Wearable device and body temperature measuring method using ultrasonic waves
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/KR2024/011730
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-11-07
- Filing Date
- 2024-08-07
- Publication Date
- 2025-03-27
Smart Images

Figure KR2024011730_27032025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Body temperature measurement method using a wearable device and ultrasound
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wearable device, and more particularly, to a method for measuring a user's body temperature using an ultrasonic sensor included in the wearable device.
[0002] To provide diverse user experiences, various types of electronic devices are being developed. Wearable devices are electronic devices that can be worn on the user's body, such as on the head, wrist, or finger, and can provide various functions. One example of a wearable device is a smart ring that can be worn on the finger.
[0003] Wearable devices, such as smart rings, can include biometric sensors that, when worn on the user's body, can measure various biometric data, such as body temperature, heart rate, electrocardiogram (ECG), and blood pressure. Temperature sensors, which measure body temperature, can measure the user's skin temperature via optical signals (e.g., infrared signals) based on the Stefan-Boltzmann law, which states that radiant energy per unit area is proportional to the fourth power of the absolute temperature.
[0004] The above information may be provided as background art to aid in understanding the present disclosure. No claim or determination is made as to whether any of the above-described matters constitute prior art related to the present disclosure.
[0005] When measuring body temperature using temperature sensors utilizing optical signals in wearable devices like smart rings, accuracy can be reduced by external factors because the temperature is measured on the skin surface. For example, wearable devices worn on the wrist or finger are susceptible to the influence of clothing or gloves worn by the user, and exposure of the skin to external temperatures can lead to discrepancies with actual body temperature.
[0006] An electronic device according to the present disclosure (or specification, invention) may include a temperature sensor for measuring a user's body temperature, a wireless communication circuit for supporting wireless communication with an external device, at least one ultrasonic sensor, a memory, and at least one processor operatively connected to the temperature sensor, the wireless communication circuit, the at least one ultrasonic sensor, and the memory.
[0007] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that are executable by at least one processor and, when executed, cause the electronic device to set a reference body temperature based on at least one of body temperature information measured by the temperature sensor and body temperature information received from the external device through the wireless communication circuit, measure a first speed of ultrasonic waves passing through the body of the user using the at least one ultrasonic sensor while the electronic device is worn by the user, and store the measured first speed of the ultrasonic waves and the set reference body temperature in the memory as reference information.
[0008] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device, after storing the reference information, to measure a second speed of an ultrasonic signal passing through a user's body using the at least one ultrasonic sensor, and to compensate for the reference body temperature based on a difference between the measured first speed and the second speed, thereby generating compensated body temperature information.
[0009] A method for measuring body temperature using ultrasound in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present document may include an operation of setting a reference body temperature based on at least one of body temperature information measured by a temperature sensor or body temperature information received from an external device, an operation of measuring a first speed of ultrasound passing through a user's body using at least one ultrasound sensor while the electronic device is worn by the user, an operation of storing the measured first speed of ultrasound and the set reference body temperature in a memory as reference information, an operation of measuring a second speed of an ultrasound signal passing through the user's body using the at least one ultrasound sensor after storing the reference information, and an operation of compensating for the reference body temperature based on a difference between the measured first speed and the measured second speed, thereby generating compensated body temperature information.
[0010] According to various embodiments of the present document, an electronic device includes a display, a wireless communication circuit that supports wireless communication with an external device, a memory, and at least one processor operatively connected to the display, the wireless communication circuit, and the memory, wherein the memory may be executed by the at least one processor, and when executed, instructions are stored that cause the electronic device to set a reference body temperature based on at least one of a user input through the display or body temperature information received from the external device through the wireless communication circuit, receive a first velocity of an ultrasound passing through a body of a user measured using the at least one ultrasound sensor by the external device through the wireless communication circuit, store the first velocity of the measured ultrasound and the set reference body temperature as reference information in the memory, and after storing the reference information, receive a second velocity of an ultrasound passing through a body of a user measured using the at least one ultrasound sensor by the external device through the wireless communication circuit, and compensate for the reference body temperature based on a difference between the received first velocity and the second velocity, thereby generating compensated body temperature information.
[0011] According to various embodiments of the present document, an electronic device includes a first ultrasonic sensor, a second ultrasonic sensor disposed spaced apart from the first ultrasonic sensor, a memory, and at least one processor operatively connected to the first ultrasonic sensor, the second ultrasonic sensor, and the memory, wherein the memory stores a mapping table that maps a movement speed of the ultrasonic signal and a body temperature of a user for each movement path of the ultrasonic signal, and the memory can be executed by at least one processor, and when executed, the electronic device checks the movement speed of the first ultrasonic signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor and received through a straight path between the first ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor, checks the movement speed of the second ultrasonic signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor and received through a reflection path reflected by a part of the user's body, calculates a weighted average of the movement speed of the first ultrasonic signal and the movement speed of the second ultrasonic signal, and calculates the weighted average of the movement speed of the first ultrasonic signal and the movement speed of the second ultrasonic signal from the mapping table stored in the memory. Instructions can be stored to obtain body temperature information corresponding to a weighted average of the movement speed of the signal and the movement speed of the second ultrasonic signal, and to determine the body temperature information obtained from the mapping table as the user's current body temperature.
[0012] According to various embodiments of this document, a body temperature measurement method using ultrasound can be provided, which can measure the temperature inside a user's body using an ultrasonic sensor, and can measure the body temperature more accurately by using ultrasonic signals of various paths to improve the accuracy of the ultrasonic sensor.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment according to various embodiments.
[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates a wearable device and a portable device according to one embodiment.
[0015] FIG. 3A is a block diagram of a wearable device according to one embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 3b is a diagram illustrating a sensor arrangement structure of a wearable device according to one embodiment.
[0017] Figure 4 is a block diagram of a portable device according to one embodiment.
[0018] Figure 5 is for explaining the principle of the ultrasonic sensor of a wearable device according to one embodiment.
[0019] Fig. 6 is a graph showing the relationship between the temperature of a medium and the speed of ultrasonic waves according to one embodiment.
[0020] Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining changes in the speed of an ultrasonic signal according to changes in body temperature according to one embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 8 illustrates a signal detected at a receiving end of an ultrasonic sensor according to one embodiment.
[0022] FIG. 9 illustrates signals measured in the direct path and reflected path of an ultrasonic signal according to one embodiment.
[0023] Fig. 10 illustrates transmission paths of ultrasonic signals according to one embodiment.
[0024] FIG. 11 illustrates changes in a signal received from an ultrasonic sensor according to changes in the wearing state of a wearable device according to one embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 12 illustrates a UI provided by a portable device according to one embodiment.
[0026] Fig. 13 is a flowchart of a method for measuring body temperature using ultrasound of a wearable device according to one embodiment.
[0027] Fig. 14 is a flowchart of a method for measuring body temperature using ultrasound of a wearable device and a portable device according to one embodiment.
[0028] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In connection with the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components. Furthermore, in the drawings and related descriptions, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.
[0029] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) within a network environment (100) according to various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 1, in the network environment (100), the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (102) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or may communicate with at least one of the electronic device (104) or the server (108) via a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (104) via the server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), a memory (130), an input module (150), an audio output module (155), a display module (160), an audio module (170), a sensor module (176), an interface (177), a connection terminal (178), a haptic module (179), a camera module (180), a power management module (188), a battery (189), a communication module (190), a subscriber identification module (196), or an antenna module (197). In some embodiments, the electronic device (101) may omit at least one of these components (e.g., the connection terminal (178)), or may have one or more other components added. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., the sensor module (176), the camera module (180), or the antenna module (197)) may be integrated into one component (e.g., the display module (160)).
[0030] The processor (120) may, for example, execute software (e.g., a program (140)) to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) and perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least a part of the data processing or operations, the processor (120) may store commands or data received from other components (e.g., a sensor module (176) or a communication module (190)) in a volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in the volatile memory (132), and store result data in a non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor) that can operate independently or together with the main processor (121). For example, when the electronic device (101) includes the main processor (121) and the auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use less power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a given function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as a part thereof.
[0031] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least a portion of functions or states associated with at least one component (e.g., a display module (160), a sensor module (176), or a communication module (190)) of the electronic device (101), for example, on behalf of the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as a part of another functionally related component (e.g., a camera module (180) or a communication module (190)). In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. The artificial intelligence models may be generated through machine learning. This learning can be performed, for example, on the electronic device (101) itself where the artificial intelligence model is executed, or can be performed through a separate server (e.g., server (108)). The learning algorithm can include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but is not limited to the examples described above. The artificial intelligence model can include multiple artificial neural network layers.The artificial neural network may be one of a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to, or alternatively to, a hardware structure, an artificial intelligence model may include a software structure.
[0032] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)) of the electronic device (101). The data can include, for example, software (e.g., program (140)) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory (130) can include volatile memory (132) or non-volatile memory (134).
[0033] The program (140) may be stored as software in the memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).
[0034] The input module (150) can receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a processor (120)) from an external source (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The input module (150) can include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).
[0035] The audio output module (155) can output audio signals to the outside of the electronic device (101). The audio output module (155) can include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. In one embodiment, the receiver can be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of the speaker.
[0036] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external party (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The display module (160) may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling the device. According to one embodiment, the display module (160) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by the touch.
[0037] The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal, or vice versa, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can acquire sound through the input module (150), output sound through the sound output module (155), or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)) (e.g., speaker or headphone) directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device (101).
[0038] The sensor module (176) can detect the operating status (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device (101) or the external environmental status (e.g., user status) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected status. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) can include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.
[0039] The interface (177) may support one or more designated protocols that may be used to directly or wirelessly connect the electronic device (101) with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102)). In one embodiment, the interface (177) may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.
[0040] The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) may be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal (178) may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).
[0041] The haptic module (179) can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimuli (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimuli that a user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic sensations. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (179) can include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.
[0042] The camera module (180) can capture still images and videos. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.
[0043] The power management module (188) can manage power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (188) can be implemented as, for example, at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).
[0044] A battery (189) may power at least one component of the electronic device (101). In one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.
[0045] The communication module (190) may support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102), electronic device (104), or server (108)), and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (190) may operate independently from the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module (190) may include a wireless communication module (192) (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module (194) (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module, or a power line communication module). Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module can communicate with an external electronic device (104) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types of communication modules can be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module (192) can verify or authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) by using subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).
[0046] The wireless communication module (192) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following the 4G network, such as NR access technology (new radio access technology). The NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications)). The wireless communication module (192) can support, for example, a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate. The wireless communication module (192) can support various technologies for securing performance in a high-frequency band, such as beamforming, massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module (192) can support various requirements specified in the electronic device (101), an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (104)), or a network system (e.g., the second network (199)). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module (192) can support a peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for eMBB realization, a loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for mMTC realization, or a U-plane latency (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or 1 ms or less for round trip) for URLLC realization.
[0047] The antenna module (197) can transmit or receive signals or power to or from an external device (e.g., an external electronic device). In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include an antenna including a radiator formed of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as the first network (198) or the second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by the communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device via the at least one selected antenna. In some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, another component (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module (197).
[0048] According to various embodiments, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. In one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent a first side (e.g., a bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high-frequency band (e.g., a mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna) disposed on or adjacent a second side (e.g., a top side or a side side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high-frequency band.
[0049] At least some of the above components can be interconnected and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., a bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)).
[0050] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) via a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102 or 104) may be the same or a different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations executed in the electronic device (101) may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, when the electronic device (101) is to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may, instead of or in addition to executing the function or service itself, request one or more external electronic devices to perform the function or at least a part of the service. One or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute at least a portion of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device (101). The electronic device (101) may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least a portion of a response to the request. For this purpose, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used, for example. The electronic device (101) may provide an ultra-low latency service by using distributed computing or mobile edge computing, for example. In another embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server utilizing machine learning and / or a neural network. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included in the second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.
[0051] FIG. 2 illustrates a wearable device and a portable device according to one embodiment.
[0052] According to one embodiment, a wearable device (200) may be an electronic device that can be worn on a user's body, and has a biometric information sensing function and a wireless communication function. Referring to FIG. 2, the wearable device (200) may be a smart ring in the form of a ring that a user wears on a finger, but is not limited thereto, and may be implemented as other types of wearable devices (200) such as a smart watch, a smart band, smart glasses, smart clothing, and smart headphones.
[0053] In one embodiment, the portable device (300) may be a portable electronic device, such as a smart phone or a tablet PC. The portable device (300) may provide various user interfaces through various types of input devices (e.g., a display, a microphone, keys, a stylus) and output devices (e.g., a display, a speaker, a haptic module). The portable device (300) may connect to a network through cellular communication (e.g., 4G LTE, 5G NR) or wireless LAN communication (e.g., WiFi). In one embodiment, the wearable device (200) and the portable device (300) may communicate with each other through short-range wireless communication. For example, the wearable device (200) and the portable device (300) may be connected through Bluetooth (or Bluetooth low energy) or WiFi (or WiFi direct).
[0054] According to one embodiment, a wearable device (200) may include at least one biometric sensor to measure various biometric information of a user, such as body temperature, heart rate, electrocardiogram, and blood pressure. The wearable device (200) may transmit the measured biometric information to a portable device (300) via established short-range wireless communication.
[0055] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) can measure the speed (or travel time) of ultrasonic waves passing through the user's body using an ultrasonic sensor. The wearable device (200) includes at least one ultrasonic sensor capable of outputting and / or receiving ultrasonic signals, and when the wearable device (200) is worn on the user's body (e.g., a finger), an ultrasonic signal output from one ultrasonic sensor can be detected by the ultrasonic sensor and / or another ultrasonic sensor located apart from the wearable device (200).
[0056] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) and / or the portable device (300) can measure the body temperature of the user based on the speed (or travel time) of the ultrasonic signal received from at least one ultrasonic sensor. Various embodiments of the present document can be classified into the following embodiments according to a device that measures body temperature information by analyzing an ultrasonic signal and a method of measuring body temperature by using an ultrasonic signal. According to a first embodiment, the wearable device (200) can set a reference body temperature using a temperature sensor and determine body temperature information compensated from the set reference body temperature by analyzing an ultrasonic signal. According to a second embodiment, the wearable device (200) can determine body temperature information by analyzing ultrasonic signals of various paths (e.g., direct path, reflected path) acquired from a plurality of ultrasonic sensors without using the temperature sensor. According to a third embodiment, the portable device (300) can set a reference body temperature of the user and determine body temperature information compensated from the reference body temperature by analyzing information of an ultrasonic signal received from the wearable device (200). The first through third embodiments described above (and to be described later) are distinguished to aid understanding of the invention, and the various embodiments of this document are not limited thereto. In the following, descriptions of features that are identical or corresponding to those in each embodiment may be omitted in some embodiments.
[0057] FIG. 3A is a block diagram of a wearable device according to one embodiment.
[0058] Referring to FIG. 3A, the wearable device (200) may include various sensors (240), wireless communication circuits (220), a processor (210), and a memory (230). Even if some of the illustrated components are omitted or replaced with other components, various embodiments of the present document may be implemented. In addition to the illustrated components, the wearable device (200) may further include at least some of the components and / or functions of the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1. At least some of the illustrated components may be electrically, functionally, and / or operatively connected to each other.
[0059] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may include a ring-type housing (not shown). For example, the housing may be of a type that surrounds an empty central hole so that the wearable device (200) can be worn on a user's finger. Some of the components of the wearable device (200) may be positioned within the housing, and others may be at least partially exposed to the outside. According to one embodiment, at least one sensor (e.g., a biometric sensor (270), a temperature sensor (260), an ultrasonic sensor (250)) for acquiring the user's biometric information may be positioned in a direction from the housing toward the central hole. The housing structure of the wearable device (200) and the arrangement structure of each component including the sensors will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 3B.
[0060] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may include various types of sensors (240). FIG. 3A illustrates a temperature sensor (260), an ultrasonic sensor (250), and a biometric sensor (270), but is not limited thereto. The wearable device (200) may include at least some of the configurations and / or functions of the sensor module (176) of FIG. 1.
[0061] According to one embodiment, the biometric sensor (270) can acquire various biometric information of the user. For example, the biometric sensor (270) may be a photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor that can acquire various biometric information, such as heart rate and blood circulation, by measuring pulse waves (plethysmogram) based on optical signals, but is not limited thereto. The wearable device (200) may further include at least one sensor that can acquire biometric information, such as heart rate and electrocardiogram.
[0062] In one embodiment, the temperature sensor (260) can measure the body temperature of the user. For example, the temperature sensor (260) can measure the temperature of the user's skin through an optical signal (e.g., an infrared signal) based on the Stefan-Boltzmann law, which states that radiant energy per unit area is proportional to the fourth power of the absolute temperature. The type of the temperature sensor (260) and / or the method for measuring body temperature are not limited thereto, and the temperature sensor (260) defined in this document can include any type of temperature sensor that can measure body temperature using information other than ultrasound.
[0063] According to one embodiment, the ultrasonic sensor (250) can output and receive ultrasonic signals. For example, the ultrasonic sensor (250) includes at least one piezoelectric element that operates as a transmitter and receiver of an ultrasonic signal, and when an electrical signal is input to the piezoelectric element, vibration is generated to output ultrasonic waves, and the ultrasonic vibration detected by the piezoelectric element can be converted into an electrical signal to receive an ultrasonic signal. According to one embodiment, the ultrasonic sensor (250) includes a control unit configured as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and an interface for outputting vibration to the outside of the housing, and can be connected to a processor (210) and a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) (not shown). Hereinafter, various embodiments for measuring a user's body temperature using the ultrasonic sensor (250) will be described, but data sensed by the ultrasonic sensor (250) can be used in various fields in addition to body temperature measurement.
[0064] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may include a plurality of ultrasonic sensors (250) that are spaced apart from each other. For example, the plurality of ultrasonic sensors (250) may be placed in a direction toward a central hole in a ring-type housing, and may be placed at a predetermined distance from each other to measure changes in the movement speed of ultrasonic signals. According to one embodiment, at least some of the plurality of ultrasonic sensors (250) may be placed so that, when the wearable device (200) is worn by a user, the ultrasonic signals form a direct path that does not pass through the user's bones.
[0065] According to one embodiment, the wireless communication circuit (220) may include various hardware and / or software configurations for supporting wireless communication with external devices. The wireless communication circuit (220) may support short-range wireless communication (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth), and the wearable device (200) may transmit and receive various data with an adjacent external device (e.g., the portable device (300) of FIG. 2) through the wireless communication circuit (220). The wireless communication circuit (220) may include at least some of the configurations and / or functions of the communication module (190) of FIG. 1.
[0066] According to one embodiment, the memory (230) may temporarily or permanently store various data, including volatile memory and non-volatile memory. The memory (230) may include at least some of the configuration and / or functions of the memory (130) of FIG. 1 and may store the program (140) of FIG. 1. The memory (230) may store various instructions that may be executed by the processor (210). Such instructions may include control commands including arithmetic and logical operations, data movement, and input / output that may be recognized by the processor (210).
[0067] According to one embodiment, the processor (210) may be configured as one or more processors capable of performing calculations or data processing related to control and / or communication of each component of the wearable device (200). The processor (210) may include at least some of the configurations and / or functions of the processor (120) of FIG. 1. The processor (210) may be operatively, functionally, and / or electrically connected to each component of the wearable device (200), such as sensors (240), wireless communication circuits (220), and memory (230). The calculation and data processing functions that the processor (210) may implement on the wearable device (200) are not limited, but in this document, various embodiments for measuring (or compensating for) a user's body temperature using an ultrasonic sensor (250) will be described. The operations of the processor (210) to be described later can be performed by loading instructions stored in the memory (230).
[0068] In this document, the description that the processor (210) (or the wearable device (200)) can perform a certain operation (or function, work, task) may be interpreted to mean substantially the same as that an instruction (or command, computer program) that causes the wearable device (200) (or the processor (210)) to perform the corresponding operation is stored in the memory (230) (e.g., non-volatile memory, storage). In addition, the description that the processor (210) can perform a certain operation may be interpreted to mean substantially the same as that at least one processor, without specifying the number, can perform the corresponding operation.
[0069] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) can measure the user's body temperature using a temperature sensor (260). Since the temperature sensor (260) measures the temperature of the skin surface using the Stefan-Boltzmann law, its accuracy may decrease due to external factors. In particular, due to the nature of the wearable device (200) worn on the user's hand or wrist, it is easily affected by the user's clothes or gloves, and since the skin is exposed to the external temperature, an error may occur with the actual body temperature. Accordingly, the wearable device (200) can measure the user's current body temperature using an ultrasonic sensor (250) and / or compensate for the body temperature information measured using the temperature sensor (260).
[0070] According to one embodiment, the processor (210) may measure the user's current body temperature using the ultrasonic sensor (250) when worn by the user, or compensate for it from the reference body temperature. The speed of the ultrasonic signal may depend on the temperature of the medium. For example, when measured on a medium of the same property (e.g., density), the speed of the ultrasonic signal may increase substantially in proportion to the temperature of the medium. Since most of the human body is made of water, the speed of the ultrasonic signal passing through the body according to the temperature of the medium may have a similar tendency to the change in the speed of the ultrasonic signal according to the temperature in water. The relationship between the temperature of the medium and the speed of the ultrasonic signal will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 6.
[0071] According to one embodiment, since the ultrasonic signal is transmitted as a vibration, the ultrasonic signal detected by the ultrasonic sensor (250) may have the form of a wave input with various amplitudes. According to one embodiment, in order to determine the arrival time of the ultrasonic signal, the processor (210) may recognize a signal having an amplitude greater than or equal to a first reference value among the ultrasonic signals obtained from each ultrasonic sensor (250) as a direct signal, and recognize the first peak point greater than or equal to the first reference value as the arrival time of the direct signal.
[0072] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may store a mapping table that maps and stores the speed of an ultrasonic signal and body temperature in the memory (230). For example, the wearable device (200) may map and store body temperature information set by a user input through a temperature sensor (260), an ultrasonic sensor (250), or a user interface (UI) and the movement speed of an ultrasonic signal measured in the corresponding body temperature state. Alternatively, the table stored in the memory (230) may map and store body temperature and the movement speed of an ultrasonic signal experimentally determined according to general characteristics of the body, and / or may be generated based on big data including body temperature information and movement speed collected from various wearable devices (200). When the movement speed of an ultrasonic signal is measured using the ultrasonic sensor (250), the processor (210) may check the temperature value mapped to the movement speed of the ultrasonic sensor (250) in the table stored in the memory (230). According to another embodiment, the wearable device (200) can store a formula that can calculate body temperature from the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal.
[0073] According to one embodiment, the processor (210) may correct the table stored in the memory (230) and / or the formula for calculating body temperature based on the user's body information (e.g., body fat percentage, musculoskeletal mass, BMI index) measured using another sensor (e.g., biometric sensor (270)). The movement speed of the ultrasonic signal may change depending on the properties of the medium, and since body information such as body fat percentage reflects the properties of the medium, the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal measured at the same body temperature may also change when the body information changes. Accordingly, the wearable device (200) may check the body information measured by the wearable device (200) and / or input on the portable device, and correct the body temperature information mapped to the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal on the table based on the checked body information.
[0074] According to one embodiment, the processor (210) may determine a table and / or formula used to calculate body temperature in response to the wearing state of the wearable device (200). For example, when a user turns a ring-type wearable device (200), the characteristics of the medium in the path of the ultrasonic signal may change, and thus the body temperature value corresponding to the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal may change. Accordingly, the wearable device (200) may store a plurality of tables (or formulas) each corresponding to the wearing state (or angle) of the wearable device (200), and may determine body temperature information corresponding to the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal using the table corresponding to the detected wearing state.
[0075] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) includes a plurality of ultrasonic sensors (250), and can determine body temperature information of the user by using ultrasonic signals of various paths formed through the plurality of ultrasonic sensors (250). For example, an ultrasonic signal output from a first ultrasonic sensor can be transmitted to a second ultrasonic sensor and a third ultrasonic sensor through a direct path, and can be transmitted to the first, second, and third ultrasonic sensors through a reflection path reflected from the user's bones. In addition, when the second ultrasonic sensor outputs an ultrasonic signal, and also when the second ultrasonic sensor outputs an ultrasonic signal, the ultrasonic signal can be received from each ultrasonic sensor (250) through a plurality of paths. According to one embodiment, the processor (210) can calculate an average (or weighted average) of the movement speed of the ultrasonic wave based on a plurality of ultrasonic data respectively acquired from the plurality of ultrasonic sensors (250), and acquire body temperature information corresponding to the calculated average value.
[0076] Below, various embodiments for measuring body temperature information by analyzing the movement speed of an ultrasonic signal will be described.
[0077] [First embodiment]
[0078] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) can set a reference body temperature and analyze an ultrasonic signal to determine body temperature information compensated from the set reference body temperature.
[0079] According to one embodiment, the processor (210) can set the body temperature information measured by the temperature sensor (260) as the reference body temperature. The temperature sensor (260) can measure the user's body temperature information using a signal other than the ultrasonic sensor (250) (e.g., an infrared signal).
[0080] According to one embodiment, the processor (210) may receive the user's body temperature information from the portable device via the wireless communication circuit (220). For example, the portable device may provide a user interface (UI) for inputting the current body temperature in a healthcare application. The user may select a finger on which to wear the wearable device (200) on the UI provided by the portable device and directly input the user's body temperature. The processor (210) may set the user's body temperature information received from the portable device as the reference body temperature.
[0081] According to one embodiment, the processor (210) may measure a first speed (or reference speed) of ultrasonic waves passing through the user's body using at least one ultrasonic sensor (250) while the wearable device (200) is worn by the user. For example, the processor (210) may measure the first speed of ultrasonic waves using the ultrasonic sensor (250) in response to obtaining body temperature information through the temperature sensor (260) and / or receiving body temperature information from a portable device. That is, the first speed of ultrasonic waves may be measured at the reference body temperature. The processor (210) may store the reference body temperature and the measured first speed of ultrasonic waves as reference information in the memory (230). According to one embodiment, the processor (210) may determine the first speed based on the movement speeds each acquired from the movement paths of a plurality of ultrasonic signals when measuring the first speed (or reference speed).
[0082] According to one embodiment, the processor (210) may measure the second speed of the ultrasonic waves using the ultrasonic sensor (250) when a body temperature measurement event occurs after storing the reference information. For example, the processor (210) may output an ultrasonic signal to measure the second speed of the ultrasonic waves periodically after storing the reference information and / or when the user checks the current body temperature using a healthcare application of the portable device. According to one embodiment, the processor (210) may determine the second speed based on the movement speeds acquired from each movement path of a plurality of ultrasonic signals when measuring the second speed. Since the user is continuously wearing the wearable device (200), the medium of the movement path of the ultrasonic signals output from each ultrasonic sensor (250) may be considered to be the same as when the reference body temperature is set. Therefore, when the current body temperature is higher than the reference body temperature, the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal may become faster than the reference speed, and when the current body temperature is lower than the reference body temperature, the movement speed of the ultrasonic waves may become slower than the reference speed. According to one embodiment, the processor (210) can control the ultrasonic signal output of the ultrasonic sensor (250) at a sampling rate higher than a reference rate to accurately measure the second speed when a body temperature measurement event occurs.
[0083] According to one embodiment, the processor (210) may generate compensated body temperature information by compensating for the reference body temperature based on the difference between the first speed (or reference speed) and the second speed of the ultrasonic signal. For example, the processor (210) may compensate for a value higher than the reference body temperature when the second speed of the ultrasonic signal is measured faster than the first speed, and may compensate for a value lower than the reference body temperature when the second speed of the ultrasonic signal is measured faster than the first speed. The larger the difference between the first speed and the second speed, the larger the size of the compensated body temperature value.
[0084] In one embodiment, the processor (210) can transmit compensated body temperature information to the portable device via the wireless communication circuit (220). The portable device can provide the received body temperature information to the user via a healthcare application.
[0085] According to one embodiment, when a user takes the wearable device (200) off his or her finger and then puts it back on, or when the wearing state (e.g., wearing position, angle) changes, the characteristics of the medium through which the ultrasonic signal travels may be seen to have changed, and thus the processor (210) may set the reference body temperature and reference speed again.
[0086] [Second Embodiment]
[0087] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) can determine body temperature information by analyzing ultrasonic signals of various paths (e.g., direct path, reflected path) obtained from a plurality of ultrasonic sensors (250) without using a temperature sensor (260).
[0088] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may include a plurality of ultrasonic sensors (250), for example, a first ultrasonic sensor, a second ultrasonic sensor, and a third ultrasonic sensor that are spaced apart from each other.
[0089] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may store a table in the memory (230) that maps and stores the speed of an ultrasonic signal and body temperature. For example, the table may be generated by considering the general characteristics of the human body and the physical characteristics of the user of the wearable device (200), and may be generated by experimentally and / or statistically calculating for various users. Alternatively, the table may be obtained by measuring the speed of movement of an ultrasonic signal and mapping the body temperature and movement speed when the body temperature is measured through a temperature sensor (260) and / or body temperature information is input by the user. According to another embodiment, the wearable device (200) may store a formula that can calculate the body temperature from the speed of movement of an ultrasonic signal.
[0090] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) can output an ultrasonic signal through a first ultrasonic sensor, and calculate a movement speed of the ultrasonic signal from the arrival times of the ultrasonic signals received from the first ultrasonic sensor, the second ultrasonic sensor, and the third ultrasonic sensor. In addition, the wearable device (200) can output an ultrasonic signal of the second ultrasonic sensor, calculate a movement speed of the ultrasonic signal from the arrival times of the ultrasonic signals received from each ultrasonic sensor (250), and output an ultrasonic signal of the third ultrasonic sensor, calculate a movement speed of the ultrasonic signal from the arrival times of the ultrasonic signals received from each ultrasonic sensor (250). A direct signal and a reflected signal can be input from the receiving ultrasonic sensor (250), and the processor (210) can calculate a movement speed of the ultrasonic signal based on the distances of the direct path and the reflected path.
[0091] According to one embodiment, the processor (210) may calculate the travel time of the ultrasonic signal by analyzing the travel time of the direct signal and the travel time of the reflected signal obtained from a plurality of ultrasonic signals. For example, the wearable device (200) may assign weights to the first speed calculated according to the arrival time of the direct signal and the second speed calculated according to the arrival time of the reflected signal, and calculate the weighted average to calculate the travel speed of the ultrasonic signal. According to one embodiment, the processor (210) may obtain body temperature information mapped to the calculated travel speed from a table stored in the memory (230) and / or input the body temperature information into a stored formula to measure the current body temperature information.
[0092] In one embodiment, the processor (210) can transmit the measured current body temperature information to the portable device via the wireless communication circuit (220). The portable device can provide the received body temperature information to the user via a healthcare application.
[0093] [Third Embodiment]
[0094] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may measure the arrival time and / or movement speed of an ultrasonic signal using an ultrasonic sensor (250) and transmit the measured data to a portable device. According to one embodiment, the data transmitted from the wearable device (200) to the portable device may include body temperature information measured by a temperature sensor (260) and movement speeds of ultrasonic signals in a plurality of movement paths measured using a plurality of ultrasonic sensors (250).
[0095] According to one embodiment, the portable device can set the body temperature information received from the wearable device (200) or the current body temperature input by the user through the UI as the reference body temperature. The portable device can store the first speed of the ultrasonic waves received from the wearable device (200) as reference information in the memory of the portable device.
[0096] In one embodiment, the portable device may store a table mapping the velocity of an ultrasound signal to body temperature in memory. Here, the table stored in the memory of the portable device may be identical to the table stored in the memory (230) of the wearable device (200) in the first embodiment.
[0097] According to one embodiment, when a body temperature measurement event occurs, the processor (210) may measure a second speed of ultrasonic waves using the ultrasonic sensor (250) and transmit the measured second speed to the portable device. According to one embodiment, when measuring the second speed, the processor (210) may determine the second speed based on the movement speeds obtained from each movement path of a plurality of ultrasonic signals.
[0098] According to one embodiment, the portable device may generate compensated body temperature information by compensating for the reference body temperature based on the difference between the first speed (or reference speed) and the second speed of the ultrasonic signal. For example, if the second speed of the ultrasonic signal is measured faster than the first speed, the portable device may compensate for it with a value higher than the reference body temperature, and if the second speed of the ultrasonic signal is measured faster than the first speed, the portable device may compensate for it with a value lower than the reference body temperature. The greater the difference between the first speed and the second speed, the greater the size of the compensated body temperature value.
[0099] In one embodiment, the mobile device may provide body temperature information received via a healthcare application to the user.
[0100] FIG. 3b is a diagram illustrating a sensor arrangement structure of a wearable device according to one embodiment.
[0101] Figure 3b illustrates the sensor arrangement structure of a wearable device implemented as a smart ring. The illustrated arrangement structure corresponds to one embodiment, and the various embodiments of this document are not limited thereto.
[0102] Referring to FIG. 3b, the wearable device (200) may include a ring-type housing (not shown). For example, the housing may be of a type that surrounds an empty central hole so that it can be worn on a user's finger.
[0103] According to one embodiment, a plurality of ultrasonic sensors (252, 254, 256) (e.g., a first ultrasonic sensor (252), a second ultrasonic sensor (254), and a third ultrasonic sensor (256)) may be disposed on a housing of a wearable device (200). Each of the ultrasonic sensors (252, 254, 256) may be spaced apart from each other, and the plurality of ultrasonic sensors (252, 254, 256) may be disposed on the lower side of the housing so that a medium (e.g., bone) that reflects an ultrasonic signal is not located between the direct paths between the ultrasonic sensors (252, 254, 256) when the user wears the wearable device (200). Each ultrasonic sensor (252, 254, 256) includes a control unit composed of an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) and an interface for outputting vibrations to the outside of the housing, and can be connected to a processor (210) and a PMIC (power management integrated circuit) (284).
[0104] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may include a photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor, as an example of a biosensor. The PPG sensor may include a plurality of emitters (272a, 272b, 272c) that output optical signals and a plurality of receivers (271a, 271b) that receive optical signals output from the emitters (272a, 272b, 272c). Each of the emitters (272a, 272b, 272c) and the receivers (271a, 271b) of the PPG sensor may be spaced apart from each other.
[0105] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may include a temperature sensor (260) that measures the temperature of the user's skin using an optical signal (e.g., an infrared signal). The temperature sensor (260) may be placed next to the first receiver (271a) of the PPG sensor, but its location is not limited thereto.
[0106] In one embodiment, each sensor may be mounted on a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) (290). Referring to FIG. 3B, the FPCB (290) may include a bent portion for placement on a ring-shaped housing. In another embodiment, a plurality of FPCBs (290) electrically connected to each other may be placed within the housing, or an FPCB (290) formed entirely in a curved shape along the curved surface of the housing may be placed.
[0107] According to one embodiment, a processor (210), a wireless communication circuit (220), and a memory (230) may be mounted on the opposite side of the surface on which the sensor is placed in the FPCB (290). The placement locations of the processor (210), the wireless communication circuit (220), and the memory (230) are not limited thereto.
[0108] In one embodiment, a battery (282) may be placed opposite the location where the sensors are placed. The battery (282) may be connected to a charging interface (286), and the charging interface (286) may be electrically connected to a PMIC (284) mounted on the FPCB (290) via the FPCB (290). The PMIC may manage power delivered from the battery (282) to each component of the wearable device (200).
[0109] According to one embodiment, the antenna (225) is connected to the FPCB (290), and the wearable device (200) can transmit and receive various data with an external device (e.g., a portable device (300) of FIG. 2) through the antenna (225).
[0110] The layout structure of FIG. 3b corresponds to one embodiment, and various embodiments of this document are not limited thereto.
[0111] Figure 4 is a block diagram of a portable device according to one embodiment.
[0112] Referring to FIG. 4, the portable device (300) may include a display (340), a wireless communication circuit (320), a memory (330), and a processor (310). Even if some of the illustrated components are omitted or replaced with other components, various embodiments of the present document may be implemented. In addition to the illustrated components, the portable device (300) may further include at least some of the components and / or functions of the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1. At least some of the illustrated components may be electrically, functionally, and / or operatively connected to each other.
[0113] According to one embodiment, the display (340) can display various images provided from the processor (310). For example, the display (340) can be implemented as any one of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) display, or an electronic paper display, but is not limited thereto. The display (340) can be configured as a touch screen that detects touch and / or proximity touch (or hovering) input using a part of a user's body (e.g., a finger) or an input device (e.g., a stylus pen). The display (340) can include at least some of the configurations and / or functions of the display module (160) of FIG. 1. According to one embodiment, the display (340) may be a flexible display having at least a portion that is flexible, and the portable device (300) may be implemented in various form factors (e.g., a foldable device, a slidable device) in which the display area of the flexible display can be changed.
[0114] According to one embodiment, the wireless communication circuit (320) may include various hardware and / or software configurations to support wireless communication with external devices. The wireless communication circuit (320) may support short-range wireless communication (e.g., WiFi or Bluetooth) and cellular wireless communication (e.g., 4G LTE or 5G NR). The communication module may include at least some of the configurations and / or functions of the communication module (190) of FIG. 1.
[0115] According to one embodiment, the memory (330) may temporarily or permanently store various data, including volatile memory and non-volatile memory. The memory (330) may include at least some of the configuration and / or functions of the memory (130) of FIG. 1 and may store the program (140) of FIG. 1. The memory (330) may store various instructions that may be executed by the processor (310). Such instructions may include control commands including arithmetic and logical operations, data movement, and input / output that may be recognized by the processor (310).
[0116] According to one embodiment, the processor (310) may be configured as one or more processors capable of performing calculations or data processing related to control and / or communication of each component of the portable device (300). The processor (310) may include at least some of the configurations and / or functions of the processor (120) of FIG. 1. The processor (310) may be operatively, functionally, and / or electrically connected to each component of the portable device (300), such as the display (340), the wireless communication circuit (320), and the memory (330). There is no limitation to the computational and data processing functions that the processor (310) can implement on the portable device (300), but this document will describe various embodiments for receiving data measured by an ultrasonic sensor from a wearable device (e.g., the wearable device (200) of FIGS. 2, 3A, and 3B) connected via short-range wireless communication, and measuring (or compensating for) the user's body temperature based on the received data. The operations of the processor (310) described below can be performed by loading instructions stored in the memory (330).
[0117] In this document, the description that the processor (310) (or the portable device (300)) can perform a certain operation (or function, operation, task) may be interpreted to mean substantially the same as that an instruction (or command, computer program) causing the portable device (300) (or the processor (310)) to perform the corresponding operation is stored in the memory (330) (e.g., non-volatile memory, storage). In addition, the description that the processor (310) can perform a certain operation may be interpreted to mean substantially the same as that at least one processor, without a specific definition, can perform the corresponding operation.
[0118] According to one embodiment, the processor (310) can execute a healthcare application stored in the memory (330). The healthcare application can register an initial body temperature when a user wears a wearable device, provide body temperature information measured by the wearable device or portable device (300), and provide a user interface (UI) that provides various biometric information (e.g., heart rate, electrocardiogram, blood pressure) measured by the wearable device and additional information related to the biometric information through a display (340).
[0119] Below, the operation of the portable device (300) in various embodiments that measure body temperature information by analyzing the movement speed of an ultrasonic signal will be described. The first, second, and third embodiments described below may correspond to the first, second, and third embodiments described above with reference to FIG. 3A.
[0120] [First embodiment]
[0121] According to one embodiment, when a healthcare application is executed, the processor (310) may provide a UI for setting a reference body temperature via the display (340). For example, the UI may include various screens through which the user can input the hand (e.g., left hand, right hand) on which the wearable device will be worn, the finger (e.g., thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger), and the current body temperature. The processor (310) may input body temperature information based on the user's input while the UI is displayed. The processor (310) may transmit the input body temperature information to the wearable device via the wireless communication circuit (320).
[0122] According to one embodiment, a wearable device may measure a first velocity of an ultrasonic signal at a reference body temperature and store the measured velocity as reference information. After storing the reference information, the wearable device may measure a second velocity of the ultrasonic signal using an ultrasonic sensor when a body temperature measurement event occurs. The wearable device may compensate for the reference body temperature based on the difference between the first velocity (or reference velocity) and the second velocity of the ultrasonic signal, thereby generating compensated body temperature information. The wearable device may transmit the compensated body temperature information to a portable device (300).
[0123] According to one embodiment, the processor (310) may provide body temperature information received from a wearable device to a user through a healthcare application.
[0124] [Second Embodiment]
[0125] According to one embodiment, the wearable device can determine body temperature information by analyzing ultrasonic signals of various paths (e.g., direct path, reflected path) obtained from a plurality of ultrasonic sensors.
[0126] According to one embodiment, the portable device (300) may receive body temperature information measured from a wearable device, and the processor (310) may provide the received body temperature information to the user through a healthcare application.
[0127] [Third Embodiment]
[0128] According to one embodiment, when a healthcare application is executed, the processor (310) may provide a UI for setting a reference body temperature via the display (340). For example, the UI may include various screens through which the user can input the hand (e.g., left or right) on which the wearable device will be worn, the finger (e.g., thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger), and the current body temperature. With the UI displayed, the processor (310) may input body temperature information based on the user's input.
[0129] According to one embodiment, the portable device (300) can receive body temperature information measured by a temperature sensor of the wearable device through a wireless communication circuit (320). The processor (310) can set body temperature information input through a UI or body temperature information received from the wearable device as a reference body temperature and store it in the memory (330).
[0130] In one embodiment, a wearable device, while worn by a user, can measure a first velocity (or reference velocity) of ultrasonic waves passing through the user's body using at least one ultrasonic sensor. The portable device (300) can receive the measured first velocity data from the wearable device via a wireless communication circuit (320).
[0131] According to one embodiment, the processor (310) can store the reference body temperature and the first speed of the ultrasound received from the wearable device as reference information in the memory (330).
[0132] According to one embodiment, when a body temperature measurement event occurs, the processor (310) may request the wearable device to measure the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal. The wearable device may measure the second speed of the ultrasonic signal using an ultrasonic sensor and transmit the measured second speed to the portable device (300). According to one embodiment, the second speed may include the movement speed obtained from each of the movement paths of a plurality of ultrasonic signals.
[0133] According to one embodiment, the processor (310) may generate compensated body temperature information by compensating for the reference body temperature based on the difference between the first speed (or reference speed) and the second speed of the ultrasonic signal. For example, the processor (310) may compensate for a value higher than the reference body temperature when the second speed of the ultrasonic signal is measured faster than the first speed, and may compensate for a value lower than the reference body temperature when the second speed of the ultrasonic signal is measured faster than the first speed. The larger the difference between the first speed and the second speed, the larger the size of the compensated body temperature value.
[0134] According to one embodiment, the processor (310) can provide compensated body temperature information through the UI of the healthcare application.
[0135] Figure 5 is for explaining the principle of the ultrasonic sensor of a wearable device according to one embodiment.
[0136] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may include at least one ultrasonic sensor (e.g., the ultrasonic sensor (250) of FIGS. 3A and 3B) disposed on the hole side of the ring-type housing. Referring to FIG. 5, the wearable device (200) may include a first ultrasonic sensor (252), a second ultrasonic sensor (254), and a third ultrasonic sensor (256) disposed spaced apart from each other, and the number and / or arrangement positions of the ultrasonic sensors are not limited thereto.
[0137] According to one embodiment, each ultrasonic sensor (252, 254, 256) includes at least one piezoelectric element that operates as a transmitter and receiver of an ultrasonic signal, and when an electrical signal is input to the piezoelectric element, vibration is generated to output ultrasonic waves, and ultrasonic vibrations detected by the piezoelectric element can be converted into electrical signals to receive ultrasonic signals. Each ultrasonic sensor (252, 254, 256) can output an ultrasonic signal of a predetermined frequency (e.g., about 10 MHz).
[0138] According to one embodiment, when an ultrasonic signal is output from one ultrasonic sensor, the ultrasonic signal may be received by the ultrasonic sensor and / or another ultrasonic sensor. For example, an ultrasonic signal output from a first ultrasonic sensor (252) may pass through a medium, such as body tissue, and / or be reflected and received by at least one of the first ultrasonic sensor (252), the second ultrasonic sensor (254), or the third ultrasonic sensor (256). Human body tissues may be composed of various media, and ultrasonic signals may pass through some media as is, but may not pass through some media and may be reflected. For example, an ultrasonic signal may pass through epithelial tissue, muscle tissue, and nervous tissue, and may be reflected by a bone (410). Hereinafter, media that pass ultrasonic signals without reflecting them among epithelial, muscle, and nervous tissues may be defined as soft tissue. The ultrasonic signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor (252) can pass through soft tissue as is and be received by the second ultrasonic sensor (254) and / or the third ultrasonic sensor (256), and can be reflected by the bone (410) and be received by the first ultrasonic sensor (252), the second ultrasonic sensor (254) and / or the third ultrasonic sensor (256).
[0139] Fig. 6 is a graph showing the relationship between the temperature of a medium and the speed of ultrasonic waves according to one embodiment.
[0140] According to one embodiment, a wearable device (e.g., the wearable device (200) of FIGS. 3A and 3B) (or a portable device (e.g., the portable device (300) of FIG. 4)) can measure the speed of an ultrasonic signal according to a pulse-echo method and measure (or compensate for) the body temperature of a user from the measured speed. The speed of an ultrasonic signal may vary depending on the properties of a medium through which the ultrasonic signal passes. In FIG. 6, the x-axis represents the temperature of a medium (e.g., soft tissue) through which the ultrasonic signal passes (or the body temperature of the user), and the y-axis represents the speed of the ultrasonic signal (unit: m / s).
[0141] Referring to Fig. 6, this is a graph measuring the temperature of the medium and the speed of the ultrasonic signal through the tissue phantom. Referring to Fig. 6, when measured on a medium of the same properties, it can be confirmed that the speed of the ultrasonic signal increases substantially proportionally as the temperature of the medium increases. Since most of the human body is composed of water, the speed of the ultrasonic wave passing through the body according to the temperature of the medium may have a similar tendency to the change in the speed of the ultrasonic wave according to the temperature in water.
[0142] Referring to the graph in Figure 6, when an ultrasonic signal passes through a medium with the same properties (e.g., a finger), the higher the temperature of the medium, the faster the ultrasonic signal can travel. Therefore, if the physical properties (e.g., density) of the user's body, which is the medium, remain unchanged, the travel speed can be calculated from the travel time between the output and reception of the ultrasonic signal received from each ultrasonic sensor, and the user's body temperature can be measured from this.
[0143] Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining changes in the speed of an ultrasonic signal according to changes in body temperature according to one embodiment.
[0144] Referring to FIG. 7, the wearable device (200) may include a first ultrasonic sensor (252), a second ultrasonic sensor (254), and a third ultrasonic sensor (256) arranged in a hole direction in a ring-type housing.
[0145] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) (or portable device) may set a reference body temperature, measure the speed of an ultrasonic signal passing through a part of the body (e.g., a finger) using an ultrasonic sensor (252, 254, 256) in a state where the reference body temperature is set, and store the reference body temperature and the reference speed of the measured ultrasonic signal as reference information in a memory (e.g., memory (230) of FIG. 3A, memory (330) of FIG. 4). For example, the wearable device (200) may measure the body temperature in a manner other than ultrasonic waves (e.g., infrared rays) using a temperature sensor (e.g., temperature sensor (260) of FIG. 3A) different from the ultrasonic sensors (252, 254, 256), and / or may set a body temperature directly input by a user on a UI of the portable device as the reference body temperature. The speed of an ultrasonic wave passing through a human body may vary depending on the body temperature, and the reference speed of the measured ultrasonic signal may be the speed of the ultrasonic signal in a state where the body temperature is the reference body temperature.
[0146] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) (or portable device) may measure the speed of an ultrasonic signal using at least one ultrasonic sensor after storing reference information, and determine whether there is a change in body temperature based on the difference between the measured speed and the reference speed of the reference information. Referring to FIG. 7, if the body temperature has increased compared to when the reference information was set, the ultrasonic signal may be detected relatively faster by the ultrasonic sensor on the receiving side, and thus the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal may be determined to be faster. In addition, if the body temperature has decreased compared to when the reference information was set, the ultrasonic signal may be detected relatively slower by the ultrasonic sensor on the receiving side, and thus the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal may be determined to be slower.
[0147] FIG. 8 illustrates a signal detected at a receiving end of an ultrasonic sensor according to one embodiment.
[0148] In FIG. 8, the x-axis may represent the time elapsed after the transmitter outputs the ultrasonic signal, and the y-axis may represent the intensity of the ultrasonic signal detected at the receiver. According to one embodiment, when the receiver of the ultrasonic sensor receives the ultrasonic signal, the intensity of the ultrasonic signal may be detected through the intensity of pressure and converted into an electrical signal. According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may include a plurality of ultrasonic sensors (e.g., the first ultrasonic sensor (252), the second ultrasonic sensor (254), and the third ultrasonic sensor (256) of FIG. 5) that are spaced apart from each other. An ultrasonic signal output from one ultrasonic sensor may pass through tissues of the body and be transmitted to another ultrasonic sensor, or may be reflected by a bone (410) and transmitted to the same or another ultrasonic sensor. Figure 8 shows the arrival time according to body temperature of an ultrasonic signal of a direct path transmitted from the first ultrasonic sensor (252) to the third ultrasonic sensor (256) through soft tissues of the body.
[0149] Referring to Fig. 8, in the straight path of the first ultrasonic sensor (252) and the third ultrasonic sensor (256), only soft tissues that pass ultrasonic signals may be placed, without bones (410) that reflect ultrasonic signals. Since the distance between the first ultrasonic sensor (252) and the third ultrasonic sensor (256) is fixed, the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor (252) and received by the third ultrasonic sensor (256) may be determined according to the body temperature of the user corresponding to the soft tissue.
[0150] The graph of Fig. 8 shows the ultrasonic signal received by the third ultrasonic sensor (256) measured at three temperatures when the first ultrasonic sensor (252) outputs an ultrasonic signal of 10 MHz and 1 cycle while keeping other conditions fixed. Referring to the graph, when the body temperature is T2 (e.g., about 36.5 degrees), the speed of the ultrasonic signal is measured to be about 1500 m / s, when the body temperature is T1 (e.g., about 37 degrees) which is higher than T2, the speed of the ultrasonic signal is measured to be 1510 m / s, and when the body temperature is T3 (e.g., about 36 degrees) which is lower than T2, the speed of the ultrasonic signal is measured to be 1490 m / s.
[0151] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) can determine the first peak point (810, 820, 830) having an amplitude greater than a reference value in a wave-shaped ultrasonic signal as the arrival time of the ultrasonic signal. Referring to FIG. 8, the first peak point (810, 820, 830) of the ultrasonic signal measured at each temperature can be detected faster as the body temperature increases.
[0152] According to one embodiment, a wearable device (200) in the form of a smart ring must be configured to be small in order to be worn on a user's finger, and therefore, the distance between each ultrasonic sensor cannot be formed far, so the length of the direct path of the ultrasonic signal cannot be helped but be short. In addition, the temperature of the human body has a limited range of change, such as about 35 degrees to about 40 degrees. Accordingly, the arrival time of the direct signal at the receiving ultrasonic sensor can only exhibit a small change of about tens to hundreds of ns (nanoseconds) even if the body temperature changes.
[0153] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may measure an ultrasonic signal at a high sampling rate when measuring body temperature in order to more accurately detect subtle changes in the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal according to the change in body temperature as described above. For example, when measuring the reference speed of the ultrasonic signal for setting reference information, if the body temperature (or the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal) is measured to have changed significantly by a threshold value or more than the reference information, or if the user checks the body temperature of the user through the wearable device (200) or a portable device, the wearable device (200) may increase the sampling rate for outputting and detecting the ultrasonic signal in order to more accurately measure the body temperature.
[0154] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) can measure the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal in a plurality of direct paths (e.g., the first ultrasonic sensor (252) - the second ultrasonic sensor, the first ultrasonic sensor (252) - the third ultrasonic sensor (256)) in order to more accurately detect the subtle change in the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal according to the change in body temperature as described above, and can measure the change in body temperature using the plurality of measured data. In addition, the wearable device (200) can further measure the change in body temperature using the reflection signal of the reflection path that is output from the transmitting ultrasonic sensor, reflected from the bone (410), and received by the receiving ultrasonic sensor.
[0155] FIG. 9 illustrates signals measured in the direct path and reflected path of an ultrasonic signal according to one embodiment.
[0156] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may include a plurality of ultrasonic sensors (e.g., the first ultrasonic sensor (252), the second ultrasonic sensor (254), and the third ultrasonic sensor (256) of FIG. 5) that are spaced apart from each other. An ultrasonic signal output from one ultrasonic sensor may pass through tissues of the body and be transmitted to another ultrasonic sensor, or may be reflected by a bone (410) and transmitted to the same or another ultrasonic sensor. FIG. 9 illustrates a direct signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor (252), passes through soft tissue, and is received in the third ultrasonic signal, and a reflected signal is reflected from the bone (410) and is received in the third ultrasonic signal.
[0157] Referring to (a) of FIG. 9, the direct signal may be an ultrasonic signal transmitted along a direct path from the first ultrasonic sensor (252) through the soft tissue of the body to the third ultrasonic sensor (256). Referring to (b) of FIG. 9, the reflected signal may be an ultrasonic signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor (252), reflected from the bone (410), and transmitted along a reflected path to the third ultrasonic sensor (256).
[0158] Since the direct path is shorter than the reflected path, the direct signal of the ultrasonic signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor (252) may arrive at the third ultrasonic sensor (256) at t1, and the reflected signal may arrive at the third ultrasonic sensor (256) at a later t2. In addition, since only a part of the ultrasonic signal is reflected by the bone (410) and transmitted to the third ultrasonic sensor (256) as a reflected signal, the intensity of the reflected signal may be smaller than that of the direct signal. According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may determine the time point (or the first peak point) at which an ultrasonic signal having an intensity higher than a threshold value is first detected by the third ultrasonic sensor (256) after the first ultrasonic sensor (252) outputs an ultrasonic signal, as the arrival time of the direct signal. In addition, the wearable device (200) can determine the point in time at which an ultrasonic signal within a predetermined range lower than the threshold value is first detected after the third ultrasonic sensor (256) detects a direct signal, as the point in time at which a reflected signal is detected.
[0159] Considering the structural characteristics of the ring-type wearable device (200), since the positions of each ultrasonic sensor (252, 254, 256) are fixed, the length of the direct path can always be the same. Therefore, in the case of a direct signal, the distance between the first ultrasonic sensor (252) and the third ultrasonic sensor (256) can be divided by the travel time, which is the difference between the time when the first ultrasonic sensor (252) outputs the ultrasonic signal and the time when the third ultrasonic sensor (256) receives the ultrasonic signal, to calculate the travel speed of the direct signal. Since the travel speed of the ultrasonic signal can be determined according to the temperature of the medium, the wearable device (200) (or portable device) can determine the temperature value corresponding to the calculated travel speed of the direct signal as the current body temperature.
[0160] Since the direct path corresponds to the straight-line distance between ultrasonic sensors, the distance of the direct path can always remain the same even if the wearing state of the wearable device (200) changes. However, the direct path has a disadvantage in that it cannot measure body temperature accurately even with a slight error because the distance is short. In order to analyze the arrival time (or movement speed) of the ultrasonic signal more precisely, it is advantageous for the ultrasonic signal to have a long movement distance, and the accuracy can be increased by analyzing various paths. If the movement distance of the ultrasonic signal increases, the time it takes for the ultrasonic signal to arrive at the receiving ultrasonic sensor may be delayed at the same movement speed. In this case, a signal that travels a shorter distance and arrives quickly may show a greater difference in arrival time due to the same change in speed. Therefore, measuring an ultrasonic signal that has traveled as far as possible may be more advantageous for measuring precise temperature changes.
[0161] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) (or portable device) can measure the travel time of the ultrasonic signal and the current body temperature (or the amount of change from the reference body temperature) by analyzing the travel time of the direct signal and the travel time of the reflected signal. For example, the wearable device (200) can calculate the travel speed of the ultrasonic signal by assigning weights to the first speed calculated according to the arrival time of the direct signal and the second speed calculated according to the arrival time of the reflected signal, and calculating the weighted average. In addition, the wearable device (200) can output ultrasonic signals from each of a plurality of ultrasonic sensors and measure the body temperature of the user by analyzing the ultrasonic signals of the multi-path received from each ultrasonic sensor.
[0162] Fig. 10 illustrates transmission paths of ultrasonic signals according to one embodiment.
[0163] According to one embodiment, a wearable device (200) includes a plurality of ultrasonic sensors, outputs and receives ultrasonic signals from the plurality of ultrasonic sensors to measure a user's body temperature, and analyzes the travel time of each received ultrasonic signal to measure the user's current body temperature (or the amount of change from a reference body temperature).
[0164] FIG. 10 illustrates the path of an ultrasonic signal transmitted to the first ultrasonic sensor (252), the second ultrasonic sensor (254), and the third ultrasonic sensor (256) when an ultrasonic signal is output from the first ultrasonic sensor (252).
[0165] Referring to FIG. 10, the ultrasonic signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor (252) can be transmitted to the second ultrasonic sensor (254) and the third ultrasonic sensor (256) through the direct paths, path 4 and path 5, respectively. In addition, the ultrasonic signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor (252) can be reflected from the bone (410) and transmitted to the first ultrasonic sensor (252), the second ultrasonic sensor (254), and the third ultrasonic sensor (256) through the reflection paths, path 1, path 2, and path 3, respectively.
[0166] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may sequentially output ultrasonic signals from each ultrasonic sensor, and calculate the travel time of the ultrasonic signals using the arrival times of the ultrasonic signals received from each ultrasonic sensor through multiple paths. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the movement speed may be calculated by outputting an ultrasonic signal from a first ultrasonic sensor (252) and receiving an ultrasonic signal from each ultrasonic sensor, the movement speed may be calculated by outputting an ultrasonic signal from a second ultrasonic sensor (254) and receiving an ultrasonic signal from each ultrasonic sensor, and the movement speed may be calculated by outputting an ultrasonic signal from a third ultrasonic sensor (256) and receiving an ultrasonic signal from each ultrasonic sensor. When an ultrasonic signal is output from one ultrasonic sensor, the movement speeds of five paths (e.g., paths 1 to 5 of FIG. 10) may be acquired, and thus, data acquired by outputting ultrasonic signals from three ultrasonic sensors may include the movement speeds of a total of 15 paths. In this way, the greater the number of data acquired, the more precise a system can be built for measuring body temperature.
[0167] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may store and process the arrival time of the ultrasonic signal acquired for each ultrasonic sensor, or may use the ratio of the movement distance (or the ratio of the arrival time) of each ultrasonic signal to the arrival time (or the movement speed) at the receiving ultrasonic sensor to calculate the ratio and use it for temperature measurement. For example, the wearable device (200) may predict the movement path of the ultrasonic signal according to the positions of the transmitting and receiving sensors, and designate each movement path as one path. In this case, the length of each movement path (or the movement distance of the ultrasonic signal) may be constant, independently of the movement speed. Since the movement distance of each movement path (e.g., path 1 to path 5) is constant, the ultrasonic signals received from each ultrasonic sensor are measured at the same body temperature, and since the temperature of the medium is the same, the movement speed of the ultrasonic signals in each movement path at a specific timing may be substantially the same. As a result, the wearable device (200) can obtain signals transmitted through various paths using a plurality of ultrasonic sensors, and measure body temperature based on the arrival time of each ultrasonic signal and the ratio of the arrival times.
[0168] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may calculate an average (or weighted average) of the movement speeds of the ultrasonic signals measured in each movement path, and may calculate a current body temperature corresponding to the average of the calculated movement speeds. According to another embodiment, the wearable device (200) may calculate an average (or weighted average) of the movement speeds of the ultrasonic signals measured in each movement path, calculate a difference between the average of the calculated movement speeds and the movement speed of the ultrasonic signals of the reference information, and compensate for the reference body temperature based on the calculated difference to calculate compensated body temperature information. According to one embodiment, when calculating the weighted average of the movement speeds in each movement path, the wearable device (200) may assign a higher weight to the direct path.
[0169] FIG. 11 illustrates changes in a signal received from an ultrasonic sensor according to changes in the wearing state of a wearable device according to one embodiment.
[0170] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) includes a plurality of ultrasonic sensors, and the wearable device (200) (or portable device) can determine body temperature information of the user by using ultrasonic signals of various paths formed through the plurality of ultrasonic sensors (252, 254, 256). For example, an ultrasonic signal output from a first ultrasonic sensor (252) can be transmitted to a second ultrasonic sensor (254) and a third ultrasonic sensor (256) through a direct path, and can be transmitted to the first ultrasonic sensor (252), the second ultrasonic sensor (254), and the third ultrasonic sensor (256) through a reflection path reflected from the user's bone (410). In addition, when the second ultrasonic sensor (254) outputs an ultrasonic signal, and also when the second ultrasonic sensor (254) outputs an ultrasonic signal, the ultrasonic signal can be received by each ultrasonic sensor through a plurality of paths.
[0171] FIG. 11 illustrates the path and signal graph of the direct signal and reflected signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor (252) and received by the third ultrasonic sensor (256) when the wearing angle of the wearable device (200) is changed.
[0172] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) may recognize a signal having an amplitude greater than a first reference value in wave data of an ultrasonic signal received from the third ultrasonic sensor (256) as a first ultrasonic signal (or direct signal), and may recognize a signal having an amplitude less than a second reference value, which is lower than the first reference value, as a second ultrasonic signal (or reflected signal). Since a part of the ultrasonic signal passes through the bone (410) and only the remaining part is reflected from the bone (410), the intensity (or amplitude) of the reflected signal detected by the third ultrasonic sensor (256) may be less than the intensity of the direct signal.
[0173] According to one embodiment, since the positions of each ultrasonic sensor in the wearable device (200) are fixed, the length of the direct path can always be the same. Referring to (a) and (b) of FIG. 11, even if the wearing angle of the wearable device (200) changes, the arrival time of the direct signal at the third ultrasonic sensor (256) can be substantially the same. According to one embodiment, since the direct signal is suitable for measuring a transmission signal inside the human body due to the fixed positions of the sensors, it can be used as an indicator for measuring the ultrasonic velocity inside the human body.
[0174] According to one embodiment, the reflection signal output by the first ultrasonic sensor (252), reflected by the bone (410), and received by the third ultrasonic sensor (256) may have a travel distance that varies depending on the wearing angle of the wearable device (200). Comparing (a) and (b) of FIG. 11, the length of the reflection path may be shorter in (b) than in (a) as the wearing angle of the wearable device (200) varies. Accordingly, the time for the reflection signal to arrive at the third ultrasonic sensor (256) may be faster in (b) than in (a).
[0175] According to one embodiment, even if the wearing angle of the wearable device (200) changes, the ratio of the arrival time (or travel time) of the direct signal and the reflected signal at each temperature may be the same. For example, referring to the graph of FIG. 11 (a), the ratio of the arrival time of the direct signal to the arrival time of the reflected signal in each ultrasonic signal measured at three temperature states may be the same. In addition, as shown in FIG. 11 (b), even if the wearing angle changes, the ratio of the arrival time of the direct signal to the arrival time of the reflected signal in each ultrasonic signal measured at various temperature states may be the same.
[0176] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (200) (or portable device) can estimate the current wearing state (e.g., wearing angle) of the wearable device (200) through the ratio of the arrival time (or travel time) of the direct signal and the reflected signal.
[0177] FIG. 12 illustrates a UI provided by a portable device according to one embodiment.
[0178] According to one embodiment, the portable device (300) can install and execute a healthcare application that provides various biometric information measured by a wearable device and provides a UI that allows a user to input data related to the measurement of biometric information.
[0179] According to one embodiment, the portable device (300) can provide a user interface (UI) that allows the user to input the current body temperature on the healthcare application through a display.
[0180] Referring to (a) of FIG. 12, the portable device (300) can execute a menu that can register the initial body temperature and provide a UI (1210) that can select the hand wearing the wearable device as either the right or left hand.
[0181] Referring to (b) of FIG. 12, the portable device (300) may provide a UI (1220) that allows the user to select a finger wearing the wearable device as one of the thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger when the hand being worn is selected.
[0182] Referring to (c) of FIG. 12, the portable device (300) may provide a UI (1230) that confirms whether to input the current body temperature when the hand and finger wearing the wearable device are selected.
[0183] Referring to (d) of FIG. 12, when current body temperature information is input according to a user input, the portable device (300) can store the body temperature information in memory and provide a UI (1240) that indicates completion of registration.
[0184] According to one embodiment, when the user's body temperature information is input through the UI, the wearable device (or portable device (300)) can map and store the current wearing state of the wearable device (e.g., wearing position, angle) with the input body temperature information. According to one embodiment, the portable device (300) can provide a UI that guides the user to change the wearing state of the wearable device, and in response to the UI, the user can change the wearing position of the wearable device or turn the wearing angle, and then measure the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal using an ultrasonic sensor. Accordingly, the wearable device and portable device (300) can map and store the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal and body temperature information in various wearing states.
[0185] According to one embodiment, the portable device (300) may further provide a UI for inputting not only body temperature information but also other body information of the user that may affect the speed of the ultrasound signal (e.g., body fat percentage, musculoskeletal mass, BMI index). The portable device (300) (or wearable device) may correct a table or formula mapping the speed of ultrasound and body temperature based on the body information input through the UI.
[0186] Fig. 13 is a flowchart of a method for measuring body temperature using ultrasound of a wearable device according to one embodiment.
[0187] The method illustrated in FIG. 13 can be performed by a wearable device (e.g., the wearable device (200) of FIGS. 3a and 3b), and the description of the technical features described above may be omitted below.
[0188] In the following examples, the operations may be performed sequentially, but are not necessarily sequential. For example, the order of the operations may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel.
[0189] According to one embodiment, operations 1310 to 1360 may be understood to be performed in a processor (e.g., processor (210) of FIG. 3A) of a wearable device (e.g., wearable device (200) of FIGS. 3A and 3B).
[0190] According to one embodiment, in operation 1310, the wearable device can confirm that the wearable device is worn on the user's finger. The wearable device may be in a form surrounding an empty central hole that the user wears on the finger, and at least one sensor (e.g., a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, an ultrasonic sensor) for obtaining biometric information of the user may be arranged in a direction from the housing toward the central hole.
[0191] In one embodiment, at step 1315, the wearable device may measure the user's current body temperature using a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may measure the temperature of the user's skin via an optical signal (e.g., an infrared signal) based on the Stefan-Boltzmann law.
[0192] According to one embodiment, in operation 1320, the wearable device may receive body temperature information input by the user through a UI from an external device (e.g., the portable device (300) of FIG. 4). The UI for inputting the user's body temperature information in the healthcare application of the external device has been described with reference to FIG. 12.
[0193] According to one embodiment, in operation 1325, the wearable device may set the user's current body temperature measured using a temperature sensor and / or body temperature information received from an external device as the reference body temperature.
[0194] According to one embodiment, in operation 1330, the wearable device may measure a first velocity of an ultrasonic signal using at least one ultrasonic sensor while at a reference body temperature. For example, the wearable device may acquire body temperature information via a temperature sensor and / or measure the first velocity of the ultrasonic signal using the ultrasonic sensor in response to receiving body temperature information from a portable device. That is, the first velocity of the ultrasonic signal may be measured while at a reference body temperature.
[0195] According to one embodiment, in operation 1335, the wearable device may store the set reference body temperature and the measured first speed as reference information in the memory. According to one embodiment, the wearable device may determine the first speed based on the movement speeds each acquired from the movement paths of the plurality of ultrasonic signals when measuring the first speed (or reference speed).
[0196] According to one embodiment, in operation 1340, after setting reference information, the wearable device may measure a second velocity of an ultrasonic signal using at least one ultrasonic sensor when a body temperature measurement event occurs. For example, the wearable device may measure the second velocity of the ultrasonic signal by outputting an ultrasonic signal periodically after storing the reference information and / or when a user checks the current body temperature using a healthcare application of the portable device. According to one embodiment, when measuring the second velocity, the wearable device may determine the second velocity based on an average (or weighted average) of the movement velocities of direct signals and reflected signals respectively acquired from movement paths of a plurality of ultrasonic signals.
[0197] In one embodiment, at operation 1345, the wearable device can determine whether the second velocity of the ultrasonic signal changes from the first velocity of the ultrasonic signal stored as reference information. Since the velocity of the ultrasonic signal can change depending on changes in the temperature of the medium, if the second velocity changes from the first velocity, it can be considered that the user's body temperature has changed.
[0198] According to one embodiment, when there is a change in the movement speed of the ultrasonic signal, in operation 1350, the wearable device may generate compensated body temperature information by compensating the reference body temperature based on the difference between the first speed and the second speed. For example, when the second speed of the ultrasonic signal is measured faster than the first speed, the wearable device may compensate with a value higher than the reference body temperature, and when the second speed of the ultrasonic signal is measured slower than the first speed, the wearable device may compensate with a value lower than the reference body temperature. The greater the difference between the first speed and the second speed, the greater the size of the compensated body temperature value.
[0199] According to one embodiment, if there is no change in the speed of movement of the ultrasonic signal, in operation 1355, the wearable device may determine that the user's current body temperature is equal to the stored reference body temperature.
[0200] According to one embodiment, in operation 1360, the wearable device may transmit the body temperature information determined in operation 1350 or operation 1355 to an external device. The external device may provide the received body temperature information to the user through a UI.
[0201] Fig. 14 is a flowchart of a method for measuring body temperature using ultrasound of a wearable device and a portable device according to one embodiment.
[0202] The method illustrated in FIG. 14 can be performed by a wearable device (e.g., the wearable device (200) of FIGS. 3a and 3b) and a portable device (e.g., the portable device (300) of FIG. 4), and the description of the technical features described above may be omitted below.
[0203] In the following examples, the operations may be performed sequentially, but are not necessarily sequential. For example, the order of the operations may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel.
[0204] According to one embodiment, operations 1410 to 1475 may be understood to be performed by a processor (e.g., processor (210) of FIG. 3A) of a wearable device (e.g., wearable device (200) of FIGS. 3A and 3B) or a processor (e.g., processor (310) of FIG. 4) of a portable device (e.g., portable device (300) of FIG. 4).
[0205] According to one embodiment, in operation 1410, the wearable device can confirm that the wearable device is worn on the user's finger. In operation 1415, the wearable device can transmit the wearing status of the wearable device to the portable device. According to one embodiment, the wearable device can be connected to the portable device via short-range wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth, WiFi), and can transmit various data related to whether the wearable device is worn, its current status, and acquired biometric information to the portable device.
[0206] According to one embodiment, in operation 1420, if the wearable device is confirmed to be worn, the portable device may execute a healthcare application and provide a UI for the user to input body temperature via the display. In operation 1425, the portable device may set a reference body temperature based on the user input on the UI. In operation 1430, the portable device may transmit the reference body temperature information set to the wearable device.
[0207] According to one embodiment, in operation 1435, the wearable device may measure a first velocity of an ultrasonic signal using at least one ultrasonic sensor. The wearable device may include a plurality of ultrasonic sensors arranged spaced apart from each other, sequentially outputting ultrasonic signals from each ultrasonic sensor, and determining the first velocity of the ultrasonic sensor using the travel velocity of the ultrasonic signal received from each ultrasonic sensor through various paths (e.g., direct path, reflected path).
[0208] In one embodiment, at operation 1440, the wearable device may transmit the first velocity of the measured ultrasonic signal to the portable device. At operation 1445, the wearable device may store the reference body temperature and the first velocity as reference information in memory.
[0209] In one embodiment, at operation 1450, a body temperature measurement event may occur on the wearable device, or at operation 1455, a body temperature measurement event may occur on the portable device.
[0210] In one embodiment, at operation 1460, the wearable device may measure a second velocity of an ultrasonic signal using an ultrasonic sensor. In one embodiment, the wearable device may determine the second velocity based on an average (or weighted average) of the travel velocities of direct signals and reflected signals respectively acquired from the travel paths of a plurality of ultrasonic signals when measuring the second velocity. In operation 1465, the wearable device may transmit the measured second velocity to a portable device.
[0211] According to one embodiment, in operation 1470, the portable device may compare the second speed of the ultrasonic signal with the first speed stored as reference information, and in operation 1475, compensate the reference body temperature based on the comparison result to generate compensated body temperature information. Since the moving speed of the ultrasonic signal may change according to a change in the temperature of the medium, if the second speed changes from the first speed, it may be regarded that the body temperature of the user has changed. If the second speed of the ultrasonic signal is measured to be faster than the first speed, the portable device may compensate for it with a value higher than the reference body temperature, and if the second speed of the ultrasonic signal is measured to be slower than the first speed, the portable device may compensate for it with a value lower than the reference body temperature, and the greater the difference between the first speed and the second speed, the greater the size of the compensated body temperature value.
[0212] An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present document may include a temperature sensor for measuring a user's body temperature, a wireless communication circuit for supporting wireless communication with an external device, at least one ultrasonic sensor, a memory, and at least one processor operatively connected to the temperature sensor, the wireless communication circuit, the at least one ultrasonic sensor, and the memory.
[0213] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that are executable by at least one processor and, when executed, cause the electronic device to set a reference body temperature based on at least one of body temperature information measured by the temperature sensor and body temperature information received from the external device through the wireless communication circuit, measure a first speed of ultrasonic waves passing through a user's body using the at least one ultrasonic sensor while the electronic device is worn by the user, and store the measured first speed of the ultrasonic waves and the set reference body temperature in the memory as reference information.
[0214] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device, after storing the reference information, to measure a second speed of an ultrasonic signal passing through a user's body using the at least one ultrasonic sensor, and to compensate for the reference body temperature based on a difference between the measured first speed and the second speed, thereby generating compensated body temperature information.
[0215] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to compensate the compensated body temperature information to a value higher than the reference body temperature when the second speed is faster than the first speed.
[0216] According to one embodiment, the at least one ultrasonic sensor includes a first ultrasonic sensor and a second ultrasonic sensor that are spaced apart from each other, the second ultrasonic sensor detects a first ultrasonic signal that is output from the first ultrasonic sensor and received through a straight path between the first ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor, and the processor may be configured to generate the compensated body temperature information based on a speed of the first ultrasonic signal.
[0217] According to one embodiment, the second ultrasonic sensor further detects a second ultrasonic signal received through a reflection path that is output from the first ultrasonic sensor and reflected by a part of the user's body, and the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to generate the compensated body temperature information further based on a speed of the second ultrasonic signal.
[0218] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to recognize a signal having an amplitude greater than a first reference value in ultrasonic data received from the second ultrasonic sensor as the first ultrasonic signal, and to recognize a signal having an amplitude less than a second reference value that is lower than the first reference value as the second ultrasonic signal.
[0219] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to determine an average value of a movement speed of the first ultrasonic signal and a movement speed of the second ultrasonic signal as the second speed.
[0220] According to one embodiment, the memory may store instructions that cause the electronic device to control an ultrasonic output of the at least one ultrasonic sensor at a sampling rate greater than or equal to a reference rate to measure the second velocity of the ultrasonic waves.
[0221] According to one embodiment, the temperature sensor may be configured to measure the body temperature information using a different type of signal than the ultrasonic sensor.
[0222] According to one embodiment, the electronic device further comprises a ring-shaped housing including an empty central hole, and the at least one ultrasonic sensor may be positioned in the housing in a direction toward the central hole.
[0223] A method for measuring body temperature using ultrasound in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present document may include an operation of setting a reference body temperature based on at least one of body temperature information measured by a temperature sensor or body temperature information received from an external device, an operation of measuring a first speed of ultrasound passing through a user's body using at least one ultrasound sensor while the electronic device is worn by the user, an operation of storing the measured first speed of ultrasound and the set reference body temperature in a memory as reference information, an operation of measuring a second speed of an ultrasound signal passing through the user's body using the at least one ultrasound sensor after storing the reference information, and an operation of compensating for the reference body temperature based on a difference between the measured first speed and the measured second speed, thereby generating compensated body temperature information.
[0224] According to one embodiment, the operation of generating the compensated body temperature information may include an operation of compensating the compensated body temperature information to a value higher than the reference body temperature when the second speed is faster than the first speed.
[0225] According to one embodiment, the at least one ultrasonic sensor includes a first ultrasonic sensor and a second ultrasonic sensor that are spaced apart from each other, and the second ultrasonic sensor detects a first ultrasonic signal that is output from the first ultrasonic sensor and received through a straight path between the first ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor, and the operation of generating the compensated body temperature information may include an operation of generating the compensated body temperature information based on a speed of the first ultrasonic signal.
[0226] According to one embodiment, the second ultrasonic sensor further detects a second ultrasonic signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor and received through a reflection path reflected by a part of the user's body, and the operation of generating the compensated body temperature information may include an operation of generating the compensated body temperature information further based on a speed of the second ultrasonic signal.
[0227] According to one embodiment, the method may include an operation of recognizing a signal having an amplitude greater than or equal to a first reference value in ultrasonic data received from the second ultrasonic sensor as the first ultrasonic signal, and recognizing a signal having an amplitude less than a second reference value that is lower than the first reference value as the second ultrasonic signal.
[0228] According to one embodiment, the operation of measuring the second speed of the ultrasonic signal may include an operation of determining an average value of the movement speed of the first ultrasonic signal and the movement speed of the second ultrasonic signal as the second speed.
[0229] According to one embodiment, in order to measure the second velocity of the ultrasonic waves, the ultrasonic output of the at least one ultrasonic sensor can be controlled at a sampling rate greater than a reference rate.
[0230] According to various embodiments of the present document, an electronic device includes a display, a wireless communication circuit that supports wireless communication with an external device, a memory, and at least one processor operatively connected to the display, the wireless communication circuit, and the memory, wherein the memory may be executed by the at least one processor, and when executed, instructions are stored that cause the electronic device to set a reference body temperature based on at least one of a user input through the display or body temperature information received from the external device through the wireless communication circuit, receive a first velocity of an ultrasound passing through a body of a user measured using the at least one ultrasound sensor by the external device through the wireless communication circuit, store the first velocity of the measured ultrasound and the set reference body temperature as reference information in the memory, and after storing the reference information, receive a second velocity of an ultrasound passing through a body of a user measured using the at least one ultrasound sensor by the external device through the wireless communication circuit, and compensate for the reference body temperature based on a difference between the received first velocity and the second velocity, thereby generating compensated body temperature information.
[0231] According to various embodiments of the present document, an electronic device includes a first ultrasonic sensor, a second ultrasonic sensor disposed spaced apart from the first ultrasonic sensor, a memory, and a processor operatively connected to the first ultrasonic sensor, the second ultrasonic sensor, and the memory, wherein the memory stores a mapping table that maps a movement speed of the ultrasonic signal and a body temperature of a user for each movement path of the ultrasonic signal, and the memory can be executed by at least one processor, and when executed, the electronic device verifies a movement speed of a first ultrasonic signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor and received through a straight path between the first ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor, verifies a movement speed of a second ultrasonic signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor and received through a reflection path reflected by a part of a body of the user, calculates a weighted average of the movement speed of the first ultrasonic signal and the movement speed of the second ultrasonic signal, and calculates a weighted average of the movement speed of the first ultrasonic signal and the movement speed of the second ultrasonic signal from the mapping table stored in the memory. Instructions can be stored to obtain body temperature information corresponding to a weighted average of the movement speed and the movement speed of the second ultrasonic signal, and to determine the body temperature information obtained from the mapping table as the user's current body temperature.
[0232] Electronic devices according to the various embodiments disclosed in this document may take various forms. Electronic devices may include, for example, portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, portable multimedia devices, portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliances. Electronic devices according to the embodiments of this document are not limited to the aforementioned devices.
[0233] The various embodiments of this document and the terminology used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, each of the phrases "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" can include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase among those phrases, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish one component from another, and do not limit the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively," it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.
[0234] The term "module" used in various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A module may be an integral component, or a minimum unit or part of such a component that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).
[0235] Various embodiments of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., a program (140)) including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., an internal memory (136) or an external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., a processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)) may call at least one instruction among the one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function according to the at least one called instruction. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently or temporarily on the storage medium.
[0236] According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between sellers and buyers as a product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)) or may be provided through an application store (e.g., Play Store). TM ) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smart phones), online distribution (e.g., downloading or uploading). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily created in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.
[0237] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separately arranged in other components. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.
Claims
1. In electronic devices, Temperature sensor for measuring the user's body temperature; A wireless communication circuit that supports wireless communication with an external device; At least one ultrasonic sensor; memory; and At least one processor operatively connected to the temperature sensor, the wireless communication circuit, the at least one ultrasonic sensor, and the memory; The above memory is executable by at least one processor, and when executed, the electronic device: A reference body temperature is set based on at least one of body temperature information measured through the temperature sensor or body temperature information received from the external device through the wireless communication circuit, When the electronic device is worn by a user, the first speed of ultrasonic waves passing through the user's body is measured using at least one ultrasonic sensor, The first speed of the above-mentioned measured ultrasound and the above-mentioned set reference body temperature are stored in the above-mentioned memory as reference information, After storing the above reference information, the second speed of the ultrasonic signal passing through the user's body is measured using the at least one ultrasonic sensor, and An electronic device storing instructions for compensating the reference body temperature based on the difference between the measured first speed and the second speed, thereby generating compensated body temperature information.
2. In paragraph 1, The above memory, the electronic device, An electronic device storing instructions for compensating the compensated body temperature information to a value higher than the reference body temperature when the second speed is faster than the first speed.
3. In paragraph 1 or 2, The at least one ultrasonic sensor comprises a first ultrasonic sensor and a second ultrasonic sensor which are spaced apart from each other, The second ultrasonic sensor detects a first ultrasonic signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor and received through a straight path between the first ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor, The above memory, the electronic device, An electronic device storing instructions for generating the compensated body temperature information based on the speed of the first ultrasonic signal.
4. In paragraph 3, The second ultrasonic sensor further detects a second ultrasonic signal that is output from the first ultrasonic sensor and received through a reflection path reflected by a part of the user's body, The above memory, the electronic device, An electronic device storing instructions for generating the compensated body temperature information further based on the speed of the second ultrasonic signal.
5. In paragraph 4, The above memory, the electronic device, An electronic device storing instructions for recognizing a signal having an amplitude greater than a first reference value among ultrasonic data received from the second ultrasonic sensor as the first ultrasonic signal, and recognizing a signal having an amplitude less than a second reference value, which is lower than the first reference value, as the second ultrasonic signal.
6. In paragraph 4, The above memory, the electronic device, An electronic device storing instructions for determining an average value of the movement speed of the first ultrasonic signal and the movement speed of the second ultrasonic signal as the second speed.
7. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 6, The above memory, the electronic device, An electronic device storing instructions for controlling an ultrasonic output of at least one ultrasonic sensor at a sampling rate higher than a reference rate to measure the second velocity of the ultrasonic waves.
8. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 7, The above temperature sensor is an electronic device set to measure the body temperature information using a different type of signal from the above ultrasonic sensor.
9. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 8, Further comprising a ring-shaped housing including an empty central hole, An electronic device wherein at least one ultrasonic sensor is positioned in a direction toward the central hole in the housing.
10. In a method for measuring body temperature using ultrasonic waves of an electronic device, An operation of setting a reference body temperature based on at least one of body temperature information measured by a temperature sensor or body temperature information received from an external device; An act of measuring a first speed of ultrasonic waves passing through a user's body using at least one ultrasonic sensor while the electronic device is worn by the user; An operation of storing the first speed of the measured ultrasound and the set reference body temperature as reference information in memory; After storing the above reference information, an operation of measuring a second speed of an ultrasonic signal passing through the user's body using at least one ultrasonic sensor; and A method including an operation of compensating the reference body temperature based on the difference between the measured first speed and the second speed, thereby generating compensated body temperature information.
11. In paragraph 10, The operation of generating the above compensated body temperature information is: A method including an operation of compensating the compensated body temperature information to a value higher than the reference body temperature when the second speed is faster than the first speed.
12. In clause 10 or 11, The at least one ultrasonic sensor comprises a first ultrasonic sensor and a second ultrasonic sensor which are spaced apart from each other, The second ultrasonic sensor detects a first ultrasonic signal output from the first ultrasonic sensor and received through a straight path between the first ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor, The operation of generating the above compensated body temperature information is: A method comprising an operation of generating the compensated body temperature information based on the speed of the first ultrasonic signal.
13. In paragraph 12, The second ultrasonic sensor further detects a second ultrasonic signal that is output from the first ultrasonic sensor and received through a reflection path reflected by a part of the user's body, The operation of generating the above compensated body temperature information is: A method comprising an operation of generating the compensated body temperature information further based on the speed of the second ultrasonic signal.
14. In paragraph 13, A method including an operation of recognizing a signal having an amplitude greater than a first reference value in ultrasonic data received from the second ultrasonic sensor as the first ultrasonic signal, and recognizing a signal having an amplitude less than a second reference value that is lower than the first reference value as the second ultrasonic signal.
15. In electronic devices, display; A wireless communication circuit that supports wireless communication with an external device; memory; and At least one processor operatively connected to the display, the wireless communication circuit, and the memory; The above memory is executable by at least one processor, and when executed, the electronic device: Setting a reference body temperature based on at least one of user input through the display or body temperature information received from the external device through the wireless communication circuit, The first speed of ultrasonic waves passing through the user's body measured by the at least one ultrasonic sensor by the external device is received through the wireless communication circuit, The first speed of the above-mentioned measured ultrasound and the above-mentioned set reference body temperature are stored in the above-mentioned memory as reference information, After storing the above reference information, the second speed of the ultrasonic waves passing through the user's body measured by the at least one ultrasonic sensor by the external device is received through the wireless communication circuit, and An electronic device storing instructions for compensating the reference body temperature based on the difference between the received first speed and the second speed, thereby generating compensated body temperature information.
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