Wearable Temperature Sensor Layout for Accurate Body Readings
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wearable electronic devices face challenges in accurately measuring biometric parameters, particularly body temperature, due to environmental and internal factors such as ambient conditions, thermal conductivity of materials, and heat generated by internal components, which affect the accuracy of temperature sensors.
Innovation Solution
A network of distributed sensors is employed within the wearable device, with sensors located in different regions to measure biometric parameters, including temperature, to compensate for environmental and internal factors affecting accuracy. This network includes sensors on the bottom, top, and sidewalls of the device, with additional watchdog monitors to adjust measurements based on detected aggressors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single temperature sensor is used in wearable devices, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of biometric parameters deteriorates due to environmental and internal factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the temperature measurement function into multiple distributed sensors located at different regions (bottom, top, sidewalls) of the wearable device. Each sensor independently measures temperature at its location, and the processor segments the analysis by identifying which sensor readings are affected by environmental factors versus internal heat sources, then combines them to achieve accurate biometric temperature measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces watchdog monitor sensors as intermediary elements that specifically detect environmental temperature conditions and internal heat from components. These intermediary sensors mediate between the harmful environmental/internal factors and the primary temperature sensors, providing correction data that allows the system to compensate for unwanted thermal influences.
2Reliability
If multiple distributed sensors are deployed in different regions, then the measurement precision improves by compensating for environmental and internal factors, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the temperature sensor network multi-functional by having sensors serve dual purposes: primary temperature sensors measure biometric temperature while also providing data about contact conditions, and watchdog monitor sensors detect both environmental temperature and internal heat from components. This universality allows a single sensor network to perform multiple measurement functions, reducing the need for separate dedicated sensors for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor network performs self-calibration and self-correction by using its own distributed readings to identify and compensate for environmental and internal thermal influences. The watchdog monitors use their measurements to automatically adjust the readings from primary sensors without requiring external calibration, making the system self-correcting and more reliable.
3Measurement precision
If sensors are placed in constant contact with user's skin, then the temperature measurement is improved, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to influence from internal components and ambient conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates the measurement of environmental and internal thermal influences from the primary biometric temperature measurement function. Watchdog monitor sensors are specifically positioned to measure only the environmental temperature and internal component heat, separating these harmful thermal factors from the biometric measurement. This extracted data is then used to correct the primary sensor readings, removing the harmful influences.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where watchdog monitor sensors continuously monitor environmental and internal thermal conditions, and the processor uses this feedback information to dynamically adjust and compensate the temperature readings from primary sensors. This closed-loop feedback system automatically corrects for thermal interference from internal components and ambient conditions in real-time.
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 network of sensors improves temperature measurement accuracy by compensating for environmental and internal factors, reducing mechanical integration complexity and enhancing the reliability of temperature readings.
Implementation Method 1
a first temperature sensor thermally connected to the back surface, a second temperature sensor thermally connected to the top surface or the sidewall
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment described herein takes the form of a wearable electronic device, such as a watch, including a housing, a memory and a processor located in the housing, and three or more sensors. Each sensor of the three or more sensors is configured to generate a measurement of a parameter. Each sensor of the three or more sensors is located in a different region in the housing. The processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory. In response to execution of the instructions by the processor, the processor is configured to generate an adjusted measurement of the biometric parameter using at least the measurements of the parameter generated by the three or more sensors. The parameter is a temperature, and the biometric parameter is a body temperature of a user.