Wearable Motion Sensor Wearing Status Detection via Respiration Correlation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wearable motion sensors often provide inaccurate activity monitoring when detached from the user, leading to incorrect health assessments due to independent sensor signals lacking plausibility checks, which can result in misclassification of activities and incorrect health state conclusions.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that determines the wearing status of a wearable motion sensor by correlating motion signals with respiration signals, using spectral analysis and correlation techniques to ensure accurate detection of sensor attachment, and adapts processing based on the wearing status to provide reliable health and activity metrics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the telemetry device is taken off the user's body and placed on a nightstand or IV-pole, then the device can remain close to the user, but the device no longer follows the user's motion accurately leading to misclassification of activities

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice placement convenienceVSAvoidactivity detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary verification mechanism using a second sensor signal (such as respiration, heart rate, or skin conductance) to mediate between the motion sensor data and the final activity classification. This intermediary check allows the system to distinguish between genuine user activity and artifact motion from off-body device placement, resolving the contradiction between convenient device placement and accurate activity detection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the device is hung on an IV-pole and the user walks with it, then the device remains accessible, but the device does not make walking motions leading to incorrect sedentary classification

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice usage flexibilityVSAvoidactivity monitoring reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring secondary physiological parameters (respiration, heart rate, skin conductance) that provide real-time verification of whether the device is being worn. This feedback loop allows the system to adjust its interpretation of motion data dynamically, maintaining reliability even when the device is used in flexible configurations like hanging on an IV-pole

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If only motion sensor data is used to determine activity, then the system is simple, but the system produces unreliable health assessments when the device is not worn

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor system complexityVSAvoidhealth assessment accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple sensor types (motion sensors with secondary physiological sensors) into a unified monitoring system. By combining data from different sensor modalities, the system achieves robust activity detection that remains accurate whether the device is worn or not, resolving the contradiction between system simplicity and assessment accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4678098A1Device, system and method for determining a wearing status of a wearable motion sensor to be worn by a user
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV
  • EP4678098A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4678098A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP4678098A1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a device, system and method for determining a wearing status of a wearable motion sensor to be worn by a user. The device comprises a sensor input configured to obtain a motion signal from the wearable motion sensor and a respiration signal from a respiration sensor; a processor configured to determine a correlation between the motion signal and the respiration signal for one or more time periods, and to determine a wearing status of the wearable motion sensor for the one or more time periods based on the determined correlation, and an output configured to output the wearing status.