Radar device in a toilet to obtain physiological data from a user

Abstract

The invention relates in particular to a radar device (100) comprising a housing (200), capable of being positioned on an internal wall of a toilet bowl (106) and comprising a radar sensor (202), housed in the housing (200), and capable of emitting radar waves in the direction of the opening of the toilet bowl, in particular to measure physiological data of a user's body. This physiological data can make it possible to identify the user. The invention also relates to the associated methods. Abstract figure: Figure 5

Description

Title of the invention: Radar device in a toilet for obtaining physiological data from a user

[0001] The present description relates to methods for measuring physiological data of a user sitting on a toilet bowl and methods for identifying a toilet user, as well as associated devices.

[0002] The measurement methods find application in the context of non-invasive physiological measurements in everyday life. The identification methods find application in particular in the context of urine analysis tests, particularly at home, where it may be desired to be able to identify the person who urinated in order to attribute the results of the urine analysis to the right person, or even to simply trigger a urine analysis measurement, where it is preferable to identify the person who urinated in order to know whether or not to trigger a urine analysis measurement. State of the art

[0003] Obtaining physiological data allows us to know the state of health of a person. In a longitudinal approach, the goal is to regularly obtain the same physiological data to measure its evolution over time. The non-invasive nature of a measurement is essential to ensure that the user takes measurements regularly.

[0004] Among the non-invasive techniques, we can cite obtaining the heart rate by photoplethysmography (PPG), a ballistocardiogram (BCG) by radar, (putting prior arts here). We can also cite, in the context of toilets, data relating to the duration of urination or defecation.

[0005] The creation of new techniques and methods for obtaining non-invasive physiological measurements is sought by all stakeholders, whether scientists, industrialists, doctors and patients / users.

[0006] Urine analysis is currently mainly carried out in a specialized laboratory or at home in a fairly rudimentary manner. In both cases, the active intervention of a person is required, whether it be a laboratory technician or the user himself, in order to carry out the urine collection: the identification of the user does not pose any technical difficulty in these cases due to the active intervention of the technician or the user. However, in the context of regular monitoring of a user, this intervention proves to be costly and tedious.

[0007] Technical developments are making automated testing possible at home. By automated, it is meant that user actions are reduced to a minimum. For example, documents WO2021 / 175909, WO2021 / 175944 and FR2101762 describes a self-contained urine collection device to be placed in the user's home toilet. The urine collection measurement is non-invasive and does not require any action by the user regarding urine collection.

[0008] One of the problems related to this type of device, which automatically collects urine and analyzes it, is the attribution of the measurement to a specific user urinating among a plurality of potential users, for example among several people using the same toilet on a daily basis. There is therefore a need to be able to identify the user. The aforementioned documents describe some avenues, such as interaction with a button or Bluetooth recognition. The document “A mountable toilet System for personalized health monitoring via the analysis of excreta”, Park et al, in Nature Biomedical engineering (DOI: 10.1038 / s41551-020-0562-5), proposes several means, such as a fingerprint or anal print identification module.

[0009] These existing techniques have disadvantages: need to have your phone on you when urinating, need to install a button, hygiene, invasion of the user's privacy, necessary interaction with the urine analyzer, etc.

[0010] It is desirable to benefit from a measurement and identification system which does not have at least some of the aforementioned drawbacks. Summary of the invention

[0011] The present description aims to propose a method and the associated devices or systems not presenting at least one of the aforementioned difficulties. More specifically, the present description proposes to use a radar sensor positioned inside a toilet bowl and configured to emit radar waves and receive radar waves reflected by the body of a user sitting on the toilet. These reflected radar waves are processed to obtain physiological data of the user's body, called RF (for radiofrequency) physiological data. The nature of this physiological data is diverse and so are the uses.

[0012] For example, the processing may consist of obtaining physiological data that is indicative of a state of health of the user. In this case, the physiological data may relate to the heart, such as a heart rate, an inter-beat interval, a ballistocardiogram (from which the heart rate and the inter-beat interval may in particular be extracted), relating to breathing, or relating to a duration of sitting position relating to urination / defecation, etc.

[0013] In addition, the physiological data can be used to identify the user sitting on the toilet. This identification makes it possible to assign data related to urination / defecation (or the physiological data itself) to a correct user profile. corresponding to that of the user sitting on the toilet bowl.

[0014] Other identification methods can be associated, to attribute the RF physiological data to a given user profile.

[0015] The invention protected by this document is defined in the claims.

[0016] According to one aspect, the description relates to a method for determining physiological data of the body of a user sitting on a toilet bowl, the toilet bowl defining an opening at least partially blocked by the body of the user, the determination method being implemented by a radar sensor positioned inside the volume defined by the toilet bowl (for example on a wall of the bowl), the determination method comprising: - the emission by the radar sensor of at least one radar signal, in the direction of the opening, - reception by the radar sensor of a radar signal reflected by the user's body, - processing the received radar signal to determine physiological data of the user's body.

[0017] In particular, the processing of the radar signal comprises the determination of the temporal evolution of the distance between the radar sensor and the body of the user closing the opening, called radial distance, and the physiological data is determined from this evolution (for example from a derivative or a vertex extraction or any other analysis of the signal).

[0018] The radar sensor typically includes a field of view at least partially included in the opening of the toilet bowl.

[0019] In one embodiment, the physiological data comprises a ballistocardiogram of the user. The physiological data may comprise at least one of a heart rate of the user, an interval between two beats of a heart signal of the user, a variability of the heart rate of the user, the respiratory rate. The ballistocardiogram makes it possible in particular to identify the seated user, for example from among a plurality of recorded user profiles.

[0020] In one embodiment, the physiological data relates to the respiratory rate.

[0021] In one embodiment, the emission of radar waves begins before the user sits on the toilet bowl. Thus, the physiological data may include a duration of sitting of the user on the toilet bowl.

[0022] In one embodiment, the determination method comprising a prior step, using a user presence detector, of detecting the presence of a user (for example sitting on the toilet bowl (or who is going to sit down), the method comprising, in response to said detection, a step of activating the radar sensor to implement the steps of transmission, reception and processing.

[0023] The radar sensor may operate by frame, each frame being generated by a plurality of chirps, and the transmission and reception steps being implemented for each chirp.

[0024] In particular, the radar sensor may be a “Frequency Modulated Continuons Wave” (FMCW) radar sensor, or the radar signal is FMCW. The frequencies of the radar sensor may vary between 58 GHz and 63 GHz.

[0025] According to one aspect, the disclosure relates to a method of identifying a user seated on a toilet bowl, the identification method using a radar sensor positioned within the volume defined by the toilet bowl and comprising: - a determination method as described above, - using the physiological data, assigning a user profile to the seated user, for example from among a plurality of user profiles.

[0026] Following identification, the determined physiological data is typically associated with the assigned user profile.

[0027] According to one aspect, the disclosure relates to a method of analyzing excreta (e.g., urine) of a user, comprising: - an identification method as described above - obtaining excreta data (for example via user urine collection), - allocation (of excreta data to the identified user

[0028] According to one aspect, the description also relates to a computer program comprising instructions capable of implementing a method described above when the instructions are executed by a processor.

[0029] According to one aspect, the radar device comprises a radar sensor capable of implementing a method as described above. More specifically, the radar device may comprise: - a housing, suitable for being positioned inside a toilet bowl, for example on an internal wall of a toilet bowl, - a radar sensor, housed in the housing, and capable of emitting radar waves in the direction of the opening of the toilet bowl, the radar sensor being capable of implementing a method as described previously.

[0030] The radar sensor can be of the “Frequency Modulated Continuons Wave” (FMCW) type.

[0031] The radar device typically includes a battery to supply power to the radar sensor(s). The housing may also be waterproof.

[0032] According to one aspect, the description also relates to a urine analysis device, including: - a radar device as described above, - a collection hole on the box to receive urine, - a test kit for analyzing the urine received. Presentation of figures

[0033] The following figures help to facilitate understanding of the invention: - [Fig.l]: [Fig.l] schematically shows a sectional view of toilets equipped with a radar device according to an embodiment of the description, - [Fig.2]: [Fig.2] shows a more detailed view of a housing of a radar device associated with a urine analysis device, according to an embodiment of the description, - [Fig.3]: [Fig.3] schematically presents a view of the components of a radar device according to an embodiment of the description, as well as its ecosystem, - [Fig.4]: [Fig.4] schematically presents a more detailed view of a housing of a radar device associated with a urine analysis device, according to an embodiment of the description, - [Fig.5]: [Fig.5] shows a user sitting on a toilet including a radar sensor, - [Fig.6]: [Fig.6] presents a graph representing a displacement of the user's buttocks over time, and therefore here a ballistocardigram, obtained by a radar sensor, as described previously, - [Fig.7]: [Fig.7] illustrates a derivative of the phase shift (which therefore represents a derivative of the displacement) and an extraction of the peaks of the derivative, - [Fig.8]: [Fig.8] illustrates a graph representing an electrocardiogram and a ballistocardiogram, - [Fig.9]: [Fig.9] represents a curve identical to that of [Fig.7], - [Fig. 10]: [Fig. 10] shows a diagram representing a measuring method according to one embodiment of the invention, - [Fig. 11]: [Fig. 11] presents a diagram representing a detection method according to an embodiment of the invention, coupled with a method of measuring excreta data, - [Fig. 12]: [Fig. 12] presents a diagram representing a measuring method according to an embodiment of the invention, with prior detection of urine, - [Fig. 13]: [Fig. 13] shows a schematic view of the placement of the radar sensor in the box and / or in the toilet, and - [Fig. 14]: [Fig. 14] shows a schematic view of an analysis device urine incorporating the radar device, according to one embodiment of the description. Detailed description

[0034] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a measuring device 100, which will also be called radar device 100 hereinafter, mounted in a toilet 102. In a known manner, the toilet 102 comprises a water tank 104, a toilet bowl 106 (hereinafter bowl 106), possibly a seat 108 on which the user sits and a cover 110. The bowl 106 comprises a wall 112 defining an internal volume V and an opening O, typically surrounded by the seat 108. The wall 112 receives in particular urine, stools and the flushing of the toilet.

[0035] When the user is seated on the seat 108 or the bowl 106, his body, and in particular a posterior part, in particular his buttocks and his genital organs, at least partially obstruct the opening O of the bowl 106. We will hereinafter speak of a user “seated on the bowl 106” for simplification (independently of the presence or absence of a seat 108), to signify that the user has positioned his body, that is to say essentially his buttocks and genital organs at the level of the opening O.

[0036] The measuring device 100 is arranged in the bowl 106, for example arranged on the wall 112 of the bowl 106. More particularly, the radar device 100 is entirely received in the volume V of the bowl 106, which allows it to be discreet.

[0037] The radar device 100 is designed to emit radar waves towards the opening O of the bowl 106, where the user's body is located in a seated position, i.e. essentially his buttocks and genitals. More precisely, the radar device 100 is configured to receive radar waves reflected by the user's body closing the opening O, therefore essentially his buttocks, and to process these reflected radar waves in order to determine physiological data of the user's body (see [Fig. 5] presented later).

[0038] By physiological data of the body, it is notably meant in the case of the present description data relating to the body of the user obtained using the radar device 100, for example data relating to the activity of the organism of the user. In the following description, we will speak of RF (for radiofrequency) physiological data to simplify the terms.

[0039] The physiological data can be obtained before urination, during urination and / or after urination, depending on the case.

[0040] The radar device 100 makes it possible in particular to determine a change in a radial distance D(t) between the body (in particular buttocks and the organs in the area, such as the abdominal strap, the pelvic floor, and the genital organs) of the user and the radar device 100 as a function of time, during the sitting phase. The causes of this change may be linked to the heartbeats, and the graph re presenting this evolution is then called a ballistocardiogram, or can be linked to the user's breathing.

[0041] This development concerns a seated phase, therefore with the user seated.

[0042] Other physiological data of the user may be obtained when the user is seated on the toilet. For example, data relating to excreta (urine, stool, perspiration, etc.) may be obtained by the measuring device 100 or other devices. This other physiological data will be referred to as excreta data. This will be referred to as methods for obtaining excreta data.

[0043] In one embodiment, the radar device 100 can be positioned in the toilet 102 so as to be furthermore in the path of a jet of urine secreted by a user during urination, in particular when a user urinates while sitting in the toilet. The position of the radar device 100 in the toilet is then suitable for any type of user, male or female, regardless of age. The user can then urinate in the toilet without worrying about the position of the radar device 100.

[0044] The positioning of the radar device 100 on the wall 112 of the bowl 106 also allows it to be positioned on the path of a flush coming from the tank 104. The radar device 100 can thus be rinsed when the flush is actuated.

[0045] A fastener may be provided to hold the radar device 100 on the internal wall of the bowl 106: suction cup, magnet (with support glued to the wall), hook reaching the edge of the bowl 106, etc.

[0046] The radar device 100 is typically an Ondemm radar (“mmWave radar” in English), which means that the radar emits millimeter waves, that is to say that the wavelength of radar waves is of the order of a millimeter. The frequency covered is between a few GHz and a few hundred GHz. At this wavelength, the waves do not penetrate the user's skin, or only very shallowly (of the order of a millimeter maximum).

[0047] Details of the radar device and its connectivity

[0048] The radar device 100 can communicate with a mobile terminal 114 (type smartphone) and / or an external server 116. In one embodiment, the radar device 100 communicates with the mobile terminal 114 (for example directly via Bluetooth such as Bluetooth Low Energy) and the mobile terminal 114 communicates with the server 116 (via a cellular or WiFi connection). In another embodiment, the radar device 100 may communicate directly with the server 116 via a cellular network.

[0049] With reference to [Fig.2], the radar device 100 may comprise a housing 200 inside which a radar sensor 202 is positioned (shown schematically in The housing 200 is sized to be positioned in the bowl 106 of the toilet 102. Because of its positioning in a region exposed to various liquids or solids, the housing 200 is waterproof. In one embodiment, the housing 200 comprises a collection orifice 204, capable of receiving urine flowing onto the housing 200. In this embodiment, the radar device 100 is part of a urine analysis device which notably comprises the housing 200. The housing 200 may comprise a front shell 206 and a rear shell 208, which can be assembled and disassembled to be able to access the interior of the housing 200. The urine analysis device has been described in documents WO2021 / 175909, WO2021 / 175944, WO2023 / 036805, WO2023 / 036806, WO2023 / 036808 and WO2023036809 (publication numbers).

[0050] [Fig. 3] represents, in a diagram 300, the components that the radar device 100 may comprise, and the general ecosystem. The radar device 100 comprises a control circuitry 302 with a processor 304, a memory 306 and an I / O (input / output) interface 308 configured to send and receive data from the control circuitry 302. A communication module 310 may be provided to exchange data with an external terminal (for example a smartphone). The communication module 310 may be a wireless module, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Emission, etc. The control circuitry 302 may in particular communicate with the radar sensor 202 to send acquisition instructions and receive radar data to be processed.

[0051] The radar device 100 may include a battery 312 that supplies power to the components.

[0052] The memory 306 can store instructions, which, when executed by the processor 304, implement the method(s) of the present description. The methods are preferably carried out locally, by the processor 304 of the radar device 100. This allows feedback to the user without the need for a connection, in particular with the external terminal (“smartphone”).

[0053] The radar device 100 can communicate, using the communication module 310 and using a communication network 314, with an external mobile terminal 316, of the mobile terminal type (“smartphone”). The mobile terminal 316 comprises control circuitry 318 with a processor 320, a memory 322 and an I / O interface 324 configured to send and receive data from the control circuitry 302. The external terminal 316 further comprises a user interface 326 for interacting with the user. The processor 320 and the memory 322 can implement an application that allows the external terminal 316 to communicate with the measurement device 100. The user interface 326 can in particular display information to the user.

[0054] The radar device 100 can also communicate with a server 328, either directly via the communication network 314 or via the external terminal 316. The server 328 includes control circuitry 330 with a processor 332, a memory 334 and an I / O interface 336 configured to send and receive data from the control circuitry 302. The server 328 can store the measurements made by the radar device 100 (cloud architecture). The server 328 can also perform data processing.

[0055] The communication network 314 can be heterogeneous: short-range wireless (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc.), long-range wireless (cellular, etc.), wired (Ethernet, etc.).

[0056] The memory 322 and / or the server 328 and / or the external terminal 316 may store one or more user profiles comprising, for example, a unique identifier for the user, the gender and age of the user, with which physiological data, for example RF physiological data or excreta data, are associated. Typically, the user profiles are centralized on the server 328, from which they are downloaded by the external terminal 316 and the radar device 100.

[0057] [Fig. 4] describes in more detail an example of radar sensor 202. Radar sensor 202 comprises a transmitter 402, a receiver 404 and control circuitry 406. Transmitter 402 comprises at least one transmission antenna Tx 408 and a wave generator 410. Receiver 404 comprises at least one reception antenna Rx 412. Control circuitry 406 comprises in particular a processor 414 and a memory 416, for controlling transmitter 402 and processing the signals received by receiver 404. Control circuitry 406 of radar sensor 202 may be integrated or partially integrated into control circuitry 302 of radar device 100. Hereinafter, we will refer to “control circuitry 302, 406” to designate one and / or the other.

[0058] The radar sensor 202 uses in particular the Doppler-Fizeau effect generated by a moving object to obtain in particular the speed of said object and / or the distance between said object and the radar sensor 202. The speed is called radial, because it is only the speed component projected onto an axis connecting said object and the radar sensor 202. In the same way, we will speak of radial distance D(t), because it is the distance along this axis.

[0059] The wave generator 410 and the Tx antenna generate electromagnetic waves wTx, emitted in the direction of a field of view FoV (“Field of view”), visible in [Fig. 5]. These electromagnetic waves are partially reflected by the obstacles they encounter, i.e. the user’s body (especially the buttocks), and create an echo represented by the waves wRx in [Fig. 5], which is received by the Rx antenna 404. The control circuitry 302, 406 processes the echoes to generate radar data. The control circuitry 302, 406 can convert the analog signals generated by the wave generator 310 and received by the Rx antenna as digital signals. Filters, amplifiers, etc. are typically provided in the radar sensor 202.

[0060] The radar sensor 202 may be compact, of the order of a few centimeters, or even less than 1 cm. For example, the radar sensor 202 may be contained in a cube of dimensions 1 cm x 1 cm x 1 cm.

[0061] The field of view FoV is typically a solid angle, which covers a volume of space from the radar sensor 202. The FoV is generally defined by two aperture angles. The axis of symmetry of each angle is called the radar axis.

[0062] In one embodiment, the radar sensor 202 comprises several transmitters 402 configured to transmit in different directions and / or to transmit several types of signals. Similarly, the control circuitry 302, 406 is configured to manage the transmission of several radar beams and / or several types of signals.

[0063] With reference to [Fig. 4], the radar sensor 202 may be a frequency modulated continuous wave radar, called FMCW (“Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave”), which means that the radar sensor emits a frequency modulated signal (“chirp” according to the established terminology, an anglicism translatable as “frequency sweep” in French but the English term is commonly used). Formulated differently, during the pulse, of a duration T, the frequency of the emitted chirp varies over a range. Several modulations are possible: sawtooth modulation, triangular modulation, frequency shift modulation, staircase modulation, etc. The radar sensor may be an ultra-wideband radar, called UWB (“Ultra Wide Band” in English) may also be suitable. The UWB radar emits wave patterns of a few nanoseconds which are repeated. The study of the delays makes it possible to determine distances and the study of the delay variations makes it possible to determine speeds.

[0064] As indicated previously, the radar sensor 202 is an Ondemm radar (“mmWave radar” in English), which means that the radar emits millimeter waves, that is to say that the wavelength of the radar waves is of the order of a millimeter. The frequency covered is between a few GHz and a few hundred GHz, for example between 20GHz and 200GHz.

[0065] The radar sensor 202 can emit a succession of chirps, the succession being called a “frame” (translatable as “window” in French but the English term is commonly used). In one embodiment, a frame comprises between 16 and 256 chirps, or even between 32 and 64 chirps (for example 128 chirps). More specifically, a frame can be broken down as follows: N.(PRT)=N.(t_chirp + t_pause), where the PRT is the pulse repetition time (“pulse repetition time”), where t_chirp is the time of a chirp, t_pause is the pause time before the next chirp and N is the number of chirps. The PRT can last between 300qs and 500qs. The pause can be 1000s. A frame can thus last a few milliseconds.

[0066] Frequency modulation makes it possible to create, after mixing the transmitted and received signals, filtering, etc., a signal, called an intermediate frequency signal (Intermediate Frequency Signal in English), the frequencies of which are proportional to the radial distance of the objects at the origin of the echoes. A Fourier transform applied to this intermediate frequency signal makes it possible to highlight the frequencies and the associated distances. By analyzing the phase variations of the Fourier transforms on successive chirps, it is possible to highlight the Doppler frequencies, which are linked to the speed of the object, and it is possible to calculate the phase signal. The radar sensor 202 can obtain, for each object, the radial speed and the radial distance.In particular, the radar sensor 202 can generate a “Distance-Doppler” map (“Range-Doppler” according to the usual terminology), which represents the radial distance (on the abscissa figures, in m) and the speed of a moving object in the field of view FoV (on the ordinate figures, in m / s). For each frame, a “Distance-Doppler” map can be calculated.

[0067] In the framework of the frames, obtaining the “Distance-Doppler” map is done using FFT (“fast fourier transform”) and their evolution between successive chirps. The “Distance-Doppler” maps are known and will not be described in more detail.

[0068] Using chirps in particular, the radar sensor 202 can also calculate a radial distance between itself and a moving object.

[0069] For example, after the Fourier transform, the signal comprises a real component, relative to the distance, and an imaginary component, relative to the phase of the signal. However, the phase of the signal is directly related to the radial distance, via the equation: A <e>=4IL <1> R / X, where A <1> is the phase difference, It is pi, OR the radial distance difference and X is the wavelength of the signal. By sampling the phases, it is possible to obtain the delta R. By evaluating the phase changes between the chirps, the evolution of the phase can be determined. Modulo a multiplication or a division by the factor 4II / X, the knowledge of the evolution of the phase makes it possible to know the evolution of the radial distance, R. For example, the curve representing this evolution can represent a ballistocardiogram if the variations of the radial distance R are linked to heartbeats.

[0070] The smaller the identifiable phase variation (i.e., the smaller the sampling), the better the accuracy on radial distance variations. For example, the accuracy can be as high as 50 pm

[0071] A frame can last 20ms. Therefore, one hundred successive frames take 2s. More generally, in the case of an FMCW radar, a chirp can last between 30 and 200 ms.

[0072] In the illustrated examples of the description, the radar sensor 202 is an Infineon™ BGT60TR13C FMCW radar whose frequency can vary between 58 GHz and 63.5 GHz during a chirp. This interval allows a bandwidth of more than 5 GHz which ensures sufficient accuracy for the use presented in the description. Other frequency values ​​can be used, in particular around the values ​​described. This radar sensor comprises three Rx antennas and one Tx antenna. In the example illustrated, the chirp comprises a sawtooth frequency modulation. In the example illustrated in [Fig.5], the chirp frequency varies between 58 and 63 GHz, with a sampling at 100 kHz.

[0073] Arrangement of the radar sensor in the bowl

[0074] The radar device 100 is arranged in the bowl so that the field of view FoV of the radar sensor 202 is oriented towards the opening of the bowl 106, which means that a user sitting on the seat 108 is in the radar coverage and in particular a part of his body (his buttocks and genitals, in addition to other areas). More precisely, the field of view FoV includes a part of the opening of the bowl, in order to emit towards a part of the buttocks and / or the genitals. In one embodiment, the field of view FoV is included in the opening of the bowl, in order to emit as much as possible towards the buttocks.

[0075] The radar device 100 makes it possible to generate one or more RF physiological data relating to the user's body, via the reflection of radar waves by the user's body. These RF physiological data can be used as such, i.e. as an indicator of a health state of the user or as a means of identifying the user sitting on the toilet bowl.

[0076] [Fig. 5], already presented previously, illustrates a user 500 sitting on a bowl 106. The radar device 100 is positioned in the volume V of the bowl 106 and the radar sensor 202 emits radar waves (referenced wTx) towards the body (in particular the buttocks 502) of the user U, which return reflected radar waves (referenced wRX). We will then speak of the user's body. The radar device 100 makes it possible to determine the radial distance D(t) between the body and the radar device 100, and in particular its evolution, even minimal, over time. This radial distance D(t), or data relating to this radial distance D(t) can constitute the physiological data RF itself.

[0077] This emission and reception of radar waves can be done, during the sitting phase, before, during or after urination. However, during urination, it is appropriate to filter the signals reflected by the urine stream. Nevertheless, since the movement of the body is coherent, the movement observed by the radar sensor 202 is pulsatile and coherent with the heart rate.

[0078] General description

[0079] As explained previously, the device 100 makes it possible to obtain a change in the radial distance D(t) of the body of the seated user relative to the radar device 100. This distance D(t) can vary due to the heartbeats and due to the res piration. The analysis of this evolution makes it possible to determine a physiological RF data of the user's body. The analysis can include a derivative calculation, an extrema extraction, etc.

[0080] Detection of a movement of the body (in particular the buttocks) in a sitting position

[0081] Several physiological phenomena cause very small movements of the human body, independently of its will, which the radar device 100 is capable of detecting. Among these two phenomena, we can cite the heart and breathing.

[0082] Radar wave ballistography

[0083] The user's heart 504, with each beat, ejects blood through the aorta which causes an upward recoil and therefore a movement of the body along the illustrated Z axis passing approximately through the user's neck, heart and buttocks. However, due to the seated position of the user 500 and the positioning of the radar device 100 under the user 500, the radar device 100 is ideally positioned to measure the movement of the body along the Z axis: the projection of the movements of the user's buttocks onto a radial axis at the radar device 100 is sufficiently representative. In other words, the angle between the movement of the buttocks and the radial axis is sufficiently small for the projection to retain sufficient information relating to the movement.

[0084] The measurement of this movement is a ballistocardiogram, BCG, the obtaining of which using the radar device 100 has been described previously. The ballistocardiogram is considered as a vital signal which makes it possible to identify characteristics of the user's vascular system.

[0085] [Fig.6] represents a curve 600 illustrating on the ordinate a radial displacement in millimeters of the object reflecting the radar waves, that is to say the buttocks 502, as arranged 18 cm from the radar sensor, and the abscissa represents the time in seconds. Phase 602 represents the ballistocardiogram of the user 500.

[0086] Thus, in one embodiment, the radar device 100 makes it possible to obtain a ballistocardiogram. By way of illustration, it can be observed that, in a phase 604 where there is no user on the toilet bowl, the radar sensor 202 detects no movement, which results in a white signal. At the moment when the buttocks 502 of the user 500 appear, in a phase 606, the radar sensor 202 detects changes in movement which are outside its operating capacity, resulting in a very noisy signal (the rectangular white zone corresponds to a masking of text integrated into the image). Finally, once the user 500 is seated on the bowl 106 and almost motionless, the radar sensor 202 detects the movements of the user's buttocks caused by the ejection of blood by the heart: this is phase 602.

[0087] Indeed, by the positioning of the radar sensor 202 which is substantially aligned with the heart 504 of the user and the buttocks 502 of the user 500 when the user is in seated position, the radar sensor 202 is ideally positioned to detect variations in movement along the Z axis illustrated in [Fig.5]. Thus, the measurement of a BCG by a radar device 100 placed in the bowl makes it possible to obtain a high-quality BCG.

[0088] The ballistocardiogram shows, at the level of the envelope of the peaks, a variation which represents the respiratory rhythm.

[0089] In one embodiment, the RF physiological data is the ballistocardiogram itself, and / or any data extracted from this ballistocardiogram, such as the heart rate, the interval between two beats (“interbeat interval” in English), the variability of the heart rate (“heart rate variability” in English, HRV), or even the respiratory rate.

[0090] [Fig.7] illustrates curves 700 including curve (702) which represents the derivative of the phase of the radar signal as a function of time (in seconds), that is to say, to a multiplicative factor, the derivative of the radial displacement of the body. The peaks in the dotted frame, represented by a small cross, represent the heart rate, as manifested by the displacement of the buttocks. In [Fig.7] is curve 704 which represents the extraction of these peaks. The two ordinates are respectively normalized.

[0091] [Fig.8] represents an ECG analysis 800 (electrocardiogram), where there is an ECG curve 802 and a radar signal curve 804 (the radar signal was resampled at the frequency of the ECG signal, which generated artifacts on the amplitude of the radar signal peaks and on the signals around 0), as a function of time (in seconds). This analysis 800 makes it possible to highlight the detectability of heartbeats by radar ballistocardiam in the configuration of [Fig.5].

[0092] Respiratory rate embodiment

[0093] When a person breathes, the organs are compressed against the perineum, which causes a slight displacement of the abdomen, the pelvic floor, or even the abdominal belt. In the same way as for the BCG, the positioning of the device 100, under the buttocks, in the toilet, is ideal for detecting variations in movement along the Z axis illustrated in [Fig.5].

[0094] [Fig. 9], similar to curve 702 of [Fig. 7], illustrates a curve 900 representing the derivative of the phase of the received radar signal as a function of time (in seconds), that is to say, to a multiplicative factor, the derivative of the radial displacement of the body. The dotted frame illustrates a periodic displacement identifiable by the radar signal. This displacement corresponds to the respiratory rhythm, as it is manifested by the displacement of the body (in particular of the aforementioned organs). It should be noted that this displacement is observable independently of the displacements generated by the heart (and visible on the ballistocardiogram, in particular at the level of the buttocks in particular). In In particular, as the curve is representative of a derivative of the position (therefore a speed), it is possible to see on this curve 702 that the user inspires more quickly than he expires.

[0095] In one embodiment, the physiological data RF is the displacement curve itself or the curve of the derivative 702, or any data extracted from the displacement curve: respiratory rhythm or frequency, inspiration or expiration speed, breathing holding phase, etc. We will talk about data relating to the respiratory rhythm.

[0096] User sitting time

[0097] In one embodiment, the RF physiological data is the user's sitting time on the toilet bowl. This sitting time can be determined in several ways: by obtaining radial distance variation data, or by another radar method which detects at least the presence of a user (undifferentiated).

[0098] More precisely, the sitting time can be obtained in several ways: the total duration of an identifiable BCG signal or the time interval between the user detection phases, which correspond to the movement phases of the user 500 from the toilet bowl 106 (standing-sitting and sitting-standing).

[0099] However, these techniques require that the radar sensor 202 be activated before the user sits on the toilet bowl.

[0100] To this end, the radar sensor 202 can be activated during predefined ranges such as those defined in application EP22315324.8 (and called temporal analyzing windows). These ranges can represent a few hours (less than 4 hours for example) per day, so that the radar device 100 can send prospective waves every X seconds while maintaining sufficient battery life (X being between 1s and 10s, or even between 1s and 5s). These prospective waves can also make it possible to detect the presence of a user who sits on the toilet and who is therefore going to urinate (see [Fig. 6] and the different phases described).

[0101] User identification with RF physiological data

[0102] One of the common problems related to connected objects and obtaining user-related data is the attribution of data obtained from measurements on a user to a user profile corresponding to said user. This problem is all the more important when the device concerned can be used by several people, as is the case for the radar device 100 when it is for example installed in the toilets of a home in which several people live. In the case of the present description, the problem consists of the attribution of the RF physiological data and / or the excreta data to the user sitting on the toilet bowl, who is the one who reflected the radar waves and / or emitted excreta. In concrete terms, this involves assigning this data to a user profile corresponding to that of the seated user.

[0103] One of the roles of the RF physiological data may be to enable the seated user to be identified, so that said RF physiological data or the excreta data may be attributed to the seated user.

[0104] The shape of a ballistrocardiogram, on a single pattern (a pattern corresponding to a cardiac cycle), presents several characteristics which make it possible to characterize one person in relation to another. For example, the difference between two peaks of a pattern, the amplitude of the pattern, the ratio between two peaks of a pattern or any relevant combination. To obtain usable data, these characteristics can be obtained by averaging over several patterns, which also makes it possible to know the heart rate, the variation of the heart rate ("heart rate variability" HRV), etc.

[0105] In fact, all these characteristics depend on the anatomy or physiology of the person: state of the heart, orientation of the heart, state of the aorta (rigidity, shape, etc.) and of the vascular system, tissues, etc. Consequently, these parameters have an influence on the ballistrocardiogram.

[0106] The following documents detail how a user's ballistocardiogram can be used to identify them among other users, including by means of neural networks: - “Ballistocardiogram-based person identification using correlation analysis” by Hong Guo et al., - “Ballistocardiogram Based Identity Recognition: Towards Zero-Effort Health Mo-nitoring in an Intemet-of-Things (loT) Environment”, by Javaid et al. In IEEE, - “Ballistocardiogram Based Person Identification and Authentication Using Recurrent Neural Networks”, by Zhang et al., in IEEE.

[0107] These documents demonstrated the possibility of identifying users from ballistocardiograms obtained by load sensors but the principle is similar for a ballistocardiogram obtained by radar waves.

[0108] Similarly, identification can be performed based on breathing, especially if two users whose user profiles are recorded have different breathing patterns.

[0109] Other means of identification

[0110] In order to assign the physiological data to a user profile corresponding to the seated user, other means of identification can be implemented.

[0111] In an embodiment described in detail in document EP23200144, the radar device 100 can furthermore make it possible to identify properties of the urine stream, these properties making it possible in particular to identify the user, in particular by classifying the urine stream as belonging to a given user. The classification of a user can be at least a classification by discrimination between man and woman. In a heterosexual bigamous household where the only users of the radar device 100 are the man and the woman, this anatomical discrimination based on sex, during the sitting phase, makes it possible to identify the user of the radar device 100. For this purpose, the radar sensor 202 can be the same as that used in the present description or a radar sensor 202 with other transmitters and receivers.

[0112] Methods

[0113] Several different methods will be described in relation to Figures 10 and 11. In particular, a method 1000 for determining physiological data using the radar device 100 and an identification method 1100 using the radar device 100 will be presented. These methods share steps in common but their purpose differs. The identification method 800 can be associated with a method 1000 for determining physiological data, in order to attribute the physiological data to a user.

[0114] [Fig. 10] illustrates the steps of a method 1000 for determining RF physiological data as presented previously in the various embodiments. The steps of the method 1000 can be implemented by the radar sensor 202 and in particular by the control circuitry 302, 406.

[0115] In a step 1002, the control circuitry drives the radar sensor 202 to emit signals. These signals are typically emitted in the direction of the opening of the toilet bowl 106, that is to say in the direction of the user's body at least partially closing the opening O. In a step 1004, the control circuitry drives the radar sensor 202 to receive signals reflected by the body (typically the buttocks for the BCG) of the user. In a step 1006, the control circuitry processes the reflected signals to determine RF physiological data of the user. In one embodiment, steps 1002, 1004, 1006 are repeated to obtain continuous information. Examples of processing have been described previously.For example, the control circuitry determines the temporal evolution of the radial distance D(t) between the body and the radar sensor 202, then the control circuitry determines the RF physiological data from this temporal evolution: as described previously, the RF data can be a ballistocardiogram (or any information derived from the latter), data relating to respiration, etc. In a step 1008, the control circuitry can then store the RF physiological data and send it to the server and / or the mobile terminal.

[0116] [Fig. 11] illustrates the steps of several variants IlOOi, IlOOii, IlOOiii of an identification method 1100. The steps can be implemented by the cir- control circuitry 302, 406. Steps 1102, 1104, 1106 of method 800 are identical to steps 1002, 1004, 1006 of method 1000. In a step 1108, the control circuitry uses the RF physiological data to identify the user.

[0117] The identification may correspond to the assignment of a user profile to the seated user. This identification may be made from among a plurality of pre-existing user profiles stored at the server 116, 328 and / or the radar device 100.

[0118] For example, when the RF physiological data is a ballistocardiogram or any data from the BCG, identification is possible according to the methods described previously. In particular, identification is possible by a choice between two profiles, for which one or more BCGs is In a first variant 1100i), in a step 1110i following step 1108, the RF physiological data is assigned to the profile identified using the RF physiological data itself.

[0119] In both variants 1100ii and 1100iii, a method for obtaining excreta data is implemented to obtain at least one data item from the excreta generated by the seated user. For example, the method for obtaining excreta data may comprise urine collection and one excreta data item may be data relating to the user's urine (pH, hormone, etc.). The method for obtaining excreta data may be as described in the aforementioned patent documents.

[0120] In a second variant 1100ii), in a step 1110ii implemented temporally before, during or after steps 1102 to 1108, a method for obtaining excreta data 1100ii is implemented to obtain at least one piece of data from the excreta generated by the seated user. In a step 1112ii, the excreta data is assigned to the user profile identified in step 1108. In this way, the physiological data RF makes it possible to identify the user for whom excreta data have been obtained.

[0121] The identification may be done according to one or more classification rules stored in the control circuitry for classifying the physiological data. By identification, it is meant that the control circuitry can assign the physiological data and / or the excreta data to a given user profile among a plurality of user profiles stored in the control circuitry 302, 406.

[0122] In a third variant 1100iii) of the method 1100, a method for obtaining excreta data 1110iii may be implemented in response to the identification step 1108. Thus, depending on the identification of the step 1108, the control circuitry may or may not implement a method for obtaining excreta data 1110iii. For example, when the identification step 1108 determines that the user corresponds to a user profile for which excreta data is expected (for example a specific gravity test for an athlete), the control circuitry triggers a method for obtaining excreta data 1110iii. In this alternatively, the excreta data is assigned to the user profile identified in step 1108.

[0123] The identification step 1108 can be performed by the smartphone or the server and not by the control circuitry. In the same way, part of the processing step 1106 can be performed by the smartphone or the server. As the detection of the user can condition the triggering of a measurement and urination only lasts a few seconds, it may be important that the classification step is performed by the control circuitry of the radar device itself. Indeed, a round trip with the server requires a stable internet connection and immediate availability of the server. To have an embedded algorithm, clustering (Anglicism translatable as "grouping" in French) without machine learning (Anglicism translatable as "automatic learning" in French) can be used.

[0124] User detector

[0125] In order to trigger a radar acquisition only when a user is sitting on the toilet, for example to save battery, the toilet may integrate a user presence detector, in particular a seated user, which may be in one embodiment a urine detector 210. More particularly, the urine detector 210 may be mounted in the radar device 100. The urine detector 210 may comprise a temperature sensor 220 mounted in the housing 200, for example at the collection orifice 204. When urine at a temperature above 35°C runs onto the housing, the temperature sensor 220 will detect a sudden increase in temperature. The urine detector 210 is then configured to associate this sudden increase in temperature with the presence of a jet of urine on the housing 200.

[0126] In another embodiment, the user presence detector may be a load cell or an optical sensor. This sensor may detect the presence of a user upstream of urination, which may allow the RF physiological data to be acquired for a longer period of time. Alternatively, the user presence sensor may be the radar device 100 itself, in particular by sending prospective waves, as described previously. These prospective waves make it possible to detect a user before he or she is seated.

[0127] [Fig. 12] illustrates a method 1200 of activating the radar sensor 202. In a step 1202, the user presence detector detects 1202 a user who is going to sit down or who is sitting down (for example, the urine detector 210 detects the presence of a urine stream). In a step 1204, in response to said detection, the control circuitry 302, 406 commands the radar sensor 202 to perform the method 1000 or 1100.

[0128] In another embodiment, methods 1000 or 1100 may be triggered directly by the user by means of a command sent to the sensor. radar 202, for example by means of a mobile terminal 114 and / or by a physical button arranged near the toilet and operable by the user when the latter sits on the toilet bowl.

[0129] Positioning the radar sensor in the toilets

[0130] [Fig. 13] illustrates different possible locations for the radar device 100 in the toilet bowl 106 and in particular the radar sensor 202 inside the housing 200.

[0131] In one embodiment, the radar sensor 202 is centered relative to an axis of symmetry D of the housing 200; if the user centers the housing 200 on an axis of symmetry X of the toilet bowl 106, then the radar sensor 200 is centered relative to the toilet.

[0132] In an embodiment not illustrated, the radar sensor 202 is off-center relative to an axis of symmetry D of the housing 200; if the user centers the housing 200 on an axis of symmetry X of the toilet, then the radar sensor 200 is slightly off-center relative to the toilet.

[0133] In one embodiment, the housing 200 is positioned at a distance from the axis of symmetry X of the toilet, that is to say it is slightly offset to the right or to the left.

[0134] In the case of integration of the radar device into a urine analysis device, the housing 200 must be located under the urine stream, which requires positioning of the housing in the proximal part of the toilet bowl 206 and preferably close to an axis of symmetry X of the toilet.

[0135] Integration of a radar sensor into an excreta analysis device

[0136] In one embodiment, the radar device 100 is integrated into an excreta analysis device and more particularly a urine analysis device 1400. The urine device has been described in documents WO2021 / 175909, WO2021 / 175944, WO2023 / 036805, WO2023 / 036806, WO2023 / 036808 and WO2023036809 (publication number). The identification of a seated user may be a step prior to triggering a urine analysis. The identification of the seated user also makes it possible to attribute the results of the analysis to the user profile corresponding to that of the seated user.

[0137] As illustrated in detail in [Fig. 14], the urine analysis device 1400 comprises a station 1402 and a cartridge 1404, removably mounted in the station 1402. The station 1402 notably comprises the housing 200 which is, according to a particular embodiment, formed as an assembly of two half-shells. The housing 200 contains a test assembly. The test assembly is intended to analyze the urine being received in the urine analysis device 100. The station 1402 further comprises an annular housing 1406, inside the housing 200, arranged around an axis of rotation A. The annular housing 1106 is configured to at least partially receive the cartridge 1104 mounted to rotate around the axis of rotation A (once in position in the annular housing 212). The cartridge 1404 comprises a plurality of test carriers incorporating a reagent, for example a dry reagent arranged along a circle or an arc of a circle around the axis of rotation A. In one embodiment, the test carriers are test strips. The carrier tests are individually enclosed in a chamber

[0138] The annular housing 1406 typically extends 360° and forms a groove configured to partially receive the cartridge 1104.

[0139] The station 1402 further includes the collection port 218, positioned for example on the rear shell in [Fig. 11]. The collection port 218 may receive urine dripping by gravity onto the outer surface of the housing 204. A drain port (not shown) is also included for draining liquid from the device 1400.

[0140] In one embodiment, the housing 200 has a diameter, measured in the direction normal to the axis A, of between 50 mm and 150 mm, for example close to 100 mm.

[0141] The test assembly includes a pump, an injector, and an analyzer, not shown in [Fig. 14]. The pump draws urine from the collection port 218 and then the injector injects the urine onto a test medium of the cartridge, and then the analyzer obtains properties of the test medium after it contacts the urine. The injector and the cartridge can move relative to each other so that the injector can pierce the chamber.< / e>

Claims

Claims

1. Method for determining (700) physiological data of the body of a user (500) sitting on a toilet bowl (106), the toilet bowl (106) defining an opening (O) at least partially closed by the body of the user, the determination method being implemented by a radar sensor (202) positioned inside the volume (V) defined by the toilet bowl (106), the determination method (100) comprising: - the emission (1002) by the radar sensor (202) of at least one radar signal, in the direction of the opening (O), - the reception (1004) by the radar sensor (202) of a radar signal reflected by the body of the user, - the processing (1006) of the received radar signal to determine physiological data of the body of the user.

2. Determination method according to claim 1, in which the processing of the radar signal comprises the determination of the temporal evolution of the distance (D(t)) between the radar sensor (202) and the body of the user closing the opening (O), called radial distance, and the physiological data is determined from this evolution.

3. A determination method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the physiological data comprises a ballistocardiogram of the user.

4. A determination method according to any one of claims 2 to 3, wherein the physiological data comprises at least one of a heart rate of the user, an interval between two beats of a heart signal of the user, a variability of the heart rate of the user, the respiratory rate.

5. A determination method according to claim 2, wherein the physiological data relates to the user's breathing rate.

6. A determination method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the transmission (1002) begins before the user sits on the toilet bowl.

7. A determination method according to claim 6, wherein the physiological data comprises a duration of sitting of the user on the toilet bowl (106).

8. A determination method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the radar sensor (202) comprises a field of view (FoV) at least partially included in the toilet bowl opening (106).

9. Determination method (700) according to one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a prior step, using a user presence detector (210), of detecting the presence of a user, the method comprising in response to said detection, a step of activating the radar sensor (202) to implement the steps of transmission, reception and processing.

10. Method of identifying (1100) a user (500) sitting on a toilet bowl (106), the identification method using a radar sensor (202) positioned inside the volume (V) defined by the toilet bowl (106) and comprising: - a determination method (700) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, - using the physiological data, assigning (1108) a user profile to the seated user, for example from among a plurality of user profiles.

11. Identification method according to claim 10, in which the determined physiological data is associated with the assigned user profile.

12. Method for analyzing excreta (812) of a user, comprising: - the identification method (IlOOii, IlOOiii) according to any one of claims 10 to 11, - obtaining excreta data (1 lOOii, 1 lOOiii), - assigning (1112ii, 1112iii) the excreta data to the identified user

13. A computer program comprising instructions capable of implementing a method according to any one of claims 1 to 12 when the instructions are executed by a processor.

14. Radar device (100) comprising: - a housing (200), capable of being positioned inside a toilet bowl (106), - a radar sensor (202), housed in the housing (200), and capable of emitting radar waves towards the opening of the toilet bowl (106), the radar sensor (202) being capable of implementing a method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

15. A urine analysis device (1400), comprising: - a radar device (100) according to claim 14, - a collection port (204) on the housing (200) for receiving urine, - a test assembly for analyzing the received urine.

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