Electronic device and control method therefor
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-23
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-30
Smart Images
Figure KR2026001380_30072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Electronic device and control method thereof
[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device and a method for controlling the same, and more specifically, to an electronic device and a method for controlling the same for obtaining information about a user's blood pressure based on a sensing value obtained from a PPG sensor of a wearable device.
[0002] Recently, various services related to a user's health or lifestyle patterns are being provided using wearable devices. For example, wearable devices can obtain information about a user's health, exercise, and sleep through various sensors.
[0003] In particular, wearable devices can provide information about a user's blood pressure using PPG sensors. Specifically, wearable devices or electronic devices can obtain information about blood pressure using PTT (Pulse Transit Time). Here, to measure PTT non-invasively, wearable devices or electronic devices can obtain sensing values using PPG sensors at various parts of the body and then obtain PTT based on the acquired sensing values. However, when PTT values are measured at two locations within a short distance (e.g., the wrist or finger), there is a limitation in that the PTT value becomes smaller than the measurement error, making accurate measurement difficult.
[0004] Meanwhile, the information described above may be provided as related art for the purpose of aiding understanding of the present disclosure. No claim or determination is made as to whether any of the foregoing may be applied as prior art related to the present disclosure.
[0005] An electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a communication interface; a memory for storing instructions; The electronic device includes at least one processor, and when the instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device provides a guide UI that guides a user wearing a first wearable device on a first hand and a second wearable device on a second hand to position the first and second hands at different heights for blood pressure measurement, and while the user is positioning the first and second hands at different heights, it obtains a first sensing value obtained from a first PPG sensor of the first wearable device and a second sensing value obtained from a second PPG sensor of the second wearable device, obtains information about the time difference between the first blood flow waveform obtained by the first sensing value and the second blood flow waveform obtained by the second sensing value, and obtains information about the user's blood pressure based on the information about the time difference.
[0006] If the first wearable device is a smart watch worn on the wrist and the second wearable device is a smart ring worn on the finger, the guide UI may include information guiding the blood pressure measurement posture so that the user's first hand is positioned higher than the second hand.
[0007] The blood pressure of the user can be estimated based on information about the user, the height difference between the first hand and the second hand, information about the distance between the user's wrist and fingers, and information about the time difference.
[0008] Based on information regarding a previously measured time difference and information regarding the time difference, the amount of change in the user's blood pressure can be estimated.
[0009] If the first wearable device and the second wearable device are of the same type of wearable device worn on the same part of the first and second hands, the guide UI may include information guiding the user to raise or lower one of the first hand or the second hand for blood pressure measurement.
[0010] When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device may estimate the user's blood pressure based on information about the user, the height difference between the first hand and the second hand, and information about the time difference.
[0011] When the user wears the first wearable device on the wrist of one hand and the second wearable device on the fingers of the one hand, the guide UI may include information guiding the user to a blood pressure measurement posture by raising or lowering the hand wearing the first and second wearable devices.
[0012] The user's blood pressure can be estimated based on information about the user, information about the distance between the user's wrist and fingers, and information about the time difference. When the instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device can estimate a lower blood pressure as the time difference is larger and estimate a higher blood pressure as the time difference is smaller.
[0013] A control method for an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: providing a guide UI that guides a user, who wears a first wearable device on a first hand and a second wearable device on a second hand, to position the first and second hands at different heights in a blood pressure measurement posture; acquiring a first sensing value acquired from a first PPG sensor of the first wearable device and a second sensing value acquired from a second PPG sensor of the second wearable device while the user positions the first and second hands at different heights; acquiring information regarding the time difference between the first blood flow waveform and the second blood flow waveform based on the first blood flow waveform acquired by the first sensing value and the second blood flow waveform acquired by the second sensing value; and acquiring information regarding the user's blood pressure based on the information regarding the time difference.
[0014] If the first wearable device is a smart watch worn on the wrist and the second wearable device is a smart ring worn on the finger, the guide UI may include information guiding the blood pressure measurement posture so that the user's first hand is positioned higher than the second hand.
[0015] The step of obtaining information about the user's blood pressure can estimate the user's blood pressure based on information about the user, the height difference between the first hand and the second hand, information about the distance between the user's wrist and fingers, and information about the time difference.
[0016] The step of obtaining information regarding the user's blood pressure can estimate the amount of change in the user's blood pressure based on information regarding a previously measured time difference and information regarding the time difference.
[0017] If the first wearable device and the second wearable device are of the same type of wearable device worn on the same part of the first and second hands, the guide UI may include information guiding the user to raise or lower one of the first hand or the second hand for blood pressure measurement.
[0018] The step of obtaining information about the blood pressure of the user can estimate the user's blood pressure based on information about the user, the height difference between the first hand and the second hand, and information about the time difference.
[0019] When the user wears the first wearable device on the wrist of one hand and the second wearable device on the fingers of the one hand, the guide UI may include information guiding the user to a blood pressure measurement posture by raising or lowering the hand wearing the first and second wearable devices.
[0020] The step of obtaining information about the user's blood pressure can estimate the user's blood pressure based on information about the user, information about the distance between the user's wrist and fingers, and information about the time difference.
[0021] The step of obtaining information regarding the user's blood pressure can estimate a lower blood pressure as the time difference is larger, and estimate a higher blood pressure as the time difference is smaller.
[0022] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a system including an electronic device and a plurality of wearable devices according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,
[0024] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment for obtaining information about a user's blood pressure based on a sensing value received from a wearable device, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0025] FIGS. 4a to 4c are drawings for explaining user wearing information according to various embodiments of the present disclosure,
[0026] FIGS. 5a to 5c are drawings illustrating a guide UI according to user wearing information according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0027] FIG. 6 is a drawing for explaining information regarding the time difference between a first blood flow waveform and a second blood flow waveform according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,
[0028] FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating a method for estimating information about blood pressure based on information about a time difference according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and,
[0029] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a control method for an electronic device to obtain information about a user's blood pressure according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0030] The embodiments described herein are subject to various modifications and may have various forms; specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the scope of specific embodiments and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives of the embodiments of the present disclosure. In relation to the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar components.
[0031] In describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known functions or configurations could unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present disclosure, such detailed description is omitted.
[0032] Additionally, the following embodiments may be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure more faithful and complete and to fully convey the technical concept of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.
[0033] The terms used in this disclosure are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the rights. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
[0034] In the present disclosure, expressions such as “have,” “may have,” “include,” or “may include” indicate the presence of such features (e.g., numerical values, functions, actions, or components such as parts) and do not exclude the presence of additional features.
[0035] In the present disclosure, expressions such as “A or B,” “at least one of A or / and B,” or “one or more of A or / and B” may include all possible combinations of items listed together. For example, “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” or “at least one of A or B” may refer to cases including (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) both at least one A and at least one B.
[0036] Expressions such as "first," "second," "first," or "second" used in this disclosure may modify various components regardless of order and / or importance, and are used only to distinguish one component from another and do not limit said components.
[0037] Where it is stated that a certain component (e.g., a first component) is "(operatively or communicatively) coupled with / to" or "connected to" another component (e.g., a second component), it should be understood that the said certain component may be directly connected to the said other component or connected through another component (e.g., a third component).
[0038] On the other hand, when it is stated that a certain component (e.g., a first component) is "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another component (e.g., a second component), it may be understood that no other component (e.g., a third component) exists between said certain component and said other component.
[0039] As used in this disclosure, the expression “configured to” may be replaced, depending on the context, with, for example, “suitable for,” “having the capacity to,” “designed to,” “adapted to,” “made to,” or “capable of.” The term “configured to” may not necessarily mean only “specifically designed to” in hardware.
[0040] Instead, in some situations, the expression “device configured to do something” may mean that the device is “capable of doing something” together with other devices or components. For example, the phrase “processor configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C” may mean a dedicated processor for performing those operations (e.g., an embedded processor), or a generic-purpose processor (e.g., a CPU or application processor) capable of performing those operations by executing one or more software programs stored in a memory device.
[0041] In the embodiments, a 'module' or 'part' performs at least one function or operation and may be implemented in hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software. Additionally, a plurality of 'modules' or a plurality of 'parts' may be integrated into at least one module and implemented by at least one processor, except for the 'module' or 'part' that needs to be implemented in specific hardware.
[0042] Meanwhile, the various elements and areas in the drawings are depicted schematically. Accordingly, the technical concept of the present invention is not limited by the relative sizes or spacing depicted in the attached drawings.
[0043] The present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings.
[0044] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a system including an electronic device and a plurality of wearable devices according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the system may include an electronic device (100) and a plurality of wearable devices (200-1, 200-2). Here, the electronic device (100) may be implemented as a smartphone as shown in FIG. 1, but this is merely one embodiment and may be implemented as various devices such as a tablet PC, a laptop PC, a desktop, a TV, a server, etc. The plurality of wearable devices (200-1, 200-2) are devices that can be worn on a user's body (particularly, the hand or face) and may be implemented as various devices such as a smart watch, a smart ring, a smart bracelet, or a smart earring.
[0045] Additionally, a plurality of wearable devices (200-1, 200-2) can be worn on a user's body to acquire the user's body information using a sensor (e.g., a PPG sensor, etc.). In one or more embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, the first wearable device (200-1) may be implemented as a smart ring and the second wearable device (200-2) may be implemented as a smart watch, but this is merely one embodiment, and the first and second wearable devices (200-1, 200-2) may be implemented as wearable devices of the same type. For example, both the first and second wearable devices (200-1, 200-2) may be implemented as smart rings. Also, as shown in FIG. 1, the first and second wearable devices (200-1, 200-2) may be worn on different hands, but this is merely one embodiment, and they may, of course, be worn on the same hand.
[0046] The electronic device (100) may provide a guide UI that guides a user, who wears a first wearable device (200-1) on a first hand and a second wearable device (200-2) on a second hand, to position the first and second hands at different heights for blood pressure measurement. Specifically, the electronic device (100) may provide a guide UI that guides the user to position the two hands at different heights in order to generate a hydrostatic pressure difference between the two positions. Here, the hydrostatic pressure difference refers to the difference in pressure that occurs within the blood according to height, and the hydrostatic pressure difference can occur mainly due to the force that pushes the blood downward under the influence of gravity. The hydrostatic pressure difference (△P) can be defined as shown in Equation 1 below.
[0047]
[0048] Here, ρ can represent the fluid density (kg / m³), and g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m / s²). 2 It can represent ), It can represent a height difference (m).
[0049] In particular, due to the hydrostatic pressure difference, the pulse arrives faster at the body part located at a lower position and slower at the body part located at a higher position, so that a time difference between the two positions may occur or increase. The electronic device (100) measures and monitors the time difference, thereby enabling more accurate estimation of information regarding the user's blood pressure.
[0050] In one or more embodiments, the electronic device (100) may provide a guide UI for guiding different postures depending on the type of a plurality of wearable devices (200-1, 200-2) or the position of the hand being worn.
[0051] The electronic device (100) can obtain a first sensing value obtained from a first PPG sensor of a first wearable device (200-1) and a second sensing value obtained from a second PPG sensor of a second wearable device (200-2) while the user positions the first and second hands at different heights. Here, the PPG sensor may be a sensor that measures biosignals such as heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation using photoplethysmography technology.
[0052] The electronic device (100) can obtain a first blood flow waveform using a first sensing value and obtain a second blood flow waveform using a second sensing value. Here, the blood flow waveform may be information that visually represents changes in pressure and flow that occur when blood flows within a blood vessel.
[0053] The electronic device (100) can obtain information about the time difference between the first blood flow waveform and the second blood flow waveform based on the obtained first blood flow waveform and the second blood flow waveform. Here, the information about the time difference may mean the time delay between specific points (e.g., peak, rising point, falling point, etc.) between the two blood flow waveforms that occurred in the heartbeat.
[0054] The electronic device (100) can obtain information about the user's blood pressure based on information about the time difference. In one or more embodiments, the information about the user's blood pressure may include an estimated numerical value of the user's blood pressure or a change in the user's blood pressure.
[0055] As described above, the electronic device (100) guides the user to a posture that generates a hydrostatic pressure difference, thereby enabling more accurate acquisition of information regarding the user's blood pressure.
[0056] Meanwhile, although the above-described embodiment is described as distinguishing between the electronic device (100) and a plurality of wearable devices (200-1, 200-2), this is merely one embodiment, and the electronic device (100) can be implemented as one of the plurality of wearable devices.
[0057]
[0058] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, the electronic device (100) may include a communication interface (110), a sensor (120), a display (130), a memory (140), and a processor (150). Meanwhile, the configuration of the electronic device (100) as shown in FIG. 1 is merely one embodiment, and it is obvious that some components may be deleted or some components may be added depending on the implementation example of the device (100).
[0059] Additionally, the electronic device (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented as a user terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet PC, but this is merely one embodiment and may be implemented as a wearable device such as a smart watch or a smart ring.
[0060] The communication interface (110) is a configuration that performs communication with various types of external devices according to various types of communication methods. The communication interface (110) may include at least one wireless communication module. Here, each communication module may be implemented in the form of at least one hardware chip. The wireless communication module may be a module that communicates with an external device wirelessly. For example, the wireless communication module may include at least one module among a Wi-Fi interface, a Bluetooth interface, an infrared communication interface, or other wireless communication interfaces. The other wireless communication interface may include at least one communication chip that performs communication according to various wireless communication standards such as Zigbee, 3G (3rd Generation), 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE-A (LTE Advanced), 4G (4th Generation), 5G (5th Generation), etc., in addition to the communication methods described above.
[0061] In particular, the communication interface (110) can receive identification information and wearing information of the wearable device from at least one wearable device. Additionally, the communication interface (110) can receive a sensing value obtained by the PPG sensor of the wearable device from at least one wearable device.
[0062] The sensor (120) can acquire data about the surrounding environment of the electronic device (100) or a user using the electronic device (100). The sensor (120) may include an inertial sensor, a magnetic sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a biosensor, a temperature sensor, and an electrode sensor.
[0063] An inertial sensor is a sensor that detects inertia, such as an accelerometer or a gyroscope. An inertial sensor may be equipped with only an accelerometer (3-axis) or a 6-axis sensor including an accelerometer and a gyroscope. An inertial sensor can acquire sensing values regarding motion, gesture, impact, posture, and activity (sedentary, moving, sports) of an electronic device (100). A magnetic sensor is a sensor that can acquire sensing values for measuring orientation by detecting external magnetic force and detecting the Earth's magnetic field. A barometric pressure sensor is a sensor for detecting air pressure, and altitude can be estimated using the barometric pressure sensor. A biosensor is a sensor that receives light absorbed, scattered, or reflected by irradiating light onto a living organism. The emitter of a biosensor emits light of various bands and may be composed of elements such as LEDs, lasers, and VCSELs (vertical cavity surface emitting lasers). The band of the light-emitting part can be composed of various wavelengths such as green, red, infrared (IR), blue, yellow, and ultraviolet (UV). The receiver of the biosensor can receive light reflected or transmitted by the light irradiated from the light-emitting part and store the converted value in memory (140) or sensor buffer through an ADC (analog to digital converter). The receiver of the biosensor can be composed of a photodiode (PD) or a CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) (camera). The receiver of the biosensor may have a filter to accept light of a specific band or filter out light outside of a specific band. The control unit of the biosensor can be an IC or an AFE (analog front-end), and can control the light-emitting part and the receiver, process received data, and transmit it to a processor (150) or store it in memory (140). Additionally, the biosensor can detect a target by emitting sound waves instead of light to the body.Alternatively, biosensors can utilize various combinations of methods, such as emitting light and receiving absorbed, scattered, or reflected light, emitting sound waves and receiving reflected sound waves, or sensing images. Biosensors may include photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensors that detect pulse waves using light, and can measure heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), and blood pressure. Furthermore, biosensors may include biomarker sensors that detect specific substances or components within the body. Biomarkers serve as indicators of internal bodily changes, such as cells, blood vessels, proteins, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), RNA (ribonucleic acid), and metabolites; they can detect blood glucose, alcohol, advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), and antioxidants. Temperature sensors are sensors that measure the temperature of living organisms or components. Depending on the method, temperature sensors are classified into contact and non-contact types. The temperature value measured by the temperature sensor can be stored in memory (140) or transmitted to a processor (150) to be used to estimate the skin temperature sensor, or to be used for situational awareness and estimating body temperature.
[0064] In particular, the processor (150) can obtain user sleep information based on the sensing value obtained through the PPG sensor among the biosensors.
[0065] The display (130) is a display device and can display a graphic user interface (GUI) for applications, functions, and services. The display (130) may have a touch panel superimposed or integrated on at least part or the whole, and may include a touch, pressure sensing, and electrode sensing element through a transparent electrode for bio-sensing. Additionally, the display (140) may include elements such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting display (OLED), and a micro LED.
[0066] Meanwhile, the display (130) can provide a guide UI that guides a user, who is wearing a first wearable device on a first hand and a second wearable device on a second hand, to position the first and second hands at different heights for blood pressure measurement. Here, the guide UI may be provided through the display (130), but this is merely one embodiment, and it may be provided in an auditory form using a device such as a speaker (not shown).
[0067] Memory (140) may store at least one instruction regarding the electronic device (100). Additionally, an operating system (O / S) for operating the electronic device (100) may be stored in memory (140). Furthermore, various software programs or applications for operating the electronic device (100) may be stored in memory (140) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Specifically, various software modules for operating the electronic device (100) may be stored in memory (140) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, and at least one processor (150) may control the operation of the electronic device (100) by executing the various software modules stored in memory (140). That is, memory (140) is accessed by at least one processor (150), and data reading / writing / modification / deletion / updating by at least one processor (150) may be performed.
[0068] In one or more embodiments, the memory (140) may store various data or instructions for estimating information about the user's blood pressure. The processor (150) may control the electronic device (100) according to at least one instruction stored in the memory (120).
[0069] In particular, the processor (150) may include one or more processors. Specifically, one or more processors may include one or more of a CPU (central processing unit), GPU (graphics processing unit), APU (accelerated processing unit), MIC (many integrated core), DSP (digital signal processor), NPU (neural processing unit), hardware accelerator, or machine learning accelerator. One or more processors may control one or any combination of other components of an electronic device and may perform operations or data processing related to communication. One or more processors may execute one or more programs or instructions stored in memory. For example, one or more processors may perform a method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure by executing one or more instructions stored in memory. For example, the processor (110) may correspond to a plurality of processors that collectively perform a plurality of operations by dividing them among the processors.
[0070] When a method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of operations, the plurality of operations may be performed by a single processor or by a plurality of processors. That is, when a first operation, a second operation, and a third operation are performed by a method according to one embodiment, the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation may all be performed by a first processor, or the first operation and the second operation may be performed by a first processor (e.g., a general-purpose processor) and the third operation may be performed by a second processor (e.g., an artificial intelligence dedicated processor). For example, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an operation of identifying a control target device using a neural network model may be performed by a processor that performs parallel operations, such as a GPU or an NPU, and an operation of calculating an angle may be performed by a general-purpose processor, such as a CPU.
[0071] One or more processors may be implemented as a single-core processor comprising one core, or as one or more multicore processors comprising multiple cores (e.g., homogeneous multicore or heterogeneous multicore). When one or more processors are implemented as multicore processors, each of the multiple cores included in the multicore processor may include internal processor memory such as cache memory or on-chip memory, and a common cache shared by multiple cores may be included in the multicore processor. Additionally, each of the multiple cores included in the multicore processor (or some of the multiple cores) may independently read and execute program instructions for implementing a method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, or all (or some) of the multiple cores may be linked together to read and execute program instructions for implementing a method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0072] When a method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of operations, the plurality of operations may be performed by one of the plurality of cores included in a multi-core processor, or may be performed by a plurality of cores. For example, when a first operation, a second operation, and a third operation are performed by a method according to one embodiment, the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation may all be performed by a first core included in a multi-core processor, or the first operation and the second operation may be performed by a first core included in a multi-core processor and the third operation may be performed by a second core included in a multi-core processor.
[0073] In embodiments of the present disclosure, the processor (150) may mean a system on chip (SoC) in which one or more processors and other electronic components are integrated, a single-core processor, a multi-core processor, or a core included in a single-core processor or a multi-core processor, wherein the core may be implemented as a CPU, GPU, APU, MIC, DSP, NPU, hardware accelerator, or machine learning accelerator, but the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.
[0074] In particular, the processor (150) executes at least one instruction stored in memory (140) to provide a guide UI that guides a user, who is wearing a first wearable device on a first hand and a second wearable device on a second hand, to position the first and second hands at different heights for blood pressure measurement, and while the user is positioning the first and second hands at different heights, obtains a first sensing value obtained from a first PPG sensor of the first wearable device and a second sensing value obtained from a second PPG sensor of the second wearable device, obtains information about the time difference between the first blood flow waveform and the second blood flow waveform based on the first blood flow waveform obtained by the first sensing value and the second blood flow waveform obtained by the second sensing value, and obtains information about the user's blood pressure based on the information about the time difference.
[0075] In one or more embodiments, where the first wearable device is a smart watch worn on the wrist and the second wearable device is a smart ring worn on the finger, the guide UI may include information guiding the user's first hand to a higher position than the second hand for blood pressure measurement. Here, the processor (150) may estimate the user's blood pressure based on information about the user, the height difference between the first hand and the second hand, information about the distance between the user's wrist and finger, and information about the time difference. In one or more embodiments, the processor (150) may estimate the change in the user's blood pressure based on information about a previously measured time difference and information about a currently measured time difference.
[0076] In one or more embodiments, where the first wearable device and the second wearable device are of the same type of wearable device worn on the same part of the first and second hands, the guide UI may include information guiding the user to a blood pressure measurement posture by raising or lowering either the user's first hand or the second hand. Here, the processor (150) may estimate the user's blood pressure based on information about the user, the height difference between the first hand and the second hand, and the time difference.
[0077] In one or more embodiments, when a user wears a first wearable device on the wrist of one hand and a second wearable device on the finger of one hand, the guide UI may include information guiding a blood pressure measurement posture to raise or lower the hand wearing the first and second wearable devices. Here, the processor (150) may estimate the user's blood pressure based on information about the user, information about the distance between the user's wrist and finger, and information about the time difference.
[0078] In one or more embodiments, the processor (150) can estimate a lower blood pressure as the time difference is greater and a higher blood pressure as the time difference is smaller.
[0079] The present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7.
[0080] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment for obtaining information about a user's blood pressure based on a sensing value received from a wearable device, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0081] In the following embodiments, each operation may be performed sequentially, but is not necessarily performed sequentially. For example, the order of each operation may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel.
[0082] According to one or more embodiments, operations 305 to 360 may be understood to be performed in a processor (e.g., processor (150) of FIG. 1) of an electronic device (e.g., electronic device (100) of FIG. 2).
[0083] The electronic device (100) can recognize (or acquire, receive) information about a plurality of wearable devices worn by a user (305). In one or more embodiments, the electronic device (100) can receive information about the wearable devices from a plurality of wearable devices worn by a user through a near-field wireless communication interface. Here, the information about the wearable devices may include at least one of identification information of the wearable devices (e.g., product name, product number, etc.), account information of the user using the wearable devices (e.g., user ID, etc.), and wearing information of the wearable devices (e.g., whether the wearable devices are worn, wearing location, etc.).
[0084] In one or more embodiments, the electronic device (100) can recognize information about a plurality of wearable devices worn by a user through user input. Specifically, the electronic device (100) can obtain information about the locations where a plurality of wearable devices are worn based on user input entered through a UI. For example, the electronic device (100) can recognize that a smart watch is worn on the right hand and a smart ring is worn on the index finger of the left hand based on user input entered through a UI.
[0085] The electronic device (100) can identify whether multiple wearable devices are worn on the same arm (310). That is, the electronic device (100) can identify whether all multiple wearable devices are worn on the right hand or the left hand.
[0086] When multiple wearable devices are identified as being worn on different arms (310-N), the electronic device (100) can identify whether the multiple wearable devices are of the same type (315). For example, the electronic device (100) can identify whether the multiple wearable devices are all smart rings or whether they include a smart watch and a smart ring.
[0087] When multiple wearable devices are identified as being of different types (315-N), the electronic device (100) can recognize first wear information (320). Here, as illustrated in FIG. 4a, the first wear information may be information that a user wears a first type of wearable device (e.g., a smart ring) (410-1) on the index finger of the left hand and a second type of wearable device (e.g., a smart watch) (410-2) that is different from the first type on the right hand. However, this is merely one embodiment, and the first wear information may include information that a second type of wearable device (e.g., a smart watch, etc.) is worn on the left hand and a first type of wearable device (e.g., a smart ring, etc.) is worn on the right hand.
[0088] When multiple wearable devices are identified as being of the same type (315-Y), the electronic device (100) can recognize second wear information (325). Here, the second wear information may be information that a user wears a first type of wearable device (e.g., a smart ring) (420-1) on the index finger of the left hand and a first type of wearable device (e.g., a smart ring) (420-2) on the index finger of the right hand, as shown in FIG. 4b. However, this is merely one embodiment, and the second wear information may include information that a second type of wearable device (e.g., a smart watch, etc.) is worn on the left hand and a second type of wearable device (e.g., a smart watch, etc.) is worn on the right hand.
[0089] When multiple wearable devices are identified as being worn on the same arm (310-Y), the electronic device (100) can recognize third wear information (330). Here, the third wear information may be information that the user wears a first type of wearable device (e.g., a smart ring) (430-1) on the index finger of the right hand and a second type of wearable device (e.g., a smart watch) (430-2) on the right hand, as illustrated in FIG. 4c. However, this is merely one embodiment, and the third wear information may include information that the first type of wearable device (e.g., a smart ring) and the second type of wearable device (e.g., a smart watch, etc.) are worn on the left hand.
[0090] When the first wearing information is recognized, the electronic device (100) may provide a first guide UI (335). Here, the first guide UI may include information that guides the two hands to be positioned at different heights. In particular, the first guide UI may guide the hand wearing the smart ring to be positioned high and the hand wearing the smart watch to be positioned low. For example, the electronic device (100) may provide a first guide UI (510) that includes a message such as, "Raise the hand wearing the ring to chest height and lower the hand wearing the watch," as shown in FIG. 5a.
[0091] When the second wearing information is recognized, the electronic device (100) may provide a second guide UI (340). Here, the second guide UI may include information that guides the two hands to be positioned at different heights. For example, the electronic device (100) may provide a second guide UI (520) that includes a message such as "Raise one hand to chest height and lower the other hand," as shown in FIG. 5b.
[0092] When third wearing information is recognized, the electronic device (100) may provide a third guide UI (345). Here, the third guide UI may include information that guides the two hands to be positioned at different heights. In particular, the first guide UI may guide the hand wearing multiple wearable devices to be positioned at a higher height. For example, the electronic device (100) may provide a third guide UI (530) that includes a message such as "Raise the hand wearing the ring and watch," as shown in FIG. 5a.
[0093] That is, by providing information that guides the electronic device (100) to position both hands at different heights, such as the first to third guide UI, it becomes possible to obtain more accurate blood pressure information due to the hydrostatic pressure difference.
[0094] Meanwhile, although the above-described embodiment explains that the wear information of a plurality of wearable devices worn by a user is first recognized and a guide UI is provided according to the wear information, this is merely one embodiment, and a guide UI that guides the user to position both hands at different heights along with the wear information can be provided. For example, the electronic device (100) can provide a guide UI such as, "Wear the ring and the watch on different hands, raise the hand wearing the ring to chest height, and lower the hand wearing the watch."
[0095] The electronic device (100) can obtain a first sensing value obtained from a first PPG sensor of a first wearable device and a second sensing value obtained from a second PPG sensor of a second wearable device (350). Here, the electronic device (100) can obtain a first sensing value from the first wearable device and a second sensing value from the second wearable device while the user positions the first and second hands at different heights. Here, the sensing value may be a value for the intensity of light within the blood vessels measured by the PPG sensor. That is, when light passes through or reflects off the skin, the amount of light absorbed varies depending on the amount of blood, so the PPG sensor can detect this change and convert it into a signal.
[0096] In one or more embodiments, the electronic device (100) may obtain information about a first blood flow waveform based on a first sensing value obtained from a first PPG sensor of a first wearable device, and may obtain information about a second blood flow waveform based on a second sensing value obtained from a second PPG sensor of a second wearable device. Here, information about the blood flow waveform may refer to graph information that visually represents changes in pressure and flow occurring when blood flows within a blood vessel. For example, the electronic device (100) may obtain a first blood flow waveform (610) as shown at the top of FIG. 6 based on a first sensing value obtained from a first PPG sensor of a smart ring, and may obtain a second blood flow waveform (620) as shown at the bottom of FIG. 6 based on a second sensing value obtained from a second PPG sensor of a smart watch.
[0097] The electronic device (100) can obtain information about the time difference between the first blood flow waveform and the second blood flow waveform (355). Here, this may refer to the time delay between specific points (e.g., peak, rising point, falling point, etc.) between the two blood flow waveforms that occurred in the heartbeat. For example, the electronic device (100) can obtain the time difference (t) between the first blood flow waveform (610) and the first blood flow waveform (620), as shown in FIG. 6. d You can obtain information about ).
[0098] The electronic device (100) can obtain information about the user's blood pressure based on information about the time difference between the first blood flow waveform and the second blood flow waveform (360).
[0099] Specifically, the electronic device (100) can obtain a pulse transit time (PTT) through information on the time difference of the blood flow waveform and can estimate blood pressure based on the PTT.
[0100] According to the Moens-Korteweg equation, blood flow velocity (i.e., Pulse wave velocity, PWV) can be obtained by the following mathematical equation 2.
[0101]
[0102] Here, L is the distance between two points where the waveform is measured, E is the elastic modulus (Young's Modulus) of the blood vessel wall, h is the thickness of the blood vessel wall, ρ is the density of the blood, and r is the radius of the blood vessel.
[0103] In addition, according to the Hughes equation, which describes the physical relationship related to wave propagation within a blood vessel or an elastic tube through which fluid flows, the relationship between the elastic modulus (E) and blood pressure (P) can be obtained by the following mathematical equation 3.
[0104]
[0105] Here, E0 may represent the initial elastic modulus or the elastic modulus in the reference state, α may represent the pressure sensitivity coefficient, and P may represent the pressure (i.e., blood pressure).
[0106] Based on the two formulas above, the relationship between PTT and blood pressure (P) can be obtained by the following mathematical formula 4.
[0107]
[0108] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device (100) can obtain information about blood pressure in different ways according to wearing information for a plurality of wearable devices using mathematical formulas as described above.
[0109] In one or more embodiments, when first wearing information is detected, the time difference to reach both points can be obtained by the following mathematical formula 5. Here, the time difference to reach both points can be called the pulse wave transmission time.
[0110]
[0111] Here, D is the pulse wave transmission distance from the heart to the smartwatch, and d may be the pulse wave transmission distance from the smartwatch to the smart ring.
[0112] If we substitute the relationship between P and PWV into this equation, the time difference to reach both points is given by Equation 6 below.
[0113]
[0114] And, assuming the position of the smart ring is at heart level, the blood pressure can be equal to the mathematical formula 7 below.
[0115]
[0116] Here, P ring may be blood pressure measured by a smart ring, and P watch tbsp may be blood pressure measured by a smartwatch. Also, h may be the vertical height from the heart to the smartwatch.
[0117] That is, as shown in mathematical equation 7, blood pressure measured by a smartwatch can have a higher value than conventional blood pressure due to the hydrostatic pressure difference.
[0118] Using mathematical formulas 6 and 7, the time difference to reach both points can be given by mathematical formula 8 below.
[0119]
[0120] If the fixed value in Equation 8 is rearranged into a constant k, the time difference to reach both points can be as shown in Equation 9 below.
[0121]
[0122] The electronic device (100) can obtain information about blood pressure by using information about the time difference as in Equation 9 and information about the relationship with blood pressure (P). In particular, information about the time difference as in Equation 9 (t d The relationship between the time difference and blood pressure (P) may be as shown in FIG. 7. That is, the electronic device (100) can obtain information about the relationship with blood pressure (P) and information about the time difference as shown in the graph in FIG. 7. Specifically, the electronic device (100) can estimate a lower blood pressure as the time difference between the two points is larger, and can estimate a higher blood pressure as the time difference between the two points is smaller. That is, the time difference between the two points and the blood pressure may have an inverse relationship with each other.
[0123] Meanwhile, as shown in the above-described mathematical formula 9, the elastic modulus of the blood vessel wall, the thickness of the blood vessel wall, the density of the blood, and the radius of the blood vessel are difficult to obtain directly, so they can be estimated based on user information. That is, the coefficients of mathematical formula 9 can be estimated using the user's age, gender, weight, height, etc. In conclusion, when the first wearing information is detected, the electronic device (100) can estimate the user's blood pressure based on information about the user, the height difference (h) between the first hand and the second hand, information about the distance (d) between the user's wrist and fingers, and information about the time difference.
[0124] Meanwhile, as the height difference between the first hand and the second hand increases, the magnitude of the derivative value at the same blood pressure increases, so it can be seen that the change in time difference at the same blood pressure change is greater. That is, the electronic device (100) can obtain more accurate blood pressure information as the height difference between the first hand and the second hand increases.
[0125] In one or more embodiments, when second wearing information is detected, the time difference to reach both points may be equal to the following mathematical formula 10 in the manner described above.
[0126]
[0127] That is, when second wearing information is detected, the electronic device (100) can estimate the user's blood pressure based on information about the user, the height difference and time difference between the first hand and the second hand.
[0128] In one or more embodiments, when third wearing information is detected, the time difference to reach both points may be equal to the following mathematical formula 11 in the manner described above.
[0129]
[0130] That is, when third wearing information is detected, the electronic device (100) can estimate the user's blood pressure based on information about the user, information about the distance between the user's wrist and fingers, and information about the time difference.
[0131] Meanwhile, in the embodiments described above, information regarding the distance between the user's wrist and fingers and information regarding the height difference between the first hand and the second hand may be obtained based on user input or captured images, but this is merely one embodiment and may be estimated based on the user's gender, age, physical information, etc.
[0132] Table 1 below shows the first time difference measured with the right hand positioned above the heart, the second time difference measured with the right hand positioned near the heart, and the third time difference measured with the right hand positioned below the heart.
[0133] Right-hand position time difference (ms) 1st position 34.5333 2nd position -0.9 3rd position -17.2
[0134] That is, it can be seen that the time difference becomes greater when one of the user's hands is positioned at a different height from the other hand. Accordingly, as in the present invention, by guiding the user to position both hands at different heights, the time difference for the blood flow waveform between two points where multiple wearable devices are worn becomes greater, so the electronic device (100) can obtain more accurate information about the user's blood pressure.
[0135] Meanwhile, although the above-described embodiment explains that blood pressure is estimated based on information regarding the time difference, this is merely one embodiment, and the amount of change in blood pressure can be estimated based on information regarding the time difference. In one or more embodiments, the electronic device (100) can estimate the amount of change in the user's blood pressure based on information regarding the time difference previously measured and information regarding the time difference currently measured. That is, if the currently measured time difference is identified as being greater than the previously measured time difference, the electronic device (100) can identify that the blood pressure has decreased, and if the currently measured time difference is identified as being smaller than the previously measured time difference, the electronic device (100) can identify that the blood pressure has increased.
[0136] Meanwhile, although the above-described embodiment was explained as having an electronic device (100) implemented separately from a plurality of wearable devices, this is merely one embodiment, and it is obvious that one of the plurality of wearable devices can be implemented as an electronic device.
[0137] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a control method for an electronic device to obtain information about a user's blood pressure according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0138] In the following embodiments, each operation may be performed sequentially, but is not necessarily performed sequentially. For example, the order of each operation may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel.
[0139] According to one or more embodiments, operations 810 to 840 may be understood to be performed in a processor (e.g., processor (150) of FIG. 1) of an electronic device (e.g., electronic device (100) of FIG. 2).
[0140] The electronic device (100) provides a guide UI (810) that guides a user, who wears a first wearable device on a first hand and a second wearable device on a second hand, to position the first and second hands at different heights for blood pressure measurement. Here, the electronic device (100) may provide different guide UIs based on the wearing information of multiple wearable devices. In one or more embodiments, if the first wearable device is a smart watch worn on the wrist and the second wearable device is a smart ring worn on the finger, the guide UI may include information that guides the user to position the first hand higher than the second hand for blood pressure measurement. In one or more embodiments, if the first wearable device and the second wearable device are the same type of wearable device worn on the same part of the first and second hands, the guide UI may include information that guides the user to raise or lower one of the first or second hands for blood pressure measurement. In one or more embodiments, when a user wears a first wearable device on the wrist of one hand and a second wearable device on the fingers of the same hand, the guide UI may include information guiding a blood pressure measurement posture to raise or lower the hand wearing the first and second wearable devices.
[0141] The electronic device (100) obtains a first sensing value obtained from a first PPG sensor of a first wearable device and a second sensing value obtained from a second PPG sensor of a second wearable device while the user positions the first and second hands at different heights (820).
[0142] The electronic device (100) obtains information about the time difference between the first blood flow waveform and the second blood flow waveform based on the first blood flow waveform obtained by the first sensing value and the second blood flow waveform obtained by the second sensing value (830).
[0143] The electronic device (100) obtains information about the user's blood pressure based on information about the time difference (840). In one or more embodiments, where the first wearable device is a smart watch worn on the wrist and the second wearable device is a smart ring worn on the finger, the electronic device (100) can estimate the user's blood pressure based on information about the user, the height difference between the first hand and the second hand, information about the distance between the user's wrist and finger, and information about the time difference. In one or more embodiments, where the first wearable device and the second wearable device are the same type of wearable device worn on the same part of the first and second hands, the electronic device (100) can estimate the user's blood pressure based on information about the user, the height difference between the first hand and the second hand, and information about the time difference. In one or more embodiments, when a user wears a first wearable device on the wrist of one hand and a second wearable device on the finger of the same hand, the electronic device (100) can estimate the user's blood pressure based on information about the user, information about the distance between the user's wrist and finger, and information about the time difference.
[0144] In one or more embodiments, the electronic device (100) can estimate a lower blood pressure as the time difference is greater and a higher blood pressure as the time difference is smaller.
[0145] In one or more embodiments, the electronic device (100) can estimate the amount of change in the user's blood pressure based on information about a previously measured time difference and information about a currently measured time difference.
[0146]
[0147] Meanwhile, the method according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be provided by being included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer 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 distributed online (e.g., download or upload) through an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., downloadable app) may be temporarily stored or temporarily created on a device-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.
[0148] A method according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as software comprising instructions stored on a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a computer). The machine may include an electronic device (e.g., a TV) according to the disclosed embodiments, which is a device capable of calling instructions stored from the storage medium and operating according to the called instructions.
[0149] Meanwhile, a device-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory storage medium' simply means that it is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and this term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily. For example, a 'non-transitory storage medium' may include a buffer in which data is stored temporarily.
[0150] When the above instruction is executed by a processor, the processor may perform the function corresponding to the instruction directly or by using other components under the control of the processor. The instruction may include code generated or executed by a compiler or an interpreter.
[0151] Although preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. It is understood that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the essence of the present disclosure as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical spirit or perspective of the present disclosure.
Claims
1. In an electronic device, Communication interface; Memory for storing instructions; and It includes at least one processor, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device, A guide UI is provided to a user wearing a first wearable device on a first hand and a second wearable device on a second hand to guide the first and second hands to a blood pressure measurement posture at different heights, and While the user positions the first and second hands at different heights, a first sensing value obtained from the first PPG sensor of the first wearable device and a second sensing value obtained from the second PPG sensor of the second wearable device are obtained, Based on the first blood flow waveform obtained by the first sensing value and the second blood flow waveform obtained by the second sensing value, information regarding the time difference between the first blood flow waveform and the second blood flow waveform is obtained, and An electronic device that obtains information about the user's blood pressure based on information about the above time difference.
2. In Paragraph 1, If the first wearable device is a smart watch worn on the wrist and the second wearable device is a smart ring worn on the finger, The above guide UI is an electronic device that includes information guiding the blood pressure measurement posture so that the user's first hand is positioned higher than the second hand.
3. In Paragraph 2, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device, An electronic device for estimating the blood pressure of a user based on information about the user, the height difference between the first hand and the second hand, information about the distance between the user's wrist and fingers, and information about the time difference.
4. In Paragraph 2, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device, An electronic device that estimates the amount of change in the user's blood pressure based on information regarding a previously measured time difference and information regarding the time difference.
5. In Paragraph 1, If the first wearable device and the second wearable device are the same type of wearable device worn on the same part of the first and second hands, The above guide UI is an electronic device that includes information guiding the user to a blood pressure measurement posture by raising or lowering either the user's first hand or the second hand.
6. In Paragraph 5, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device, An electronic device for estimating the blood pressure of a user based on information about the user, the height difference between the first hand and the second hand, and the time difference.
7. In Paragraph 1, When the user wears the first wearable device on the wrist of one hand and the second wearable device on the fingers of the one hand, The above guide UI is an electronic device that includes information guiding a blood pressure measurement posture by raising or lowering the hand wearing the first and second wearable devices.
8. In Paragraph 7, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device, An electronic device for estimating the blood pressure of a user based on information about the user, information about the distance between the user's wrist and fingers, and information about the time difference.
9. In Paragraph 1, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device, An electronic device that estimates lower blood pressure as the above time difference is larger and estimates higher blood pressure as the above time difference is smaller.
10. In a method for controlling an electronic device, A step of providing a guide UI that guides a user, who wears a first wearable device on a first hand and a second wearable device on a second hand, to position the first and second hands at different heights for a blood pressure measurement posture; A step of obtaining a first sensing value obtained from a first PPG sensor of the first wearable device and a second sensing value obtained from a second PPG sensor of the second wearable device while the user positions the first and second hands at different heights; A step of obtaining information regarding the time difference between the first blood flow waveform and the second blood flow waveform based on the first blood flow waveform obtained by the first sensing value and the second blood flow waveform obtained by the second sensing value; and A control method comprising the step of obtaining information about the user's blood pressure based on information about the time difference.
11. In Paragraph 10, If the first wearable device is a smart watch worn on the wrist and the second wearable device is a smart ring worn on the finger, The above guide UI is a control method that includes information guiding the blood pressure measurement posture so that the user's first hand is in a higher position than the second hand.
12. In Paragraph 11, The step of obtaining information regarding the blood pressure of the above user is, A control method for estimating the blood pressure of a user based on information about the user, the height difference between the first hand and the second hand, information about the distance between the user's wrist and fingers, and information about the time difference.
13. In Paragraph 11, The step of obtaining information regarding the blood pressure of the above user is, A control method for estimating the amount of change in the user's blood pressure based on information regarding a previously measured time difference and information regarding the time difference.
14. In Paragraph 10, If the first wearable device and the second wearable device are the same type of wearable device worn on the same part of the first and second hands, The above guide UI is a control method that includes information guiding the user to raise or lower one of the user's first hand or second hand in a blood pressure measurement posture.
15. In Paragraph 14, The step of obtaining information regarding the blood pressure of the above user is, A control method for estimating the blood pressure of a user based on information about the user, the height difference between the first hand and the second hand, and the time difference.