PPG Sensor Activation Control for Reliable Low-Power Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing photoplethysmography (PPG) systems face challenges in optimizing power consumption and ensuring detection confidence while dynamically adjusting the turn-on and turn-off of photoelectric sensing elements based on historical detection data.

Innovation Solution

A detection system that dynamically adjusts the turn-on and turn-off of light sources and photoelectric sensing elements in PPG sensors based on the confidence of historical detection data, using methods such as logistic regression to determine the probability of events like atrial fibrillation, thereby optimizing power consumption and detection accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If PPG sensor continuously monitors cardiovascular parameters, then detection reliability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic adjustment of photoelectric sensing element activation based on real-time confidence assessment. The system transitions from static continuous operation to dynamic on-demand operation, where sensing elements are activated only when confidence thresholds are met, resolving the contradiction between continuous monitoring reliability and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs feedback mechanisms where detection results are continuously evaluated against confidence thresholds. This feedback loop enables the system to adjust sensing element activation dynamically, maintaining detection reliability when needed while reducing power consumption during low-confidence periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If multiple light sources and photoelectric sensing elements are activated simultaneously, then detection precision is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the PPG sensing system into multiple independent light sources and photoelectric sensing elements that can be activated individually. This segmentation enables selective activation of only the necessary components based on confidence assessment, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining precision when required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions or components of the PPG sensor are treated with different activation strategies. The system applies local quality by activating specific light sources and sensing elements based on their individual confidence scores, rather than uniformly activating all components, thereby reducing complexity while preserving precision where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If historical detection data is analyzed to determine confidence, then detection result confidence is improved, but computation capacity requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection result confidenceVSAvoidcomputation capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by analyzing only the necessary portions of historical detection data required to assess confidence thresholds, rather than processing all available data. This selective analysis approach maintains detection result confidence while reducing the computation capacity burden on the device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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

This approach enhances detection result confidence and reduces power consumption by intelligently managing the activation of light sources and sensing elements in PPG sensors, ensuring efficient and reliable cardiovascular parameter monitoring.

Implementation Method 1

A photoplethysmography (Photo Plethysmo Graphy, PGG) technology is used to develop a small and wearable pulse sensor. The pulse sensor system includes a red, infrared, or green light emitting diode and a photoelectric detector, and provides a simple, reliable, and low-cost non-invasive pulse rate monitoring method.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotoelectric Effect: Photoelectric Effect

Implementation Method 2

A principle of a PPG sensor is to optically detect a fluctuation change of a blood volume in a tissue microvascular bed under a systolic or diastolic effect of the heart. When the heart is systolic, if a blood volume of the tissue increases and a light absorption amount increases, light intensity detected by the photoelectric detector is relatively low

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight Absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentEP4070719B1Electronic device, method for controlling same to perform PPG detection, and medium
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4070719B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP4070719B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4070719B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

This application relates to the communications field, and discloses a method for controlling an electronic device to perform photoplethysmography detection. The method for controlling an electronic device to perform photoplethysmography detection in this application includes: obtaining historical detection data of a photoplethysmography sensor; calculating a confidence of the historical detection data; determining, based on the calculated confidence of the historical detection data, whether a light source to be turned on by the photoplethysmography sensor in a next detection time segment includes a light source different from a light source turned on when the historical detection data is obtained; and determining that a photoelectric sensing element to be turned on in the next detection time segment is a photoelectric sensing element corresponding to the determined light source to be turned on. According to the method in this application, turn-on and turn-off of a photoelectric sensing element can be dynamically adjusted based on the confidence of the historical detection data of the photoplethysmography sensor, to ensure a detection result confidence and reduce power consumption.