Wearable Physiological Data Acquirer with Automatic Activation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wearable physiological data acquisition systems face challenges in efficiently acquiring and transferring data over long periods and in reducing noise interference, particularly from external and physiological sources like EMG signals, which affect ECG signal quality.

Innovation Solution

The system employs a bandage-like housing with integral connectors for electrodes, featuring multiple independent electrical paths and an analog switch for automatic activation and data acquisition, along with a data extraction method using snap-button connectors for efficient data transfer and noise reduction techniques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If data is recorded in built-in memory and transferred externally after recording, then data storage capability is improved, but manual intervention complexity increases and hygiene issues arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata storage capabilityVSAvoidmanual intervention complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of manually cutting the water-resistant enclosure with an electronic data transfer system. The physiological data acquirer includes a data transfer interface that enables wireless or wired electronic transmission of recorded data to external devices, eliminating the need for manual disassembly and reducing contamination risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The device enables automatic data transfer functionality where the physiological data acquirer can autonomously transfer recorded data to external devices through integrated communication interfaces, reducing the need for manual intervention in the data extraction process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Device complexity

If conventional signal processing techniques are used to remove EMG noise, then processing simplicity is maintained, but ECG signal quality deteriorates due to comparable frequency content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing simplicityVSAvoidECG signal quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the ECG processing into multiple independent channels, each with its own signal processing chain. This allows for channel-specific filtering and noise removal techniques to be applied, improving the ability to distinguish ECG signals from EMG noise while maintaining processing manageability through modular architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediate processing stages including analog filtering before digitization and digital signal processing after acquisition. These intermediary steps enable progressive noise removal at different stages of the signal chain, improving ECG quality while keeping individual processing steps relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10973452B2Wearable physiological data acquirer and methods of using same

Publication Date: 2021.04.13 ICENTIA INC

AI summary

One of the methods includes positioning the physiological data acquirer on the body of a mammal with the electrodes exposed to the body; activating a data acquisition mode of operation of the physiological data acquirer and acquiring physiological data from the user when in said data acquisition mode. Another one of the methods includes extracting the acquired data using a data extraction device.