One or more embodiments relate generally to health equipment and, more particularly, to systems and methods for a heart rate monitor.
Heart rate monitors can be bulky and have one or more undesirable characteristics. For example, the heart rate monitoring device may be integrated with a strap, which may break, wear out, or become unsuited to a user's requirements, necessitating replacement of the entire heart rate monitoring device assembly. Some heart rate monitors use replaceable batteries that need to be replaced once depleted.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for systems and methods that address the deficiencies noted above, other deficiencies known in the industry, or at least offers an alternative to current techniques.
Systems and methods are provided for a heart rate monitor. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a heart rate monitor is provided. The heart rate monitor may include a strap including a securement element, and a pod releasably coupled to the securement element and configured to detect a heart rate of a user. The pod may be selectively removable from the securement element.
According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a heart rate monitoring system is provided. The system may include a strap including a securement element, a pod coupled to the securement element and configured to detect a heart rate of a user, and a charger. The pod may be selectively removable from the securement element and include one or more charger contacts. The charger may include one or more pins configured to interface with the one or more charger contacts when the pod is coupled to the charger.
According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a method is provided. The method may include coupling a pod of a heart rate monitor to a securement element disposed in a strap. The pod may be selectively removable from the securement element and configured to detect a heart rate of a user. The method may include measuring, using the pod, the heart rate of the user. The method may include engaging the pod with a charger to align one or more charger contacts of the pod with one or more pins of the charger.
Additional features are set forth in part in the description that follows and will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the specification and drawings or may be learned by the practice of the disclosed subject matter. A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings, which forms a part of this disclosure.
One of skill in the art will understand that each of the various aspects and features of the disclosure may advantageously be used separately in some instances, or in combination with other aspects and features of the disclosure in other instances. Accordingly, individual aspects can be claimed separately or in combination with other aspects and features. Thus, the present disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the claimed invention or its applications or uses. It is to be understood that structural and/or logical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
The present disclosure is set forth in various levels of detail and no limitation as to the scope of the claimed subject matter is intended by either the inclusion or non-inclusion of elements, components, or the like in this summary. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the disclosure or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. Moreover, for the purposes of clarity, detailed descriptions of certain features will not be discussed when they would be apparent to those with skill in the art so as not to obscure the description of the present disclosure. The claimed subject matter is not necessarily limited to the arrangements illustrated herein, with the scope of the present disclosure is defined only by the appended claims.
The description will be more fully understood with reference to the following figures in which components may not be drawn to scale, which are presented as various embodiments of the seat assembly described herein and should not be construed as a complete depiction of the scope of the seat assembly.
Embodiments of the disclosure and their advantages are best understood by referring to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals may be used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures.
According to the present disclosure, heart rate monitoring systems and methods are provided. A heart rate monitor may include a strap and a heart rate monitoring pod releasably coupled to the strap. A securement element (e.g., a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) ring) may be disposed in the strap to selectively secure the pod to the strap. The pod may be selectively removable from the securement element and include one or more charger contacts. The pod may include one or more LEDs and/or vibrating elements to provide a light animation feedback and/or a haptic feedback to a user.
A charger may be provided to charge the pod. The charger and pod may have complementary shapes to align the pod on the charger. For example, placement of the pod on the charger may align the charger contacts of the pod with one or more charging elements (e.g., pins) disposed in the charger. The pod may be placed on the charger alone, or the charger may charge the pod while the pod is secured to the strap.
As shown, the strap 104 may include a securement element 112 configured to capture or otherwise secure the pod 102 to the strap 104. For example, the securement element 112 may be a ring 114 (e.g., a TPU ring) disposed in the strap 104, such as nearer one of the ends of the strap 104. The ring 114 (or securement element 112) may be shaped complementary to the pod 102, such as having an ovular shape to match the ovular shape of the pod 102, as shown for example. As described more fully below, the pod 102 may be coupled to the securement element 112, such as releasably coupled to the securement element 112. For example, the pod 102 may fit within the securement element 112 to secure the pod 102 to the strap 104.
With continued reference to
As shown, the charger 120 may include a charging base 122 and a cord 124. The cord 124 may be fixed to the charging base 122, or the cord 124 may be removable from the charging base 122. For example, the cord 124 may be a USB cord, a USB-C cord, or the like, with a USB or USB-C connector of the cord 124 connectable to the charger base. In other embodiments, the cord 124 may be hardwired to the charging base 122. In some embodiments, the heart rate monitoring system 100 may include one or more adapters 130 configured to connect the cord 124 to legacy USB ports. For example, the adapter 130 may be a USB-C female to USB male adapter, although other configurations are contemplated.
The pod 102 may be releasably coupled to the strap 104 (e.g., to the securement element 112) in many configurations. As one example, the pod 102 may be snap fitted to the ring 114 to releasably couple the pod 102 to the strap 104. For example, the interface between the pod 102 and the ring 114 may include one or more detents, corresponding retention features, or the like to the releasably couple the pod 102 to the ring 114, as described below. Referring to
As best illustrated in
As shown in
The LED bracket assembly 802 may include the LEDs 500, and the LED FPC 804 may drive the LEDs 500 during operation. The main board 812 may include the necessary chipsets, memory, communications, or circuitry for operation of pod 102. For instance, the pod 102 may include one or more communication modules allowing wireless communication between the pod 102 and a network, a smart device (e.g., a user's smartphone, tablet, etc.), or a host machine (e.g., a stationary bicycle, a treadmill, etc.). For example, the pod 102 may be configured to pair with a user's smart device or a host machine via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or other wireless connection means. The pod 102 and smart device/host machine may communicate wirelessly with each other, such as the pod 102 providing heart rate data to the smart device/host machine for analysis, display, etc., or the smart device/host machine (e.g., an application running on the smart device/host machine) sending one or more commands to the pod 102 (e.g., to change an operation mode of pod 102, to run a haptic or LED animation feedback, etc.). In embodiments, main board 812 may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU 840) configured to detect a movement of the pod 102. For example, the IMU 840, which may have a 6-axis configuration, may be used to detect a rep completion, a step, or other movement of user.
The vibrator 820 may be configured to provide a haptic feedback. For example, the vibrator 820 may vibrate to indicate a status of pod 102, such as a charge status, an error status, a connection status, a communications status, a pairing status, or the like. As exemplary illustrations, the vibrator 820 may vibrate at the completion of a detected movement (e.g., after a number of reps, steps, etc.), upon reaching a particular heart rate zone, upon completing a desired milestone, at a particular charge status (e.g., 20% battery life remaining, 10% battery life remaining, etc.), or the like. In embodiments, the vibrator 820 may provide haptic feedback indicating the button 408 is pressed. Depending on the application, the haptic feedback (e.g., intensity, conditions precedent, etc.) may be preset or configured by the user as desired.
The PPG sensor 826 may be used to detect a heart rate using optical measurements. For example, the PPG sensor 826 may be used to detect blood volume changes in the microvascular bed of tissue (e.g., near a user's wrist). The PPG sensor 826 may use a pulse oximeter that illuminates the skin and measures changes in light absorption, such as monitoring the perfusion of blood to the dermis and subcutaneous tissue of the skin, although other configurations are contemplated. In embodiments, the PPG sensor 826 may illuminate the skin with an LED and then measure the amount of light either transmitted or reflected to a photodiode.
The various components of the pod 102 may be assembled together in many configurations. For example, the LED FPC 804 may be assembled to the LED bracket assembly 802 and positioned within the top housing 400, whereupon the inner frame 808 may be secured within the top housing 400 to secure the LED FPC 804 and LED bracket assembly 802 in place and define a top cover assembly 850. The PSA 830 may be secured in the bottom housing 402 to secure the PPG sensor 826 in place. The vibrator 820 may be placed in the bottom housing 402 adjacent to the PPG sensor 826 and the sponge 818 placed on top of the PPG sensor 826. The battery 814 and BTB FPC 824 may be positioned within the bottom housing 402, with the BTB FPC 824 connected to the PPG sensor 826 and the battery 814 positioned above the sponge 818. The main board 812 may be secured to the bottom housing 402 (e.g., via fasteners), with the battery 814 and BTB FPC 824 connected to the main board 812, to define a bottom cover assembly 852. The top cover assembly 850 may be assembled to the bottom cover assembly 852, such as the LED FPC 804 connected to the main board 812 and the top housing 400 coupled to the bottom housing 402 (e.g., via ultrasonic welding, adhesive, corresponding retention features, etc.) to define the completed pod 102. Once assembled, the pod 102 may have an IP7 ingress rating.
Referring to
Referring to
With continued reference to
In block 1702, process 1700 includes coupling a pod of a heart rate monitor to a securement element disposed in a strap. The pod, securement element, and strap may be similar to pod 102, securement element 112, and strap 104 described above. For example, the pod may be selectively removable from the securement element and configured to detect a heart rate of a user. The securement element may be a ring (e.g., a TPU ring) disposed in the strap. The pod may be coupled to the securement element using a releasable coupling mechanism. The releasable coupling mechanism may secure the pod to the securement element from a first direction, such as by pressing the pod upwards from the bottom of the strap and into the securement element. In like manner, the releasable coupling mechanism may disengage the pod from the securement element from a second direction, such as by pressing the pod downwards from the top of the strap and out of the securement element. The releasable coupling mechanism may be a snap fitting or other releasable mechanism. For example, a recess may be disposed in the pod to receive a detent formed in the securement element.
In block 1704, process 1700 may include engaging the pod with a charger to align one or more charger contacts of the pod with one or more pins of the charger. For example, the pod may be removed from the strap for connection to the charger. In embodiments, the pod may be engaged with the charger while the pod is coupled to the strap. When the pod is placed on the charger, the pod may be oriented (e.g., automatically) such that the charger contact(s) of the pod align (e.g., naturally) with the pin(s) of the charger. In block 1706, the engaging may include positioning a sensor body of the pod within a recess disposed in the charger. The sensor body and recess may have complementary shapes to align the pod with the charger.
In block 1708, process 1700 may include magnetically coupling the pod to the charger. For example, one of the pod or the charger (e.g., the charger) may include one or more magnets and the other of the pod or the charger (e.g., the pod) may include a metal plate attracted to the magnet(s) via magnetism. The magnetic engagement of the pod to the charger may align and maintain engagement of the charger contacts of the pod with the pins of the charger. For example, the magnetic engagement may pull the pod into aligned engagement with the charger. As noted above, the magnets may be arranged asymmetrically within the charger to orient the pod for proper engagement of the charger contacts with the pins.
In block 1710, process 1700 may include providing, by the pod, at least one or a light animation feedback or a haptic feedback to a user. For instance, the pod may include one or more light emitting elements (e.g., five LEDs, etc.) configured to illuminate based on a characteristic, function, or use state of the pod. For example, the light emitting elements may indicate the detected heart rate within a heart rate zone, among other light animation feedback, as noted above. Additionally, or alternatively, the pod may include a vibrator configured to provide a “buzz” notification to a user as desired, such as upon completing a desired milestone or when a button of the pod is pressed, among others, as noted above.
In block 1712, process 1700 may include detecting a movement of the pod using an inertial measurement unit (IMU) integrated with the pod. For instance, the IMU may be used to detect a rep completion, a step, or other movement while the heart rate monitor is being worn by the user.
All relative and directional references (including up, down, upper, lower, top, bottom, side, front, rear, and so forth) are given by way of example to aid the reader's understanding of the examples described herein. They should not be read to be requirements or limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use unless specifically set forth in the claims. Connection references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, joined, and the like) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between a connection of elements and relative movement between elements. As such, connection references do not necessarily infer that Iwo elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other, unless specifically set forth in the claims.
The present disclosure teaches by way of example and not by limitation. Therefore, the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The following claims are intended to cover all generic and specific features described herein, as well as all statements of the scope of the present method and system, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall there between.
The present International PCT application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/146,436, filed Feb. 5, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2022/015224 | 2/4/2022 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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63146436 | Feb 2021 | US |