Wearable electronic device capable of automatically switching sensing light sources

Abstract

A wearable electronic device capable of automatically switching sensing light sources comprises a body, a wearable member mounted on the body, and a processor. A temperature sensor, a first light-emitting component, a second light-emitting component, and a light sensor are mounted on the body. The light wavelength of the first light-emitting component is lower than the light wavelength of the second light-emitting component. The light sensor is configured to sense a light of the first or second light-emitting component reflected by a user’s body. The processor is electrically connected to the temperature sensor, the first light-emitting component, the second light-emitting component, and the light sensor. The processor determines whether a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor exceeds a temperature range and accordingly turns on the first or second light-emitting component. The processor computes the user’s physiological information based on the signals received from the light sensor.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a wearable electronic device, and more particularly to a wearable electronic device that can automatically switch sensing light sources. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Wearable electronic devices (such as smart bracelets) have diverse functions. In addition to basic date and clock functions, they can also install applications (APPs) and related electronic components to expand their functions. Taking the function of measuring physiological information as an example, it is known that the back of a wearable electronic device can be provided with a light-emitting element and a light sensor. The light-emitting element is a single light source used to emit green or red light. The front of the device can be provided with a display, and a processor inside the device is electrically connected to the light-emitting element and the light sensor.

[0003] When a user wears the conventional wearable electronic device on their wrist, the back of the device fits snugly against the user's skin. The processor controls the light-emitting element to emit light, and the photosensor senses the light emitted by the light-emitting element reflected by the human body. The processor calculates physiological information about the user based on the signal received from the photosensor and controls the display to show this physiological information. This physiological information may include the user's heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), blood pressure trend, respiratory rate, perfusion index (PI), etc. For example, the processor can execute applications such as photoplethysmography (PPG), blood oxygen concentration analysis, blood pressure estimation, respiratory rate, and perfusion index to calculate this physiological information.

[0004] However, conventional wearable electronic devices use only a single light source, and the emitted light can only penetrate to a limited depth under the skin. When users wear conventional wearable electronic devices during strenuous exercise or in environments with significant temperature differences from normal temperature, the physiological information calculated by the processor is significantly inaccurate compared to the user's actual physiological state. Therefore, the physiological information displayed by conventional wearable electronic devices may not be able to effectively monitor the user's physical function, causing inconvenience in use. [Summary of the Invention]

[0005] In view of this, the main objective of the present invention is to provide a wearable electronic device that can automatically switch sensing light sources, in order to overcome the inaccuracy problem caused by conventional wearable electronic devices using only a single light source.

[0006] The wearable electronic device of the present invention, which can automatically switch sensing light sources, comprises: a body, having a temperature sensor, a first light-emitting element, a second light-emitting element, and a light sensor, wherein the light wavelength of the first light-emitting element is smaller than the light wavelength of the second light-emitting element, and the light sensor is used to sense the light reflected by the human body from the light emitted by the first light-emitting element or the second light-emitting element; a wearable component disposed on the body; and a processor disposed on the body and electrically connected to the temperature sensor, the first light-emitting element, the second light-emitting element, and the light sensor, wherein the processor calculates physiological information based on the signal received from the light sensor, wherein the processor determines whether a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor exceeds a temperature range; if not, the processor controls the first light-emitting element to emit light; if so, the processor controls the second light-emitting element to emit light.

[0007] Generally speaking, the human body's thermoregulation mechanism involves the dilation and constriction of blood vessels. When a user engages in strenuous exercise or is in a temperature environment that differs significantly from normal temperature, the body's thermoregulation mechanism is more intense; conversely, under normal circumstances, the body's thermoregulation mechanism is more moderate. This demonstrates that human body thermoregulation is closely related to vascular condition. It is also understandable that deeper blood vessels under the skin (such as arteries) are thicker and have greater blood flow than superficial blood vessels under the skin.

[0008] When a user wears the wearable electronic device of the present invention, the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is approximately the user's body surface temperature, which is easily affected by the user's activity level and ambient temperature. When the processor determines that the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor exceeds the specified temperature range, it indicates that the user is engaged in strenuous exercise or is in a temperature environment significantly different from normal temperature (high or low temperature). At this time, the processor can switch from the first light-emitting element to the second light-emitting element, whose wavelength is greater than that of the first light-emitting element. It should be noted that different wavelengths of light have different penetration depths under the skin. For example, light with a wavelength range of 500 to 600 nanometers is suitable for measuring changes in blood flow in superficial microvessels under the skin, while red or infrared light with a wavelength range of 650 to 1100 nanometers can penetrate deeper tissues under the skin, which is beneficial for monitoring the dynamics of deep blood vessels under the skin.

[0009] Compared with the first light-emitting element, the light emitted by the second light-emitting element has a longer wavelength and can penetrate deeper into the skin to areas with more and thicker blood vessels. At this time, the light sensed by the photosensitive device is the light reflected by the areas with more and thicker blood vessels deeper into the skin. Therefore, the optical signal provided by the photosensitive device to the processor is more sufficient and stable, and can more realistically reflect the state of blood vessels (blood flow) in the user's body, thereby relatively improving the accuracy of the physiological information calculated by the processor.

[0010] On the other hand, in addition to being used for monitoring physiological indicators, the present invention can also be extended to the monitoring of more physiological and psychological indicators such as blood glucose trend estimation, emotional state assessment, and fatigue level analysis by using first and second light-emitting elements (for light source switching) with suitable wavelengths and corresponding algorithms.

Implementation Method

[0011] Please refer to Figures 1, 2 and 3. An embodiment of the wearable electronic device of the present invention that can automatically switch sensing light sources includes a body 10, a wearable component 20 and a processor 30. The wearable component 20 is disposed on the body 10 for the user to wear on their body. For example, the wearable electronic device of the present invention may be in the form of a watch or a bracelet, and the wearable component 20 may be a watch strap or a ring for the user to wear on their wrist.

[0012] The body 10 is provided with a temperature sensor 100, a first light-emitting element 101, a second light-emitting element 102 and a light sensor 103. In one embodiment, the body 10 has a front and a back. The temperature sensor 100, the first light-emitting element 101, the second light-emitting element 102 and the light sensor 103 are disposed on the back of the body 10. The temperature sensor 100, the first light-emitting element 101, the second light-emitting element 102 and the light sensor 103 can be arranged in an array (one-dimensional array or two-dimensional array, Figures 2 and 3 are examples of one-dimensional array) on the back of the body 10.

[0013] When a user wears the wearable electronic device of the present invention, the back of the body 10 can be in close contact with the user's skin. For example, the wearable electronic device of the present invention can be worn on the user's wrist, and the back of the body 10 can be in close contact with the user's wrist skin. The front of the body 10 faces outward, and a display 104 is provided on the front of the body 10. The display 104 can be a touch display and can provide a user operation interface.

[0014] The temperature sensor 100 can be a thermistor or a resistance temperature detector (RTD). The temperature sensor 100 generates a temperature sensing signal Ts, which corresponds to the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 100. When the user wears the wearable electronic device of the present invention, the temperature sensing signal Ts corresponds to the user's body temperature (such as the temperature at the wrist). As shown in FIG3, the light emission direction of the first light-emitting element 101 and the second light-emitting element 102 is directed towards the user's body, and the light wavelength of the first light-emitting element 101 is smaller than the light wavelength of the second light-emitting element 102.

[0015] In the first embodiment, the first light-emitting element 101 may be a green light-emitting diode (LED) to emit green light (visible light), and the second light-emitting element 102 may be a red light-emitting diode or an infrared light-emitting diode to emit red light (visible light) or infrared light (invisible light); in the second embodiment, the first light-emitting element 101 may be a red light-emitting diode to emit red light, and the second light-emitting element 102 may be an infrared light-emitting diode to emit infrared light; it is understood that the wavelength of green light is shorter than the wavelengths of red light and infrared light, and the wavelength of red light is shorter than the wavelength of infrared light. In the third embodiment, the wavelength of light from the first light-emitting element 101 is greater than or equal to 500 nanometers and less than or equal to 600 nanometers, and the second light-emitting element 102 may be a red light-emitting diode or an infrared light-emitting diode, wherein the wavelength of light from the second light-emitting element 102 is greater than or equal to 650 nanometers and less than or equal to 1100 nanometers. In the fourth embodiment, the light wavelength of the first light-emitting element 101 is greater than or equal to 650 nanometers and less than or equal to 750 nanometers, and the second light-emitting element 102 can be an infrared light-emitting diode, wherein the light wavelength of the second light-emitting element 102 is greater than 750 nanometers and less than or equal to 1100 nanometers.

[0016] The photosensitive sensor 103 can be a phototransistor, a photodiode, or a photoresistor. As shown in FIG3, the photosensitive sensor 103 is used to sense the light emitted by the first light-emitting element 101 or the second light-emitting element 102 and reflected by the human body, and outputs a signal accordingly, namely a photosensitive signal Sr shown in FIG1.

[0017] The processor 30 may be a central processing unit (CPU) chip and has calculation and control functions. The processor 30 may be disposed on the motherboard inside the body 10 and electrically connected to the temperature sensor 100, the first light-emitting element 101, the second light-emitting element 102 and the light sensor 103. The processor 30 controls one of the first light-emitting element 101 and the second light-emitting element 102 to emit light while the other does not emit light, as will be explained later. The processor 30 calculates a physiological information M based on the photosensitive signal Sr received from the light sensor 103 and can control the display 104 to display the relevant values ​​of the physiological information M.

[0018] For example, the processor 30 can execute applications such as photoplethysmography (PPG), blood oxygen concentration analysis algorithm, blood pressure estimation algorithm, respiratory rate algorithm, tissue perfusion index algorithm, etc., to calculate the physiological information M based on the signal received from the photosensor 103. The physiological information M may include at least one of the user's heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure change trend, respiratory rate, and tissue perfusion index. However, the algorithm and physiological information M are not limited to the foregoing examples and may be applications of the prior art. The algorithm principle will not be described in detail here.

[0019] In this invention, the processor 30 receives the temperature sensing signal Ts from the temperature sensor 100 to obtain a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 100. The processor 30 determines whether the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 100 exceeds a temperature range Tth. If not, the processor 30 controls the first light-emitting element 101 to emit light; if so, the processor 30 controls the second light-emitting element 102 to emit light. The temperature range Tth has an upper temperature limit and a lower temperature limit, which are adjustable preset values ​​that can be determined according to the user's physical characteristics (race), type of exercise, and climate. For example, the upper temperature limit can be 37 degrees Celsius, and the lower temperature limit can be 36 degrees Celsius. When the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 100 is greater than the upper temperature limit or less than the lower temperature limit, it means that the temperature exceeds the temperature range Tth. When the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 100 is less than or equal to the upper temperature limit and greater than or equal to the lower temperature limit, it means that the temperature does not exceed the temperature range Tth.

[0020] When the user's exercise intensity is relatively mild or in a normal temperature environment, the body's thermoregulation mechanism is relatively mild, meaning that there is no significant difference in the contraction or dilation state of deep and superficial blood vessels under the skin. Therefore, the processor 30 can determine that the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 100 does not exceed the temperature range Tth, and control the first light-emitting element 101 to emit light while the second light-emitting element 102 does not emit light. At this time, the light sensor 103 senses the light emitted by the first light-emitting element 101 reflected by the human body, and outputs the corresponding photosensitive signal Sr to the processor 30, so that the processor 30 can calculate the physiological information M.

[0021] Taking the first embodiment mentioned above as an example, the first light-emitting element 101 emits green light. The wavelength characteristics of green light can only penetrate superficial blood vessels under the skin. However, since the user's exercise intensity is relatively mild or in a normal temperature environment, there is not much difference in the contraction or dilation state of deep blood vessels and superficial blood vessels under the skin (as mentioned above). Therefore, the physiological information M calculated by the processor 30 is accurate, has reference value, and can conform to the user's actual physiological state. When the user is exercising intensely or in a temperature environment that is very different from normal temperature (such as a hot or cold climate), the body's thermoregulation mechanism is stronger, especially the state of superficial blood vessels under the skin near the body surface is more easily affected, causing a significant difference in the contraction or dilation state of deep blood vessels and superficial blood vessels under the skin, resulting in inaccuracy in the aforementioned green light transmission method. Therefore, when the processor 30 determines that the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 100 exceeds the temperature range Tth, it means that the user is engaged in strenuous exercise or is in a temperature environment that is significantly different from normal temperature. Thus, the processor 30 controls the second light-emitting element 102 to emit light (red light or infrared light) while the first light-emitting element 101 does not emit light. At this time, the light sensor 103 senses the light reflected by the human body from the red light or infrared light emitted by the second light-emitting element 102 and outputs the corresponding photosensitive signal Sr to the processor 30 so that the processor 30 can calculate the physiological information M.

[0022] Similarly, the second to fourth embodiments described above can be deduced in the same way. When the processor 30 determines that the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 100 exceeds the temperature range Tth, the processor 30 can control the second light-emitting element 102 to emit light and the first light-emitting element 101 to not emit light, so as to use the second light-emitting element 102 with a longer wavelength as the sensing light source, so as to sense deeper tissue blood vessels than when the first light-emitting element 101 is used as the sensing light source.

[0023] Compared with the first light-emitting element 101, the second light-emitting element 102 emits light with a longer wavelength, which can penetrate deeper under the skin to areas with more and thicker blood vessels. At this time, the light sensed by the photosensitive element 103 is the light reflected by the areas with more and thicker blood vessels deeper under the skin. Therefore, the optical signal provided by the photosensitive element 103 to the processor 30 is more sufficient and stable, and can more realistically reflect the state of blood vessels (blood flow) in the user's body. This relatively improves the accuracy of the physiological information M calculated by the processor 30. Therefore, in terms of application, in addition to providing more stable heart rate monitoring, the present invention can also be used for advanced physiological state monitoring such as blood oxygen saturation measurement, hemodynamic analysis, and tissue perfusion index assessment. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0024] Figure 1: A circuit block diagram of an embodiment of the wearable electronic device of the present invention capable of automatically switching sensing light sources. Figure 2: A perspective view of an embodiment of the wearable electronic device of the present invention capable of automatically switching sensing light sources. Figure 3: A usage diagram of an embodiment of the wearable electronic device of the present invention capable of automatically switching sensing light sources.

Claims

1. A wearable electronic device capable of automatically switching sensing light sources, comprising: a body, having a temperature sensor, a first light-emitting element, a second light-emitting element, and a light sensor, wherein the light wavelength of the first light-emitting element is shorter than the light wavelength of the second light-emitting element, and the light sensor is used to sense light reflected by the human body from the light emitted by the first light-emitting element or the second light-emitting element; a wearable component disposed on the body; and a processor disposed on the body and electrically connected to the temperature sensor, the first light-emitting element, the second light-emitting element, and the light sensor, wherein the processor calculates physiological information based on a signal received from the light sensor, wherein... The processor determines whether the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor exceeds a temperature range; if not, the processor controls the first light-emitting element to emit light; if so, the processor controls the second light-emitting element to emit light.

2. The wearable electronic device as described in claim 1, which can automatically switch sensing light sources, wherein, The wavelength of light emitted by the first light-emitting element is greater than or equal to 500 nanometers and less than or equal to 600 nanometers.

3. A wearable electronic device capable of automatically switching sensing light sources as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The wavelength of the second light-emitting element is greater than or equal to 650 nanometers and less than or equal to 1100 nanometers.

4. A wearable electronic device as described in claim 1, capable of automatically switching sensing light sources, wherein, The wavelength of light emitted by the first light-emitting element is greater than or equal to 650 nanometers and less than or equal to 750 nanometers.

5. A wearable electronic device capable of automatically switching sensing light sources as described in claim 1 or 4, wherein, The wavelength of light emitted by the second light-emitting element is greater than 750 nanometers and less than or equal to 1100 nanometers.

6. A wearable electronic device as described in claim 1, capable of automatically switching sensing light sources, wherein, The first light-emitting element is a green light-emitting diode, and the second light-emitting element is a red light-emitting diode or an infrared light-emitting diode.

7. A wearable electronic device as described in claim 1, capable of automatically switching sensing light sources, wherein, The first light-emitting element is a red light-emitting diode, and the second light-emitting element is an infrared light-emitting diode.

8. A wearable electronic device capable of automatically switching sensing light sources as described in claim 1, wherein, The temperature sensor, the first light-emitting element, the second light-emitting element, and the light sensor are arranged in an array on the back of the body.

9. A wearable electronic device as described in claim 1, capable of automatically switching sensing light sources, wherein, This physiological information includes at least one of the following: heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure trend, respiratory rate, and tissue perfusion index.

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