Apparatus and method for estimating component of analyte

Abstract

An apparatus for non-invasively estimating the components of an analyte is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the component estimation apparatus may include a sensor unit for measuring a spectrum from an analyte, and a processor that, when an initial amount of light received from an analyte is obtained by driving the sensor unit according to initial driving conditions, determines an optimal driving condition based on the obtained initial amount of light received and the initial driving conditions, and when a spectrum is measured from the analyte by driving the sensor unit according to the determined optimal driving conditions, estimates the components of the analyte based on the measured spectrum.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for estimating the components of an analyte based on a dynamic range. Background Technology

[0002] While reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important biological protective factors, such as the bactericidal action of white blood cells, it is known that the excessive production of ROS in the body causes various tissue diseases. Common factors that generate ROS include stress, alcohol, peroxides, and drugs, and the ROS produced by these factors are the cause of neurodegenerative diseases, circulatory diseases, cancer, digestive tract diseases, liver diseases, arteriosclerosis, kidney diseases, diabetes, and aging. The body possesses a series of oxidative protection systems to protect itself from oxygen toxicity. To ensure these systems function normally, it is important to consume sufficient antioxidants. Antioxidant components include Vitamin E, Vitamin C, carotenoids, and flavonoids; therefore, to ensure antioxidant activity, it is necessary to consume as many foods containing these components as possible. Consequently, there is a growing need for a device that can easily check the amount of antioxidants in the body. The problem to be solved

[0003] A component estimation device and method are presented that can secure the resolution necessary for estimating the components of an analyte through the variation of spectrometer driving conditions. means of solving the problem

[0004] According to one aspect, an analyte component estimation device may include a sensor unit comprising a light source unit that irradiates light onto an analyte and a detector unit that measures the spectrum of light reflected from the analyte, and a processor that, when an initial amount of light received is obtained from the analyte by driving the sensor unit according to initial driving conditions, determines an optimal driving condition based on the obtained initial amount of light received and the initial driving conditions, and when a spectrum is measured from the analyte by driving the sensor unit according to the determined optimal driving conditions, estimates the component of the analyte based on the measured spectrum.

[0005] The driving conditions of the sensor unit may include at least one of incident light size, gain, exposure time, and aperture size.

[0006] The initial driving conditions can be set so that a preset optimal amount of light is detected from a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance.

[0007] The predetermined reflectance may include at least one of the average reflectance and the maximum reflectance of the analyte.

[0008] The processor can determine the optimal driving condition based on the ratio of the detected initial light amount to the preset optimal light amount and the initial driving condition.

[0009] If the determined optimal driving condition is less than the first threshold, the processor can change the optimal driving condition to the first threshold.

[0010] If the determined optimal driving condition exceeds the second threshold, the processor can change the optimal driving condition to the second threshold.

[0011] If the determined optimal driving condition exceeds the second threshold, the processor can repeat the process of increasing the current of the light source among the initial conditions and then driving the sensor unit to obtain an initial amount of received light.

[0012] Additionally, the device for estimating the composition of an analyte further includes a force / pressure sensor that measures the force / pressure acting between the analyte and the sensor unit, and the processor can drive the sensor unit when the measured force / pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0013] Based on the measured force / pressure, the processor can guide the user on changes in force / pressure acting between the analyte and the sensor.

[0014] The processor can acquire the absorption spectrum of the analyte based on the measured spectrum and the reference spectrum.

[0015] Based on initial driving conditions and optimal driving conditions, the processor can obtain a reference spectrum by normalizing the measured sample spectrum using a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance.

[0016] The processor can normalize the spectrum by multiplying the amount of reflected light in the sample spectrum by the ratio of the exposure time during the optimal driving conditions to the exposure time during the initial driving conditions.

[0017] The processor can obtain a reference spectrum corresponding to the optimal driving conditions by referring to a preset lookup table.

[0018] The processor can estimate the components of the analyte based on the acquired absorption spectrum using a preset estimation model.

[0019] The components of the above-mentioned analyte may include at least one of skin carotenoid, blood carotenoid, glucose, urea, lactate, triglyceride, total protein, cholesterol, and ethanol.

[0020] According to one aspect, a method for estimating the components of an analyte may include the steps of: driving a sensor unit according to a preset initial driving condition; detecting an initial amount of light received from the analyte according to the initial driving condition; determining an optimal driving condition based on the detected initial amount of light received and the initial driving condition; driving the sensor unit according to the determined optimal driving condition to measure a spectrum from the analyte; and estimating the components of the analyte based on the measured spectrum.

[0021] The initial driving conditions can be set so that a preset optimal amount of light is detected from a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance.

[0022] The step of determining the optimal driving condition can determine the optimal driving condition based on the ratio of the detected initial light amount to the preset optimal light amount and the initial driving condition.

[0023] The step of determining the optimal driving condition may change the optimal driving condition to the first threshold if the determined optimal driving condition is less than the first threshold.

[0024] The step of determining the optimal driving condition may change the optimal driving condition to the second threshold if the determined optimal driving condition exceeds the second threshold.

[0025] The step of determining the optimal driving condition may repeat the process of increasing the light source current among the initial driving conditions and then driving the sensor unit to obtain the initial amount of light received when the determined optimal driving condition exceeds the second threshold.

[0026] In addition, the method for estimating the composition of an analyte further includes a step of measuring the force / pressure acting between the analyte and the sensor unit, and the step of driving the sensor unit according to initial driving conditions can drive the sensor unit when the measured force / pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0027] The step of estimating the components of an analyte may include the step of obtaining a reference spectrum, the step of obtaining an absorption spectrum of the analyte based on the measured spectrum and the reference spectrum, and the step of estimating the components of the analyte based on the absorption spectrum.

[0028] The step of obtaining a reference spectrum can be performed by normalizing a sample spectrum measured using a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance based on initial driving conditions and optimal driving conditions.

[0029] The step of obtaining a reference spectrum can obtain a reference spectrum corresponding to the optimal driving conditions by referring to a preset lookup table.

[0030] The step of estimating components based on the absorption spectrum can estimate the components of the analyte based on the acquired absorption spectrum by using a pre-set estimation model.

[0031] An electronic device comprises a main body, a memory disposed in the main body, and a processor disposed in the main body and electrically connected to the memory. When a request for estimating an antioxidant index is received, the processor drives a sensor device according to an initial driving condition stored in the memory. When an initial amount of light received from a user's skin is obtained, the processor adjusts at least one of the light exposure time and the light source current among the driving conditions of the sensor device based on the obtained initial amount of light received. When a spectrum is obtained from the user's skin by driving the sensor device according to the adjusted driving condition, the antioxidant index can be estimated based on the obtained spectrum.

[0032] The electronic device may include at least one of a smart watch, smart band, smart glasses, smart earphones, smart ring, smart patch, smart necklace, smartphone, home appliance, and IoT (Internet of Things) device.

[0033] The processor can set the initial operating conditions of the sensor so that a preset optimal amount of light is detected from a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance.

[0034] The processor can adjust the light exposure time based on the ratio of the detected initial light amount to the preset optimal light amount and the light exposure time of the initial driving conditions.

[0035] If the controlled light exposure time is less than a first threshold, the processor may change the light exposure time to a first threshold, and if it exceeds a second threshold, change the light exposure time to a second threshold, or increase the light source current and then repeat the process of acquiring an initial amount of light and adjusting the light source driving conditions.

[0036] Additionally, the electronic device may further include an output unit comprising at least one of a sound module and a display that are disposed in the main body and output the processing results of the processor. Effects of the invention

[0037] The resolution required for estimating the components of analytes can be secured by varying the spectrometer operating conditions. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0038] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a component estimation device according to one embodiment. Figures 2a and 2b are diagrams illustrating the effect of the spectrum according to the variation of driving conditions. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the adjustment of the operating conditions of the sensor unit. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a component estimation device according to another embodiment. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a component estimation device according to another embodiment. FIGS. 6 to 11 are flowcharts of a method for estimating analyte components according to embodiments. FIG. 12 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment. FIGS. 13 to 15 are structural diagrams of an electronic device according to embodiments. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0039] Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings. The advantages and features of the described technology and the methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described in detail below together with the drawings. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same components.

[0040] Terms such as "first," "second," etc., may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by these terms. Terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. A singular expression includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, when a part is described as "comprising" a component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components. Additionally, terms such as "part," "module," etc., as used in the specification refer to a unit that performs at least one function or operation, which may be implemented in hardware or software, or as a combination of hardware and software.

[0041] Hereinafter, various embodiments of an apparatus and method for estimating the concentration of an analyte will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0042] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for estimating the components of an analyte according to one embodiment. FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b are diagrams illustrating the effect of varying driving conditions on the spectrum. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the adjustment of the driving conditions of the sensor unit.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 1, the concentration estimation device (100) of an analyte includes a sensor unit (110) and a processor (120).

[0044] The sensor unit (110) can measure a spectrum for estimating the components of an analyte. At this time, the analyte may be human skin tissue. For example, it may include the palm or sole where the epidermal layer of the skin is thick, an area where venous blood or capillary blood is located, an area adjacent to the radial artery, other peripheral parts of the human body such as fingers, toes, or earlobes where there is a high density of blood vessels in the human body, the wrist that can be contacted when wearing a wearable device, the inside of the ear, etc., and an appropriate measurement location may be selected according to the components of the analyte to be estimated.

[0045] The light source unit (111) may include one or more light-emitting bodies. In this case, the light-emitting bodies include, but are not limited to, LEDs (light-emitting diodes), laser diodes, and phosphors. The one or more light-emitting bodies may be formed to irradiate light of different wavelengths. For example, the light source unit (111) may include an absorption band of an antioxidant substance (e.g., carotenoids), such as a wavelength band of 420 nm to 510 nm.

[0046] The detector (112) may be composed of a photodiode or a phototransistor, or may be composed of a spectrometer or a waveguide connected to an external spectrometer. However, it is not limited thereto and may be formed of a CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) image sensor, a CCD (charge-coupled device) image sensor, etc. The detector (112) may receive light scattered or reflected from the analyte and convert the received light into an electrical signal and output it.

[0047] Additionally, the sensor unit (110) may include an analog-to-digital converter that converts an electrical signal output from a detector unit (112) into a digital signal and / or an amplifier that amplifies the electrical signal, although not shown here.

[0048] The processor (120) can control the sensor unit (110) to obtain a spectrum from the analyte. When the sensor unit (110) measures the spectrum from the analyte, the processor (120) can adaptively adjust the operating conditions of the sensor unit (110). At this time, the operating conditions of the sensor unit (110) may be variable and may include parameters such as, for example, the size of the incident light from the light source, gain, exposure time, or aperture size. The sensor unit (110) of the present embodiment may be formed to have a limited dynamic range, and, for example, by securing a virtual dynamic region through variation of the exposure time, sensing performance can be secured even in low-reflectivity skin tissue.

[0049] For example, FIG. 2a shows a spectrum measured in a relatively high reflectance range (e.g., 28.2%) where linearity is maintained, and it can be seen that linearity is maintained in both the spectrum (22) obtained by fixing the driving conditions of the sensor unit and the spectrum (21) obtained by varying the driving conditions, particularly the exposure time. In contrast, FIG. 2b shows a spectrum measured in a relatively low reflectance range (e.g., 6.6%) where linearity is not maintained, and it can be seen that linearity is not maintained in the spectrum (24) when the driving conditions of the sensor unit are fixed, but linearity is maintained in the spectrum (23) obtained by varying the light exposure time.

[0050] The processor (120) drives the sensor unit (110) using a predefined initial driving condition, and when the sensor unit (110) acquires initial light reception data from the analyte according to the initial driving condition, it determines an optimal driving condition using the acquired data and drives the sensor unit (110) according to the determined optimal driving condition to acquire a spectrum from the analyte. The processor (120) can drive the light source unit (111) of the sensor unit (110) at the time when a constant pressure is applied while the analyte is in contact with the sensor unit (110).

[0051] The processor (120) can set initial driving conditions using a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance, for example, the average reflectance of human skin (about 50%) or the maximum reflectance (about 80%). For example, the processor (120) can set driving conditions as initial driving conditions such that an optimal amount of light is obtained from a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance.

[0052] FIG. 3 shows the signal (31), signal-dependent noise (32), and signal-independent noise (33) that are converted into electrical signals and output relative to the detected amount of received light. As illustrated, the output signal (31) of the detector (112) has a maximum value (V s,max Saturation occurs near ). The amount of light received at this time can be considered the maximum amount of light that can be received (Lsat), and the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) becomes maximum. At this time, referring to Equation 1 below, the optimal amount of light received (Lopt) is set within the dynamic range (DR), and a predefined value (a) is multiplied to approach the maximum amount of light received (Lsat), and a constant difference (b) can be reflected considering that measurements are taken with a time difference.

[0053]

[0054] When the processor (120) receives a request for analyte estimation, it drives the light source unit (111) of the sensor unit (110) using a preset initial driving condition with a standard sample to irradiate light onto the analyte, and obtains an initial amount of light received from the analyte through the detection unit (112). When the processor (120) obtains an initial amount of light received from the analyte, it can determine an optimal driving condition using the initial driving condition, the optimal driving condition, and the initial amount of light received data. Equation 2 below is an example of an equation for calculating the optimal exposure time among the optimal driving conditions.

[0055]

[0056] Here, Lopt is the optimal light reception amount, L init represents the initial amount of light received from the analyte using the initial driving conditions. Topt represents the light exposure time of the optimal driving conditions to be determined, and T init represents the light exposure time of the initial driving conditions. As shown in the example, the processor (120) can determine the optimal exposure time through the relationship between the ratio of the optimal amount of light received and the initial amount of light received, and the ratio of the optimal exposure time to the initial exposure time.

[0057] When the optimal driving condition is determined in this manner, the processor (120) can adjust the optimal driving condition by comparing whether the determined optimal driving condition falls outside the range between a first threshold and a second threshold. At this time, the first threshold may be set based on the exposure time when measuring a sample with an expected maximum reflectance (e.g., 80%), and the second threshold may be set based on the smaller value between the exposure time when measuring a sample with an expected minimum reflectance (e.g., 5%) and the maximum exposure time that can be set considering the total measurement time (e.g., 5 seconds). However, it is not limited thereto.

[0058] For example, the processor (120) may not change the optimal exposure time when the optimal exposure time is greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than or equal to a second threshold, change the first threshold to the optimal exposure time when it is less than the first threshold, and change the second threshold to the optimal exposure time when it exceeds the second threshold.

[0059] As another example, the processor (120) may change the first threshold to the optimal exposure time if the determined optimal exposure time is less than the first threshold, but if the optimal exposure time exceeds the second threshold, it may increase the light source driving current in the initial driving conditions to adjust the magnitude of the incident light, and then repeat the process of driving the light source according to the adjusted current to obtain the initial amount of light received. Here, the processor (120) may omit the process of comparing the optimal driving conditions with the first threshold. For example, if the initial driving conditions are set to the value when the skin has maximum reflectance, the optimal exposure time can be said to always exceed the first threshold when the first threshold is set as described above, so the process of comparing with the first threshold can be omitted.

[0060] When the optimal exposure time is determined in this manner, the processor (120) can obtain a spectrum from the analyte by driving the sensor unit (110) according to the optimal driving condition in which the initial exposure time is changed from the initial driving condition to the optimal exposure time. When the processor (120) receives the spectrum measured from the sensor unit (110), it can analyze the received spectrum to estimate the components of the analyte. At this time, the components of the analyte may be antioxidant indices including skin carotenoids and / or blood carotenoids. However, it is not limited thereto, and components such as glucose, urea, lactate, triglyceride, total protein, cholesterol, and ethanol may also be estimated.

[0061] For example, when a spectrum is measured from an analyte by the sensor unit (110) according to optimal driving conditions, the processor (120) can obtain an absorption spectrum using the measured spectrum and a reference spectrum. The processor (120) can obtain a reference spectrum by normalizing the spectrum measured using a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance by the exposure time of the driving conditions. Equation 3 below is an example of an equation for obtaining a reference spectrum in this way.

[0062]

[0063] At this time, I ref represents the reference spectrum to be sought. I init T represents a spectrum measured using a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance, e.g., skin average reflectance (approx. 50%) or maximum reflectance (approx. 80%). opt represents the exposure time under optimal driving conditions, and T init represents the exposure time of the initial driving conditions.

[0064] Alternatively, the processor (120) may obtain the absorbance of each wavelength corresponding to the optimal exposure time by referring to a lookup table that defines the absorbance of each wavelength for each exposure time, and thereby obtain a reference spectrum. At this time, the lookup table may be predefined by measuring the absorbance of each wavelength for each exposure time using a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance. However, it is not limited thereto.

[0065] In addition, when the reference spectrum is obtained in this way, the processor (120) can obtain an absorption spectrum using the spectrum obtained by the sensor unit (110) and the reference spectrum according to optimal driving conditions. Equation 4 below is an example of an equation for obtaining an absorption spectrum.

[0066]

[0067] Here, A s represents the absorption spectrum, and I s represents the spectrum measured from the analyte under optimal operating conditions, and I ref represents the reference spectrum.

[0068] When the absorption spectrum of the analyte is obtained in this manner, the processor (120) can estimate the components of the analyte using the obtained absorption spectrum. At this time, the processor (120) can estimate the components based on the absorption spectrum using a predefined component estimation model through the correlation between the absorbance of the absorption spectrum and the components to be estimated. The component estimation model can be defined as a linear or non-linear function and can be predefined through learning such as deep learning or artificial intelligence.

[0069] Meanwhile, the processor (120) may repeat the process of obtaining an initial amount of light from the analyte under initial driving conditions as described above, obtaining a spectrum from the analyte under optimal driving conditions, and obtaining an absorption spectrum using the obtained spectrum multiple times. When multiple absorption spectra are obtained in this manner, the processor (120) may estimate the components of the analyte by averaging the entire absorption spectrum obtained to reduce errors caused by the movement of blood or skin, or by removing some abnormal spectra and then averaging, or by selecting one optimal absorption spectrum.

[0070] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an analyte component estimation device according to another embodiment.

[0071] Referring to FIG. 4, the component estimation device (400) includes a sensor unit (110) and a processor (120). The sensor unit (110) may include a light source unit (111), a detection unit (112), and a force / pressure sensor (113). Since the light source unit (111), the detection unit (112), and the processor (120) have been described above, the following description will focus on configurations that do not overlap.

[0072] The force / pressure sensor (113) can measure the force / pressure applied by the analyte in contact with the sensor part (110). The force / pressure sensor (113) may be composed of a force sensor, a force sensor array, a contact pressure sensor, a combination of an area sensor and a force sensor, etc. For example, it may be a voltage-resistance force sensor, an ultrasonic force sensor, a load cell sensor, a capacitive force sensor, a pyroelectric force sensor, a strain gauge force sensor, an electrochemical force sensor, an optical force sensor, or a magnetic force sensor.

[0073] The processor (120) is connected to the force / pressure sensor (113) and receives the force / pressure between the analyte and the sensor unit (110) from the force / pressure sensor (113). When the received force / pressure exceeds a preset threshold, the light source unit (111) of the sensor unit (110) can be driven as an initial driving condition as described above. Additionally, the processor (120) can guide the user to apply an appropriate pressure to the sensor unit (110) during the measurement time based on the force / pressure measured through the force / pressure sensor (113). At this time, the guidance information may be mounted on the component estimation device (400) or provided to the user through the output of a connected external device.

[0074] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a component estimation device according to another embodiment.

[0075] Referring to FIG. 5, it may include a sensor unit (110), a processor (120), an output unit (510), a storage unit (520), and a communication unit (530). The sensor unit (110) and the processor (120) have been described above, so they will be omitted below.

[0076] The output unit (510) can output various information processed by the processor (120). The output unit (120) may include a visual output module such as a display, a voice output module such as a speaker, or a haptic module such as vibration or touch. For example, the output unit (510) can output contact pressure guide information, component estimation results, etc. generated by the processor (120).

[0077] The storage unit (520) stores various information related to component estimation. For example, it may store information regarding user characteristics such as the user's age, gender, health status, etc., light source driving conditions, component estimation models, etc. Additionally, it may store information such as component estimation values ​​generated by the processor (120). The storage unit (520) includes, but is not limited to, storage media such as flash memory type, hard disk type, multimedia card micro type, card type memory (e.g., SD or XD memory, etc.), RAM (Random Access Memory), SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), ROM (Read-Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), magnetic memory, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc.

[0078] The communication unit (530) can receive various information related to component estimation by connecting to an external device via wired or wireless communication. The external device includes, but is not limited to, information processing devices such as smartphones, tablet PCs, laptop PCs, and desktop PCs. The communication unit (530) can communicate with the external device using Bluetooth communication, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) communication, Near Field Communication (NFC), WLAN communication, Zigbee communication, Infrared Data Association (IrDA) communication, WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication, UWB (ultra-wideband) communication, Ant+ communication, WIFI communication, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) communication, 3G communication, 4G communication, and 5G communication. However, this is merely an example and is not limited thereto.

[0079] FIGS. 6 to 11 are flowcharts of a method for estimating the components of an analyte according to an embodiment. The method for estimating the components of an analyte according to the embodiments can be performed by the aforementioned component estimation device (100, 400, 500). As it has been explained in detail above, it will be explained briefly below.

[0080] Referring to FIG. 6, when the analyte first comes into contact with the sensor unit (611), the sensor unit can be driven under initial driving conditions (612). At this time, the initial driving conditions of the sensor unit can be set using a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance, and the driving conditions that detect an optimal amount of light received from the standard sample can be set as the initial driving conditions.

[0081] Next, when an initial amount of light received from an analyte is detected according to the initial driving conditions, the optimal driving conditions can be determined based on the detected initial amount of light received, the initial driving conditions, the optimal amount of light received, etc. (613). For example, the optimal driving conditions can be determined through the relationship between the ratio of the optimal amount of light received to the initial amount of light received, and the ratio of the optimal driving conditions to be sought (e.g., exposure time) to the initial driving conditions (e.g., exposure time).

[0082] Next, when the optimal driving condition is determined in step (613), the sensor unit can be driven using the determined optimal driving condition (614).

[0083] Next, when the spectrum is measured from the analyte by driving the sensor unit according to optimal driving conditions, an absorption spectrum can be obtained based on the measured spectrum (615). For example, an absorption spectrum can be obtained based on the logarithm of the ratio of the spectrum measured from the analyte to the reference spectrum. At this time, the reference spectrum can be obtained by normalizing the spectrum measured using a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance by the exposure time, or by obtaining the absorbance for each wavelength corresponding to the optimal exposure time by referring to a lookup table that defines the absorbance for each wavelength according to the exposure time.

[0084] Next, the components of the analyte can be estimated using the absorption spectrum obtained in step (615) (616).

[0085] FIG. 7 is an embodiment for acquiring multiple absorption spectra to reduce noise caused by blood or skin movement, and a new optimal driving condition can be determined each time an absorption spectrum is acquired. As illustrated, when an analyte comes into contact with the sensor unit (711), the sensor unit is driven under initial driving conditions (712), an optimal driving condition is determined based on the initial amount of light received detected according to the initial driving conditions (713), the sensor unit is driven again using the determined optimal driving conditions (714), and a process (715) for acquiring an absorption spectrum based on the spectrum measured according to the optimal driving conditions can be performed. Then, if the acquired absorption spectrum does not satisfy a predefined standard value (716), steps (712) and below can be repeated to acquire multiple absorption spectra.

[0086] Next, the components can be estimated using multiple absorption spectra obtained (717). For example, the components can be estimated by averaging the entire absorption spectrum or a portion of the spectrum excluding the anomalous spectrum, or by selecting the optimal spectrum. However, it is not limited to this.

[0087] Referring to FIG. 8, when an analyte comes into contact with the sensor (811), a step (812) of measuring force / pressure between the analyte and the sensor can be performed, and if the measured force / pressure is less than a preset threshold (813), the step of contact between the analyte and the sensor (811) can be performed again. At this time, the user can be guided to an appropriate force / pressure. If the measured force / pressure is greater than or equal to the threshold (813), the sensor can be driven under initial driving conditions (814), an optimal driving condition is determined based on the initial amount of light received detected according to the initial driving conditions (815), the sensor can be driven again using the determined optimal driving conditions (816), an absorption spectrum is obtained based on the spectrum measured according to the optimal driving conditions (817), and a step (818) of estimating components using the absorption spectrum can be performed.

[0088] FIGS. 9 to 11 are embodiments of controlling the optimal exposure time and / or light source current among the sensor unit driving conditions of the component estimation method.

[0089] Referring to FIG. 9, when an analyte comes into contact with the sensor unit (911), the sensor unit is driven under initial driving conditions (912), and an optimal exposure time (Topt) can be determined based on the initial amount of light detected from the analyte according to the initial driving conditions (913).

[0090] Next, the optimal exposure time (Topt) is compared with the first threshold (Tmin) (914), and if the optimal exposure time (Topt) is less than the first threshold (Tmin), the optimal exposure time (Topt) can be changed to the first threshold (Tmin) (915). If the optimal exposure time (Topt) is greater than or equal to the first threshold (Tmin), the optimal exposure time (Topt) is compared with the second threshold (Tmax) (916), and if it exceeds the first threshold (Tmax), the optimal exposure time (Topt) can be changed to the second threshold (Tmax) (917).

[0091] Next, when the optimal driving conditions are determined, the sensor unit is driven using the determined optimal driving conditions (918), and when the spectrum of the analyte is measured according to the optimal driving conditions, an absorption spectrum is obtained based on the measured spectrum (919), and the components of the analyte can be estimated using the obtained absorption spectrum (920).

[0092] Referring to FIG. 10, when an analyte comes into contact with the sensor unit (1011), the sensor unit is driven under initial driving conditions (1012), and an optimal exposure time (Topt) can be determined based on the initial amount of light detected from the analyte according to the initial driving conditions (1013).

[0093] Next, the optimal exposure time (Topt) is compared with a first threshold (Tmin) (1014). If the optimal exposure time (Topt) is less than the first threshold (Tmin), the optimal exposure time (Topt) is changed to the first threshold (Tmin) (915). If the optimal exposure time (Topt) is greater than or equal to the first threshold (Tmin), the optimal exposure time (Topt) is compared with a second threshold (Tmax) (1016). If the result of the comparison shows that the optimal exposure time (Topt) exceeds the second threshold (Tmax), the current of the light source is increased to adjust the magnitude of the incident light under the initial driving conditions (1017), and the steps below driving the sensor unit under the initial driving conditions (1012) can be repeated.

[0094] Next, when the optimal driving conditions are determined, the sensor unit is driven using the determined optimal driving conditions (1018), an absorption spectrum is obtained based on the spectrum measured according to the optimal driving conditions (1019), and the components of the analyte can be estimated using the obtained absorption spectrum (1020).

[0095] Referring to FIG. 11, when an analyte comes into contact with the sensor unit (1111), the sensor unit is driven under initial driving conditions (1112), and an optimal exposure time (Topt) can be determined based on the initial amount of light received from the analyte according to the initial driving conditions (1113). Next, the optimal exposure time (Topt) is compared with a second threshold (Tmax) (1114), and if the optimal exposure time (Topt) exceeds the second threshold (Tmax) as a result of the comparison, the current of the light source is increased to adjust the magnitude of the incident light under the initial driving conditions (1115), and the steps of driving the sensor unit under the initial driving conditions (1112) and below can be repeated. Next, the sensor unit is driven using the determined optimal driving conditions (1116), an absorption spectrum is obtained (1117), and the components of the analyte can be estimated using the obtained absorption spectrum (1118).

[0096] FIG. 12 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment. FIG. 13 to 15 are structural diagrams of an electronic device according to embodiments.

[0097] Referring to FIG. 12, the electronic device (1200) may include a sensor device (1210) and an estimation device (1220) that performs the function of estimating the user's body components using a spectrum measured by the sensor device (1210). Here, the electronic device (1200) may be, for example, a wearable device such as a smart watch, smart band, smart glasses, smart earphones, smart ring, smart patch, smart necklace, and smartphone. As another example, the electronic device (1200) may be a home appliance or various IoT devices based on the Internet of Things (e.g., home IoT devices, etc.). However, it is not limited thereto and may be a specialized medical device manufactured for use in medical institutions, etc.

[0098] The sensor device (1210) and the estimation device (1220) of the electronic device (1200) may be mounted integrally within the main body of the specific device exemplified, or distributed across two or more devices. For example, the sensor device (1210) and the estimation device (1220) may be mounted in a single smartphone, or the sensor device (1210) may be mounted in a smart earphone and the estimation device (1210) may be mounted in a smartphone or smart watch, so that they can transmit and receive data to and from each other via wired or wireless communication to estimate the components.

[0099] The sensor device (1210) includes a light source unit and a detection unit, and may further include a communication unit when distributed in a different body from the estimation device (1220). The light source unit may include one or more light-emitting bodies such as LEDs, and the detection unit may include a photodiode, a photodiode array, a spectrometer, etc.

[0100] The estimation device (1220) may include an input unit (1221), a memory (1222), a processor (1223), an output unit (1224), and a communication unit (1225).

[0101] The input unit (1221) can receive commands and / or data to be used in each component of the electronic device (1200) from a user, etc. The input unit (1221) may include a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, and / or a digital pen (stylus pen, etc.).

[0102] The memory (1222) can store various data required by components of other electronic devices (1200), such as operating conditions necessary for operating the sensor device (1210) and input data and / or output data for software and related commands. The memory (1222) may include volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory.

[0103] The processor (1223) can control components of an electronic device (1220) connected to the processor (1223) by executing a program, etc., stored in memory (1222), and can perform various data processing or operations. The processor (1223) may include a main processor, such as a central processing unit and an application processor, and auxiliary processors that can operate independently or together with it, such as a graphics processing unit, an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, a communication processor, etc. The processor (1223) can transmit a control signal to a sensor device (1210) in response to a user request for estimating the concentration of an analyte, and can estimate a component using a spectrum received from the sensor device (1210).

[0104] The output unit (1224) can output data generated or processed by the electronic device (1200) in a visual or non-visual manner. The output unit (1224) may include an acoustic output device, a display device, an audio module and / or a haptic module.

[0105] An audio output device can output an audio signal to the outside of the electronic device (1200). The audio output device may include a speaker and / or a receiver. The speaker may be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback, and the receiver may be used to receive incoming calls. The receiver may be combined as part of the speaker or implemented as a separate, independent device.

[0106] A display device can visually provide information to the outside of an electronic device (1200). The display device may include a display, a holographic device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling said device. The display device may include a touch circuitry configured to detect a touch and / or a sensor circuitry configured to measure the intensity of the force generated by the touch (such as a pressure sensor).

[0107] The audio module can convert sound into an electrical signal, or conversely, convert an electrical signal into sound. The audio module can acquire sound through an input device or output sound through a sound output device and / or a speaker and / or headphones of another electronic device connected directly or wirelessly to the electronic device (1200).

[0108] A haptic module can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimuli (vibrations, movements, etc.) or electrical stimuli that a user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic senses. A haptic module may include a motor, a piezoelectric element, and / or an electrical stimulation device.

[0109] The communication unit (1225) can support the establishment of a direct (wired) communication channel and / or a wireless communication channel between an electronic device (1200) and another electronic device, server, or sensor device (1210) within a network environment, and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication unit (1225) may include one or more communication processors that operate independently of the processor (1223) and support direct communication and / or wireless communication. The communication unit (1225) may include wireless communication modules such as, for example, a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System, etc.) communication module, and / or wired communication modules such as, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) communication module, a power line communication module. Various types of communication modules such as these may be integrated into a single chip or implemented as multiple separate chips. The wireless communication module can identify and authenticate the electronic device (1200) within the communication network using subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI), etc.) stored in the subscriber identification module.

[0110] Additionally, the electronic device (1200) may further include an interface not shown here, an antenna module, a power management module, a camera module, or a battery, etc.

[0111] The interface may support one or more specified protocols that can be used for the electronic device (1200) to be connected directly or wirelessly to another electronic device. The interface may include, but is not limited to, an HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface), a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface, an SD card interface, and / or an audio interface.

[0112] The antenna module can transmit signals and / or power to the outside or receive them from the outside. The antenna may include a radiator made of a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., PCB, etc.). The antenna module may include one or multiple antennas. If multiple antennas are included, the communication unit (1225) may select an antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network from among the multiple antennas. Through the selected antenna, signals and / or power may be transmitted or received between the communication unit (1225) and other electronic devices. In addition to the antenna, other components (e.g., RFIC, etc.) may be included as part of the antenna module. Some of the components may be connected to each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (bus, GPIO (General Purpose Input and Output), SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface), MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface), etc.) and may exchange commands or data.

[0113] Here, other electronic devices may be of the same or different type as the electronic device (1200). All or part of the operations performed on the electronic device (1200) may be performed on one or more of the other devices. For example, when the electronic device (1200) needs to perform a function or service, instead of performing the function or service itself, it may request one or more other electronic devices to perform part or all of the function or service. Upon receiving the request, one or more other electronic devices may perform additional functions or services related to the request and transmit the results of the execution to the electronic device (1200). To this end, cloud computing, distributed computing, and / or client-server computing technologies may be used.

[0114] The camera module can capture still images and video. The camera module may include a lens assembly including one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, and / or flashes. The lens assembly included in the camera module can collect light emitted from a subject that is the subject of image capture.

[0115] The power management module can manage the power supplied to the electronic device (1200). The power management module can be implemented as part of a Power Management Integrated Circuit (PMIC).

[0116] The battery can supply power to the components of the electronic device (1200). The battery may include a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery and / or a fuel cell.

[0117] FIGS. 13 to 15 are exemplary drawings showing the structures of electronic devices equipped with a component estimation device.

[0118] Referring to FIG. 13, the electronic device (1200) may be implemented as a watch-type wearable device (1300) and may include a main body and a wrist strap. A display is provided on the front of the main body, and various application screens including time information, received message information, etc., may be displayed. A sensor device (1210) is placed on the rear of the main body to measure a spectrum for estimating components such as an antioxidant index.

[0119] Referring to FIG. 14, the electronic device (1200) can be implemented as a mobile device (1400) such as a smartphone.

[0120] A mobile device (1400) may include a housing and a display panel. The housing may form the exterior of the mobile device (1400). A display panel and a cover glass may be arranged sequentially 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, etc. may be arranged on a second surface of the housing. When a user requests component information of an analysis substance by running an application, etc., installed on the mobile device (1400), the component of the analysis substance may be estimated using the sensor device (1210), and the component estimation information may be provided to the user in the form of video and / or sound.

[0121] Referring to FIG. 15, the electronic device (1200) can also be implemented as an ear wearable device (1500).

[0122] The ear wearable device (1500) may include a main body and an ear strap. The user may wear the ear strap by hooking it onto the outer ear. The ear strap may be omitted depending on the shape of the ear wearable device (1500). The main body may be inserted into the user's external auditory canal. A sensor device (1210) may be mounted on the main body. The ear wearable device (1500) may provide the component estimation result to the user as sound, or transmit it to an external device, such as a mobile phone, tablet, or PC, through a communication module provided inside the main body.

[0123] Meanwhile, the present embodiments can be implemented as computer-readable code on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium includes all types of recording devices in which data that can be read by a computer system is stored.

[0124] Examples of computer-readable recording media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage devices, etc., and also include implementation in the form of a carrier wave (e.g., transmission over the Internet). Furthermore, computer-readable recording media may be distributed across networked computer systems, allowing computer-readable code to be stored and executed in a distributed manner. And functional programs, codes, and code segments for implementing these embodiments can be easily inferred by programmers in the art to which the present invention belongs.

[0125] Those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will understand that the disclosed technical concept or essential features may be implemented in other specific forms without altering them. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. Explanation of the symbols

[0126] 100,200,300: Component estimation device 110: Sensor unit 111: Light source unit 112: Detector unit 113: Force / pressure sensor 120: Processor 510: Output section 520: Storage section 530: Communications Department

Claims

Claim 1 An apparatus for estimating the components of an analyte, comprising: a sensor unit including a light source unit that irradiates light onto an analyte and a detector unit that measures the spectrum of light reflected from the analyte; and a processor that, when an initial amount of light received is obtained from the analyte by driving the sensor unit according to an initial driving condition, determines an optimal driving condition based on the obtained initial amount of light received and the initial driving condition, and when a spectrum is measured from the analyte by driving the sensor unit according to the determined optimal driving condition, estimates the components of the analyte based on the measured spectrum. Claim 2 In claim 1, the driving conditions of the sensor unit include at least one of incident light size, gain, exposure time, and aperture size, forming an apparatus for estimating the components of an analyte. Claim 3 In claim 1, the initial driving condition is a component estimation device for an analyte, wherein the initial driving condition is set so that a preset optimal amount of light is detected from a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance. Claim 4 In paragraph 3, the predetermined reflectance is a component estimation device for an analyte comprising at least one of the average reflectance and the maximum reflectance of the analyte. Claim 5 In claim 1, the processor is an analyte component estimation device that determines optimal driving conditions based on the ratio of the detected initial light reception amount to the preset optimal light reception amount and the initial driving conditions. Claim 6 In paragraph 5, the processor is an analyte component estimation device that changes the optimal driving condition to the first threshold if the determined optimal driving condition is less than the first threshold. Claim 7 In paragraph 5, the processor is an analyte component estimation device that changes the optimal driving condition to the second threshold when the determined optimal driving condition exceeds the second threshold. Claim 8 In claim 5, the processor is an analyte component estimation device that repeatedly performs the process of increasing the current of the light source in the initial driving condition and then driving the sensor unit to obtain an initial amount of received light when the determined optimal driving condition exceeds a second threshold. Claim 9 The component estimation device of the analyte according to claim 1, further comprising a force / pressure sensor for measuring a force / pressure acting between the analyte and a sensor unit, wherein the processor drives the sensor unit when the measured force / pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold. Claim 10 In claim 9, the processor is an analyte component estimation device that guides the user to the change in force / pressure acting between the analyte and the sensor part based on the measured force / pressure. Claim 11 In claim 1, the processor is an analyte component estimation device that obtains the absorption spectrum of the analyte based on the measured spectrum and the reference spectrum. Claim 12 In claim 11, the processor is an analyte component estimation device that obtains the reference spectrum by normalizing the sample spectrum measured using a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance based on the initial driving conditions and optimal driving conditions. Claim 13 In claim 12, the processor is an analyte component estimation device that normalizes the spectrum by multiplying the amount of reflected light of the sample spectrum by the ratio of the exposure time during the optimal driving conditions to the exposure time during the initial driving conditions. Claim 14 In claim 11, the processor is an analyte component estimation device that obtains a reference spectrum corresponding to the optimal driving conditions by referring to a preset lookup table. Claim 15 In claim 11, the processor is an analyte component estimation device that estimates the components of the analyte based on the acquired absorption spectrum using a preset estimation model. Claim 16 The apparatus for estimating the components of an analyte according to claim 1, wherein the components of the analyte include at least one of skin carotenoid, blood carotenoid, glucose, urea, lactate, triglyceride, total protein, cholesterol, and ethanol. Claim 17 A method for estimating the components of an analyte, comprising: a step of driving a sensor unit according to preset initial driving conditions; a step of detecting an initial amount of light received from an analyte according to the initial driving conditions; a step of determining an optimal driving condition based on the detected initial amount of light received and the initial driving conditions; a step of driving the sensor unit according to the determined optimal driving conditions to measure a spectrum from the analyte; and a step of estimating bio-information based on the measured spectrum. Claim 18 In claim 17, the above initial driving condition is a method for estimating the components of an analyte, wherein a preset optimal amount of light received is detected from a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance. Claim 19 In claim 17, the step of determining the optimal driving condition is a method for estimating the components of an analyte, which determines the optimal driving condition based on the ratio of the detected initial light receiving amount to the preset optimal light receiving amount and the initial driving condition. Claim 20 In claim 19, the step of determining the optimal driving condition is a method for estimating the components of an analyte, wherein if the determined optimal driving condition is less than a first threshold, the optimal driving condition is changed to a first threshold. Claim 21 In claim 19, the step of determining the optimal driving condition is a method for estimating the components of an analyte, wherein if the determined optimal driving condition exceeds a second threshold, the optimal driving condition is changed to a second threshold. Claim 22 In claim 19, the step of determining the optimal driving condition is a method for estimating the components of an analyte, wherein if the determined optimal driving condition exceeds a second threshold, the process of increasing the light source current in the initial driving condition and then driving the sensor unit to obtain an initial amount of received light is repeated. Claim 23 In claim 17, the method for estimating the composition of an analyte further comprises the step of measuring a force / pressure acting between an analyte and a sensor unit, and the step of driving the sensor unit according to the initial driving condition, wherein the measured force / pressure is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value when the sensor unit is driven. Claim 24 A method for estimating the components of an analyte according to claim 17, wherein the step of estimating the components of the analyte comprises: a step of obtaining a reference spectrum; a step of obtaining an absorption spectrum of the analyte based on the measured spectrum and the reference spectrum; and a step of estimating the components of the analyte based on the absorption spectrum. Claim 25 In claim 24, the step of obtaining the reference spectrum is a method for estimating the components of an analyte by normalizing a sample spectrum measured using a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance based on the initial driving conditions and optimal driving conditions. Claim 26 In claim 24, the step of obtaining the reference spectrum is a method for estimating the components of an analyte by obtaining a reference spectrum corresponding to the optimal driving conditions by referring to a preset lookup table. Claim 27 In claim 24, the step of estimating bio-information based on the absorption spectrum is a method for estimating the components of an analyte by using a pre-set bio-information estimation model to estimate bio-information based on the acquired absorption spectrum. Claim 28 An electronic device comprising: a main body; a memory disposed on the main body; and a processor disposed on the main body and electrically connected to the memory, wherein the processor drives a sensor device according to initial driving conditions stored in the memory when a request for estimating an antioxidant index is received, and when an initial amount of light received from a user's skin is obtained, at least one of the light exposure time and light source current among the driving conditions of the sensor device is adjusted based on the obtained initial amount of light received, and drives the sensor device according to the adjusted driving conditions so that when a spectrum is obtained from the user's skin, the antioxidant index is estimated based on the obtained spectrum. Claim 29 In paragraph 28, the electronic device comprises at least one of a smart watch, smart band, smart glasses, smart earphones, smart ring, smart patch, smart necklace, smartphone, home appliance, and IoT (Internet of Things) device. Claim 30 In claim 28, the processor is an electronic device that sets the initial driving conditions of the sensor so that a preset optimal amount of light is detected from a standard sample having a predetermined reflectance. Claim 31 In claim 28, the processor is an electronic device that adjusts the light exposure time based on the ratio of the detected initial light amount to the preset optimal light amount and the light exposure time of the initial driving conditions. Claim 32 An electronic device according to claim 28, wherein the processor changes the light exposure time to a first threshold if the adjusted light exposure time is less than a first threshold, changes the light exposure time to a second threshold if it exceeds a second threshold, or increases the light source current and then repeats the process of acquiring the initial light reception amount and controlling the light source driving conditions. Claim 33 An electronic device according to claim 28, further comprising an output unit including at least one of a sound module and a display disposed in the main body and outputting the processing result of a processor.

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