Exposing skin contact electrodes for monitoring physiological parameters

Abstract

A wearable device 100, comprising an outer surface 102 providing protective covering to the wearable device 100, wherein one or more electrodes 108 is positioned on the outer surface; an inner surface 106, wherein the inner surface 106 includes a skin-contact electrode 110; and a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 104 positioned between the outer surface 102 and the inner surface 106; wherein simultaneous electrical signal acquired from a user by the one or more electrodes 108 on the outer surface 102 and the skin-contact electrode 110 is used to determine one or more physiological parameters of the user

Description

EXPOSING SKIN CONTACT ELECTRODES FOR MONITORING PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERSFIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a wearable device, and specifically relates to a wearable smart ring to monitor a plurality of physiological parameters, simultaneously.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Regular health parameter monitoring is important for accomplishing long term wellness goals. Traditionally, health parameter monitoring required manual recording of one's physiological parameters, requiring many medical equipment. However, such manual recording is inconvenient and may take significant time to analyse the results.

[0003] Generally, detection of body parameters requires stationary medical equipment such as an ECG machine, BP monitoring machine etc. A user on move is not able to keep a track of his body parameters to maintain his health in good condition. Such an approach disables users to have control over their health in their daily lives. In persons suffering from life style diseases such as diabetes, heart related issues, monitoring various physiological parameters becomes even more important. However, fixed or stationary medical equipment for measuring various bodily parameters prove to be a significant impediment for such persons. Further, lack of knowledge about one’s own body and inability to make conscious data driven lifestyle changes may impact one’s health in long term.

[0004] In order to meet demand for a technology that provides seamless integration of user’s convenience and at the same time providing tracking of vital physiological parameters such as heart rate, physical activity, sleep patterns, and even blood oxygen levels, wearable devices were introduced. Wearables devices allowed users to interact with devices without interrupting daily activities, which make them ideal for fitness tracking, communication, navigation, or notifications related to various health parameters.

[0005] Conventional wearable devices, such as smartwatches, fitness bands, smart rings and health monitors, typically include sensors and communication modules to track metrics such as heart rate, step count, sleep quality etc. While these wearable devices log biomarkers andactivity of the user, but they are inaccurate, as such devices use basic optical sensor to gather activity of a user which may not be accurately captured by such sensors, making these devices inefficient and unreliable for tracking.

[0006] Thus, there remains a need for a wearable device for tracking, logging and analysing trends of various health and physiological parameters to help users track their health and vitals in real-time.OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0007] A general objective of the invention is to provide a smart wearable device capable of measuring physiological parameters of a user accurately.

[0008] Another objective of the invention is to provide a smart wearable device capable of monitoring physiological parameters in real time.

[0009] Another objective of the invention is to provide a smart wearable device capable of monitoring multiple physiological parameters, simultaneously.

[0010] Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a smart wearable device capable of monitoring health and analysing physiological parameters of the user.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The summary is provided to introduce aspects related to a wearable device for measuring physiological parameters, and the aspects are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter nor is it intended for use in determining or limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0012] The present invention relates to a wearable device capable of accurately monitoring one or more physiological, environmental, or activity-related parameters in real time. The wearable device comprises an outer surface providing external protective covering to the wearable device. The outer surface comprises one or more electrodes positioned such that the one or more electrodes is exposed to the environment. The wearable device further comprises aflexible Printed Circuit Board (PCB) positioned between the outer surface and an inner surface. A skin-contact electrode is present on the inner surface of the wearable device. The simultaneous electrical signal acquired from a user by the one or more electrodes on the outer surface and the skin-contact electrode is used to determine one or more physiological parameters of the user.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the invention, the one or more physiological parameters of the user includes Electrocardiogram (ECG).

[0014] According to an embodiment of the invention, the one or more electrodes on the outer surface and the skin-contact electrode are configured to acquire electrical signal of the user in real time.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the invention, wherein the one or more electrodes on the outer surface and the skin-contact electrode are co-molded electrodes.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the invention, the co-molded electrode comprises a non-conductive film.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the invention, the skin-contact electrode is configured to acquire one or more physiological parameters of the user independently.

[0018] According to further embodiment of the invention, the co-molded electrode is formed by plastic injection molding.

[0019] According to further embodiment of the invention, the one or more electrodes on the outer surface and the skin-contact electrode are covered by a conducting polymer.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the invention, the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is flexible in nature.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the invention, the PCB comprises one or more sensors configured to acquire one or more physiological parameters of the user.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the invention, the inner surface comprises a transparent or semi-transparent material for allowing the one or more sensors to acquire one or more physiological parameters.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the invention, the PCB comprises one or more computing units, wherein the one or more computing units is in communication with the one or more sensors.

[0024] According to an embodiment of the invention, the electrode and / or the co -molded electrode are in communication with the one or more computing units.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the invention, the PCB comprises a wireless communication module for wirelessly transmitting electrical signal to a user device.

[0026] According to an embodiment of the invention, the user device comprises an application for determining one or more physiological parameters based on electrical signal.

[0027] According to an embodiment of the invention, the application communicates one or more physiological parameters to the user by a User Interface (UI).

[0028] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the wearable device comprises an outer surface for providing external protective covering. A flexible Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is positioned between the outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface comprises at least one skin-contact electrode, wherein the at least one skin-contact electrode is a co-molded electrode.

[0029] According to an embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for monitoring one or more physiological parameters of a user using a wearable device. The method comprises acquiring electrical signal of a user by one or more electrodes and a skin-contact electrode simultaneously, wherein the one or more electrodes is positioned on outer surface of the wearable device, and the skin-contact electrode is accommodated on an inner surface of the wearable device. The method further comprises: communicating electrical activity to a one or more computing units, wherein the one or more computing units is accommodated over a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), the PCB is positioned between the outer surface and the innersurface; transmitting data wirelessly using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module of the wearable device; receiving data by a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module of the user device; determining one or more physiological parameters of the user based on data received by an application on the user device; communicating one or more physiological parameters to the user using a User Interface (UI) in real time.

[0030] Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The accompanying drawings constitute a part of the description and are used to provide further understanding of the present invention. Such accompanying drawings illustrate the embodiments of the present invention which are used to describe the principles of the present invention. The embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this invention are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and they mean at least one. In the drawings:

[0032] Fig. la illustrates a side view of a smart ring, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Fig. lb illustrates an isometric view of the smart ring, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Fig. 2a illustrates an exemplary smart ring worn by a user, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Fig. 2b illustrates an arrangement of electrodes on the smart ring, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Fig. 3 illustrates an exemplary smart ring in isometric view with co-molded electrodes, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Fig. 4a and 4b illustrates an exemplary smart ring with co-molded electrodes and single sensor electrode in a side view and an isometric view, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0038] Fig. 5 illustrates a block diagram of working architecture of the wearable device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only embodiments in which the present invention may be practiced. Each embodiment described in this disclosure is provided merely as an example or illustration of the present invention, and should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.

[0040] As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0041] If the specification states a component or feature “may”, “can”, “could”, or “might” be included or have a characteristic, that particular component or feature is not required to be included or have the characteristic.

[0042] In last decade, technology related to wearable device have made huge strides. These wearable devices have evolved from simple fitness trackers to complex multifunctional devices capable of monitoring various physiological parameters, facilitating communication, and integrating with other digital ecosystems. The growing interest in personal health and the demand for real-time data acquisition have driven innovation in wearable devices domain.

[0043] The present invention relates to a wearable device capable of monitoring physiological parameters of a user using electrodes. The physiological parameters include Galvanic SkinResponse (GSR), Electrocardiogram (ECG), and Electroencephalogram (EEG) among other parameters. To ensure accuracy of data collected from the user, the electrodes of the wearable device is in direct contact with the skin of the user. The electrodes capture variation in electrical activity of the skin of the user and transmits same to an application for further processing and meaningful representation to the user.

[0044] The wearable device may be a smart watch, smart band, or an electronic ring. Although, details have been provided successively with reference to a smart ring merely for the sake of explanation; however, it must be understood that the invention could be fairly implemented in a similar manner using any other wearable device, such as the ones listed above.

[0045] Fig. la illustrates a side view of a smart ring 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The smart ring 100 is one of the fastest growing segments among the wearable devices which also includes smartwatch, bracelet, necklace etc. The smart ring 100 is supposed to be in direct contact with the skin of a user for a prolonged period of time. Therefore, the smart ring 100 may be made using a hypoallergenic material for allowing comfortable and continuous wear by a user. The hypoallergic material may include titanium, medical-grade silicone, ceramic (zirconia), stainless steel, niobium, platinum, gold alloy etc.

[0046] The smart ring 100 may comprises an outer surface 102, an inner surface 106. The outer surface 102 may be rigid and consists of antirust material, such as titanium, transparent / translucent material such as hardened glass, fibre, sapphire glass medical-grade silicone, or any other scratch proof hard material such ceramic (zirconia), stainless steel, niobium, platinum, gold alloy etc. The outer surface 102 comprises one or more electrodes 108 positioned such that it is exposed to environment. The one or more electrodes 108 is flushed-with or slightly raised from the outer surface 102. The one or more electrodes 108 is attached to the outer surface by molding, welding or using conductive adhesive.

[0047] Further, a flexible Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 104 is positioned between the outer surface 102 and the inner surface 106 of the wearable device. The flexible PCB (or rigid Flex) 104 is a type of PCB designed to be bent, twisted, or folded without damaging the circuitry. This ensures compact and ergonomic design of the smart ring 100 having mechanical flexibility. The flexible PCB 104 serves as the main interconnection substrate for electroniccomponents, enabling integration into non-planar or deformable housing structures without compromising electrical integrity or user comfort.

[0048] The flexible PCB (or rigid Flex) 104 may include miniaturized surface-mounted components such as sensors, one or more computing units, memory, Bluetooth modules, or power regulators mounted on the flexible PCB 104. The PCB 104 serves as a substrate for the electronic components. The substrate is generally made up of polyamide material to ensure required flexibility. The components are soldered to the substrate using reflow soldering techniques compatible with polyimide materials. The sensors (not shown) soldered to the PCB 104 are configured to capture health parameters of a user. Further, in an embodiment a one or more computing units (not shown) may be mounted on the flexible PCB 104 to manage and execute instructions, handle input / output, and interact with other components located on the PCB 104. The sensors mounted on the PCB 104 are in communication with the one or more computing units for data acquisition. The sensors may transmit values of health parameters detected to the one or more computing units, in real-time. The one or more computing units may obtain values of health parameters from the sensors based on some internal and external triggers associated with the sensors. The one or more computing units may also store values of the health parameters in its own memory or a separate memory element mounted on the flexible PCB 104. A wireless module such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module may also be mounted on the flexible PCB 104 to wirelessly communicate health parameters to a user device, such as a smartphone or a laptop. The wireless module may work on Bluetooth or Near Field Communication (NFC). Further, a battery may be used to power the sensors, micro-controller, one or more computing units and wireless module used in the smart ring 100. To enhance durability, low-profile components are selected and mounted in non-bending zones of the flexible PCB 104 such as reinforced or curved sections.

[0049] The inner surface 106 of the smart ring 100 may come in contact with one of the user’s finger once the user wears the smart ring 100. The inner surface 106 may be made of a semitransparent, translucent, or completely transparent material. Materials such as glass, plastic, resin, or silicone may be used to fabricate the inner surface 106. In an embodiment, the inner surface 106 may be manufactured by a resin casting process where epoxy is co-molded with the smart ring 100. Transparency of the inner surface 106 would allow the sensors to obtain reading from the finger of the user. For example, an optical sensor may be able to transmit light and obtain reflection of the light through the inner surface 106. Further, the inner surface 106may include a housing to accommodate a skin-contact electrode 110. The skin-contact electrode 110 is configured to acquire electrical signal from the body of the user in order to monitor a plurality of physiological parameters, as explained in detail with respect to Fig. 2.

[0050] Fig. lb illustrates an isometric view of the smart ring 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The skin-contact electrode 110 may comprise a particular type of sensor electrode which captures electrical signal corresponding to a particular physiological parameter. These are disposed on the inner surface 106 of the smart ring 100. As previously mentioned, the smart ring 100 may comprise of an outer surface 102 with one or more electrodes 108 placed on the outer surface 102. An electrode 108 on the outer surface 102 is easily approachable by the fingers of opposite hand of the user. A combined reading of the electrical signals by the outer surface electrode 108 and skin-contact electrode 110 allows accurate measurement of various physiological parameters of the user.

[0051] Further, the skin-contact electrode 110 and the outer surface electrode 108 are operatively connected to the one or more computing units positioned over the PCB 104 of the wearable smart ring 100. The one or more computing units acts as a central processing component for managing sensor input, data processing, system control, and communication tasks. The one or more computing units is operatively connected to a communication module (e.g., Bluetooth, NFC, or Wi-Fi), facilitating intelligent operation of the wearable device 100 in real time. Additionally, the one or more computing units may interface with flash memory to store locally buffered data when wireless connectivity is unavailable.

[0052] Fig. 2a illustrates an exemplary smart ring worn by a user, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 2b illustrates an arrangement of electrodes on the smart ring, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, the smart ring 100 can be worn by a user in any of the finger of his hands. As previously mentioned, the upper surface of a smart ring 100 may comprise one or more electrodes 108 positioned on the outer surface 102. Since, the electrode 108 is present on the upper surface, it can be freely accessed by the user, as and when required. The electrode 108 present on the upper surface is covered by a protective covering 202 which is conductive in nature. The protective covering 202 is made up of material such as PEDOT: PSS, polyaniline, or polypyrrole, graphene or Carbon Nanotube Films (CNF). The electrode 108 is positioned on the upper surface in such a way so as to appear aesthetic together ensuring good skin contact, good signal quality anddurability within a compact, wearable form factor. The skin-contact electrode 110 present on the inner surface 106 is in continuous contact of the skin of the user.

[0053] In an embodiment, the smart ring 100 allows capturing of an Electrocardiogram (ECG) of the user indicating electrical activity of the heart. In order to complete an electrical circuit for recording the ECG at least two contact points are required. The skin-contact electrode 110 positioned on the inner surface 106 of the smart ring 100 acts as active point (first point). The electrode 108 positioned on the upper surface of the smart ring 100 acts as reference point (second) providing a return path to the electric signal. When the user touches the electrode 108 positioned on the upper surface, the electrical circuit is closed and the ECG of the user is recorded by the device. The data is transferred to one or more computing units positioned over the PCB 104 for further processing. Data, thus obtained can also be used to determine Heart rate (HR), Heart rate variability (HRV) and Arrhythmia detection of the user. As previously mentioned, the electrode 108 on the upper surface may be one or more. Having one or more (say two) electrodes 108 on the curved outer surface 102 allows appropriate skin contact for capturing electrical signal. One of the two electrodes 108 positioned on the outer surface 102 may be configured to remove or minimise ‘noise’ from the captured electrical signal. This improves quality of the data transmitted to the one or more computing units for further processing.

[0054] Fig. 3 illustrates an exemplary smart ring in isometric view with co-molded electrodes, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The smart ring 300 referred in Fig. 3 may be analogous to the smart ring 100 referred in Fig. 1. In the embodiment, the smart ring 300 includes a co-molded electrode 310 positioned on the inner surface 106 of the smart ring 300. Further, one or more electrode 308 present on the upper surface of the ring may also be co-molded. The co-molded electrodes are configured to detect electrical activity corresponding to the plurality of physiological parameters. The integration of co-molded electrode with the smart ring 300 allows seamless data transmission along with ergonomic finish. This improves overall durability and usability of the wearable device including the smart ring 300.

[0055] In an embodiment, the electrodes 302, 306 are molded together to form a co-molded electrode 310. The co-molded electrode 302, 306 is separated by a thin non-conductive plastic film 304. The plastic film 304 forms a non-conductive barrier such that electrical activity detected by one electrode 302 does not interfere with the electrical activity detected by anotherelectrode 306. Similarly, a co-molded electrode 308 may be positioned on the outer surface 102 of the smart ring 300. The co-molded electrodes 308, 310 are operatively connected with the one or more computing units positioned over the PCB 104 of the wearable device 300.

[0056] When wearable device 300 is used by a user, the co-molded electrode 308, 310 comes in direct contact of the skin of a user and complete the circuit. The conductive surface of the co-molded electrode 308, 310 detects minute electrical signals generated by the body, such as Electrocardiogram (ECG), Bioimpedance (hydration, respiration) etc. Each electrode 302, 306 of the co-molded electrode 308, 310 capture electrical signal individually without influencing functioning of the other due to presence of non-conductive plastic 304 between the electrodes 302, 306. The electrical signal pertaining to a particular physiological parameter is transmitted to the one or more computing units for further processing. The one or more computing units digitizes and processes data for further analysis and executes wireless transmission to the user’ s device. The co-molded electrode 308, 310 may be configured to perform dual function like acquiring electrical activity and providing haptic feed back to the user.

[0057] Fig. 4a and 4b illustrates an exemplary smart ring with co-molded electrodes and single sensor electrode in a side view and an isometric view, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, the smart ring 400 includes a plurality of skin-contact electrodes 408, 410. The plurality of skin-contact electrodes 408, 410 may consists of comolded electrode 410 and the single sensor electrode 408. The single sensor electrode 408 is housed in the smart ring 400 protruding from the inner surface 106 of the smart ring 400. The co-molded electrode 410 and the single sensor electrode 408 are configured to detect electrical signals corresponding to a plurality of physiological parameters, independently and simultaneously. The co-molded electrode 410 and the single sensor electrode 408 are operatively connected to one or more computing units positioned over the PCB 104 of the wearable device 400.

[0058] When the smart ring 400 is worn by a user, the co-molded electrode 410 and the single sensor electrode 408 directly come in contact with the skin of the user. Both co-molded electrode 410 and the single sensor electrode 408 acquires electrical signal from the user’s skin corresponding to pre-defined physiological parameters. The acquired electrical signal is transmitted to the one or more computing units for further processing. The acquired electrical signal in form of digital or analog signal may be further amplified depending upon the strengthof signal. The one or more computing units digitizes and processes data for further analysis and wireless transmission to the user’s device.

[0059] In an embodiment, the co-molded electrode 410 and the single sensor electrode 408 may be placed diametrically opposite on the inner surface 106 of the smart ring 400. This arrangement allows to measure two or more physiological parameters without interference in the same footprint occupied by a pair of single sensor electrodes 408, which are capable of measuring only one type of physiological parameter. The diametric arrangement of co-molded electrode 410 and single sensor electrode 408 ensure stable and consistent contact pressure, which is critical for acquiring electrical activity of the user’s skin with respect to different physiological parameters. The co-molded electrode 410 and single sensor electrode 408 may be configured to perform multiple functions like acquiring electrical activity, sensing and providing haptic feed back to the user.

[0060] Fig. 5 illustrates a block diagram for working architecture 500 of a wearable device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The working architecture 500 includes three major components namely, a smart ring 100, a user 502 and a user’s device 504. The smart ring 100 may be communicatively connected to the user device 504 to communicate user instruction and user physiological parameters. The connection between the smart ring 100 and the user’s device 504 is established wirelessly by Bluetooth (Bluetooth Low Energy / BLE) modules 516, 520 in the respective components. In another embodiment, the connection may also be established by a Wi-Fi module or a radio frequency module.

[0061] As previously mentioned with respect to Fig. 1, the smart ring 100 comprises the outer surface 102 and the inner surface 106. The outer surface 102 is made up of scratch resistant rigid material and exposed to the environment. A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 104 is positioned between the outer surface 102 and the inner surface 106. The PCB 104 is made up of a transparent material such as epoxy. The inner surface 106 is made up of transparent material and is in contact with the skin of the user. The smart ring 100 includes a skin-contact electrode 110, electrodes on upper surface 108, a memory 512, and a BLE module 516. The skin-contact electrode 110 may be plastic injection co-molded to the inner surface 106 of the smart ring 100. The co-molding of the electrodes with the inner surface 106 enables continuous contact of the electrodes with the skin of the user while the smart ring 100 is being worn by him. The comolding of the electrodes also allows two or more electrodes in the compact footprint.

[0062] Further, the skin-contact electrode 110 and / or electrodes on upper surface 108 may comprise a Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) electrode 506, an Electrocardiogram (ECG) electrode 508, and a bioimpedance electrode 510 to gather a plurality of electrical activity corresponding to the physiological parameters of the user 502. In an embodiment, the GSR electrode 506 may gather user’s 502 GSR signals which may include changes in skin conductance associated with emotional arousal or stress. A minute amount of sweat released by the skin in response to psycho-physiological arousal, such as stress, anxiety, excitement, or emotional engagement changes the electrical resistance or conductance of the skin. The GSR electrode 506 measures this change using a small, constant voltage applied across two skincontacting electrodes and the resulting current flow, which varies based on the skin’s conductance. In an embodiment, the ECG electrode 508 may gather user’ s 502 heart activity which may provide valuable insights into cardiovascular health and stress levels of the user 502. The ECG electrode 508 is configured to detect electrical activity generated by the heart through the skin. The ECG electrode 508 enables continuous or on-demand cardiac monitoring, allowing for the measurement of heart rate, heart rhythm, and other vital cardiovascular metrics. In an embodiment, the bioimpedance electrode 510 may gather user’s 502 fat mass, lean body mass, and total body water analysis of the user’s body 502. The bioimpedance electrode 510 is configured to measure the bio-electrical impedance of the user’s skin and underlying tissues. Bio-impedance sensing enables the non-invasive monitoring of a variety of physiological parameters, including hydration level, respiratory rate, body composition, and skin integrity.

[0063] The skin-contact electrode 110 and / or electrodes on upper surface 108 may comprise, but not limited to, a stainless-steel dry electrode, textile electrode or microneedle electrode. The skin-contact electrode 110 is continuous contact with the user’s skin and, therefore made of hypoallergic material so as to allow continuous usage by the user for a prolonged period. The skin-contact electrode 110 together with electrodes on upper surface 108 provide real-time electrical signal captured from the user’s skin. The electrical signal is transmitted to the one or more computing units so as to analyse the user’s physiological parameters efficiently and in reduced time.

[0064] The electrical signal acquired by the skin-contact electrodes 110 and electrodes 108 on upper surface are transmitted to the one or more computing units positioned over the PCB 104 of the wearable ring. The PCB 104 is flexible in nature and forms a substrate for the one ormore computing units. The one or more computing units analyses and process the electrical signal into analog or digital signal for further transmission. The transmission of data to the user device 504 take place wirelessly by a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module 516, 520. In case the wireless transmission is not available due to some disruption, the data is temporarily stored in a memory 512 within the one or more computing units 513 or located separately. The memory 512 may be a Random-access memory (RAM) or a Read-only memory (ROM). Further, the memory (412) may store a set of computer readable instructions to perform various steps such as, transmitting user electrical activity to the user device 504, etc.

[0065] The smart ring 100 may transmit the user’s electrical activity gathered by the skin contact electrodes 110 and / or electrodes 108 on upper surface to the user device 504 wirelessly. The user device 504 may be, but not limited to, a smartphone, a tablet, a PC, or any other handheld device. The user device 504 may receive the electrical activity of the user 502 in realtime or a fixed time interval. The user device 504 may consists of an application 516, the BLE module 520, and a user interface (UI) 522. Here it is pertinent to mention that the user device 504 receives the user’ s electrical activity from the smart ring 100 over a Bluetooth provided by the BLE module 516.

[0066] Upon receiving the electrical signal from the user 502, the application 518 of the user device 504 may analyse and determine physiological parameters based on the electrical data. The application 518 may also render the electrical data to the user 502 via the UI 522 in realtime in forms of graphs or numerical values. The application 518 may be a software installed on the user device 504 which is connected to the smart ring 100 via the BLE module 520. The application 518 may include a Machine learning (ML) model or a Non-ML model to determine the physiological conditions of the user 502 based on the electrical activity of the user 502. In an embodiment, the application 518 may transform the electrical activity of the user 502 into a readable format for analysis and monitoring of the physiological parameters of the user 402. The application 518 may represent the electrical signal from the user 502 via the UI 522 into graphs for better analysis and visual representations, making health monitoring accessible, portable and affordable.

[0067] One of the many technical advantages of the proposed invention is to provide a combination of GSR, ECG, and bio-impedance measurements in a single wearable device 100 offering comprehensive approach to health monitoring and psychological assessment,enhancing user awareness and promoting proactive healthcare management. The proposed invention provides co-molded electrodes in order to fit two or more electrodes into one mold, making the smart ring lighter and compact. The present invention offers seamless integration with a user’s lifestyle through its wireless connectivity to smartphones. It further offers a dedicated application installed on a user device to monitor and analyse the physiological parameters of the user. The application also offers a real-time view of the electrical activity of the user on the user device.

[0068] In an aspect, the present invention discloses a method of monitoring physiological parameters of a user using a skin contact electrodes 110 and electrodes 108 on the upper surface of a smart ring 100. The method includes gathering electrical signal from the user using a skin contact electrode 110 and electrodes 108 positioned on an upper surface of the smart ring 100. The skin-contact electrode 110 and / or electrodes 108 on upper surface includes Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) electrode 506, Electrocardiogram (ECG) electrode 508, and a bioimpedance electrode 510. The skin contact electrode 110 and electrodes 108 on upper surface gathers electrical signal generated during breathing, stress and other physiological changes in the body of the user. The smart ring 100 further transmits acquired electrical signal to one or more computing units arranged on a flexible Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 104. The PCB 104 is positioned between the outer surface 102 and the inner surface 106. The one or more computing units 514 amplifies the acquired electrical signal from the user and further processes the same into digital or analog signal. The data pertaining to user’s electrical activity is wirelessly transmitted to a user device 504 through a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module 516. The BLE module 516 of the smart ring is in communication with BLE module 520 of the user device 504 for transmission of data. If, due to some disruption wireless connectivity is not available between the smart ring 100 and the user device 504, the data is temporarily stored in a memory 512 of the smart ring 100.

[0069] The user device 100 may determine a physiological parameter corresponding to the received electrical signal of the user 502. The determined physiological parameter corresponds to a particular physiological condition of the user 502. Further, the user 502 may also view in real-time the physiological condition of himself on a User Interface (UI) 522 of the user device 504.

[0070] In an exemplary embodiment, a user 502 may wear a smart ring 100 in one of the fingers of his hands. The smart ring 100 may gathers electrical signal corresponding to various predefined physiological parameters using a skin-contact electrode 110 and one or more electrodes 108 on the upper surface of the smart ring 100. In order to gather the electrical signal corresponding to ECG of the user 502, the skin-contact electrode 110 on the inner surface 106 of the smart ring 100 must be in contact with the skin of the user 502. Further, one or more electrodes 108 on the upper surface of the smart ring 100 must be touched by the user 502 with one of his fingers, simultaneously.

[0071] The GSR electrode 506 of the smart ring 100 may gather the GSR signals comprising a change in skin conductance due to a change in stress or emotional arousal. The ECG electrode 508 may gather electrical signal corresponding to heart activity, providing valuable insights into cardiovascular health and stress levels of the user. In an embodiment, at every heartbeat, the heart is depolarized to trigger contraction, causing electrical activity in the body. The electrical activity, thus generated is transmitted throughout the body and is picked up by the ECG electrode 508 of the smart ring 100 worn by the user 502. Further, the bioimpedance electrode 510 of the smart ring 100 may acquire electrical activity corresponding to the body composition, including parameters such as fat mass, lean body mass, and total body water.

[0072] In case of failure of Bluetooth connection, the smart ring stores the electrical activity into a memory 512 temporarily and transmits the electrical activity to a user device 504 when wireless connection is established. The communication between the smart ring 100 and the user device 504 is established by Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) modules 516, 520. The user device 504 may, subsequently transforms the electrical activity into a clean and readable electrical data corresponding to the physiological parameters. Further, the user device displays the electrical data via the User Interface (UI) 522 along with the physiological parameters. The UI 522 may display a graph corresponding to each of the electrical data of GSR, ECG and hydration / fat mass percentage of the user. In some embodiments, the user device may display a graph combining the electrical data of GSR, ECG and hydration corresponding to the overall health of the user. Further, the user device 504 analyses and monitor the electrical activity of the user 502 in real-time.

[0073] The embodiments in the invention have been described with reference to the smart ring. However, reference to the smart ring is for illustration and does not limit scope of the invention.The technical features provided in the invention may be employed in other wearable devices in order to achieve the desired results.

[0074] Any combination of the above features and functionalities may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments. In the foregoing specification, embodiments have been described with reference to numerous specific details that may vary from implementation to implementation. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The sole and exclusive indicator of the scope of the invention, and what is intended by the applicants to be the scope of the invention, is the literal and equivalent scope of the set as claimed in claims that issue from this application, in the specific form in which such claims issue, including any subsequent correction.

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. A wearable device (100), comprising: an outer surface (102) providing protective covering to the wearable device (100), wherein one or more electrodes (108) is positioned on the outer surface (102); an inner surface (106), wherein the inner surface (106) includes a skin-contact electrode (110); and a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) (104) positioned between the outer surface (102) and the inner surface (106); wherein simultaneous electrical signal acquired from a user by the one or more electrodes (108) on the outer surface (102) and the skin-contact electrode (110) is used to determine one or more physiological parameters of the user.

2. The wearable device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more physiological parameters of the user includes Electrocardiogram (ECG).

3. The wearable device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more electrodes (108) on the outer surface (102) and the skin-contact electrode (110) are configured to acquire electrical signal from the user in real time.

4. The wearable device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more electrodes (108) on the outer surface (102) and the skin-contact electrode (110) are co-molded electrodes (308, 310).

5. The wearable device (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the co-molded electrode (308, 310) comprises a non-conductive film (304).

6. The wearable device (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the skin-contact electrode (110) is configured to acquire one or more physiological parameters of the user, independently.

7. The wearable device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the co-molded electrode (308, 310) is formed by plastic injection molding.

8. The wearable device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more electrodes (108) on the outer surface (102) and the skin-contact electrode (110) are covered by a conducting polymer (202).

9. The wearable device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) (104) is flexible in nature.

10. The wearable device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PCB (104) comprises one or more sensors configured to acquire one or more physiological parameters of the user.

11. The wearable device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner surface (106) comprises a transparent or semi-transparent material for allowing the one or more sensors to acquire one or more physiological parameters.

12. The wearable device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PCB (104) comprises one or more computing units, wherein the one or more computing units is in communication with the one or more sensors.

13. The wearable device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more electrodes (108) on the outer surface (102) and the skin-contact electrode (110) are in communication with the one or more computing units.

14. The wearable device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PCB (104) comprises a wireless communication module (514) for wirelessly transmitting electrical signal to a user device (504).

15. The wearable device (100) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the user device (504) comprises an application (518) for determining one or more physiological parameters based on electrical signal.

16. The wearable device (100) as claimed in claim 15, wherein the application (518) communicates one or more physiological parameters to the user (502) by a User Interface (UI) (522).

17. A wearable device (100), comprising:an outer surface (102) providing protective covering to the wearable device (100); an inner surface (106) comprising at least one skin-contact electrode (408, 410); and a flexible Printed Circuit Board (PCB) (104) positioned between the outer surface (102) and the inner surface (106); wherein the at least one skin-contact electrode (410) is a co-molded electrode.

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