Impedance Measurement Circuit for Cardiovascular Signal Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current physiological monitoring technologies, such as those used for ECG and EEG measurements, often require specialized equipment and medical professionals, making them costly and burdensome for routine physiological characteristic monitoring.
Innovation Solution
The development of multisensory biometric devices and systems that utilize impedance-based measurements, including foot impedance-based cardiovascular measurements and body composition analysis, allowing for the use of a set of electrodes to concurrently contact a user's feet and other body parts to obtain impedance-measurement signals and determine pulse characteristic signals, which can be used to quantify heart rate and pulse arrival timings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional ECG/EEG monitoring equipment is used, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by using a single set of foot electrodes to perform multiple physiological measurements including ECG, impedance cardiography (IPG), and body composition analysis. This eliminates the need for separate specialized equipment for each measurement type, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement precision through software-based signal differentiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical/electrical measurement systems with electrical impedance-based measurements. By using impedance measurements at multiple frequencies and locations, the system can derive cardiovascular information traditionally requiring dedicated ECG equipment, thus simplifying the overall device while preserving measurement accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If traditional ECG/EEG monitoring equipment is used, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service monitoring by allowing users to perform cardiovascular and body composition measurements independently using only foot contact with the scale. The automated signal processing and analysis algorithms eliminate the need for medical professional intervention, making precise physiological monitoring accessible to general users.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-functional electrode system allows a single simple interaction (standing on the scale) to trigger multiple types of physiological measurements automatically, greatly improving ease of operation compared to traditional methods requiring separate procedures for ECG, impedance, and body composition analysis.
3Ease of operation
If impedance-based measurements are used, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the impedance measurement into multiple independent components: body composition analysis using one set of electrode pairs, ECG using another configuration, and IPG using a third configuration. By processing these segmented signals separately with dedicated algorithms, the system maintains high measurement precision for cardiovascular parameters while keeping the overall system simple and easy to operate.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses parameter changes by measuring impedance at multiple frequencies and analyzing different signal characteristics (amplitude, phase, timing) to distinguish between body composition data and cardiovascular data. This multi-parameter approach enables precise cardiovascular measurement from the same impedance-based platform used for body composition, maintaining precision while improving ease of operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and cost-effective monitoring of cardiovascular information and body composition by using impedance-based measurements, providing reliable and high-quality data for heart activity and health assessment without the need for extensive medical intervention.
Implementation Method 1
Impedance measurements can be made through the feet to measure fat percentage, muscle mass percentage and body water percentage
Implementation Method 2
foot impedance-based cardiovascular measurements can be made for an ECG and sensing the properties of blood pulsations in the arteries, also known as impedance plethysmography (IPG)
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward obtaining a plurality of impedance-measurement signals while a set of at least three electrodes are concurrently contacting a user. Additionally, various aspects of the present disclosure include determining a plurality of pulse characteristic signals based on the plurality of impedance-measurement signals. One of the pulse characteristic signals is extracted from one of the impedance-measurement signals and is used as a timing reference to extract and process another of the pulse characteristic signals.