Oxygen Saturation Correction via Movement Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wearable devices face errors in measuring oxygen saturation due to unstable posture during sleep, such as pressure from body movement or optical shunts, leading to inaccurate readings.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device adjusts oxygen saturation values by detecting movements greater than a predetermined threshold, increasing a posture index, and using an oxygen saturation reference value to correct measurements during stable posture periods.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a reflective-type pulse oximetry sensor is used in a wearable device, then the device can be made non-invasive and wearable, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to errors from body movement and optical shunts

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovewearabilityVSAvoidoxygen saturation measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of movement using acceleration sensors before the oximetry measurement is finalized. By detecting movement in advance and flagging affected measurements, the system can pre-correct or discard inaccurate readings before they compromise the overall measurement accuracy, thus maintaining both wearability and precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the device is worn during sleep to continuously monitor oxygen saturation, then health monitoring capability is improved, but measurement reliability deteriorates due to unstable posture and body movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous monitoring capabilityVSAvoidmeasurement reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously feeds back movement information from acceleration sensors to the oximetry measurement system. When movement exceeding a threshold is detected, the system automatically adjusts by discarding or correcting the affected oxygen saturation readings, ensuring that only reliable measurements from stable periods are used. This feedback mechanism maintains measurement reliability while enabling continuous monitoring throughout sleep.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If movement detection threshold is set low to detect all posture changes, then posture monitoring accuracy is improved, but false positives increase leading to more corrected readings

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposture detection accuracyVSAvoidloss of valid oxygen saturation data
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the movement threshold parameter based on the operational context. During sleep monitoring, it uses a lower threshold to detect posture changes, while during active periods or when stability is confirmed, it raises the threshold to avoid false positives. This adaptive parameter change optimizes both posture detection accuracy and preservation of valid oxygen saturation data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The device ensures accurate oxygen saturation readings by minimizing errors caused by body movement during sleep, maintaining stable posture adjustments.

Implementation Method 1

measures an oxygen saturation using the rate of light absorbance of arterial blood, the amount of which is temporarily increased due to cardiac output, in two wavelengths (RED and infrared)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight absorbance: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 2

a first sensor configured to detect a movement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMovement detection: Accelerometer

Data Source

PatentEP4342374B1Electronic device for correcting oxygen saturation and method for controlling same
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP4342374B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4342374B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4342374B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

According to an embodiment, an electronic device may comprise a first sensor for sensing movement, a second sensor for measuring oxygen saturation, a memory, and at least one processor operatively connected to the first sensor, the second sensor, and the memory, wherein the at least one processor: identifies, when a movement having a configured value or greater is sensed via the first sensor, whether a posture maintaining period before the movement sensing is a configured period or longer; when the posture maintaining period before the movement sensing is the configured period or longer, obtains an oxygen saturation reference value stored in the memory; and corrects an oxygen saturation value obtained via the second sensor for the posture maintaining period before the movement sensing, on the basis of the oxygen saturation reference value.