Electronic device, method for controlling electronic device, and program

Abstract

This electronic device comprises a signal processing unit that detects vibration in a monitoring target on the basis of a transmitted signal that is transmitted as a transmitted wave and a received signal that is received as a reflected wave generated by reflection of the transmitted wave by the monitoring target. The signal processing unit generates first information relating to the heart sound of the monitoring target on the basis of vibration in a first portion of the monitoring target, and, in cases in which the first information does not meet a prescribed criterion, generates second information relating to the pulse wave of the monitoring target on the basis of vibration in a second portion different from the first portion of the monitoring target.

Description

Electronic device, electronic device control method, and program CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-130366, filed on August 9, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device, a control method for an electronic device, and a program.

[0003] Various technologies have been proposed that use sensors, such as biosensors, that acquire biometric information from the human body to determine possible risks to a person being monitored. For example, Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3 propose technologies that detect abnormalities such as a person drowning in the water (hot water) of a bathtub while bathing.

[0004] Furthermore, in fields such as the automobile industry, importance is being placed on technologies for measuring the distance between a vehicle and a predetermined object. In particular, in recent years, various RADAR (Radio Detecting and Ranging) technologies have been researched, which measure the distance between an object and the vehicle by transmitting radio waves, such as millimeter waves, and receiving the waves reflected by the object, such as an obstacle. As such, the importance of technologies for measuring distance is expected to increase in the future with the development of technologies for assisting drivers and technologies related to autonomous driving, which automates driving partially or completely. Research is currently underway to apply such radar technologies to detecting vital signs, such as pulse rate, of a person being monitored.

[0005] JP 2019-135595 A JP 2019-135596 A JP 2020-22678 A

[0006] An electronic device according to one embodiment includes a signal processing unit that detects vibrations in a monitoring target based on a transmission signal transmitted as a transmission wave and a reception signal received as a reflected wave of the transmission wave reflected by the monitoring target, wherein the signal processing unit generates first information about heart sounds of the monitoring target based on vibrations in a first part of the monitoring target, and when the first information does not satisfy a predetermined criterion, generates second information about pulse waves of the monitoring target based on vibrations in a second part of the monitoring target that is different from the first part.

[0007] In one embodiment, a control method for an electronic device includes a signal processing unit that detects vibrations in a monitoring object based on a transmission signal transmitted as a transmission wave and a reception signal received as a reflected wave of the transmission wave reflected by the monitoring object, and includes the steps of: generating first information about the heart sounds of the monitoring object based on vibrations in a first part of the monitoring object; and, if the first information does not satisfy a predetermined standard, generating second information about the pulse waves of the monitoring object based on vibrations in a second part of the monitoring object that is different from the first part.

[0008] A program according to one embodiment causes an electronic device having a signal processing unit that detects vibrations in a monitoring target based on a transmission signal transmitted as a transmission wave and a reception signal received as a reflected wave from the monitoring target of the transmission wave, to execute the following steps: generating first information about the heart sounds of the monitoring target based on vibrations in a first part of the monitoring target; and, if the first information does not satisfy a predetermined standard, generating second information about the pulse waves of the monitoring target based on vibrations in a second part of the monitoring target that is different from the first part.

[0009] 13 is a diagram illustrating a usage mode of an electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 14 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of an electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a signal processed by an electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating signal processing by an electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating signal processing by an electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating signal processing by an electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of antenna arrangement in an antenna array of an electronic device according to an embodiment and an operating principle. FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of antenna arrangement in an antenna array of an electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of a usage environment of an electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 21 is a graph illustrating an example of operation of an electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 22 is a graph illustrating an enlarged view of a portion of the graph shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 23 is a graph illustrating an example of operation of an electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 24 is a graph illustrating an enlarged view of a portion of the graph shown in FIG. 14.

[0010] For example, if it is possible to increase the possibility of detecting biological information such as the heartbeat of a monitoring subject by transmitting and receiving radio waves such as millimeter waves, this is expected to be useful in a wide variety of fields. An object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronic device, a control method for an electronic device, and a program that can increase the possibility of detecting biological information such as the heartbeat of a monitoring subject by transmitting and receiving radio waves. According to one embodiment, it is possible to provide an electronic device, a control method for an electronic device, and a program that can increase the possibility of detecting biological information such as the heartbeat of a monitoring subject by transmitting and receiving radio waves.

[0011] In the present disclosure, an "electronic device" may refer to a device that is powered by electricity. Furthermore, a "user" may refer to a person (typically a human) or an animal that uses an electronic device and / or a system including the electronic device according to an embodiment. The user may include a person who monitors a target, such as a human, by using an electronic device according to an embodiment or a system including the electronic device. Furthermore, a "target" may refer to a person to be monitored by an electronic device according to an embodiment (hereinafter also referred to as a "monitored target"). The monitored target may be, for example, a human or an animal. Furthermore, the user may include the monitored target.

[0012] In this disclosure, a "heart beat" may refer to the beating of the heart. A "pulse" may refer to the rhythmic contraction of the heart or arteries. Here, the heart includes human and animal hearts. A "heart beat" and a "heart sound" may include human and animal "heart beats" and "heart sounds."

[0013] In addition, in this disclosure, "heart rate" refers to the number of times the heart beats within a given period of time. For example, the heart rate may be the number of beats per minute. When the heart pumps blood, pulsations occur in the arteries. Therefore, the number of times the arteries beat may be referred to as the "pulse rate" or simply "pulse."

[0014] Furthermore, in the present disclosure, a "heart sound" may refer to the sound of the heart beating. That is, a heart sound may refer to the sound that occurs when the heart contracts and expands. Here, the "heart sound" may include a first low, long sound resulting from ventricular muscle tension, mitral valve closure, the start of blood ejection into the arteries, and / or acceleration of blood flow, followed by a second high, short sound resulting from aortic valve closure and / or pulmonary valve closure.

[0015] In the present disclosure, heart sounds are not necessarily limited to physical sounds based on air vibrations, but may refer to the vibrations themselves caused by the heartbeat (pulsation). For example, in the present disclosure, heartbeats may imply a vibration source, and heart sounds may imply the vibrations themselves caused by the vibration source. Furthermore, in the present disclosure, heartbeats may also imply heart sounds depending on the situation.

[0016] In addition, in the present disclosure, a "pulse wave" may be a waveform that represents the change in volume of blood vessels caused by the heart pumping blood.

[0017] An electronic device according to an embodiment can detect the heartbeat of a target, such as a human, present in the vicinity of the electronic device. Therefore, the electronic device according to an embodiment may be used in specific facilities used by socially active individuals, such as homes, companies, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, sports gyms, and care facilities. For example, in a company, it is extremely important to understand and / or manage the health of employees. Similarly, it is extremely important to understand and / or manage the health of patients and medical professionals in a hospital, and residents and staff in a nursing home. The electronic device according to an embodiment may be used in any facility where it is desirable to understand and / or manage the health of a target. Such facilities may also include non-commercial facilities, such as a user's home. Furthermore, the electronic device according to an embodiment may be used indoors and outdoors. For example, the electronic device according to an embodiment may be used inside a moving vehicle, such as a train, bus, or airplane, or at a station or platform. Furthermore, the electronic device according to an embodiment may be used in a moving body such as an automobile, an airplane, or a ship, a hotel, a user's home, a living room, a bathroom, a toilet, or a bedroom in the home, etc. Furthermore, the electronic device according to an embodiment may be used to measure the heart rates of cows, pigs, or other livestock or animals in a zoo, a ranch, a farm, etc.

[0018] An electronic device according to an embodiment may be used, for example, in a nursing care facility or the like, to detect or monitor the heartbeat of a person requiring nursing care or other person. Furthermore, when an abnormality is detected in the heartbeat of a person requiring nursing care or other person, the electronic device may issue a predetermined warning to the person and / or other person. Therefore, the electronic device according to an embodiment may allow the person and / or staff at the nursing care facility or the like to recognize that an abnormality is detected in the pulse of the person requiring nursing care or other person. On the other hand, when no abnormality is detected in the heartbeat of a person requiring nursing care or other person (e.g., the heartbeat is recognized as normal), the electronic device according to an embodiment may notify the person and / or other person of this fact. Therefore, the electronic device according to an embodiment may allow the person and / or staff at the nursing care facility or the like to recognize that the pulse of the person requiring nursing care or other person is normal. An electronic device according to one embodiment may detect the heartbeat interval (RR interval = RRI in an electrocardiogram), drowsiness, etc. of a monitored person or animal, estimate signs of such drowsiness, estimate the level of alertness, estimate the level of fatigue, or identify the monitored person, based on the heartbeat of the monitored person or animal.

[0019] Furthermore, the electronic device according to an embodiment may detect the pulse of an animal other than a human being as a monitoring target. The electronic device according to an embodiment described below will be described as detecting the human pulse using a sensor based on technology such as millimeter wave radar, for example.

[0020] An electronic device according to an embodiment may be installed on any stationary object or any mobile object. The electronic device according to an embodiment can transmit a transmission wave to the vicinity of the electronic device using a transmission antenna. The electronic device according to an embodiment can receive a reflected wave of the transmission wave using a reception antenna. Each of the transmission antenna and the reception antenna may be an antenna array (array antenna) including a plurality of antenna elements. At least one of the transmission antenna and the reception antenna may be provided in the electronic device, or may be provided in, for example, a radar sensor.

[0021] Hereinafter, the electronic device according to an embodiment will be described as being stationary. The electronic device according to an embodiment may be installed in a moving body such as an automobile. The electronic device according to an embodiment may be installed in a moving body such as an automobile to detect the heartbeat of a passenger in the moving body. Meanwhile, the monitored subject (human) whose pulse is detected by the electronic device according to an embodiment may be stationary, moving, or moving while stationary. The electronic device according to an embodiment can measure the distance between the electronic device and an object in a situation where the object around the electronic device may move, similar to a typical radar sensor. The electronic device according to an embodiment can measure the distance between the electronic device and an object even when both the electronic device and the object are stationary.

[0022] An electronic device according to an embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. First, an example of object detection by the electronic device according to an embodiment will be described.

[0023] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a usage mode of an electronic device according to an embodiment, showing an example of an electronic device having a sensor function and including a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna according to an embodiment.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1 , an electronic device 1 according to an embodiment may include a transmitter and a receiver, which will be described later. As described below, the transmitter may include a transmitter antenna array 24. The receiver may include a receiver antenna array 31. Specific configurations of the electronic device 1, the transmitter, and the receiver will be described later. For ease of viewing, FIG. 1 illustrates the electronic device 1 including a transmitter antenna array 24 and a receiver antenna array 31. The electronic device 1 may also include at least one of the other functional units, such as at least a portion of a signal processing unit 10 ( FIG. 2 ), as appropriate. The electronic device 1 may also include at least one of the other functional units, such as at least a portion of the signal processing unit 10 ( FIG. 2 ), external to the electronic device 1. In FIG. 1 , the electronic device 1 may be moving or may be stationary. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the electronic device 1 and other functional units.

[0025] In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the electronic device 1 is shown in a simplified form, with a transmitter including a transmitting antenna array 24 and a receiver including a receiving antenna array 31. The electronic device 1 may include, for example, multiple transmitters and / or multiple receivers. The transmitter may include a transmitting antenna array 24 consisting of multiple transmitting antennas. The receiver may include a receiving antenna array 31 consisting of multiple receiving antennas. Here, the locations at which the transmitters and / or receivers are installed in the electronic device 1 are not limited to the locations shown in FIG. 1 , and may be other locations as appropriate. The number of transmitters and / or receivers may be any number greater than or equal to one, depending on various conditions (or requirements) such as the range and / or accuracy of heartbeat detection by the electronic device 1.

[0026] As described below, the electronic device 1 transmits electromagnetic waves as transmission waves from the transmitting antenna array 24. For example, if a predetermined object (e.g., the monitored object 200 shown in FIG. 1 ) is present around the electronic device 1, at least a portion of the transmission waves transmitted from the electronic device 1 is reflected by the object and becomes a reflected wave. Then, by receiving such a reflected wave, for example, with the receiving antenna array 31 of the electronic device 1, the electronic device 1 can detect the monitored object as a target.

[0027] The electronic device 1 including the transmitting antenna array 24 may typically be a RADAR (Radio Detecting and Ranging) sensor that transmits and receives radio waves. However, the electronic device 1 is not limited to a radar sensor. The electronic device 1 according to an embodiment may be a sensor based on, for example, light wave-based LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) technology. Such sensors may include, for example, a patch antenna. Since technologies such as RADAR and LIDAR are already known, detailed descriptions thereof may be appropriately simplified or omitted. Furthermore, the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment may be a sensor based on, for example, technology that detects objects by transmitting and receiving sound waves or ultrasonic waves.

[0028] The electronic device 1 shown in FIG. 1 receives, via the receiving antenna array 31, reflected waves of transmitted waves transmitted from the transmitting antenna array 24. In this way, the electronic device 1 can detect a predetermined monitoring target 200 present within a predetermined distance from the electronic device 1 as a target. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 1 can measure the distance L between the electronic device 1 and the predetermined monitoring target 200. The electronic device 1 can also measure the relative speed between the electronic device 1 and the predetermined monitoring target 200. Furthermore, the electronic device 1 can also measure the direction (arrival angle θ) in which the reflected waves from the predetermined monitoring target 200 arrive at the electronic device 1.

[0029] In Fig. 1, the XY plane may be, for example, a plane that is approximately parallel to the ground surface. In this case, the positive direction of the Z axis shown in Fig. 1 may indicate a vertically upward direction. In Fig. 1, the electronic device 1 may be disposed on a plane that is parallel to the XY plane. Also, in Fig. 1, the monitored object 200 may be, for example, standing on the ground surface that is approximately parallel to the XY plane.

[0030] Here, the monitored object 200 may be, for example, a human being present around the electronic device 1. The monitored object 200 may also be a non-human living thing, such as an animal present around the electronic device 1. As described above, the monitored object 200 may be moving, stationary, or motionless. In the present disclosure, the object detected by the electronic device 1 includes not only inanimate objects such as any object, but also living things such as people, dogs, cats, horses, and other animals. The object detected by the electronic device 1 of the present disclosure may include targets, including people, objects, and animals, detected using radar technology. In the present disclosure, targets may include people, objects, and animals. In the following description, it is assumed that an object (target) such as the monitored object 200 present around the electronic device 1 is a human being. However, as described above, the object (target) detected by the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment may also be an animal. In the present disclosure, the target may be the monitored object 200 described above.

[0031] 1, the ratio between the size of the electronic device 1 and the size of the monitored object 200 does not necessarily represent the actual ratio. Also, in FIG. 1, the transmitting antenna array 24 of the transmitting unit and the receiving antenna array 31 of the receiving unit are shown installed outside the electronic device 1. However, in one embodiment, the transmitting antenna array 24 of the transmitting unit and / or the receiving antenna array 31 of the receiving unit may be installed at various positions on the electronic device 1. For example, in one embodiment, the transmitting antenna array 24 of the transmitting unit and / or the receiving antenna array 31 of the receiving unit may be installed inside the electronic device 1 so as not to be visible from the outside of the electronic device 1.

[0032] In the following description, as a typical example, the transmitting antenna of the electronic device 1 will be described as transmitting radio waves in a frequency band such as millimeter waves (30 GHz or higher) or quasi-millimeter waves (e.g., around 20 GHz to 30 GHz). Alternatively, the transmitting antenna of the electronic device 1 may transmit radio waves having a frequency bandwidth of 4 GHz, such as 77 GHz to 81 GHz. Furthermore, the transmitting antenna of the electronic device 1 may transmit radio waves at a frequency higher than the millimeter wave band (e.g., 30 GHz to 300 GHz).

[0033] 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment. An example of the configuration of the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment will be described below.

[0034] When measuring distances and the like using millimeter-wave radar, frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar (hereinafter referred to as FMCW radar) is often used. FMCW radar generates a transmission signal by sweeping the frequency of the radio waves to be transmitted. Therefore, in a millimeter-wave FMCW radar using radio waves in the 79 GHz frequency band, for example, the frequency of the radio waves used has a frequency bandwidth of 4 GHz, such as 77 GHz to 81 GHz. Radar using the 79 GHz frequency band is characterized by a wider usable frequency bandwidth than other millimeter-wave / quasi-millimeter-wave radars, such as those using the 24 GHz, 60 GHz, and 76 GHz frequency bands. Hereinafter, such an embodiment will be described as an example.

[0035] The FMCW radar system used in the present disclosure may include an FCM (Fast-Chirp Modulation) system that transmits chirp signals at a shorter period than normal. The signals generated by the electronic device 1 are not limited to FMCW signals. The signals generated by the electronic device 1 may be signals of various systems other than FMCW. The transmission signal sequence stored in any memory unit may differ depending on these various systems. For example, in the case of the above-mentioned FMCW radar signal, signals whose frequency increases and decreases with each time sample may be used. Since known technologies can be applied as appropriate to the above-mentioned various systems, further detailed description will be omitted.

[0036] 2, the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment includes a signal processing unit 10. The signal processing unit 10 may include a signal generation processing unit 11, a received signal processing unit 12, an extraction unit 13, a calculation unit 14, an output unit 15, and a storage unit 16. In one embodiment, the signal processing unit 10 may not include some of the functional units shown in FIG. 2, or may include functional units other than the functional units shown in FIG. 2.

[0037] In the signal processing unit 10, the extraction unit 13 may execute, for example, a process of extracting a micro-Doppler component. The extraction unit 13 may also execute a process of extracting an envelope of the heart sounds of the monitoring target 200. The calculation unit 14 may execute, for example, a process of calculating the heart rate interval (RRI) of the monitoring target 200. The calculation unit 14 may also execute, for example, a process of calculating the heart rate of the monitoring target 200. The calculation unit 14 may also execute, for example, a process of calculating the heart rate variability (HRV) of the monitoring target 200. The output unit 15 appropriately outputs the calculation result by the calculation unit 14 from the signal processing unit 10. In this case, the output unit 15 may output the calculation result when the calculation result by the calculation unit 14 satisfies a condition stored in the storage unit 16. The storage unit 16 may store various information. In particular, the storage unit 16 may store at least one criterion information for determining whether the output unit 15 outputs predetermined information. The signal generation processing unit 11, the received signal processing unit 12, the extraction unit 13, the calculation unit 14, the output unit 15, and the memory unit 16 will be described further below as appropriate. The memory unit 16 may include any storage device, such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory). The memory unit 16 stores various programs that cause the signal processing unit 10 to function and various information used by the signal processing unit 10. Furthermore, the implementation form of the programs is not limited to application programs such as object code compiled by a compiler or program code executed by an interpreter. The implementation form of the programs may also be in the form of a program module incorporated into an operating system. Furthermore, the programs may be configured so that all processing is performed solely by the CPU on the control board, or may not be configured so. The programs used in the present disclosure may be configured so that part or all of them are executed by another processing unit implemented on an expansion board or expansion unit added to the board as needed.

[0038] In the present disclosure, a heart sound may be, for example, a vibration waveform of the chest or the like directly observed by radar, or may be chest vibration. A heartbeat is the heartbeat itself. A heartbeat interval, a heart rate, or the like may be calculated from the heartbeat movement. A heartbeat interval may be the time interval between one heartbeat and the next.

[0039] The electronic device 1 according to an embodiment includes a transmitting unit including a transmitting DAC 21, a transmitting circuit 22, a millimeter-wave transmitting circuit 23, and a transmitting antenna array 24. The electronic device 1 according to an embodiment includes a receiving unit including a receiving antenna array 31, a mixer 32, a receiving circuit 33, and a receiving ADC 34. The electronic device 1 according to an embodiment may not include at least one of the functional units shown in FIG. 2 , or may include functional units other than the functional units shown in FIG. 2. The electronic device 1 shown in FIG. 2 may be configured using a circuit configured basically similarly to a general radar using electromagnetic waves in the millimeter-wave band or the like. Meanwhile, in the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment, the signal processing by the signal processing unit 10 may include processing different from that of conventional general radar.

[0040] The signal processing unit 10 included in the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment can control the overall operation of the electronic device 1, including the control of each functional unit constituting the electronic device 1. In particular, the signal processing unit 10 performs various processes on signals handled by the electronic device 1. The signal processing unit 10 may include at least one processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a digital signal processor (DSP), to provide control and processing capabilities for executing various functions. The signal processing unit 10 may be implemented as a single processor, several processors, or individual processors. The processor may be implemented as a single integrated circuit. An integrated circuit is also referred to as an IC (integrated circuit). The processor may be implemented as multiple integrated circuits and discrete circuits connected to each other in a communicative manner. The processor may be implemented based on various other known technologies. In one embodiment, the signal processing unit 10 may be configured as, for example, a CPU (hardware) and a program (software) executed by the CPU. The signal processing unit 10 may also include a storage unit (memory) necessary for the operation of the signal processing unit 10, as appropriate.

[0041] The signal generation processing unit 11 of the signal processing unit 10 generates a signal to be transmitted from the electronic device 1. In one embodiment of the electronic device 1, the signal generation processing unit 11 may generate a transmission signal (transmission chirp signal) such as a chirp signal. In particular, the signal generation processing unit 11 may generate a signal whose frequency changes periodically and linearly (linear chirp signal). For example, the signal generation processing unit 11 may generate a chirp signal whose frequency periodically and linearly increases from 77 GHz to 81 GHz over time. Alternatively, the signal generation processing unit 11 may generate a signal whose frequency periodically and linearly increases (up-chirp) and decreases (down-chirp) from 77 GHz to 81 GHz over time. The signal generated by the signal generation processing unit 11 may be preset in the signal processing unit 10, for example. Alternatively, the signal generated by the signal generation processing unit 11 may be pre-stored in, for example, an arbitrary storage unit in the signal processing unit 10. Since chirp signals used in technical fields such as radar are well known, a more detailed description thereof will be simplified or omitted as appropriate. The signal generated by the signal generation processing unit 11 is supplied to the transmission DAC 21. For this purpose, the signal generation processing unit 11 may be connected to the transmission DAC 21.

[0042] The transmission DAC (digital-to-analog converter) 21 has a function of converting the digital signal supplied from the signal generation processing unit 11 into an analog signal. The transmission DAC 21 may be configured to include a general digital-to-analog converter. The analog signal converted by the transmission DAC 21 is supplied to the transmission circuit 22. For this reason, the transmission DAC 21 may be connected to the transmission circuit 22.

[0043] The transmission circuit 22 has a function of converting the analog signal converted by the transmission DAC 21 into an intermediate frequency (IF) band. The transmission circuit 22 may be configured to include a general IF band transmission circuit. The signal processed by the transmission circuit 22 is supplied to the millimeter wave transmission circuit 23. For this reason, the transmission circuit 22 may be connected to the millimeter wave transmission circuit 23.

[0044] The millimeter-wave transmission circuit 23 has a function of transmitting the signal processed by the transmission circuit 22 as a millimeter wave (RF wave). The millimeter-wave transmission circuit 23 may be configured to include a general millimeter-wave transmission circuit. The signal processed by the millimeter-wave transmission circuit 23 is supplied to the transmission antenna array 24. For this reason, the millimeter-wave transmission circuit 23 may be connected to the transmission antenna array 24. The signal processed by the millimeter-wave transmission circuit 23 is also supplied to the mixer 32. For this reason, the millimeter-wave transmission circuit 23 may also be connected to the mixer 32.

[0045] The transmitting antenna array 24 is an array of multiple transmitting antennas. Fig. 2 shows a simplified configuration of the transmitting antenna array 24. The transmitting antenna array 24 transmits the signal processed by the millimeter-wave transmitting circuit 23 to the outside of the electronic device 1. The transmitting antenna array 24 may be configured to include a transmitting antenna array used in a general millimeter-wave radar.

[0046] In this way, the electronic device 1 according to the embodiment includes a transmitting antenna (transmitting antenna array 24 ) and can transmit a transmitting signal (for example, a transmitting chirp signal) as a transmitting wave from the transmitting antenna array 24 .

[0047] 2 , assume that an object such as a monitored object 200 is present around the electronic device 1. In this case, at least a portion of the transmission waves transmitted from the transmitting antenna array 24 is reflected by the object such as the monitored object 200. Of the transmission waves transmitted from the transmitting antenna array 24, at least a portion of those reflected by the object such as the monitored object 200 may be reflected toward the receiving antenna array 31.

[0048] The receiving antenna array 31 receives the reflected waves. Here, the reflected waves may be at least a portion of the transmitted waves transmitted from the transmitting antenna array 24 that are reflected by an object such as the monitored object 200.

[0049] The receiving antenna array 31 is an array of multiple receiving antennas. In FIG. 2, the configuration of the receiving antenna array 31 is shown in a simplified form. The receiving antenna array 31 receives reflected waves that are the result of reflection of the transmitted waves transmitted from the transmitting antenna array 24. The receiving antenna array 31 may be configured to include a receiving antenna array used in a general millimeter-wave radar. The receiving antenna array 31 supplies the received signals received as reflected waves to the mixer 32. For this reason, the receiving antenna array 31 may be connected to the mixer 32.

[0050] The mixer 32 converts the signal (transmission signal) processed by the millimeter-wave transmission circuit 23 and the reception signal received by the reception antenna array 31 into an intermediate frequency (IF) band. The mixer 32 may be configured to include a mixer used in a general millimeter-wave radar. The mixer 32 supplies the signal generated as a result of the combination to the reception circuit 33. For this reason, the mixer 32 may be connected to the reception circuit 33.

[0051] The receiving circuit 33 has a function of performing analog processing on the signal converted to the IF band by the mixer 32. The receiving circuit 33 may be configured to include a receiving circuit that converts to a general IF band. The signal processed by the receiving circuit 33 is supplied to the receiving ADC 34. For this reason, the receiving circuit 33 may be connected to the receiving ADC 34.

[0052] The receiving ADC (analog-to-digital converter) 34 has a function of converting the analog signal supplied from the receiving circuit 33 into a digital signal. The receiving ADC 34 may be configured to include a general analog-to-digital converter. The signal digitized by the receiving ADC 34 is supplied to the receiving signal processing unit 12 of the signal processing unit 10. For this reason, the receiving ADC 34 may be connected to the signal processing unit 10.

[0053] The reception signal processing unit 12 of the signal processing unit 10 has the function of performing various processes on the digital signal supplied from the reception ADC 34. For example, the reception signal processing unit 12 calculates the distance from the electronic device 1 to an object such as the monitored object 200 based on the digital signal supplied from the reception ADC 34 (distance measurement). The reception signal processing unit 12 also calculates the relative velocity of an object such as the monitored object 200 relative to the electronic device 1 based on the digital signal supplied from the reception ADC 34 (speed measurement). Furthermore, the reception signal processing unit 12 calculates the azimuth angle of an object such as the monitored object 200 as seen from the electronic device 1 based on the digital signal supplied from the reception ADC 34 (angle measurement). Specifically, I / Q converted data may be input to the reception signal processing unit 12. By inputting such data, the reception signal processing unit 12 performs fast Fourier transforms (2D-FFT) in the range direction and the velocity direction, respectively. The received signal processing unit 12 may then suppress false alarms by removing noise points using processing such as CFAR (Constant False Alarm Rate) and make the probability of false alarms constant. The received signal processing unit 12 then estimates the angle of arrival for points that satisfy the CFAR criteria, thereby obtaining the position of an object such as the monitored object 200. Information generated as a result of measuring the distance, speed, and angle by the received signal processing unit 12 may be supplied to the extraction unit 13.

[0054] The extraction unit 13 extracts information related to the heartbeat from the information generated by the received signal processing unit 12. Various methods may be adopted for the extraction of information related to the heartbeat by the extraction unit 13. The information related to the heartbeat extracted by the extraction unit 13 may be supplied to the calculation unit 14.

[0055] The calculation unit 14 performs various calculation processes and / or arithmetic processes on the information related to the heart rate supplied from the extraction unit 13. Various methods may be adopted for the various calculation processes and / or arithmetic processes performed by the calculation unit 14. The various pieces of information calculated and / or processed by the calculation unit 14 and / or the signal processing unit 10 may be supplied to, for example, the output unit 15. For this reason, the calculation unit 14 and / or the signal processing unit 10 may be connected to, for example, the output unit 15. The various pieces of information calculated and / or processed by the calculation unit 14 may be supplied to a functional unit other than the output unit 15, such as a communication interface 50. The various pieces of information calculated and / or processed by the calculation unit 14 may be supplied to, for example, the communication interface 50. For this reason, the calculation unit 14 and / or the signal processing unit 10 may be connected to the communication interface 50. The various pieces of information calculated and / or processed by the calculation unit 14 may be supplied to a functional unit other than the communication interface 50.

[0056] The output unit 15 may output various pieces of information calculated and / or processed by the calculation unit 14 to the outside of the signal processing unit 10, such as the communication interface 50. For this reason, the output unit 15 may be connected to the communication interface 50. The information output from the output unit 15 may be output to a functional unit other than the communication interface 50.

[0057] The output unit 15 may also output a predetermined alarm. In this case, the output unit 15 may output the predetermined alarm when various pieces of information calculated and / or processed by the calculation unit 14 satisfy predetermined conditions. Here, the predetermined conditions for outputting the predetermined alarm may be stored in, for example, the storage unit 16. The output unit 15 may also output a predetermined response request. In this case, the output unit 15 may output the predetermined response request when various pieces of information calculated and / or processed by the calculation unit 14 satisfy predetermined conditions. Here, the predetermined conditions for outputting the predetermined response request may be stored in, for example, the storage unit 16.

[0058] The storage unit 16 may function as a memory for storing various types of information. The storage unit 16 may store, for example, programs executed by the signal processing unit 10 and results of processing executed by the signal processing unit 10. The storage unit 16 may function as a work memory for the signal processing unit 10. Therefore, the storage unit 16 may be connected to the signal processing unit 10 and / or the output unit 15 via at least one of a wired and a wireless connection. The storage unit 16 may be configured, for example, by a semiconductor memory or the like, but is not limited thereto and may be any storage device. For example, the storage unit 16 may be a storage medium such as a memory card inserted into the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment. Furthermore, the storage unit 16 may be an internal memory of the CPU or DSP used as the signal processing unit 10, or may be connected separately to the signal processing unit 10.

[0059] The storage unit 16 may also store information that serves as various criteria for determining whether the output unit 15 outputs various pieces of information. For example, the storage unit 16 may store information on a first criterion, which is at least one criterion related to the heartbeat. The storage unit 16 may also store information on a second criterion, which is at least one criterion related to the heartbeat. The first criterion information and the second criterion information will be described in more detail below.

[0060] The communication interface 50 is configured to include an interface that outputs information supplied from the signal processing unit 10 to, for example, an external device 60. The communication interface 50 may output at least one of information regarding the position, speed, and angle of an object such as the monitored object 200 to the external device 60 as a signal such as a CAN (Controller Area Network). For example, at least one of information regarding the position, speed, and angle of an object such as the monitored object 200 may be supplied to the external device 60 via the communication interface 50. For this reason, the communication interface 50 may be connected to the external device 60.

[0061] The communication interface 50 may also supply information relating to the heart rate of the monitoring target 200 to, for example, an external device 60. Furthermore, the communication interface 50 may also supply a predetermined alarm and / or a predetermined response request output from the output unit 16 to, for example, an external device 60. The communication interface 50 may also receive a response to the predetermined response request from, for example, the external device 60.

[0062] 2 , the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment may be connected to an external device 60 via a communication interface 50 in a wired or wireless manner. In an embodiment, the external device 60 may include any computer and / or any control device. The electronic device 1 according to an embodiment may also include the external device 60. The external device 60 may have various configurations depending on how the information on the heartbeat and / or heart sounds detected by the electronic device 1 is used. Therefore, a detailed description of the external device 60 will be omitted.

[0063] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a chirp signal generated by the signal generation processing unit 11 of the signal processing unit 10. In FIG.

[0064] FIG. 3 shows the time structure of one frame when using the FCM (Fast-Chirp Modulation) method. FIG. 3 shows an example of a received signal in the FCM method. FCM is a method in which chirp signals shown as c1, c2, c3, c4, ..., cn in FIG. 3 are repeated at relatively short intervals (for example, equal to or longer than the round-trip time between the electromagnetic wave radar and the target, calculated from the maximum ranging distance). In FCM, for convenience of signal processing of the received signal, transmission and reception processing is often performed by dividing the signal into subframe units as shown in FIG. 3.

[0065] In Fig. 3, the horizontal axis represents elapsed time, and the vertical axis represents frequency. In the example shown in Fig. 3, the signal generation processing unit 11 generates linear chirp signals whose frequencies change periodically and linearly. In Fig. 3, each chirp signal is represented as c1, c2, c3, c4, ..., cn. As shown in Fig. 3, the frequency of each chirp signal increases linearly over time.

[0066] In the example shown in FIG. 3 , several chirp signals such as c1, c2, c3, c4, ..., cn are included in one subframe. That is, subframe 1 and subframe 2 shown in FIG. 3 are each composed of several chirp signals such as c1, c2, c3, c4, ..., cn. Also, in the example shown in FIG. 3 , several subframes such as subframe 1, subframe 2, ..., subframe N are included in one frame (one frame). That is, one frame shown in FIG. 3 is composed of N subframes. Also, one frame shown in FIG. 3 may be frame 1, followed by frame 2, frame 3, ..., etc. Each of these frames may be composed of N subframes, just like frame 1. Also, a frame interval of a predetermined length may be included between frames. One frame shown in FIG. 3 may be, for example, 30 to 50 milliseconds long.

[0067] In the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment, the signal generation processing unit 11 may generate a transmission signal having any number of frames. Also, some chirp signals are omitted from the illustration in Fig. 3. In this manner, the relationship between time and frequency of the transmission signal generated by the signal generation processing unit 11 may be stored as various setting parameters in, for example, a storage unit of the signal processing unit 10.

[0068] In this manner, the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment may transmit a transmission signal composed of subframes each including a plurality of chirp signals. Also, the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment may transmit a transmission signal composed of a frame each including a predetermined number of subframes.

[0069] Hereinafter, the electronic device 1 will be described as transmitting a transmission signal having a frame structure as shown in FIG. 3 . However, the frame structure as shown in FIG. 3 is merely an example, and for example, the number of chirp signals included in one subframe may be arbitrary. That is, in one embodiment, the signal generation processing unit 11 may generate subframes including any number (e.g., any plural number) of chirp signals. Also, the subframe structure as shown in FIG. 3 is merely an example, and for example, the number of subframes included in one frame may be arbitrary. That is, in one embodiment, the signal generation processing unit 11 may generate frames including any number (e.g., any plural number) of subframes. The signal generation processing unit 11 may generate signals of different frequencies. The signal generation processing unit 11 may generate multiple discrete signals, each having a frequency f with a different bandwidth.

[0070] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing, in another aspect, part of the subframe shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 4 shows each sample of the received signal that has received the transmitted signal shown in Fig. 3 as a result of 2D-FFT (Two Dimensional Fast Fourier Transform) processing performed by the received signal processing unit 12 (Fig. 2) of the signal processing unit 10.

[0071] As shown in Fig. 4, chirp signals c1, c2, c3, c4, ..., cn are stored in each subframe, such as subframe 1, ..., subframe N. In Fig. 4, each chirp signal c1, c2, c3, c4, ..., cn is composed of samples, each represented by a square arranged in the horizontal direction. The received signal shown in Fig. 4 is subjected to 2D-FFT, CFAR, and / or integrated signal processing of each subframe by the received signal processing unit 12 shown in Fig. 2.

[0072] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a point cloud calculated on a range-Doppler (distance-velocity) plane as a result of 2D-FFT, CFAR, and integrated signal processing of each subframe being performed in the received signal processing unit 12 shown in FIG.

[0073] In FIG. 5 , the horizontal direction represents range (distance), and the vertical direction represents velocity. The filled squares s1 in FIG. 5 represent point clouds indicating signals that exceed the CFAR threshold. The unfilled squares s2 in FIG. 5 represent bins (2D-FFT samples) without point clouds that do not exceed the CFAR threshold. The point clouds on the range-Doppler plane calculated in FIG. 5 have their azimuth from the radar calculated by direction estimation, and their position and velocity on a two-dimensional plane are calculated as point clouds indicating an object such as the monitored target 200. Here, the direction estimation may be calculated using a beamformer and / or a subspace method. Representative subspace method algorithms include MUSIC (MUltiple SIgnal Classification) and ESPRIT (Estimation of Signal Parameters via Rotation Invariance Technique).

[0074] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the results of the conversion of point cloud coordinates from the range-Doppler plane shown in FIG. 5 to the XY plane after the received signal processing unit 12 has performed direction estimation. The XY plane shown in FIG. 6 may be the same as the XY plane shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 6, the received signal processing unit 12 can plot a point cloud PG on the XY plane. Here, the point cloud PG is made up of individual points P. Furthermore, each point P has an angle θ and a radial velocity Vr in polar coordinates.

[0075] The received signal processing unit 12 detects an object present within the range in which the transmitted wave is transmitted based on at least one of the results of the 2D-FFT and the angle estimation. The received signal processing unit 12 may perform object detection by, for example, performing clustering processing based on the estimated distance information, velocity information, and angle information. Known algorithms used for clustering data include DBSCAN (Density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise). This is an algorithm that performs clustering based on density. In the clustering processing, for example, the average power of the points constituting the detected object may be calculated. The distance information, velocity information, angle information, and power information of the object detected by the received signal processing unit 12 may be supplied to an external device 60, for example, via a communication interface 50.

[0076] As described above, the electronic device 1 may include a transmitting antenna (transmitting antenna array 24), a receiving antenna (receiving antenna array 31), and a signal processing unit 10. The transmitting antenna array 24 transmits a transmission wave, for example, an electric wave. The receiving antenna array 31 receives a reflected wave of the transmission wave. The signal processing unit 10 then detects an object (such as the monitored object 200) that reflects the transmission wave based on the transmission signal transmitted as the transmission wave and the reception signal received as the reflected wave.

[0077] In this way, the signal processing unit 10 can detect the speed at which an object such as the monitoring target 200 is displaced by tracking the change over time in the displacement of the object. In addition, when the surface of the object is vibrating slightly, such as the chest of the monitoring target 200, the speed at which the object is vibrating can also be detected.

[0078] Next, estimation of the direction of an incoming wave (an incoming reflected wave) by the antenna array of the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment will be further described.

[0079] 7 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the receiving antenna array 31 of the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment and the principle of estimating the direction of an incoming wave by the receiving antenna array 31. FIG. 7 shows an example of reception of radio waves by the receiving antenna array 31.

[0080] As shown in Figure 7, the receive antenna array 31 may be a linear arrangement of sensors such as receive antennas. As shown in Figure 7, in one embodiment, the receive antenna array 31 may include multiple receive antennas arranged in a linear arrangement. In Figure 7, the receive antenna array 31 includes antenna x １ , x ２ , x ３ , …, x Ｍ The receiving antenna array 31 may be composed of any number of antennas. As shown in FIG. 7, the multiple antennas constituting the receiving antenna array 31 are arranged at an interval of an array pitch d. A sensor array in which sensors (antennas, ultrasonic vibrators, microphones, etc.) corresponding to various physical waves are arranged in an array is also called a Uniform Linear Array (ULA). As shown in FIG. 7, physical waves (electromagnetic waves, sound waves, etc.) are transmitted along a direction, for example, θ １ and θ ２ where θ １ and θ ２ may be the angle of arrival described above. In this way, a sensor array such as the receiving antenna array 31 can estimate the direction of arrival (angle of arrival) by utilizing the phase difference that occurs in the measurements between sensors depending on the direction of arrival of the physical wave. This method of estimating the direction of arrival of a wave is also referred to as angle of arrival estimation or direction of arrival (DoA).

[0081] In the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, at least one of the transmitting antenna array 24 and the receiving antenna array 31 may be configured with multiple antennas arranged in a line. This allows, for example, millimeter-wave radar to appropriately narrow the directivity when transmitting and receiving radio waves. When transmitting a transmitted wave, the direction of the transmitted beam is often controlled by a beamformer. On the other hand, when receiving a reflected wave, the direction of arrival of the reflected wave is often estimated using a subspace method (such as the above-mentioned MUSIC and ESPRIT) rather than a beamformer. In the beamformer and subspace method, in a ULA such as that shown in FIG. 7 , a phase difference occurs in the measurements between sensors depending on the direction of arrival of electromagnetic waves arriving from various directions. Therefore, the phase difference can be used to estimate the direction of arrival of the reflected wave.

[0082] Next, estimation of angles of incoming waves in two directions by the antenna array of the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment will be further described.

[0083] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of an antenna arrangement for estimating the directions of arrival at two orthogonal angles.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 8, in the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, the transmitting antenna array 24 and / or the receiving antenna array 31 may be configured to include an array of a plurality of patch antenna units.

[0085] In the transmitting antenna array 24 shown in Fig. 8, one patch antenna unit may be configured to include a plurality of elements electrically connected in the direction 1 shown in the figure. In each patch antenna unit, the plurality of elements may be electrically connected by wiring such as a strip line on a substrate. In each patch antenna unit, the plurality of elements are spaced apart at intervals d shorter than half the wavelength λ of the transmitting wave. １，ｔ 8, each patch antenna unit may have any number of elements greater than or equal to two electrically connected together.

[0086] 8, the transmitting antenna array 24 may be configured by arranging a plurality of patch antenna units in a direction 2 shown in the figure. The patch antenna units are spaced apart at intervals d, which are shorter than half the wavelength λ of the transmitting wave. ２，ｔ In one embodiment, the transmit antenna array 24 may include any number of patch antenna units greater than or equal to two.

[0087] As shown in Fig. 8, in one embodiment, the receiving antenna array 31 may be configured by changing the arrangement of the multiple elements in the transmitting antenna array 24. That is, in the receiving antenna array 31 shown in Fig. 8, one patch antenna unit may be configured to include multiple elements electrically connected in the direction 2 shown in the figure. In each patch antenna unit, the multiple elements may be electrically connected by wiring such as a stripline on a substrate. In each patch antenna unit, the multiple elements are spaced apart at intervals d shorter than half the wavelength λ of the transmission wave. ２，ｓ 8, each patch antenna unit may have any number of elements greater than or equal to two electrically connected together.

[0088] 8, the receiving antenna array 31 may be configured by arranging a plurality of patch antenna units in a direction 1 shown in the figure. The patch antenna units are spaced apart at intervals d, which are shorter than half the wavelength λ of the transmission wave. １，ｓ In one embodiment, the receive antenna array 31 may include any number of patch antenna units greater than or equal to two.

[0089] The elements included in the transmitting antenna array 24 and the receiving antenna array 31 may all be arranged on the same plane (for example, on the surface layer of the same substrate). The transmitting antenna array 24 and the receiving antenna array 31 may also be arranged close to each other (monostatically). Furthermore, directions 1 and 2 shown in FIG. 8 may be geometrically orthogonal to each other.

[0090] The transmitting antenna array 24 and receiving antenna array 31 shown in FIG. 8 can appropriately narrow the directivity of each transmitting antenna and receiving antenna. Furthermore, by using the transmitting antenna array 24 shown in FIG. 8 to control the direction of transmission of each transmitting wave (transmitting signal) at each timing of transmitting the transmitting wave, a beamformer for direction 2 shown in FIG. 8 can be realized. Furthermore, by using the receiving antenna array 31 shown in FIG. 8, the arrival direction of the reflected wave can be estimated for direction 1 shown in FIG. 8. In this way, it is possible to estimate the arrival direction of the reflected wave for two angles that are substantially orthogonal. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a three-dimensional point cloud representing an object such as the monitoring target 200.

[0091] Next, a method for detecting the heartbeat of the monitoring target 200 using the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment will be described.

[0092] An electronic device 1 according to an embodiment transmits a transmission wave, such as a millimeter-wave radar wave, to a monitoring target 200 and receives a reflected wave reflected from the chest where the heart of the monitoring target 200 is located. Based on the received wave, the monitoring target 200 can measure (estimate) the heart rate of the monitoring target 200. As described above, the monitoring target 200 may be a human or an animal. In this case, for example, frequency filtering of the vibrations at the location of the monitoring target 200 detected by radar can be performed to extract a component assumed to be the heart rate envelope. Once the component assumed to be the heart rate envelope is extracted, the interval between the peaks of the envelope can be used to calculate the heart rate interval. Here, an approximation can be used in which the peak of the heart rate envelope roughly coincides with the R peak of an electrocardiogram. For this reason, the "heart rate interval" can also be referred to as the RR interval or RRI (RR interval), similar to the term used in electrocardiograms. The electronic device 1 according to an embodiment may estimate the heartbeat interval of the monitored object 200 from the results of the above-described 2D-FFT, CFAR processing, and direction of arrival estimation.

[0093] Here, a description will be given of an environment in which the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment is used. Figures 9 and 10 are diagrams showing examples of an environment in which the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment is used.

[0094] 9 shows a state in which a person to be monitored is partially submerged in hot or cold water, such as a bathtub or a swimming pool, with the body part below the chest immersed in the water.

[0095] In an environment such as that shown in FIG. 9 , an electronic device 1 according to an embodiment can detect chest vibrations of a monitoring subject by emitting transmission waves to a body part, including the chest, of the monitoring subject and receiving a wave reflected by the chest of the monitoring subject. In this manner, the electronic device 1 can generate information about the heart rate of the monitoring subject based on the vibrations in the chest of the monitoring subject in an environment such as that shown in FIG. 9 . That is, the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment can output information about the heart rate of the monitoring subject even when a part of the monitoring subject's body (a part below the chest) is submerged in hot or cold water. In the present disclosure, the "chest" may refer to the part of a human or animal body between the neck and abdomen. The chest may also include the surface and interior of the body.

[0096] On the other hand, Figure 10 shows a state in which a person to be monitored is partially submerged in hot water or water, such as in a bathtub or swimming pool, to a greater depth than that shown in Figure 9. Figure 10 shows a state in which the person to be monitored is immersed in hot water or water up to the chest.

[0097] In an environment such as that shown in FIG. 10 , the chest of a human being to be monitored is hidden beneath the water surface. In such an environment, even if the electronic device 1 emits a transmission wave toward a body part including the chest of the monitored person, it is expected that the electronic device 1 will not be able to receive the reflected wave from the chest of the monitored person. In this case, it will not be able to detect the vibration of the chest of the monitored person. Thus, in an environment such as that shown in FIG. 10 , the electronic device 1 may not be able to generate information about the heart rate of the monitored person based on the vibration of the chest of the monitored person. In other words, the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment may not be able to output information about the heart rate of the monitored person when the part that detects the vibration is submerged in hot or cold water.

[0098] However, through demonstration experiments, the applicant confirmed that even in an environment such as that shown in FIG. 10 , if a transmission wave is emitted to an area including the neck of the monitored subject, the transmission wave can be received as a reflected wave from the neck of the monitored subject. The applicant also confirmed that by receiving such a reflected wave, the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment can detect vibrations in the neck of the monitored subject. Here, the "neck" may refer to the portion connecting the head and torso of the monitored subject, typically the neck. In this way, in an environment such as that shown in FIG. 10 , the electronic device 1 can generate information about the heart rate of the monitored subject based on at least one of vibrations in the chest and vibrations in the neck of the monitored subject. That is, the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment can output information about the heart rate of the monitored subject even when the monitored subject has a part of their body submerged in hot or cold water up to the chest.

[0099] 11 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment. The operation of the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment will be further described below with reference to FIG.

[0100] The operation shown in FIG. 11 may start when the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment outputs information about the heart rate of the monitoring target 200 .

[0101] 11 starts, the signal processing unit 10 detects vibrations in the monitoring target 200 (step S11). In step S11, the signal processing unit 10 may detect vibrations in the monitoring target 200 based on a transmission signal transmitted as a transmission wave by the electronic device 1 and a reception signal received as a reflected wave of the transmission wave reflected by the monitoring target. Also, in step S11, the electronic device 1 may transmit a transmission wave having an emission angle that includes the chest and neck of the monitoring target 200. In this way, the signal processing unit 10 can detect vibrations in at least one of the chest and neck of the monitoring target 200.

[0102] In step S11, the signal processing unit 10 may detect vibrations in the monitored object 200 based on a transmission signal transmitted by a single sensor (e.g., a radar sensor) and a reception signal received by the single sensor. By step S11, the signal processing unit 10 can collectively detect vibrations in various body parts of the monitored object 200, including at least one of the chest and neck of the monitored object 200.

[0103] Next, the signal processing unit 10 generates (or extracts) information about the heart sounds of the monitoring target 200 based on the vibrations at a first location (e.g., the chest) of the monitoring target 200 (step S12). The information about the heart sounds of the monitoring target 200 generated (or extracted) in step S12 will hereinafter also be referred to as "first information." In step S12, the signal processing unit 10 may generate the first information by filtering the vibrations detected at the first location (e.g., the chest) using a reference heart sound waveform. For example, the signal processing unit 10 may generate the first information by comparing the vibrations (heart sound waveform) detected at the first location (e.g., the chest) with a previously acquired reference heart sound waveform. Alternatively, the signal processing unit 10 may generate the first information based on the vibrations at the first location (e.g., the chest) by performing a predetermined pattern matching process (a process of determining whether the difference from a previously acquired pattern is within a predetermined range). Alternatively, the signal processing unit 10 may generate the first information based on vibrations in the first region (for example, the chest) using various methods.

[0104] 12A to 12C are diagrams showing examples of vibrations generated by the signal processing unit 10 at the first part (chest) of the monitoring target 200. FIG.

[0105] Fig. 12(A) is a graph showing an example of a change over time in the vibration velocity at the first part (chest) of the monitoring target 200. The electronic device 1 according to an embodiment can directly detect the change over time in the vibration velocity as shown in Fig. 12(A). Fig. 13 is a diagram showing an enlarged portion of the graph shown in Fig. 12(A). As shown in Fig. 13, the change over time in the vibration velocity at the first part (chest) of the monitoring target 200 forms a heart sound waveform including clear peaks for the first and second sounds.

[0106] Fig. 12(B) is a graph showing an example of the change over time in vibration displacement in the first part (chest) of the monitoring target 200. The graph shown in Fig. 12(B) can be obtained, for example, based on Fig. 12(A). The graph shown in Fig. 12(C) is a graph showing an example of the change over time in vibration displacement in the first part (chest) of the monitoring target 200 (for example, Fig. 12(B)) over a relatively long period of time.

[0107] In step S12, the signal processing unit 10 may extract (generate first information) a waveform of a heart sound that can be determined to be relatively good from at least one of the graphs shown in Figures 12(A) to 12(C) described above.

[0108] Next, the signal processing unit 10 determines whether the generated first information satisfies a predetermined quality (step S13). In step S13, the signal processing unit 10 may compare the waveform indicated by the first information with a preset heart sound waveform, and determine that the first information "satisfies the predetermined quality" if the difference between the two is within a predetermined range. That is, in step S13, the signal processing unit 10 may determine whether the waveform indicated by the first information is appropriate as a heart sound waveform. In step S13, the signal processing unit 10 may use various methods to determine whether the first information satisfies the predetermined quality. A case in which the first information satisfies the predetermined quality may be, for example, a case in which heart sounds can be appropriately acquired based on the vibration of the subject's chest, as shown in FIG. 9 .

[0109] If the first information satisfies the predetermined quality in step S13 (Yes in step S13), the signal processing unit 10 (the output unit 16) may generate information about the heartbeat of the monitoring target 200 (step S14). The information about the heartbeat of the monitoring target 200 generated in step S14 will hereinafter also be referred to as "third information." The third information may be, for example, the heart rate. When proceeding from step S13 to step S14, the signal processing unit 10 may generate the third information based on the first information.

[0110] On the other hand, if the first information does not satisfy the predetermined quality in step S13 (No in step S13), the signal processing unit 10 performs processing in step S15. A case in which the first information does not satisfy the predetermined quality may be, for example, a case in which heart sounds cannot be properly acquired based on the vibration of the subject's chest, as shown in FIG. 10 . In step S15, the signal processing unit 10 generates (or extracts) information regarding the pulse wave of the monitoring target 200 based on the vibration at a second location (e.g., the neck) of the monitoring target 200. The information regarding the pulse wave of the monitoring target 200 generated (or extracted) in step S15 is hereinafter also referred to as "second information." In step S15, the signal processing unit 10 may generate the second information by filtering the vibration detected at the second location (e.g., the neck) using a reference pulse wave waveform. For example, the signal processing unit 10 may generate the second information by comparing the vibration (pulse wave waveform) detected at the second location (e.g., the neck) with a previously acquired reference pulse wave waveform. Furthermore, the signal processing unit 10 may generate the second information based on the vibrations in the second region (e.g., the neck) by performing a predetermined pattern matching process (a process of determining whether or not the difference from a previously acquired pattern is within a predetermined range). Alternatively, the signal processing unit 10 may generate the second information based on the vibrations in the second region (e.g., the neck) by various methods.

[0111] 14A to 14C are diagrams showing examples of vibrations generated by the signal processing unit 10 at the second part (neck) of the monitoring target 200. FIG.

[0112] Fig. 14(A) is a graph showing an example of the change over time in the vibration velocity at the second part (neck) of the monitoring target 200. The electronic device 1 according to an embodiment can directly detect the change over time in the vibration velocity as shown in Fig. 14(A). Fig. 15 is a diagram showing an enlarged portion of the graph shown in Fig. 14(A). As shown in Fig. 15, the change over time in the vibration velocity at the second part (neck) of the monitoring target 200 forms a pulse wave waveform that does not include clear peaks like the first and second sounds.

[0113] Fig. 14(B) is a graph showing an example of the change over time in vibration displacement in the second region (neck) of the monitored object 200. The graph shown in Fig. 14(B) can be obtained, for example, based on Fig. 14(A). The graph shown in Fig. 14(C) is a graph showing an example of the change over time in vibration displacement in the second region (neck) of the monitored object 200 (e.g., Fig. 14(B)) over a relatively long period of time.

[0114] In step S15, the signal processing unit 10 may extract (generate second information) a pulse wave waveform that can be determined to be relatively good from at least one of the graphs shown in Figures 14(A) to 14(C) described above.

[0115] Following step S15, the signal processing unit 10 (the output unit 16) may generate information (third information) regarding the heartbeat of the monitoring target 200 (step S14). When proceeding from step S15 to step S14, the signal processing unit 10 may generate the third information based on at least one of the first information and the second information. For example, if the first information is not available at all or the quality of the first information is significantly poor, the signal processing unit 10 may generate the third information based only on the second information. On the other hand, if the quality of the first information cannot be said to be significantly poor, the signal processing unit 10 may generate the third information based on both the first information and the second information. Furthermore, even if the quality of the first information cannot be said to be significantly poor, the signal processing unit 10 may generate the third information based only on the second information.

[0116] As described above, in the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, the signal processing unit 10 generates (or extracts) first information about the heart sounds of the monitoring target 200 based on vibrations at a first location of the monitoring target 200. If the first information does not satisfy a predetermined standard, the signal processing unit 10 generates (or extracts) second information about the pulse waves of the monitoring target 200 based on vibrations at a second location different from the first location of the monitoring target 200. The signal processing unit 10 may also generate third information about the heartbeat of the monitoring target 200 based on at least one of the first information and the second information.

[0117] In one embodiment, the first part may be a predetermined part of the body of the monitored object 200. Furthermore, the second part may be a part of the body of the monitored object 200 that is located above the first part. More specifically, in one embodiment, the first part may be the chest of the monitored object 200. Furthermore, the second part may be the neck of the monitored object 200.

[0118] According to the electronic device 1 of an embodiment, it is expected that information regarding the heart rate of a monitoring target can be appropriately acquired even in situations such as those shown in Fig. 9 or those shown in Fig. 10. Therefore, according to the electronic device 1 of an embodiment, it is possible to increase the possibility of detecting biological information such as the heart rate of a monitoring target by transmitting and receiving radio waves. Furthermore, by increasing the possibility of detecting biological information such as the heart rate of a monitoring target, the electronic device 1 of an embodiment is expected to be useful in a wide variety of fields.

[0119] (Other Embodiments) Hereinafter, other embodiments will be described.

[0120] When the electrical device 1 according to an embodiment determines that the monitoring target 200 is at risk as a result of measuring the monitoring target's heart rate, the electrical device 1 may output an alert or the like to the monitoring target or a third party. For such processing, the storage unit 16 may store information on a first criterion, which is at least one criterion related to the heart rate. The output unit 15 of the signal processing unit 10 may output a predetermined alert based on the fact that the heart rate of the monitoring target 200 indicated by the third information is equal to or greater than the first criterion. In this case, the first criterion may be set depending on the monitoring target 200. That is, the first criterion may be set differently for each monitoring target.

[0121] Furthermore, when the electrical device 1 according to an embodiment determines that the monitoring target is at risk as a result of measuring the heart rate of the monitoring target, it may output a request (a response request) to return some kind of response to the monitoring target or a third party. For such processing, the storage unit 16 may store information on a second criterion, which is at least one criterion related to the heart rate. Then, the output unit 15 of the signal processing unit 10 may output a predetermined response request based on the fact that the heart rate of the monitoring target indicated by the third information is equal to or greater than the second criterion. In this case, the second criterion may be set according to the monitoring target 200. That is, the second criterion may be set differently for each monitoring target.

[0122] Furthermore, the signal processing unit 10 may perform a predetermined process, such as automatically requesting emergency transport, in response to not receiving a response to the above-mentioned predetermined response request for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 minutes).

[0123] 2, the signal processing unit 10 has been described as including functional units such as the extraction unit 13, the calculation unit 14, the output unit 15, and the storage unit 16. However, in one embodiment, the processes performed by the extraction unit 13, the calculation unit 14, and / or the output unit 15 may be performed by an external computer or processor.

[0124] As described above, the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment detects weak vibrations such as heartbeats using a millimeter-wave sensor including, for example, multiple transmitting antennas and multiple receiving antennas. When the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment does not detect a monitoring target, it detects the body movement of the monitoring target by changing the transmission phase of the transmitting antenna's beamforming pattern. On the other hand, when the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment detects the body movement of the monitoring target, it performs beamforming in the direction of the body movement to detect the heartbeat. In this way, the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment can improve signal quality by automatically detecting the direction of the human body. Therefore, the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment can improve the heartbeat detection accuracy and / or detection range. Therefore, the electronic device 1 according to an embodiment can detect a human heartbeat with high accuracy.

[0125] While the present disclosure has been described based on various drawings and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art can easily make various modifications and alterations based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each functional unit can be rearranged so as not to cause logical inconsistencies. Multiple functional units can be combined into one or divided. The above-described embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to faithful implementation of each of the described embodiments, but can be implemented by combining each feature or omitting some features as appropriate. In other words, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations to the contents of the present disclosure based on the present disclosure. Therefore, these modifications and alterations are within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, in each embodiment, each functional unit, each means, each step, etc. can be added to other embodiments so as not to cause logical inconsistencies, or can be replaced with each functional unit, each means, each step, etc. of other embodiments. Furthermore, in each embodiment, multiple functional units, each means, each step, etc. can be combined into one or divided into two or more. Furthermore, each of the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure is not limited to being implemented faithfully according to each of the described embodiments, but can also be implemented by combining each feature or omitting some of them as appropriate.

[0126] The above-described embodiment is not limited to implementation as the electronic device 1. For example, the above-described embodiment may be implemented as a control method for a device such as the electronic device 1. Furthermore, the above-described embodiment may be implemented as a program executed by a device such as the electronic device 1, or as a storage medium or recording medium on which a program is recorded.

[0127] The electronic device 1 according to the above-described embodiment has been described as including components constituting a so-called radar sensor, such as the transmitting antenna array 24 and the receiving antenna array 31. However, the electronic device according to the embodiment may be implemented as, for example, a signal processing unit 10. In this case, the signal processing unit 10 may have a function of processing signals handled by, for example, the transmitting antenna array 24 and the receiving antenna array 31.

[0128] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Electronic device 10 Signal processing unit 11 Signal generation processing unit 12 Received signal processing unit 13 Extraction unit 14 Calculation unit 15 Output unit 16 Storage unit 21 Transmission DAC 22 Transmission circuit 23 Millimeter wave transmission circuit 24 Transmission antenna array 31 Reception antenna array 32 Mixer 33 Reception circuit 34 Reception ADC 50 Communication interface 60 External device 70 Audio-visual device

Claims

1. An electronic device having a signal processing unit that detects vibrations in a monitoring object based on a transmission signal sent as a transmission wave and a reception signal received as a reflected wave of the transmission wave reflected by the monitoring object, wherein the signal processing unit generates first information regarding the heart sounds of the monitoring object based on the vibrations in a first part of the monitoring object, and if the first information does not satisfy a predetermined standard, generates second information regarding the pulse waves of the monitoring object based on the vibrations in a second part of the monitoring object different from the first part.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit generates third information regarding the heart rate of the monitoring subject based on at least one of the first information and the second information.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit detects vibrations in the monitored object based on the transmission signal transmitted by a single sensor and the reception signal received by the single sensor.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first information is generated based on vibrations at a specific part of the body of the monitored subject as the first part, and the second information is generated based on vibrations at a part of the body of the monitored subject that is located above the first part as the second part.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first information is generated based on vibrations in the chest of the monitored subject as the first part, and the second information is generated based on vibrations in the neck of the monitored subject as the second part.

6. The electronic device described in claim 2, comprising: a memory unit that stores information on a first standard, which is at least one standard related to heart rate; and an output unit that outputs a predetermined alarm based on the fact that the heart rate of the monitored object indicated by the third information is equal to or higher than the first standard.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the first criterion is set according to the object to be monitored.

8. The electronic device described in claim 2, comprising: a memory unit that stores information on a second criterion, which is at least one criterion related to heart rate; and an output unit that outputs a predetermined response request based on the heart rate of the monitored object indicated by the third information being equal to or higher than the second criterion.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the second criterion is set according to the object of monitoring.

10. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the signal processing unit executes a predetermined process in response to not receiving a response to the predetermined response request for a predetermined period of time.

11. A method for controlling an electronic device having a signal processing unit that detects vibrations in a monitored object based on a transmission signal transmitted as a transmission wave and a reception signal received as a reflected wave of the transmission wave reflected by the monitored object, the method comprising: generating first information about the heart sounds of the monitored object based on vibrations in a first part of the monitored object; and if the first information does not satisfy a predetermined standard, generating second information about the pulse waves of the monitored object based on vibrations in a second part of the monitored object that is different from the first part.

12. A program that causes an electronic device having a signal processing unit that detects vibrations in a monitored object based on a transmission signal sent as a transmission wave and a reception signal received as a reflected wave of the transmission wave reflected by the monitored object to execute the following steps: generating first information about the heart sounds of the monitored object based on vibrations in a first part of the monitored object; and, if the first information does not satisfy a predetermined standard, generating second information about the pulse waves of the monitored object based on vibrations in a second part of the monitored object that is different from the first part.

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