Patent Application
20240324915
The present disclosure relates generally to pulse oximeters. More particularly the present disclosure relates to a device having a pulse oximeter connected to or integrated into a protective case of a cell phone or other mobile device.
Monitoring blood oxygen levels is a low cost and non-invasive way to track how an individual is breathing and/or tolerating high elevations. It can be an indicator of many problems such as ineffective lung function, ineffective heart function, when a disease such as a respiratory infection becomes concerning, and how a person is tolerating high altitude. Further, low oxygen levels are considered a key predictor of poor outcomes for COVID-19 patients. Lowered oxygen levels can even occur before the onset of symptoms of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.
Thus, it can be very important, and convenient, for everyday users to monitor their own blood oxygen levels. In the prior art, a stand alone, battery powered device is often used which relies on optical sensing of blood in the finger. While these work in some instances, the small nature of the devices leads to them being easily misplaced and unavailable when needed. Also, they are inconvenient for consistent oxygen saturation monitoring because it becomes just another item that has to be carried around with a person along with other sundry items, further leading it to be forgotten, lost, and the like.
Therefore, what is needed is a device for monitoring blood oxygen levels that is conveniently located on a device that is often carried with someone-such as a cellular telephone case.
The subject matter of this application may involve, in some cases, interrelated products, alternative solutions to a particular problem, and/or a plurality of different uses of a single system or article.
In one aspect, a case for a smartphone is provided. The case has a rear wall for covering at least a portion of the smartphone when placed therein, and a sidewall portion which extends form the rear wall to cover at least a part of an edge of the smartphone and to removably engage the case with the smartphone. A pulse oximeter is connected do and/or integrated with the rear wall of the case an in communication with a display on the case, or in communication with a smartphone via wired or wireless communication to use the smartphone to display readouts gathered from the pulse oximeter. Some users may prefer to have their health data stored on their own device and not online for privacy reasons. In some embodiments, the measured health data may not be stored at all.
In another aspect, a method for measuring blood oxygen concentration is provided. The method involves activating a pulse oximeter which is stored on or in a smartphone case. The method further involves receiving a finger placed in or on the pulse oximeter and holding it still while the device takes a reading. Finally, the method involves presenting, on a display, information corresponding to a blood oxygen concentration recorded by the pulse oximeter.
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention and does not represent the only forms in which the present disclosure may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments.
Generally, the present disclosure concerns a cellular telephone case which comprises a sensor which can determine, among other things, pulse and blood oxygen saturation. The sensor and related components are referred to herein generally as a pulse oximeter. In varying embodiments, the pulse oximeter may stand alone, having its own battery, processor, memory for data storage, display, and sensor(s). In other embodiments, the pulse oximeter may be in communication with a smartphone held in the case, allowing it to utilize one or more of a battery, charger or charge port, processor, memory, and/or display. In a particular embodiment, the pulse oximeter may be completely self-contained without a data transfer to any device to ensure privacy and data isolation. In such an embodiment, the device may also not have a memory to store past data, such that there is no storage of any past readings.
In most embodiments, the pulse oximeter contemplated herein utilizes one or more light sources (which may include light sources emitting within the visible light spectrum and/or emitting at wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum outside of visible light range). Light sources may be a laser or lasers, non-coherent light, or combinations thereof. The pulse oximeter also may utilize a photodetector to receive and detect light from the light source after it has passed through or otherwise engaged with blood in tissue being tested (typically a finger tip). The photodetector may be on a surface opposite to that of the light source to detect light which has passed through the tissue positioned between light source and photodetector, or may be on the same surface as the light source to detect light as it interacts with the tissue being tested. Lensing, relative angles, and the like may also be used to improve detection and precision. The signal gathered by the photodetector is sent to a processor either via a wired or wireless connection. The processor is programmed to calculate an oxygen saturation, pulse, and optionally other outputs based on the signal received and to send it to a display to present the sensed data. As noted above, the processor may be integrated into the case, and/or may be a processor on a cellular telephone which is held by the case of the present disclosure. A memory may also be employed in communication with the processor to, among other things, store data such as history of readings, programming, and the like. The memory may be integrated into the case, on a surface of the case, and/or may be a memory of a cellular telephone which is held by the case. Operation and activation of the pulse oximeter may be done by opening a cover to automatically power on the device, by a button, touch or swipe input on a surface of the case, activation by a user interface on the smartphone, among other options.
Light sources may vary and are selected to provide a reliable, repeatable reading to the photodetector that correlates to blood oxygen concentration, typically by recording a color of the blood which correlates to the oxygen saturation (sp02%) of the blood. In many embodiments, one or a combination of a red light and infrared light source are used. The photodetector, typically placed on an opposite side of the finger on a cover, but optionally also on the same side of the finger as the light source, then reads the light passing through and/or reflecting/refracting from the blood in the tissue placed on the sensor. Using a processor programmed with an algorithm to correlate the sensed light to a blood oxygen concentration and pulse rate (among others). In other embodiments, a green light may be used in addition to the red and infrared light sources, or in alternative to one or both. The green light may be particularly useful in embodiments having the sensor on a same side of the sensor as the light source. As noted, these light sources may be laser sources, or non-coherent light sources. In a particular embodiment, the pulse oximeter may further be configured and operational to measure a blood glucose level optically as well.
In some embodiments, a cover, such as a spring loaded (or other flexible material) cover, may be used to protect the pulse oximeter as well as to house the photodetector. In other embodiments, a cover without a photodetector may be used simply to protect the components. In still other embodiments, a durable but transparent or translucent surface such as glass or a hard plastic may protect the light source and/or photodetector without the need for an opaque or removable cover.
As noted above, in one embodiment, the pulse oximeter components may be in electronic communication with a smartphone held within the cover. A processor of the smartphone may be operable to control the operation of the pulse oximeter via, for example, a user input into the user interface of the smart phone and/or automatically depending on sensed conditions by the smartphone. Further, the photosensor or other detector may be in communication with the processor of the smartphone and may be programmed with an algorithm to calculate and display parameters such as oxygen saturation and pulse rate. The photosensor is a sensor operable to measure light emitted from the light array.
In addition to the pulse oximeter components noted below, the case is formed of a rear wall and a sidewall which extends from the rear wall. The sidewall is configured to cover at least a part of an edge of the smartphone to be positioned in the case. Similarly, the rear wall is sized and shaped to cover at least a part if not all of a rear of the smartphone. The rear wall and sidewall or sidewalls together define a chamber region which is sized and configured to receive a smartphone.
In one embodiment, the smartphone case will connect electronically with the case via a communications port. In another embodiment, the case will connect with the smartphone through a communications port and may comprise a second port to serve as a relay allowing connection of a charging or data connection through the relay to the smartphone. In a particular embodiment, the case connection to the smartphone through the communications port allows a power draw from a battery of the phone to power operation of the pulse oximeter components. In another embodiment, a female communications port of the phone will be connected with a male connection of the case, with the case having a female port on an exterior to allow connectivity and charging to the smartphone case.
In one embodiment, the case may have a rechargeable battery built into its body or connected to its body. The battery, as discussed above, is operable to power the components of the pulse oximeter. In a particular embodiment, the battery is in communication with the light array to provide electricity for it to operate. The rechargeable battery may be charged in a number of manners. In one embodiment, a separate charge port may connect to a charger to charge the battery. In another embodiment, the case may split power to direct a current flow to a battery of the pulse oximeter and to a battery of a smartphone when the smartphone is in the case, from a connection of a charger with the phone via a wiring body. Thus, this wiring body allows charging of both the battery of the pulse oximeter and a battery of the smartphone at the same time. In still another embodiment, the rear wall may have a wireless charging positioned in or on it. The wireless charging coil is connected to a battery of the pulse oximeter, also in or on the case body, and is operable to charge the battery via wireless charging. In a particular embodiment, the wireless charging coil is smaller than a wireless charging coil of a smartphone intended to be placed in the case, so as to allow simultaneous wireless charging of a battery in the smartphone and the battery of the pulse oximeter.
Turning now to
While the cover 15 is shown roughly the same width as the pulse oximeter 16 sensor area, it should be understood that in other embodiments, the cover 15 may be substantially wider, such as 50% wider, 100% wider, or may extend widthwise across the width of the case 10 rear wall 13. In a particular embodiment, the cover 15 may have a spring loaded accordion-like hinge which allows it to extend outwardly away from the case rear wall 13 when the pulse oximeter is in use, but be held closely to the cover 10 when not in use, thus minimizing the thickness of the cover 10. This minimizing of thickness may be important for convenience and to allow the case 10 to fit conveniently in, for example, a user's pocket, purse, and the like. Also on the rear wall is a display 14 which is in communication with a processor (not shown) and the display 14 is operable to show oxygen concentration (SpO2%) and pulse rate (PR bpm).
The cover may also be optimized for use under similar conditions that a smartphone is exposed to, including being dropped, extended time in a user's pocket or purse, having a hand over it during use, and the like. These acts all increase the expected loading and impact experienced by the cover 15, and also require the cover to be as thin and non-intrusive as possible. These problems are addressed in a number of ways. In one embodiment, the cover is made of a thin material so that it does not take up excessive space. The material may be selected to be sturdy and resilient, without being brittle, such as a strong plastic, metal reinforced plastic, metal and the like. In a particular embodiment, the hinge of the cover may be reinforced with thicker and more resilient material (not shown) than that found in a typical pulse oximeter due to the expected impact forces from a drop on the cover 15. The width thickness noted above may also improve durability and reduce thickness because a wider cover has a wider base to withstand twisting impacts and other lateral forces. In a further embodiment, the cover may have reinforcing arms which extend into the material of the rear wall to further reinforce the cover.
Similarly, the light array is also designed to withstand the above noted stresses expected of a smartphone case. The light array, in many embodiments, may have a resilient transparent or translucent cover such as a tempered glass or hard plastic to protect the light array components. This surface may also be easily cleanable to clean off dust, dirt and other materials which will cover the surface. Further still, the light array may be operable to be recalibrated using a programming of the processor in the event that extended use, an impact or other wear and tear can cause the components to become off alignment and/or uncalibrated.
As can be seen in
The pulse oximeter 60 of this embodiment has a cover positioned on atop of the pulse oximeter 60. The cover 15, in this embodiment serves two purposes, to protect the light array 25 of the pulse oximeter 60 and also to house a photosensor 26 which measures light passing through a finger from the light array. Light array 25 is supported on a rear plate, which has an adhesive strip 61 such as a peel-and-stick adhesive. As such, the photosensor 26 is facing toward a direction of light emitted from the light array 25. As noted above, in other embodiments, the photosensor may be on a same or adjacent surface as the light array, facing outward from the light array in a same direction as light emitted from the light array. The cover 15 has a concave inner face 15A and may be spring loaded or otherwise have a flexible material to bias it in a closed position but which can be lifted open against the biasing force by the force of a finger. The cover 15 may also be removable, tethered, held in place by a magnet, and the like. The pulse oximeter is attached to the outside of the case 10 by a connector 61 shown in this embodiment as an adhesive strip. Connector may be any mechanism to join the pulse oximeter to an existing, on the market phone case. Other examples of a connector may include, but are not limited to a hook and loop connector, magnetic connection, and the like.
While several variations of the present disclosure have been illustrated by way of example in preferred or particular embodiments, it is apparent that further embodiments could be developed within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, or the inventive concept thereof. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and are inclusive, but not limited to the following appended claims as set forth.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 18191073 | Mar 2023 | US |
| Child | 18330734 | US |
