Acoustic Sensor Transfer Function for Noise-Resistant Physiological Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for measuring physiological conditions like snoring intensity and heart sounds are limited by the need for specialized equipment and susceptibility to environmental noise, making it difficult to obtain accurate measurements outside laboratory settings, especially when body position and movement are involved.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a first sound sensor located on the body to generate a Transfer Function, equating its output with a second sensor at a predefined distance, and include a position/motion sensor to provide comprehensive physiological data, reducing environmental noise interference and enabling accurate measurements from a single location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a sound sensor is placed at a predefined distance from the subject's body to measure acoustic activity, then the measurement follows established clinical criteria, but the measurement is highly susceptible to environmental acoustic noise and requires specialized laboratory settings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a transfer function as an intermediary mathematical model that bridges the gap between body-contact sensor measurements and distance-based clinical criteria. The transfer function characterizes the acoustic path between the sound source on the body and the measurement point, allowing corrections to be applied to convert body-contact measurements into equivalent distance-based measurements while filtering out environmental noise
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a sound sensor is placed on the subject's body to reduce environmental noise interference, then ambient noise impact is reduced, but the measurement requires calibration to equate with distance-based clinical criteria
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-characterizing the acoustic transfer function between the body contact point and the reference distance point before actual measurements are taken. This pre-calibration process creates a lookup table or stored transfer function that can be applied during measurements, eliminating the need for complex real-time calculations and making the system easier to implement
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate sensors are used for body position, body movement, and acoustic measurements, then each parameter can be measured independently, but the device complexity increases and measurements cannot be obtained from a single location
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple measurement functions into a single integrated sensor unit. The sound sensor is designed to simultaneously capture acoustic activity, body position, and body movement information from a single location on the subject's body. This integration reduces the number of separate sensors needed while maintaining the ability to measure all three parameters independently through signal processing
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and apparatus for examining a subject for a particular physiological condition according to a technique which utilizes sounds generated by the subject and sensed at a predefined distance from the site of sound generation of the subject, by locating a first sound sensor, e.g., a sound level meter which measures the sound levels in decibels, on a particular region of the subject's body to produce an output corresponding to the sound level sensed thereby; modifying the output of the first sound level meter by a pre-calculated Transfer Function equating its output to that of a second sound level meter located at a predefined distance from the site of sound generation of the subject's body; and utilizing the modified output of the first sound level meter in determining the existence of the particular physiological condition.