Apparatus and method for estimating components of an analyte

Abstract

An apparatus and method for estimating a component of an analyte are disclosed. The apparatus for estimating a component of an analyte can include a sensor including a light source configured to emit light toward the analyte and a detector configured to measure a spectrum of light reflected from the analyte, and a processor configured to determine, based on an initial amount of received light obtained from the analyte by operating the sensor under an initial operating condition, an optimal operating condition based on the initial amount of received light and the initial operating condition, and estimate, based on a spectrum measured from the analyte by operating the sensor under the optimal operating condition, the component of the analyte based on the spectrum.

Description

[0001] This application is based on and claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0164184, filed on November 30, 2020, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for estimating the components of an analyte based on dynamic range. Background Technology

[0003] Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are an important part of biological defense mechanisms, such as white blood cells that protect the body from infection. However, it is well known that excessive production of ROS in the body can lead to various diseases in tissues. Common factors that generate ROS include stress, alcohol, peroxides, and medications. ROS generated by these factors can cause cranial nerve disorders, circulatory system diseases, cancer, digestive tract diseases, liver disease, arteriosclerosis, kidney disease, diabetes, and aging. The human body has a series of antioxidant defense systems to prevent oxygen toxicity. For this system to function properly, sufficient amounts of antioxidants, such as vitamin E, vitamin C, carotenoids, and flavonoids, are required. Therefore, there is a need for equipment and methods for easily identifying the amount of antioxidants in the body. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This summary is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, the selection of concepts that will be further described in the detailed embodiments below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to help determine the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0005] According to one aspect of an example embodiment, an apparatus for estimating the composition of an analyte may include: a sensor including a light source configured to emit light toward the analyte and a detector configured to measure the spectrum of light reflected from the analyte; and a processor configured to: determine optimal operating conditions based on the initial amount of received light and the initial operating conditions by operating the sensor from the analyte under initial operating conditions; and estimate the composition of the analyte based on the spectrum measured from the analyte by operating the sensor under the optimal operating conditions.

[0006] The initial operating conditions of the sensor may include at least one of the following: the intensity of the incident light, the gain, the exposure time, or the aperture size.

[0007] The initial operating conditions can be set such that a preset optimal amount of received light is detected from a standard sample with a predetermined reflectivity.

[0008] The predetermined reflectance may include at least one of the average reflectance and the maximum reflectance of the analyte.

[0009] The processor can also be configured to determine optimal operating conditions based on the ratio of the initial amount of received light to a preset optimal amount of received light and the initial operating conditions.

[0010] The processor can also be configured to change the optimal operating condition to the first threshold based on the optimal operating condition being less than the first threshold.

[0011] The processor can also be configured to change the optimal operating conditions to the second threshold based on the optimal operating conditions exceeding the second threshold.

[0012] The processor can also be configured to repeatedly obtain the initial amount of received light by operating the sensor after increasing the light source current in the initial operating conditions, based on the optimal operating conditions exceeding a second threshold.

[0013] The device may include a force sensor or pressure sensor configured to measure the force or pressure applied between the analyte and the sensor. The processor may also be configured to operate the sensor based on the force or pressure being greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

[0014] The processor can also be configured to control the output interface to output information that guides the user to change the force or pressure applied between the analyte and the sensor based on force or pressure.

[0015] The processor can also be configured to obtain the absorption spectrum of the analyte based on the spectrum and the reference spectrum.

[0016] The processor can also be configured to obtain a reference spectrum by normalizing the sample spectrum measured using a standard sample with a predetermined reflectance based on initial and optimal operating conditions.

[0017] The processor can also be configured to normalize the spectrum by multiplying the amount of reflected light from the sample spectrum by the ratio of the exposure time in the optimal operating conditions to the exposure time in the initial operating conditions.

[0018] The processor can also be configured to obtain a reference spectrum corresponding to the optimal operating conditions by referring to a preset lookup table.

[0019] The processor can also be configured to estimate the composition of the analyte based on the absorption spectrum using a preset estimation model.

[0020] The components of the analyte may include at least one of skin carotenoids, blood carotenoids, glucose, urea, lactate, triglycerides, total protein, cholesterol, or ethanol.

[0021] According to one aspect of an example embodiment, a method for estimating the composition of an analyte may include: operating a sensor under preset initial operating conditions; detecting an initial amount of light received from the analyte under the initial operating conditions; determining optimal operating conditions based on the initial amount of light received and the initial operating conditions; measuring a spectrum from the analyte by operating the sensor under the optimal operating conditions; and estimating the composition of the analyte based on the spectrum.

[0022] The initial operating conditions can be set such that a preset optimal amount of received light is detected from a standard sample with a predetermined reflectivity.

[0023] The steps to determine the optimal operating conditions may include: determining the optimal operating conditions based on the ratio of the initial amount of received light to the preset optimal amount of received light and the initial operating conditions.

[0024] The steps for determining the optimal operating conditions may include: changing the optimal operating conditions to the first threshold based on the fact that the determined optimal operating conditions are less than the first threshold.

[0025] The steps for determining the optimal operating conditions may include: changing the optimal operating conditions to the second threshold based on the fact that the determined optimal operating conditions exceed the second threshold.

[0026] The steps for determining the optimal operating conditions may include: based on the determined optimal operating conditions exceeding a second threshold, repeatedly obtaining the initial amount of received light by operating the sensor after increasing the light source current in the initial operating conditions.

[0027] The method may further include measuring the force or pressure applied between the analyte and the sensor. Operating the sensor under initial operating conditions may include operating the sensor based on the measured force or pressure being greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

[0028] The steps of obtaining the composition of an analyte may include: obtaining a reference spectrum, obtaining an absorption spectrum of the analyte based on the spectrum and the reference spectrum, and estimating the composition of the analyte based on the absorption spectrum.

[0029] The steps to obtain a reference spectrum may include: normalizing a sample spectrum measured using a standard sample with a predetermined reflectance based on initial and optimal operating conditions.

[0030] The steps to obtain a reference spectrum may include: obtaining a reference spectrum corresponding to the optimal operating conditions by referring to a preset lookup table.

[0031] The steps for estimating components may include estimating the components of the analyte based on the absorption spectrum using a pre-defined estimation model.

[0032] According to one aspect of an example embodiment, an electronic device may include: a body; a memory disposed in the body; and a processor disposed in the body and electrically connected to the memory. The processor may be configured to: operate a sensor device under initial operating conditions stored in the memory based on receiving a request for estimating an antioxidant index; adjust at least one of the exposure time and light source current among the operating conditions of the sensor device based on an initial amount of received light obtained from a user's skin; obtain a spectrum from the user's skin by operating the sensor device under the adjusted operating conditions; and estimate the antioxidant index based on the spectrum.

[0033] The electronic device may include at least one of a smartwatch, smart bracelet, smart glasses, smart earphones, smart ring, smart patch, smart necklace, or smart phone.

[0034] The processor can also be configured to set initial operating conditions such that a preset optimal amount of received light is detected from a standard sample having a predetermined reflectivity.

[0035] The processor can be configured to adjust the exposure time based on the ratio of the initial amount of received light to a preset optimal amount of received light and the exposure time of the initial operating conditions.

[0036] The processor can also be configured to: change the exposure time to the first threshold based on the adjusted exposure time being less than the first threshold, and change the exposure time to the second threshold based on the adjusted exposure time being greater than the second threshold, or repeatedly obtain the initial amount of received light and adjust the operating conditions of the light source after increasing the light source current.

[0037] The electronic device may include an output interface disposed in the main body, the output interface including at least one of a sound module that outputs the processing results of the processor and a display.

[0038] Other features and aspects will become clear from the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0039] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of specific embodiments of the present disclosure will become clearer from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0040] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for estimating components according to an example embodiment;

[0041] Figure 2A and Figure 2B It is a diagram used to explain the effect of changes in the spectrum according to operating conditions;

[0042] Figure 3It is a diagram used to explain the adjustment of the sensor's operating conditions;

[0043] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for estimating components according to another example embodiment;

[0044] Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for estimating components according to yet another example embodiment;

[0045] Figures 6 to 11 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for estimating the composition of an analyte according to an example embodiment;

[0046] Figure 12 This is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device according to an example embodiment; and

[0047] Figures 13 to 15 This is a diagram illustrating the structure of an electronic device according to an example embodiment.

[0048] Throughout the accompanying drawings and detailed embodiments, unless otherwise described, the same reference numerals will be understood to denote the same elements, features, and structures. For clarity, illustration, and convenience, the relative dimensions and depictions of these elements, features, and structures may be exaggerated. Detailed Implementation

[0049] Details of exemplary embodiments are provided in the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. The disclosure will be more readily understood by referring to the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings and exemplary embodiments. However, the disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the inventive concept to those skilled in the art, and the disclosure will be defined only by the appended claims. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals denote the same elements.

[0050] 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 of a term is intended to include the plural form as well. In the specification, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, the word “comprising” will be understood to mean including the stated elements without excluding any other elements. Terms such as “unit” and “module” indicate a unit that performs at least one function or operation, and these units may be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0051] In the following sections, various embodiments of the analyte concentration estimation apparatus and method will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for estimating the components of an analyte according to an example embodiment. Figure 2A and Figure 2B It is a diagram used to explain the effect of spectral variations based on operating conditions. Figure 3 It is a diagram used to explain the adjustment of the operating conditions of the sensor.

[0053] Reference Figure 1 The device 100 for estimating the composition of an analyte includes a sensor 110 and a processor 120.

[0054] Sensor 110 can measure the spectrum used to estimate the components of an analyte. In this case, the analyte can be human skin tissue. For example, the analyte may include the palm or sole of the hand with a thick epidermis, areas where venous or capillary blood is located or adjacent to the radial artery, and other peripheral areas (such as fingers, toes, or earlobes as areas with high vascular density) and areas that may come into contact with the wearable device when worn (such as the wrist, inner ear, etc.), and appropriate measurement locations may be selected based on the components of the analyte to be estimated.

[0055] Light source 111 may include one or more light emitters. In this case, the light emitter may include, but is not limited to, a light-emitting diode, a laser diode, a phosphor, etc. The one or more light emitters may be configured to emit light of different wavelengths. For example, light source 111 may include the absorption band of an antioxidant substance (e.g., carotenoids), such as a wavelength band of 420 nm to 510 nm.

[0056] Detector 112 may include a photodiode, phototransistor, etc., or may be configured using a spectrometer, a waveguide connected to an external spectrometer, etc. However, detector 112 is not limited to these and may be formed using a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, a charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor, etc. Detector 112 can receive light scattered or reflected from the analyte, convert the received light into an electrical signal, and output an electrical signal.

[0057] Additionally, sensor 110 may include an analog-to-digital converter for converting the electrical signal output from detector 112 into a digital signal and / or an amplifier for amplifying the electrical signal.

[0058] The processor 120 can control the sensor 110 to obtain the spectrum from the analyte. When the sensor 110 measures the spectrum from the analyte, the processor 120 can adaptively adjust the operating conditions of the sensor 110. In this case, the operating conditions of the sensor 110 can be variable and can include parameters such as, for example, the intensity of incident light from the light source, gain, exposure time, aperture size, etc. The sensor 110 according to this embodiment can be configured to have a limited dynamic range. For example, a virtual dynamic range can be ensured by varying the exposure time, thereby ensuring sensing performance even in skin tissue with low reflectivity.

[0059] For example, Figure 2A The spectrum measured within a relatively high range of reflectance (e.g., 28.2%) while maintaining linearity is shown. It can be seen that linearity is maintained in both spectrum 22 and spectrum 21; spectrum 22 is obtained by fixing the sensor's operating conditions, while spectrum 21 is obtained by varying the operating conditions (e.g., in particular, exposure time). Furthermore, Figure 2B The spectra measured in a relatively low range of reflectance (e.g., 6.6%) where linearity is not maintained are shown. It can be seen that linearity is not maintained in spectrum 24 obtained by fixing the sensor's operating conditions, however, linearity is maintained in spectrum 23 obtained by varying the exposure time.

[0060] Processor 120 can operate sensor 110 using predefined initial operating conditions (e.g., initial operating conditions stored in memory), and when sensor 110 acquires initial data about the amount of received light from the analyte according to the initial operating conditions, sensor 110 uses the acquired data to determine optimal operating conditions. Processor 120 can then acquire a spectrum from the analyte by operating sensor 110 according to the determined optimal operating conditions. Processor 120 can operate the light source 111 of sensor 110 at a predetermined time point when a pressure is applied to the analyte upon contact with sensor 110.

[0061] The processor 120 can use a standard sample with a predetermined reflectivity (such as, for example, the average reflectivity of human skin (e.g., about 50%) or the maximum reflectivity (about 80%)) to set initial operating conditions. For example, the processor 120 can set operating conditions that allow for the acquisition of an optimal amount of received light from a standard sample with a predetermined reflectivity as initial operating conditions.

[0062] Figure 3 The diagram shows a signal 31 output by being converted into an electrical signal related to the amount of received light being detected, a signal 32 with signal-dependent noise, and a signal 33 with signal-independent noise. As shown, the signal 31 output by the detector 112 has a maximum value V.s,max Near saturation. At this point, the amount of light received can be the maximum amount L that can be received. sat Furthermore, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) becomes its maximum value. In this case, referring to Equation 1 below, the optimal amount of received light L... opt It is set within the dynamic range (DR), where a predefined value 'a' can be multiplied to approximate the maximum amount L of received light. sat Furthermore, the pre-determined difference b can be reflected by considering the use of time difference for measurement.

[0063] L opt =a L sat -b Equation (1)

[0064] When a request for estimating the analyte is received, processor 120 can operate the light source 111 of sensor 110 to emit light toward the analyte using the initial operating conditions preset with a standard sample as described above, and processor 120 can obtain the initial amount of light received from the analyte via detector 112. Once the initial amount of light received from the analyte is obtained, processor 120 can determine the optimal operating conditions using the initial operating conditions, the optimal amount of light received, and data regarding the initial amount of light received. Equation 2 below is an example of an equation for obtaining the optimal exposure time within the optimal operating conditions.

[0065]

[0066] Here, L opt L represents the optimal amount of light received. init T represents the initial amount of received light obtained from the analyte. opt T represents the exposure time for achieving the optimal operating conditions. init This indicates the exposure time for the initial operating conditions. As shown in the example, the processor 120 can determine the optimal exposure time by relating the ratio of the optimal amount of light received to the initial amount of light received to the ratio of the optimal exposure time to the initial exposure time.

[0067] When the optimal operating conditions are determined as described above, the processor 120 can compare the "determined optimal operating conditions" with the "range between a first threshold and a second threshold," and adjust the optimal operating conditions based on the fact that the determined optimal operating conditions are outside this range. In this case, the first threshold may be set based on the exposure time when measuring a sample with the maximum predictable reflectance (e.g., 80%), and the second threshold may be set based on the smaller of the exposure time when measuring a sample with the minimum predictable reflectance (e.g., 5%) and the maximum exposure time (the maximum exposure time is set considering the total exposure time (e.g., 5 seconds)). However, the embodiments are not limited to this.

[0068] For example, when the optimal exposure time is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold, the processor 120 may not change the optimal exposure time; when the optimal exposure time exceeds the second threshold, the processor 120 may change the optimal exposure time to the second threshold.

[0069] In another example, when the determined optimal exposure time is less than a first threshold, the processor 120 can change the optimal exposure time to the first threshold. When the optimal exposure time exceeds a second threshold, the processor 120 can adjust the intensity of the incident light by increasing the light source drive current in the initial operating conditions, and then repeatedly execute the process of obtaining the initial amount of received light by operating the light source according to the adjusted current. Here, the processor 120 can omit the process of comparing the optimal operating conditions and the first threshold. For example, if the optimal operating conditions are set to a value obtained at maximum skin reflectivity, the optimal exposure time may always exceed the first threshold when the first threshold is set as described above, so the process of comparing the optimal operating conditions and the first threshold can be omitted.

[0070] When the optimal exposure time is determined as described above, the processor 120 can obtain the spectrum from the analyte by operating the sensor 110 under optimal operating conditions, wherein the initial exposure time under the initial operating conditions is changed to the optimal exposure time. When the measured spectrum is received from the sensor 110, the processor 120 can analyze the received spectrum to estimate the composition of the analyte. In this case, the composition of the analyte may be an antioxidant index including skin carotenoids and / or blood carotenoids. However, the composition of the analyte is not limited to this; components such as glucose, urea, lactate, triglycerides, total protein, cholesterol, or ethanol can be estimated.

[0071] For example, when the spectral density of an analyte is measured by sensor 110 according to optimal operating conditions, processor 120 can obtain an absorption spectrum using the measured spectrum and a reference spectrum. Processor 120 can normalize the spectrum measured using a standard sample with a predetermined reflectance to the exposure time of the operating conditions to obtain the reference spectrum. In one example, processor 120 can obtain the reference spectrum by normalizing the spectrum measured using a standard sample with a predetermined reflectance based on initial and optimal operating conditions. Equation 3 below is an example of an equation for obtaining a reference spectrum.

[0072]

[0073] Here, I ref Indicates the reference spectrum to be obtained. initT represents the amount of reflected light in a spectrum measured using a standard sample with a predetermined reflectance (such as, for example, the average reflectance of human skin (approximately 50%) or the maximum reflectance (approximately 80%)). opt T represents the exposure time under optimal operating conditions. init This indicates the exposure time for the initial operating conditions.

[0074] Optionally, the processor 120 can obtain a reference spectrum corresponding to the optimal operating conditions by referring to a lookup table. In one example, the processor 120 can obtain the absorbance for each wavelength corresponding to the optimal exposure time by referring to a lookup table that defines the absorbance for each wavelength for each exposure time, and obtain the reference spectrum from the obtained absorbance. In this case, the lookup table can be predefined by measuring the absorbance for each wavelength for each exposure time using a standard sample with a predetermined reflectance. However, the lookup table is not limited to this.

[0075] Furthermore, when the reference spectrum is obtained as described above, the processor 120 can use the reference spectrum and the spectrum obtained by the sensor 110 under optimal operating conditions to obtain the absorption spectrum. Equation 4 below is an example of an equation for obtaining the absorption spectrum.

[0076]

[0077] Here, A s Indicates the absorption spectrum, I s I represents the spectrum measured from the analyte under optimal operating conditions. ref Indicates the reference spectrum.

[0078] When the absorption spectrum of the analyte is obtained as described above, the processor 120 can use the obtained absorption spectrum to estimate the composition of the analyte. In this case, the processor 120 can estimate the composition based on the absorption spectrum by using a predefined composition estimation model that correlates the absorbance of the absorption spectrum with the composition to be estimated. The composition estimation model can be defined as a linear function equation or a nonlinear function equation, and can be predefined using deep learning, artificial intelligence, etc.

[0079] As described above, processor 120 can repeatedly perform the processing of obtaining an initial amount of received light from the analyte under initial operating conditions and the processing of obtaining a spectrum from the analyte and using the obtained spectrum to obtain an absorption spectrum under optimal operating conditions. When multiple absorption spectra are obtained as described above, processor 120 can estimate the composition of the analyte by averaging all obtained absorption spectra, averaging the obtained absorption spectra after removing abnormal spectra, or selecting an optimal absorption spectrum to reduce errors caused by blood migration or skin migration. In one example, the processor can determine a second operating condition based on the initial amount of received light obtained from the analyte by operating the sensor under the first operating condition, based on the initial amount of received light and the first operating condition; and estimate the composition of the analyte based on the spectrum measured from the analyte by operating the sensor under the second operating condition. In this example, the first operating condition can be an operating condition other than the initial operating condition described above, and the second operating condition can be an operating condition other than the optimal operating condition described above.

[0080] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for estimating the composition of an analyte according to another example embodiment.

[0081] Reference Figure 4 The device 400 for estimating components includes a sensor 110 and a processor 120. The sensor 110 may include a light source 111, a detector 112, and a force / pressure sensor 113. The light source 111, detector 112, and processor 120 have been described above, and therefore will be described with an emphasis on a non-redundant configuration.

[0082] Force / pressure sensor 113 can measure the force / pressure applied to sensor 110 by an analyte in contact with sensor 110. Force / pressure sensor 113 may include a force sensor, a force sensor array, a contact pressure sensor, or a combination of an area sensor and a force sensor. For example, force / pressure sensor 113 may be a voltage-resistive force sensor, an ultrasonic force sensor, a force sensor, a capacitive force sensor, a thermoelectric sensor, a strain gauge force sensor, an electrochemical force sensor, an optical force sensor, or a magnetic force sensor.

[0083] The processor 120 can be connected to and receive the force / pressure value between the analyte and the sensor 110 from the force / pressure sensor 113. When the received force / pressure value is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the processor 120 can operate the light source 111 of the sensor 110 under the initial operating conditions described above. Additionally, the processor 120 can control the output interface to output information guiding the user to apply appropriate pressure to the sensor 110 during the measurement time based on the force / pressure measured by the force / pressure sensor 113. In this case, the guidance information can be provided to the user through the output interface installed on the device 400 for component estimation or through the output interface of a connected external device.

[0084] Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for estimating components according to yet another example embodiment.

[0085] Reference Figure 5 The device 500 for estimating components may include a sensor 110, a processor 120, an output interface 510, a storage device 520, and a communication interface 530. The sensor 110 and processor 120 have been described above, therefore their descriptions will be omitted below.

[0086] The output interface 510 can output various information processed by the processor 120. The output interface 510 may include a visual output module (such as a display), a voice output module (such as a speaker), or a haptic module configured to output vibration or tactile sensation. For example, the output interface 510 may output contact pressure guidance information, component estimation results, etc. generated by the processor 120.

[0087] Storage device 520 can store various information related to component estimation. For example, storage device 520 can store information about user characteristics (such as the user's age, gender, health status, etc.), light source operating conditions, initial operating conditions of sensor 110, information about the component estimation model, etc. Additionally, storage device 520 can store information about component estimates generated by processor 120, etc. Storage device 520 may include, but is not limited to, storage media such as flash memory, hard disk, multimedia card micro, card-type memory (e.g., Secure Digital Storage (SD) or Extreme Digital Storage (XD)), 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, optical disk, etc.

[0088] The communication interface 530 can establish wired or wireless communication connections with external devices to receive various types of information related to component estimation. External devices may include information processing devices such as smartphones, tablet PCs, desktop computers, and laptop computers. The communication interface 530 can communicate with external devices using various wired or wireless communication technologies, including Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Near Field Communication (NFC), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), ZigBee, Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Wi-Fi Direct (WFD), Ultra Wideband (UWB), Ant+, Wi-Fi, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), 3G, 4G, and / or 5G. However, the communication technologies are not limited to these.

[0089] Figures 6 to 11 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for estimating the components of an analyte according to an example embodiment. The method for estimating components according to the example embodiment can be performed by the aforementioned devices 100, 400, and 500 for estimating components. The estimation of components has been described in detail above; therefore, a brief description will follow.

[0090] Reference Figure 6 When the analyte comes into contact with the sensor (operation 611), the sensor can be operated under initial operating conditions (operation 612). In this case, the initial operating conditions of the sensor can be set by using a standard sample with a predetermined reflectivity, and the operating conditions that allow the optimal amount of received light to be detected from the standard sample can be set as the initial operating conditions.

[0091] Then, when the initial amount of received light is detected from the analyte under the initial operating conditions, the optimal operating conditions can be determined based on the detected initial amount of received light, the initial operating conditions, the optimal amount of received light, etc. (operation 613). For example, the optimal operating conditions can be determined by the relationship between the ratio of the optimal amount of received light to the initial amount of received light and the ratio of the desired optimal operating conditions (e.g., exposure time) to the initial operating conditions (e.g., exposure time).

[0092] Then, when the optimal operating conditions are determined in operation 613, the sensor can be operated using the determined optimal operating conditions (operation 614).

[0093] Then, when the spectrum (e.g., scattering spectrum) is measured from the analyte by operating the sensor under optimal operating conditions, the absorption spectrum can be obtained based on the measured spectrum (operation 615). For example, the absorption spectrum can be obtained based on the logarithm of the ratio of the spectrum measured from the analyte to a reference spectrum. In this case, the reference spectrum can be obtained either by normalizing the spectrum measured using a standard sample with a predetermined reflectance to the exposure time or by obtaining the absorbance at each wavelength corresponding to the optimal exposure time by referring to a lookup table defining the absorbance at each wavelength for each exposure time.

[0094] The composition of the analyte can then be estimated using the absorption spectrum obtained in operation 615 (operation 616).

[0095] Figure 7 An embodiment is illustrated for obtaining multiple absorption spectra to reduce noise caused by blood or skin movement. Each time an absorption spectrum is obtained, new optimal operating conditions can be determined. As shown, when the analyte contacts the sensor (operation 711), operation 712 of operating the sensor under initial operating conditions, operation 713 of determining optimal operating conditions based on the initial amount of received light detected under the initial operating conditions, operation 714 of operating the sensor again using the determined optimal operating conditions, and operation 715 of obtaining an absorption spectrum based on the spectrum (e.g., scattering spectrum) measured under the optimal operating conditions can be performed. Then, when the number of obtained absorption spectra does not meet a predefined reference value (operation 716, no), operation 712 and subsequent operations can be repeated to obtain multiple absorption spectra.

[0096] Then, when the number of obtained absorption spectra does indeed meet the predefined reference value (operation 716, yes), the component can be estimated by using multiple obtained absorption spectra (operation 717). For example, the component can be estimated by averaging all absorption spectra or some absorption spectra excluding anomalous spectra, or by selecting an optimal absorption spectrum. However, the embodiments are not limited to this.

[0097] Reference Figure 8When the analyte comes into contact with the sensor (operation 811), operation 812, measuring the force / pressure between the analyte and the sensor, can be performed. If the measured force / pressure is less than a preset threshold (operation 813, No), operation 811, which brings the analyte into contact with the sensor, can be performed again. At this point, the user can be guided to apply appropriate force / pressure. When the measured force / pressure is greater than or equal to the preset threshold (operation 813, Yes), operation 814, operating the sensor under initial operating conditions; operation 815, determining optimal operating conditions based on the initial amount of received light detected under the initial operating conditions; operation 816, operating the sensor using the determined optimal operating conditions; operation 817, obtaining an absorption spectrum based on the spectrum measured under the optimal operating conditions (e.g., scattering spectrum); and operation 818, estimating the composition using the absorption spectrum, can be performed.

[0098] Figures 9 to 11 An example embodiment is shown in which the optimal exposure time and / or light source current are adjusted among the operating conditions of the sensor in the method of estimating components.

[0099] Reference Figure 9 When the analyte comes into contact with the sensor (operation 911), the sensor can be operated under initial operating conditions (operation 912), and the optimal exposure time T is determined. opt The initial amount of light received from the analyte under the initial operating conditions can be determined (operation 913).

[0100] Then, the optimal exposure time T can be determined. opt With the first threshold T min Compare (operation 914), and when the optimal exposure time T... opt Less than the first threshold T min When (Operation 914, Yes), the optimal exposure time T opt It can be changed to the first threshold T min (Operation 915). If the optimal exposure time T... opt Greater than or equal to the first threshold T min (Operation 914, No), then the optimal exposure time T can be set. opt With the second threshold T max Compare (operation 916), if the optimal exposure time T opt Exceeding the second threshold T max (Operation 916, yes), then the optimal exposure time T opt It can be changed to the second threshold T max (Operation 917)

[0101] Then, when the optimal operating conditions are determined, the sensor can be operated using the determined optimal operating conditions (operation 918), and when the spectrum of the analyte (e.g., scattering spectrum) is measured according to the optimal operating conditions, the absorption spectrum can be obtained based on the measured spectrum (operation 919), and the composition of the analyte can be estimated using the obtained absorption spectrum (operation 920).

[0102] Reference Figure 10 When the analyte comes into contact with the sensor (operation 1011), the sensor can be operated under initial operating conditions (operation 1012), and the optimal exposure time T is determined. opt It can be determined based on the initial amount of light received from the analyte under initial operating conditions (Operation 1013).

[0103] Then, the optimal exposure time T opt With the first threshold T min Compare (Operation 1014), and when the optimal exposure time T... opt Less than the first threshold T min Time (Operation 1014, Yes), Optimal Exposure Time T opt Changed to the first threshold T min (Operation 1015), when the optimal exposure time T opt Greater than or equal to the first threshold T min When (Operation 1014, No), the optimal exposure time T is set. opt With the second threshold T max Compare (Operation 1016). When the optimal exposure time T... opt Exceeding the second threshold T max At that time, the intensity of the incident light under the initial operating conditions can be adjusted by increasing the light source current (operation 1017), and operation 1012 and subsequent operations of the sensor under the initial operating conditions can be repeated.

[0104] Then, when the optimal operating conditions are determined, the sensor can be operated using the determined optimal operating conditions (operation 1018), the absorption spectrum can be obtained based on the spectrum (e.g., scattering spectrum) measured under the optimal operating conditions (operation 1019), and the composition of the analyte can be estimated using the obtained absorption spectrum (operation 1020).

[0105] Reference Figure 11 When the analyte comes into contact with the sensor (operation 1111), the sensor can be operated under initial operating conditions (operation 1112), and the optimal exposure time T is determined. opt The initial amount of light received from the analyte under initial operating conditions can be determined (operation 1113). The optimal exposure time T can then be determined. optWith the second threshold T max Compare (operation 1114), when the optimal exposure time T opt Exceeding the second threshold T max At time (operation 1114, yes), the intensity of the incident light under the initial operating conditions can be adjusted by increasing the light source current (operation 1115), and operations 1112 and subsequent operations of the sensor under the initial operating conditions can be repeated. Then, when the optimal exposure time T... opt Not exceeding the second threshold T max When (operation 1114, no), the sensor can be operated using the determined optimal operating conditions (operation 1116), the absorption spectrum can be obtained (operation 1117), and the composition of the analyte can be estimated using the obtained absorption spectrum (operation 1118).

[0106] Figure 12 This is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device according to an example embodiment. Figures 13 to 15 This is a diagram illustrating the structure of an electronic device according to an example embodiment.

[0107] Reference Figure 12 Electronic device 1200 may include sensor device 1210 and estimation device 1220, which is used to estimate the user's body composition by using the spectrum measured by sensor device 1210. Here, electronic device 1200 may be a wearable device, such as, for example, a smartwatch, smart bracelet, smart glasses, smart headphones, smart ring, smart patch, smart necklace, or smartphone. Other examples of electronic device 1200 may include home appliances and various Internet of Things (IoT) devices (e.g., home IoT devices, etc.). However, electronic device 1200 is not limited to the examples described above and may be a specialized medical device designed for use in medical institutions.

[0108] The sensor device 1210 and estimation device 1220 of electronic device 1200 can be integrally mounted in the body of the particular device shown, or they can be distributed and mounted in two or more devices. For example, the sensor device 1210 and estimation device 1220 can be mounted in a smartphone. Alternatively, the sensor device 1210 can be mounted in a smart headset, and the estimation device 1220 can be mounted in a smartphone or smartwatch, and the components can be estimated by sending and receiving data between the sensor device 1210 and the estimation device 1220 via wired or wireless communication.

[0109] Sensor device 1210 may include a light source and a detector, and when sensor device 1210 and estimation device 1220 are distributed and installed in different bodies, sensor device 1210 may also include a communication interface. The light source may include one or more light emitters (such as LEDs), and the detector may include photodiodes, photodiode arrays, spectrometers, etc.

[0110] The estimation device 1220 may include an input interface 1221, a memory 1222, a processor 1223, an output interface 1224, and a communication interface 1225.

[0111] Input interface 1221 can receive commands and / or data from a user or other party to be used in each component of electronic device 1200. Input interface 1221 may include a microphone, mouse, keyboard, and / or digital pen (e.g., stylus).

[0112] The memory 1222 may store operating conditions for operating the sensor device 1210 and various data used by other components of the electronic device 1200 (such as, for example, input data and / or output data for software and related commands). The memory 1222 may include volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory.

[0113] Processor 1223 can control components of estimation device 1220 connected to processor 1223 by executing programs stored in memory 1222, and can perform various data processing or operations. Processor 1223 may include a main processor (such as a central processing unit and an application processor) and auxiliary processors (such as, for example, a graphics processing unit, an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, a communication processor, etc.) that can operate independently of or in conjunction with the main processor. Processor 1223 can send control signals to sensor device 1210 according to user requests for estimating the concentration of analytes, and can estimate components using spectra received from sensor device 1210.

[0114] The output interface 1224 can output data generated or processed by the electronic device 1200 in a visual or non-visual manner. The output interface 1224 may include a sound output device, a display device, an audio module, and / or a tactile module.

[0115] The sound output device can output audio signals externally to the electronic device 1200. The sound output device may include a speaker and / or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes (such as playing multimedia or recording and playing back), and the receiver can be used for call reception purposes. The receiver may be integrated with or separate from the speaker.

[0116] The display device can visually provide information to the outside of the electronic device 1200. The display device may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector, and control circuitry for controlling a corresponding one of the display, holographic device, and projector. The display device may include touch circuitry adapted to detect touch or sensor circuitry adapted to measure the intensity of the force caused by touch (e.g., a pressure sensor).

[0117] The audio module can convert sound into electrical signals, or vice versa. The audio module can acquire sound via an input device, or output sound via a sound output device and / or speaker and / or headphones of another electronic device directly or wirelessly connected to electronic device 1200.

[0118] A haptic module can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimuli (e.g., vibration or motion) or electrical stimuli that can be recognized by a user through his / her touch or kinesthesia. A haptic module may include a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulator.

[0119] Communication interface 1225 can support the establishment of direct (e.g., wired) and / or wireless communication channels between electronic device 1200 and other external electronic devices or servers existing within a network environment, and the execution of communication via the established communication channels. Communication interface 1225 may include one or more communication processors operable independently of processor 1223 and supporting direct or wireless communication. Communication interface 1225 may include wireless communication modules (e.g., cellular communication modules, short-range wireless communication modules, or Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) communication modules) and / or wired communication modules (e.g., local area network (LAN) communication modules or power line communication (PLC) modules). These various types of communication modules may be implemented as a single chip or as multiple chips separate from each other. The wireless communication module can use user information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)) stored in the user identification module to identify and authenticate electronic device 1200 in the communication network.

[0120] In addition, the electronic device 1200 may also include an interface, an antenna module, a power management module, a camera module, a battery, etc.

[0121] The interface may support one or more specified protocols for direct or wireless connection of electronic device 1200 to other electronic devices. The interface may include, but is not limited to, a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a Secure Digital Card (SD) interface, and / or an audio interface.

[0122] The antenna module can transmit signals or power or receive signals or power from outside the electronic device 1200. The antenna may include a radiating element composed of conductive material or conductive patterns formed in or on a substrate (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB)). The antenna module may include a single antenna or multiple antennas. When multiple antennas are included, an antenna suitable for a communication scheme used in a communication network can be selected from the multiple antennas via the communication interface 1225. Signals and / or power can be transmitted or received between the communication interface 1225 and another electronic device via the selected antenna. Additional components besides the antenna (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module. At least some of the aforementioned components can be interconnected and transmit commands or data between them via inter-peripheral communication schemes (e.g., bus, general purpose input and output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), or mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)).

[0123] Here, other electronic devices can be devices of the same or different types as electronic device 1200. All or some of the operations to be performed by electronic device 1200 can be performed by one or more other electronic devices. For example, if electronic device 1200 is required to perform a function or service, it can request one or more other electronic devices to perform at least a portion of the function or service, rather than electronic device 1200 performing the function or service itself. The one or more other electronic devices receiving the request can perform additional functions or services related to the request and transmit the result of the execution to electronic device 1200. For this purpose, cloud computing, distributed computing, or client-server computing technologies can be used.

[0124] A camera module can capture still or moving images. A camera module may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, an image signal processor, and / or a flash. The lens assembly included in the camera module can collect light emitted from the object whose image is to be captured.

[0125] The power management module can manage the power supplied to the electronic device 1200. The power management module can be implemented as at least part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0126] The battery can power the components of the electronic device 1200. The battery may include a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0127] Figures 13 to 15 This is a diagram illustrating an exemplary structure of an electronic device equipped with a device for estimating components.

[0128] Reference Figure 13The electronic device 1200 can be implemented as a watch-type wearable device 1300, and can include a main body and a wristband. A display can be located on the front of the main body, and can display various application screens including time information, received message information, etc. A sensor device 1210 can be located on the back of the main body, and can measure spectra used to estimate components (such as antioxidant indices).

[0129] Reference Figure 14 The electronic device 1200 can be implemented as a mobile device 1400 (such as a smartphone).

[0130] The mobile device 1400 may include a housing and a display panel. The housing may form the appearance of the mobile device 1400. The display panel and a cover glass may be sequentially disposed on a first surface of the housing, and the display panel may be exposed to the outside through the cover glass. A sensor device 1210, a camera module, and / or an infrared sensor may be disposed on a second surface of the housing. When a user runs an application or similar application installed on the mobile device 1400 to request composition information of an analyte, the composition of the analyte can be estimated using the sensor device 1210, and the composition estimation information can be provided to the user via image or sound.

[0131] Reference Figure 15 The electronic device 1200 can also be implemented as an ear-worn device 1500.

[0132] The ear-worn device 1500 may include a main body and an ear strap. The user wears the ear strap by hanging it over the ear. Depending on the shape of the ear-worn device 1500, the ear strap may be omitted. The main body may be inserted into the user's external auditory canal. A sensor device 1210 may be installed in the main body. The ear-worn device 1500 can then provide component estimation results to the user via sound, or transmit the component estimation results to an external device, such as a mobile device, tablet device, or PC, via a communication module located within the main body.

[0133] The current embodiments can be implemented using computer-readable code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The code and code segments constituting a computer program can be inferred by a computer programmer in the art. Computer-readable media include all types of recording media storing computer-readable data. Examples of computer-readable media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, and optical data storage devices. Furthermore, computer-readable media can be implemented in the form of a carrier wave (such as internet transmission). Additionally, computer-readable media can be distributed to computer systems via a network, where computer-readable code can be stored and executed in a distributed manner.

[0134] Several examples have been described above. However, it will be understood that various modifications can be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order and / or if components in the described system, architecture, apparatus, or circuit are combined in a different manner and / or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Therefore, other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for estimating the composition of an analyte, the apparatus comprising: The sensor includes a light source configured to emit light toward the analyte and a detector configured to measure the spectrum of light reflected from the analyte; as well as The processor is configured to: determine optimal operating conditions based on the initial amount of received light obtained from the analyte by operating the sensor under initial operating conditions and the initial operating conditions. And based on measuring the spectrum of the analyte from the sensor by operating it under optimal operating conditions, the composition of the analyte is estimated based on the spectrum. The initial operating conditions of the sensor include at least one of the following: incident light intensity, gain, exposure time, and aperture size. The processor is also configured to determine optimal operating conditions based on the ratio of the initial amount of received light to a preset optimal amount of received light and the initial operating conditions. The processor is also configured to change the optimal operating condition to the first threshold based on the optimal operating condition being less than the first threshold.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The initial operating conditions are set such that a preset optimal amount of received light is detected from a standard sample with a predetermined reflectivity.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein, The predetermined reflectance includes at least one of the average reflectance and the maximum reflectance of the analyte.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is also configured to change the optimal operating conditions to the second threshold based on the optimal operating conditions exceeding the second threshold.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is also configured to repeatedly obtain the initial amount of received light by operating the sensor after increasing the light source current in the initial operating conditions, based on the optimal operating conditions exceeding a second threshold.

6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a force sensor or pressure sensor configured to measure the force or pressure applied between the analyte and the sensor. in, The processor is also configured to operate the sensor based on a force or pressure greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein, The processor is also configured to control the output interface to output information that guides the user to change the force or pressure applied between the analyte and the sensor based on the measured force or pressure.

8. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The processor is also configured to obtain the absorption spectrum of the analyte based on the said spectrum and the reference spectrum.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein, The processor is also configured to obtain a reference spectrum by normalizing the sample spectrum measured using a standard sample with a predetermined reflectance based on initial and optimal operating conditions.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein, The processor is also configured to normalize the sample spectrum by multiplying the amount of reflected light in the sample spectrum by the ratio of the exposure time in the optimal operating conditions to the exposure time in the initial operating conditions.

11. The device according to claim 8, wherein, The processor is also configured to obtain a reference spectrum corresponding to the optimal operating conditions by referring to a preset lookup table.

12. The device according to claim 8, wherein, The processor is also configured to estimate the composition of the analyte based on the absorption spectrum using a preset estimation model.

13. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The components of the analyte include at least one of skin carotenoids, blood carotenoids, glucose, urea, lactate, triglycerides, total protein, cholesterol, and ethanol.

14. A method for estimating the composition of an analyte, the method comprising: Operate the sensor under preset initial operating conditions; Detect the initial amount of light received from the analyte under initial operating conditions; Determine the optimal operating conditions based on the initial amount of received light and the initial operating conditions. The spectrum of the analyte is measured by operating the sensor under optimal operating conditions; as well as The composition of the analyte is estimated based on the spectrum. The initial operating conditions of the sensor include at least one of the following: incident light intensity, gain, exposure time, and aperture size. The step of determining the optimal operating conditions includes: determining the optimal operating conditions based on the ratio of the initial amount of received light to the preset optimal amount of received light and the initial operating conditions; and changing the optimal operating conditions to the first threshold based on the fact that the determined optimal operating conditions are less than the first threshold.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, The initial operating conditions are set such that a preset optimal amount of received light is detected from a standard sample with a predetermined reflectivity.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein, The steps for determining the optimal operating conditions include: changing the optimal operating conditions to the second threshold based on the fact that the determined optimal operating conditions exceed the second threshold.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein, The steps for determining the optimal operating conditions include: based on the determined optimal operating conditions exceeding a second threshold, repeatedly obtaining the initial amount of received light by operating the sensor after increasing the light source current in the initial operating conditions.

18. The method according to claim 14 or 15, further comprising: Measuring the force or pressure applied between the analyte and the sensor. The steps for operating the sensor under initial operating conditions include: operating the sensor based on the measured force or pressure being greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

19. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein, The steps for obtaining the composition of an analyte include: obtaining a reference spectrum, obtaining an absorption spectrum of the analyte based on the spectrum and the reference spectrum, and estimating the composition of the analyte based on the absorption spectrum.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein, The steps for obtaining the reference spectrum include: normalizing the sample spectrum measured using a standard sample with a predetermined reflectance based on initial and optimal operating conditions.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein, The steps to obtain the reference spectrum include: obtaining the reference spectrum corresponding to the optimal operating conditions by referring to a preset lookup table.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein, The steps for estimating the composition of an analyte include: estimating the composition of the analyte based on the absorption spectrum using a pre-defined estimation model.

23. An electronic device, the electronic device comprising: main body; The memory is located in the main body; as well as The processor, located within the main body and electrically connected to the memory, The processor is configured as follows: Based on the received request for estimating the antioxidant index, the sensor device is operated under the initial operating conditions stored in the memory. Based on an initial amount of light received from the user's skin, at least one of the following operating conditions of the sensor device—exposure time and light source current—is adjusted based on this initial amount of light received: By operating the sensor device under regulated operating conditions, a spectrum can be obtained from the user's skin. The antioxidant index is estimated based on the spectrum. The processor is also configured to adjust the exposure time based on the ratio of the initial amount of received light to a preset optimal amount of received light and the exposure time of the initial operating conditions. The processor is also configured to change the exposure time to the first threshold based on the adjusted exposure time being less than the first threshold.

24. The electronic device according to claim 23, wherein, The electronic device includes at least one of a smartwatch, smart bracelet, smart glasses, smart earphones, smart ring, smart patch, smart necklace, and smart phone.

25. The electronic device according to claim 23, wherein, The processor is also configured to set initial operating conditions such that a preset optimal amount of received light is detected from a standard sample having a predetermined reflectivity.

26. The electronic device according to claim 23, wherein, The processor is also configured to: change the exposure time to the second threshold based on the adjusted exposure time exceeding the second threshold, or repeatedly obtain the initial amount of received light and adjust the operating conditions of the light source after increasing the light source current.

27. The electronic device of claim 23, further comprising an output interface disposed in the main body, the output interface comprising at least one of a sound module for outputting the processing results of a processor and a display.

28. An apparatus for estimating the composition of an analyte, the apparatus comprising: The sensor includes a light source configured to emit light toward the analyte and a detector configured to measure the spectrum of light reflected from the analyte; as well as The processor is configured to: determine optimal operating conditions based on the initial amount of received light and the initial operating conditions, by operating the sensor to obtain an initial amount of light from the analyte under initial operating conditions. And based on measuring the spectrum of the analyte by operating the sensor under optimal operating conditions, the composition of the analyte is estimated based on the spectrum. The initial operating conditions of the sensor include at least one of the following: incident light intensity, gain, exposure time, and aperture size. The processor is also configured to determine optimal operating conditions based on the ratio of the initial amount of received light to a preset optimal amount of received light and the initial operating conditions. The processor is also configured to: change the optimal operating condition to the first threshold based on the optimal operating condition being less than the first threshold. The processor is further configured to: obtain a reference spectrum, obtain an absorption spectrum of the analyte based on the spectrum and the reference spectrum, and estimate the composition of the analyte based on the absorption spectrum.

29. A computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 14 to 22.

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