light collector 110 can be positioned at various locations to effectively collect external light, depending on the shape of the main body MB. The external light collector 110 can be positioned appropriately to coordinate with the shape of the main body MB. Furthermore, the lens of the external light collector 110 can be formed in various shapes (e.g., circular, polygonal, elliptical, etc.) to provide an aesthetic effect to the user, or can be formed with a specific design possessing aesthetic characteristics (e.g., floral pattern, etc.). The lens of the external light collector 110 can be formed in a specific color to allow specific wavelengths of external light to pass through and / or possess aesthetic characteristics.

[0071] If the smart headphones are neckband headphones, the sensor 120 can be disposed on the inner surface of the neckband portion, allowing the sensor 120 to contact the skin of the neck. The external light collector 110 can be disposed at a location where external light can be easily collected, such as the outer surface of the neckband portion or the outer surface of the portion to which the ear tips are attached. Furthermore, if the smart headphones are ear-loop headphones, the sensor 120 can be disposed on the inner surface of the loop portion of the ear-loop headphone body. The external light collector 110 can be disposed on the outer surface of the loop portion of the body.

[0072] Reference Figure 4A and Figure 4B The wearable device 100 can be a smart ring or a smart necklace.

[0073] like Figure 4A and Figure 4B As shown, when the main body (MB) of the smart ring is worn on a finger, the auxiliary light source 121, light receiver 122, and external light transmitter 123 of the sensor 120 can be disposed on the inner portion of the main body (MB) that contacts the finger, and the external light collector 110 can be disposed on the outer portion of the main body (MB). As shown here, the sensor 120 can be disposed in the area of ​​the main body (MB) that contacts one side (the back of the finger), but is not limited thereto, and can be disposed in a circular shape on the inner portion of the main body (MB), or in the upper / lower / left / right area of ​​the main body (MB). Depending on the thickness of the main body (MB), the external light transmitter 123 can have a hole formed in the optical path and can be directly connected to the external light collector 110 to transmit external light to the finger.

[0074] like Figure 4B As shown, depending on the shape of the main body MB, the external light collector 110 may have a convex lens shape 110a or various gemstone shapes 110b and 110c. In this case, the external light collector 110 may have a shape 110b integrally formed with the main body MB, or it may have a shape 110c detachably connected to the main body MB.

[0075] like Figure 4B As shown, the wearable device 100 can be a smart necklace-style wearable device. In the smart necklace-style wearable device, the sensor 120 is disposed on the back of the pendant MB of the necklace, the pendant MB is in contact with the skin, and the external light collector 110d can be disposed on the front of the pendant MB.

[0076] Reference Figures 5A to 5D The wearable device 100 can be smart glasses.

[0077] Reference Figure 5AThe sensor 120 can be placed in the area of ​​the main body MB that comes into contact with various body parts, so that the sensor 120 can measure biosignals from various body parts (such as the bridge of the nose, the part near the ear O1, the finger O2, etc.) while the user is wearing glasses.

[0078] Reference Figure 5B The sensor 120 can be disposed on the inner portion of the temple tip (i.e., the temples) of the eyeglasses temple 52 to measure biosignals near the ear where the eyeglasses temple 52 rests when the eyeglasses are worn. In this case, the external light collector 110 can be disposed on the outer portion of the temple tip of the eyeglasses temple 52. Figure 5B An example is shown where the external light collector 110 and sensor 120 are disposed on each of the left and right temples 52 of the eyeglasses. However, this is intended only to aid understanding, and the external light collector 110 and sensor 120 may be disposed on only the left or right temple 52 or on both temples 52.

[0079] Reference Figure 5C The sensor 120 can be disposed on the inner portion of the nose pad 53 to measure biosignals near the nose where the nose pad 53 is placed when the glasses are worn. In this case, the external light collector 110 can be disposed on the outer portion of the front frame 51 of the main body. The external light collector 110 and the sensor 120 can be connected via a waveguide.

[0080] Reference Figure 5D Sensor 120 can be disposed on the outer surface of the temple 52 of the eyeglasses, so that when the eyeglasses are worn, sensor 120 can measure biosignals from the fingers, and an external light collector 110 can be disposed next to sensor 120. Figure 5A As shown, when a user touches sensor 120 with their finger while wearing the glasses, sensor 120 can measure biosignals from the finger. Sensor 120 and external light collector 110 can be located on one or both of the temples 52 of the glasses.

[0081] Figures 6A to 6C This is a diagram illustrating an example of measuring a pulse wave signal according to an embodiment.

[0082] Figure 6A It is a diagram showing the biosignals measured by sensor 120 within a predetermined time period. Figure 6B This is a diagram showing the biological signal 61 in interval 63, in which the amplitude of the low-frequency signal component measured using only external light in interval 63 is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold. Figure 6C This is a diagram showing the biosignal 62 measured when an auxiliary light source is driven in the region BI where external light is blocked.

[0083] like Figures 6A to 6CAs shown, when measurement begins at time 0, the processor 130 can keep the auxiliary light source 121 off, allowing the pulse wave signal to be measured using only external light. While the sensor 120 measures the pulse wave signal 61 using only external light, the processor 130 can extract the low-frequency signal component of the pulse wave signal 61 and determine whether the amplitude of the low-frequency signal component is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold CL. If the amplitude of the low-frequency signal component is determined to be greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold CL, the processor 130 can determine that the external light is sufficient to measure the pulse wave signal and can continuously keep the auxiliary light source 121 off. Furthermore, if, while the pulse wave signal is being measured, the external light is blocked or insufficient within a predetermined interval BI, causing the amplitude of the low-frequency signal component to decrease to below the threshold CL, the processor 130 can turn on the auxiliary light source 121, allowing the pulse wave signal 62 to be measured under the auxiliary light source 121. Additionally, if the external light is again determined to be sufficient after the predetermined interval BI, the processor 130 can then turn off the auxiliary light source 121.

[0084] According to the embodiments disclosed above, while wearing various types of wearable devices 100, whether in a bright or dark place or moving between bright and dark areas, or regardless of day or night or time and place, users can conveniently measure biosignals with low battery consumption.

[0085] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating a method for measuring biosignals according to an embodiment.

[0086] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating a method for measuring biosignals, which is based on... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The wearable devices 100 and 200 of the embodiments are implemented. The wearable devices 100 and 200 have been described in detail above, and therefore will be briefly described below.

[0087] In 710, wearable devices 100 and 200 can collect external light by using an external light collector disposed on the main body. When the main body is worn, the external light collector is disposed in an area exposed to the outside of an object (such as a user) such that the external light collector can collect external light at normal times when the main body of wearable devices 100 and 200 is worn by a user.

[0088] Then, at 720, in response to a request to measure biosignals, wearable devices 100 and 200 can use external light to measure biosignals via sensors. The sensors are positioned in the body region in contact with the object, allowing them to transmit light collected by an external light collector onto the object. In this case, the external light collector includes a waveguide through which it is connected to the sensor.

[0089] Subsequently, at 730, wearable devices 100 and 200 can determine whether the external light is sufficient to measure the biosignal based on the biosignal measured using external light. For example, wearable devices 100 and 200 can extract low-frequency signal components by performing low-pass filtering on the biosignal measured using external light. If the amplitude of the extracted low-frequency signal components is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, wearable devices 100 and 200 can determine that the external light is sufficient. As described above, when it is determined that the external light is sufficient, the processor can proceed to operation 760.

[0090] If the amplitude of the extracted low-frequency signal component is less than a predetermined threshold, then at 740, wearable devices 100 and 200 can determine that the external light is insufficient and can turn on the auxiliary light source.

[0091] Next, at 750, wearable devices 100 and 200 can continuously measure biosignals while an auxiliary light source is turned on.

[0092] Then, at 760, wearable devices 100 and 200 can store the measured biosignals or can send the measured biosignals to an external device.

[0093] Figure 8 This is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for estimating biological information according to an embodiment. Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating a second apparatus for estimating biological information according to an embodiment.

[0094] Reference Figure 8 The device 800 for estimating biological information includes a first device 810 and a second device 820. Figure 9 The second device 820 is shown.

[0095] The first device 810 may be the wearable devices 100 and 200 described above. The first device 810 may include an external light collector, sensor, processor, storage device, communication interface, etc. as described above, and its detailed description will be omitted.

[0096] The second device 820 may be a mobile device carried by the user (such as a smartphone, tablet PC, etc., but not limited to this), and may include a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a server of a medical institution, etc.

[0097] The second device 820 includes a communication interface 910, a processor 920, a storage device 930, and a display 940.

[0098] The communication interface 910 of the second device 820 can communicate with the communication interface of the first device 810 via wired or wireless means according to the connection method, and can send a request for measuring biosignals to the first device 810 and receive the measured biosignals from the first device 810.

[0099] The processor 920 can receive a user's request for measuring biological information and can send the request for measuring biological signals to the first device 810 via the communication interface 910.

[0100] While the first device 810 measures biosignals, the processor 920 can receive information about the state of the battery of the first device 810 (e.g., information about the remaining battery capacity) from the communication interface 910. Upon receiving information about the state of the battery of the first device 810, the processor 920 can control the charging of the battery or the measurement of the biosignals of the first device 810 via wired or wireless communication. For example, if it is determined that the remaining battery capacity of the first device 810 is insufficient to measure the biosignals, the processor 920 can control the battery of the first device 810 to be charged using the battery of the second device 820 via a wired / wireless method according to a battery charging method. Optionally, if the remaining battery capacity of the second device 820 is insufficient to charge the battery of the first device 810, the processor 920 can send a request to stop the measurement of the biosignals.

[0101] Upon receiving a measured biosignal from the first device 810, the processor 920 can remove noise from the biosignal through various preprocessing operations, including bandpass filtering. Furthermore, the processor 920 can obtain features from the biosignal for estimating bioinformation, and can estimate bioinformation by using the obtained features. In this case, the bioinformation may include, but is not limited to, one or more of, blood pressure, vascular age, arterial stiffness, aortic pressure waveform, vascular compliance, pressure index, and fatigue level.

[0102] For example, as features, processor 920 can obtain the maximum and minimum points of the biosignal, heart rate, amplitude and time values ​​of points related to propagating and reflecting pulse waves, and the region of a predetermined interval of the biosignal waveform, etc., and can estimate biosignal information by using a combination of one or more of the obtained features and a predefined biosignal estimation model. Optionally, processor 920 can estimate biosignal information using oscillometric measurement based on the contact pressure between the object and the sensor of the first device 810 while the biosignal is being measured.

[0103] Storage device 930 can store biosignals received from first device 810. First device 810 can continuously measure biosignals at predetermined intervals while being worn by a user, and upon completion of biosignal measurement, first device 810 can send the measured biosignals to second device 820, allowing second device 820 to manage the biosignal measurement history. In this case, in addition to controlling first device 810 to measure biosignals in response to a user's request, processor 920 can also estimate biosignals by using the most recent periodic biosignals stored in storage device 930 after being received from first device 810.

[0104] Furthermore, the storage device 930 can store the results processed by the processor 920, such as estimated biometric values. Additionally, the storage device 930 can store biometric estimation models, reference information (such as user condition information), etc.

[0105] Display 940 can display and provide the processing results of processor 920 to the user. Display 940 may include a touchscreen for receiving user input and can send the user's touch input to processor 920. While the first device 810 is measuring biosignals, display 940 can display the charging status of the battery of the first device 810, the on / off status of the auxiliary light source, the progress of biosignal measurement, the measured biosignal itself, the estimated bioinformation value, and analysis information about the user's health status based on the estimated bioinformation result. In addition, the second device 820 may use an output module (such as a speaker, haptic module, etc.) embedded therein or included in a connected external device to provide the user with information related to the estimated bioinformation in a non-visual manner through voice, vibration, touch, etc.

[0106] This disclosure can be implemented as computer-readable code written on a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium can be any type of recording device that stores data in a computer-readable manner.

[0107] Examples of computer-readable recording media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage devices, and carrier waves (e.g., data transmission over the Internet). Computer-readable recording media can be distributed across multiple computer systems connected to a network, such that computer-readable code is written to and executed from the computer-readable recording media in a distributed manner. Programmers skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains can readily derive the functional programs, code, and code segments required to implement this disclosure.

[0108] This disclosure has been described herein with respect to preferred embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without altering the technical concept and essential features of this disclosure. Therefore, it is clear that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

Claims

1. A wearable device, comprising: An external light collector is configured to collect external light; The sensor, including an auxiliary light source and a light receiver, is configured to measure the biosignals of the object. The processor is configured to: determine whether external light is sufficient to measure biological signals, and control the driving of an auxiliary light source based on the determination; and The battery is configured to power the auxiliary light source. If the processor determines that the external light is insufficient to measure the biological signal, it is also configured to check the remaining battery capacity and subdivide it into three stages: a first stage, a second stage, and a third stage. If the battery's remaining capacity is in the first stage, the processor is also configured to drive an auxiliary light source with low power consumption. If the battery's remaining capacity is in the second stage, the processor is also configured to control the sensor to continuously measure biosignals without driving an auxiliary light source. If the battery's remaining capacity is in the third stage, the processor is also configured to control the sensors to stop measuring biosignals.

2. The wearable device according to claim 1, wherein, When the auxiliary light source is turned off in the early stages of biosignal measurement, the sensor uses only external light to measure biosignals.

3. The wearable device according to claim 2, wherein, The processor is configured to: extract the low-frequency signal component of the biological signal measured using only external light when the auxiliary light source is turned off in the early stages of the measurement of the biological signal, and determine whether the external light is sufficient to measure the biological signal based on the amplitude of the extracted low-frequency signal component.

4. The wearable device according to claim 3, wherein, In response to a first determination that external light is sufficient to measure the biological signal, the processor is configured to keep the auxiliary light source off, and in response to a second determination that external light is insufficient to measure the biological signal, the processor is configured to turn on the auxiliary light source.

5. The wearable device according to claim 1, wherein, The wearable device includes at least one of smart headphones, smart rings, smart necklaces, smart earrings, smartwatches, and smart glasses.

6. The wearable device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: The subject is worn on the object. When the subject is worn on the object, the external light collector is formed integrally in the area of ​​the subject exposed to the outside of the object.

7. The wearable device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: The subject is worn on the object. When the subject is worn on the object, the external light collector is detachably installed in the area of ​​the subject exposed to the outside of the object.

8. The wearable device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The external light collector includes a lens, and The lens includes a filter or is formed of a predetermined color to allow external light of a predetermined wavelength to pass through.

9. The wearable device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The external light collector includes a waveguide configured to transmit the collected external light to the object.

10. The wearable device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The light receiver includes a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor image sensor.

11. The wearable device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: The communication interface is configured to transmit biosignals measured by sensors to external devices.

12. The wearable device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: The storage device is configured to store biological signals measured by sensors.

13. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program, wherein, When the program is executed by a processor, it causes the processor to perform a method for measuring biosignals, the method comprising: Use an external light collector to collect external light; Using a light receiver to measure the biological signals of the object; The processor is used to determine whether external light is sufficient to measure biological signals; and The processor uses the determination to control the driving of the auxiliary light source. If the processor determines that the external light is insufficient to measure the biological signal, it then checks the remaining capacity of the battery powering the auxiliary light source and subdivides the remaining capacity into three stages: a first stage, a second stage, and a third stage. If the battery's remaining capacity is in the first stage, then a processor-driven auxiliary light source with low power consumption is used. If the battery's remaining capacity is in the second stage, the processor controls the sensor to continuously measure biosignals without driving an auxiliary light source. If the remaining battery capacity is in the third stage, the processor controls the sensors to stop measuring biosignals.

14. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein, The steps for measuring biosignals include: using only external light to measure biosignals when the auxiliary light source is turned off in the early stages of biosignal measurement.

15. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 14, wherein, The steps for determining whether external light is sufficient to measure a biological signal include: extracting the low-frequency signal component of the biological signal measured using only external light, and determining whether the external light is sufficient to measure the biological signal based on the amplitude of the extracted low-frequency signal component.

16. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein, The steps for controlling the drive of the auxiliary light source include: in response to a first determination that the external light is sufficient to measure the biological signal, keeping the auxiliary light source in a closed state, and in response to a second determination that the external light is insufficient to measure the biological signal, turning on the auxiliary light source.

17. The computer-readable recording medium according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein, The method further includes transmitting the measured biosignals to an external device.

18. The computer-readable recording medium according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein, The method further includes storing the measured biological signals.

19. An apparatus for estimating biological information, the apparatus comprising: A first device includes an external light collector configured to collect external light, the first device being configured as follows: The biosignals of the measured object; Determine whether external light is sufficient to measure biological signals; The driving of the auxiliary light source is controlled based on the determination mentioned above; and The measured biological signals are sent to a second device; and The second device is configured to receive biological signals from the first device and estimate biological information based on the received biological signals. If the first device determines that the external light is insufficient to measure the biological signal, the first device is also configured to check the remaining capacity of the battery powering the auxiliary light source and subdivide the remaining battery capacity into a first stage, a second stage, and a third stage. If the remaining battery capacity is in the first stage, the first device is also configured to drive an auxiliary light source with low power consumption. If the remaining battery capacity is in the second stage, the first device is also configured to continuously measure biosignals without driving an auxiliary light source. If the remaining capacity of the battery is in the third stage, the first device is also configured to stop measuring biosignals.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein, The first device is configured to measure biological signals using only external light when the auxiliary light source is turned off in the early stages of the measurement of the biological signal.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein, The first device is configured to: extract the low-frequency signal component of the biological signal measured using only external light when the auxiliary light source is turned off in the early stages of the measurement of the biological signal, and determine whether the external light is sufficient to measure the biological signal based on the amplitude of the extracted low-frequency signal component.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein, In response to a first determination that external light is sufficient to measure a biological signal, the first device is configured to keep the auxiliary light source off, and in response to a second determination that external light is insufficient to measure a biological signal, the first device is configured to turn on the auxiliary light source.

23. The device according to claim 19, wherein, Bioinformation includes one or more of the following: blood pressure, vascular age, arterial stiffness, aortic pressure waveform, vascular compliance, stress index, and fatigue level.

24. A wearable device, comprising: Sensors are configured to measure the biosignals of the user of the wearable device; light source; The processor is configured to operate the light source based on measured biosignals; and The battery is configured to power the light source. The processor is also configured to check the remaining battery capacity and subdivide it into three stages: a first stage, a second stage, and a third stage. If the battery's remaining capacity is in the first stage, the processor is also configured to drive an auxiliary light source with low power consumption. If the battery's remaining capacity is in the second stage, the processor is also configured to control the sensor to continuously measure biosignals without driving a light source. If the battery's remaining capacity is in the third stage, the processor is also configured to control the sensors to stop measuring biosignals.

25. The wearable device according to claim 24, wherein, The processor is configured to extract components of a first biosignal measured when the light source is turned off, and to operate the light source based on the extracted components.

26. The wearable device according to claim 25, wherein, The processor is configured to determine the amplitude of the extracted component and operate the light source based on the determined amplitude.

27. The wearable device according to claim 26, wherein, The processor is configured to operate the light source based on the difference between a determined amplitude and a threshold amplitude.

28. The wearable device according to claim 26, wherein, The processor is configured to control the sensor to measure a second biosignal when the light source is turned off, in response to a determined amplitude being greater than or equal to a threshold amplitude. Furthermore, in response to a determined amplitude being less than a threshold amplitude, the light source is turned on and the sensor is controlled to measure the second biosignal when the light source is turned on.

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