US20210041287A1 - On-Bed Differential Piezoelectric Sensor - Google Patents
On-Bed Differential Piezoelectric Sensor Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20210041287A1 US20210041287A1 US16/930,125 US202016930125A US2021041287A1 US 20210041287 A1 US20210041287 A1 US 20210041287A1 US 202016930125 A US202016930125 A US 202016930125A US 2021041287 A1 US2021041287 A1 US 2021041287A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- sensor
- electrode
- electromagnetic noise
- disposed
- piezoelectric material
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 64
- 229920001169 thermoplastic Polymers 0.000 claims description 45
- 239000002952 polymeric resin Substances 0.000 claims description 44
- 239000004820 Pressure-sensitive adhesive Substances 0.000 claims description 28
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 21
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 claims description 13
- 208000037656 Respiratory Sounds Diseases 0.000 claims description 10
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims description 10
- 206010047924 Wheezing Diseases 0.000 claims description 8
- 206010011224 Cough Diseases 0.000 claims description 6
- 229920002981 polyvinylidene fluoride Polymers 0.000 claims description 6
- 208000035211 Heart Murmurs Diseases 0.000 claims description 5
- 206010041235 Snoring Diseases 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000003321 amplification Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000003199 nucleic acid amplification method Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000029058 respiratory gaseous exchange Effects 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 description 39
- 230000036541 health Effects 0.000 description 12
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 12
- 210000004072 lung Anatomy 0.000 description 9
- 229920000139 polyethylene terephthalate Polymers 0.000 description 7
- 239000005020 polyethylene terephthalate Substances 0.000 description 7
- 238000009610 ballistocardiography Methods 0.000 description 6
- 239000004814 polyurethane Substances 0.000 description 6
- 210000000115 thoracic cavity Anatomy 0.000 description 6
- 239000004433 Thermoplastic polyurethane Substances 0.000 description 5
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 5
- 229920002635 polyurethane Polymers 0.000 description 5
- 230000033764 rhythmic process Effects 0.000 description 5
- 229920000431 shape-memory polymer Polymers 0.000 description 5
- 229920002803 thermoplastic polyurethane Polymers 0.000 description 5
- BQCADISMDOOEFD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silver Chemical compound [Ag] BQCADISMDOOEFD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 description 4
- 229910052709 silver Inorganic materials 0.000 description 4
- 239000004332 silver Substances 0.000 description 4
- 230000007704 transition Effects 0.000 description 4
- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical compound [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 210000000683 abdominal cavity Anatomy 0.000 description 3
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 3
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 230000001079 digestive effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000000116 mitigating effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- -1 moisture Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 3
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229920001432 poly(L-lactide) Polymers 0.000 description 3
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 3
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000013503 de-identification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000004744 fabric Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000006870 function Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000001788 irregular Effects 0.000 description 2
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 210000003928 nasal cavity Anatomy 0.000 description 2
- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000035945 sensitivity Effects 0.000 description 2
- IZXIZTKNFFYFOF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-Oxazolidone Chemical compound O=C1NCCO1 IZXIZTKNFFYFOF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 206010003658 Atrial Fibrillation Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 229910000570 Cupronickel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910021607 Silver chloride Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 210000001015 abdomen Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004931 aggregating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004458 analytical method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 206010003119 arrhythmia Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 230000006793 arrhythmia Effects 0.000 description 1
- 208000006673 asthma Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 230000033228 biological regulation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229940075397 calomel Drugs 0.000 description 1
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920001577 copolymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- YOCUPQPZWBBYIX-UHFFFAOYSA-N copper nickel Chemical compound [Ni].[Cu] YOCUPQPZWBBYIX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910000365 copper sulfate Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- ARUVKPQLZAKDPS-UHFFFAOYSA-L copper(II) sulfate Chemical compound [Cu+2].[O-][S+2]([O-])([O-])[O-] ARUVKPQLZAKDPS-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- 230000001351 cycling effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001066 destructive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011161 development Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003745 diagnosis Methods 0.000 description 1
- ZOMNIUBKTOKEHS-UHFFFAOYSA-L dimercury dichloride Chemical compound Cl[Hg][Hg]Cl ZOMNIUBKTOKEHS-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- 229940079593 drug Drugs 0.000 description 1
- 239000003814 drug Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000428 dust Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920001971 elastomer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000011156 evaluation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007717 exclusion Effects 0.000 description 1
- PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N gold Chemical compound [Au] PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052737 gold Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010931 gold Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009413 insulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000014759 maintenance of location Effects 0.000 description 1
- QSHDDOUJBYECFT-UHFFFAOYSA-N mercury Chemical compound [Hg] QSHDDOUJBYECFT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052753 mercury Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000615 nonconductor Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011347 resin Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012552 review Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000035939 shock Effects 0.000 description 1
- HKZLPVFGJNLROG-UHFFFAOYSA-M silver monochloride Chemical compound [Cl-].[Ag+] HKZLPVFGJNLROG-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 1
- YPNVIBVEFVRZPJ-UHFFFAOYSA-L silver sulfate Chemical compound [Ag+].[Ag+].[O-]S([O-])(=O)=O YPNVIBVEFVRZPJ-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- 229910000367 silver sulfate Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000007958 sleep Effects 0.000 description 1
- 208000024891 symptom Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 229920002994 synthetic fiber Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920005992 thermoplastic resin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000012546 transfer Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009528 vital sign measurement Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N30/00—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
- H10N30/01—Manufacture or treatment
- H10N30/06—Forming electrodes or interconnections, e.g. leads or terminals
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01H—MEASUREMENT OF MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OR ULTRASONIC, SONIC OR INFRASONIC WAVES
- G01H11/00—Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves by detecting changes in electric or magnetic properties
- G01H11/06—Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves by detecting changes in electric or magnetic properties by electric means
- G01H11/08—Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves by detecting changes in electric or magnetic properties by electric means using piezoelectric devices
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/02—Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
- A61B5/0205—Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/02—Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
- A61B5/024—Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate
- A61B5/02405—Determining heart rate variability
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/08—Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs
- A61B5/0803—Recording apparatus specially adapted therefor
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/08—Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs
- A61B5/0816—Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/103—Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes
- A61B5/11—Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb
- A61B5/1102—Ballistocardiography
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/48—Other medical applications
- A61B5/4806—Sleep evaluation
- A61B5/4809—Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/68—Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient
- A61B5/6887—Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
- A61B5/6891—Furniture
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/68—Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient
- A61B5/6887—Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
- A61B5/6892—Mats
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/72—Signal processing specially adapted for physiological signals or for diagnostic purposes
- A61B5/7235—Details of waveform analysis
- A61B5/7246—Details of waveform analysis using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B7/00—Instruments for auscultation
- A61B7/003—Detecting lung or respiration noise
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01L—MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
- G01L1/00—Measuring force or stress, in general
- G01L1/16—Measuring force or stress, in general using properties of piezoelectric devices
-
- H01L41/0471—
-
- H01L41/1132—
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N30/00—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
- H10N30/01—Manufacture or treatment
- H10N30/07—Forming of piezoelectric or electrostrictive parts or bodies on an electrical element or another base
- H10N30/072—Forming of piezoelectric or electrostrictive parts or bodies on an electrical element or another base by laminating or bonding of piezoelectric or electrostrictive bodies
- H10N30/073—Forming of piezoelectric or electrostrictive parts or bodies on an electrical element or another base by laminating or bonding of piezoelectric or electrostrictive bodies by fusion of metals or by adhesives
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N30/00—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
- H10N30/01—Manufacture or treatment
- H10N30/08—Shaping or machining of piezoelectric or electrostrictive bodies
- H10N30/085—Shaping or machining of piezoelectric or electrostrictive bodies by machining
- H10N30/088—Shaping or machining of piezoelectric or electrostrictive bodies by machining by cutting or dicing
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N30/00—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
- H10N30/30—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors
- H10N30/302—Sensors
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N30/00—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
- H10N30/80—Constructional details
- H10N30/85—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive active materials
- H10N30/857—Macromolecular compositions
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N30/00—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
- H10N30/80—Constructional details
- H10N30/87—Electrodes or interconnections, e.g. leads or terminals
- H10N30/871—Single-layered electrodes of multilayer piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices, e.g. internal electrodes
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N30/00—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
- H10N30/80—Constructional details
- H10N30/87—Electrodes or interconnections, e.g. leads or terminals
- H10N30/877—Conductive materials
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N30/00—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
- H10N30/80—Constructional details
- H10N30/88—Mounts; Supports; Enclosures; Casings
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B2562/00—Details of sensors; Constructional details of sensor housings or probes; Accessories for sensors
- A61B2562/02—Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements
- A61B2562/029—Humidity sensors
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B2562/00—Details of sensors; Constructional details of sensor housings or probes; Accessories for sensors
- A61B2562/04—Arrangements of multiple sensors of the same type
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B2562/00—Details of sensors; Constructional details of sensor housings or probes; Accessories for sensors
- A61B2562/04—Arrangements of multiple sensors of the same type
- A61B2562/046—Arrangements of multiple sensors of the same type in a matrix array
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B2562/00—Details of sensors; Constructional details of sensor housings or probes; Accessories for sensors
- A61B2562/12—Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B2562/00—Details of sensors; Constructional details of sensor housings or probes; Accessories for sensors
- A61B2562/16—Details of sensor housings or probes; Details of structural supports for sensors
- A61B2562/164—Details of sensor housings or probes; Details of structural supports for sensors the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B2562/00—Details of sensors; Constructional details of sensor housings or probes; Accessories for sensors
- A61B2562/18—Shielding or protection of sensors from environmental influences, e.g. protection from mechanical damage
- A61B2562/182—Electrical shielding, e.g. using a Faraday cage
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/02—Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
- A61B5/024—Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/48—Other medical applications
- A61B5/4806—Sleep evaluation
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/72—Signal processing specially adapted for physiological signals or for diagnostic purposes
- A61B5/7225—Details of analog processing, e.g. isolation amplifier, gain or sensitivity adjustment, filtering, baseline or drift compensation
-
- H01L41/0815—
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N30/00—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
- H10N30/704—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices based on piezoelectric or electrostrictive films or coatings
- H10N30/706—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices based on piezoelectric or electrostrictive films or coatings characterised by the underlying bases, e.g. substrates
- H10N30/708—Intermediate layers, e.g. barrier, adhesion or growth control buffer layers
Definitions
- the described embodiments relate generally to an on-bed differential piezoelectric sensor, or to a sensor system including such a sensor.
- the sensor or sensor system can be used on a bed or elsewhere to sense vibrations, including sounds.
- the sensed vibrations or sounds may include biological vibrations or sounds made by a user, such as heart vibrations or sounds, lung vibrations or sounds, nasal vibrations or sounds, or digestive vibrations or sounds.
- a device such as a smartphone or electronic watch may include various health sensors.
- the health sensors may be capable of monitoring a user's heart rate, heart rhythm, steps taken, calories burned, and so on as the user carries the smartphone or wears the electronic watch during the day.
- the user may place (or couple) the smartphone and electronic watch on (or to) one or more chargers.
- the user's nighttime health may therefore not be monitored, or may be monitored to a lesser extent than the user's daytime health.
- the user may place the smartphone on their bed or wear the electronic watch while sleeping, these options may not be comfortable or convenient, and may interfere with charging these devices.
- Embodiments of the systems, devices, methods, and apparatus described in the present disclosure are directed to sensors and sensor systems for differentially sensing vibrations, such as biological vibrations or sounds made by a user.
- Biological vibrations and sounds include, for example, heart vibrations or sounds, lung vibrations or sounds, nasal vibrations or sounds, and digestive vibrations or sounds. Vibrations and sounds are collectively referred to herein as vibrations, and may include audible sounds (e.g., sounds heard by a person) and inaudible sounds (e.g., sounds experienced as vibrations and not heard by a person, or sounds heard or sensed by a device configured to listen or monitor for such sounds).
- a sensor may be placed on a user's bed, or otherwise positioned on or near the user's torso.
- the sensor may include a piezoelectric material or element having electrodes connected to opposite sides thereof. Vibration-induced waveforms (e.g., waveforms associated with biological vibrations or sounds) may impinge on the piezoelectric material and impart forces on the piezoelectric material, which forces cause the piezoelectric material to change shape and vibrate.
- the electrodes connected to the piezoelectric material may differentially sense these vibrations (i.e., the electrodes may produce out-of-phase signals in response to the vibrations, as a result of the electrodes being connected to opposite sides of the piezoelectric material).
- the out-of-phase signals combine to produce an amplified waveform (e.g., an amplified vibratory or audio output).
- electromagnetic noise sensed by the electrodes e.g., AC line noise
- in-phase signals may induce in-phase signals that combine with out-of-phase signals.
- the in-phase noise signals cancel out, leaving only an amplified signal (e.g., an amplified vibratory or audio output).
- the present disclosure describes a sensor system that includes a sensor stack, a differential amplifier, an analog-to-differential converter, and a processor.
- the sensor stack may include a piezoelectric material having a first side opposing a second side, a first electrode connected to the first side, and a second electrode connected to the second side.
- the differential amplifier may be coupled to the first and second electrodes and be configured to generate a differential output indicative of vibrations sensed by the piezoelectric material.
- the analog-to-differential converter may be configured to digitize the differential output.
- the processor may be configured to identify a type of biological vibration included in the digitized differential output.
- the present disclosure describes a sensor system that includes a sensor, an electrical interconnect, and a differential amplifier.
- the sensor may include a piezoelectric element, and first and second electrodes that are respectively connected to first and second opposing surfaces of the piezoelectric element.
- the electrical interconnect may include first and second conductors, respectively connected (or connectable) to the first and second electrodes.
- the differential amplifier may be connected (or connectable) to the first and second conductors and provide a differential output indicative of vibrations sensed by the piezoelectric element.
- the present disclosure describes a method of monitoring biological vibrations of a user.
- the method may include receiving a pair of signals from a pair of electrodes connected to opposite sides of a piezoelectric element; differentially amplifying the pair of signals to generate a differential output; identifying a type of biological vibration included in the differential output; and outputting an indicator of the type of biological vibration.
- FIG. 1 shows an example of a sensor system that may be used to sense biological vibrations
- FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the vibration sensor described with reference to FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3 shows examples of some different types of biological vibrations that can be sensed by the vibration sensors described with reference to FIG. 1 or 2 , and the approximate frequency ranges of such vibrations;
- FIG. 4 shows example vibration patterns for ballistocardiography (BCG)/seismocardiography (SCG) vibrations or sounds; S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , and S 4 heart sounds; heart murmurs; normal lung sounds; wheeze sounds; crackle sounds; snore sounds; cough sounds; and respiration sounds;
- BCG ballistocardiography
- SCG sinocardiography
- FIG. 5 shows an example embodiment of various components included in the sensor system described with reference to FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 6 illustrates how measured vibrations, including biological vibrations, may be amplified by the processing circuitry described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 5 , while an AC line frequency or other background noise may be canceled by the processing circuitry;
- FIG. 7A shows, in exploded form, an example more detailed cross-section of the sensor stack described with reference to FIG. 5 ;
- FIG. 7B shows the cross-section of FIG. 7A in assembled form
- FIG. 7C shows, in exploded form, an example of the sensor interface described with reference to FIG. 5 , in the context of the sensor stack described with reference to FIG. 7A ;
- FIG. 8A shows an example more detailed cross-section of the sensor stack described with reference to FIG. 7A ;
- FIGS. 8B-8D show various examples of the sensor interface described with reference to FIG. 5 , in the context of the sensor stack described with reference to FIG. 8A ;
- FIG. 9 illustrates a method of monitoring biological vibrations of a user.
- cross-hatching or shading in the accompanying figures is generally provided to clarify the boundaries between adjacent elements and also to facilitate legibility of the figures. Accordingly, neither the presence nor the absence of cross-hatching or shading conveys or indicates any preference or requirement for particular materials, material properties, element proportions, element dimensions, commonalities of similarly illustrated elements, or any other characteristic, attribute, or property for any element illustrated in the accompanying figures.
- Described herein are techniques that enable the high-fidelity collection of biological vibrations, such as heart vibrations or sounds, lung vibrations or sounds, nasal vibrations or sounds, or digestive vibrations or sounds.
- the collection of chest cavity vibrations, in particular, such as heart and lung vibrations or sounds typically requires a sensing bandwidth of at least 500 Hertz (Hz).
- the bandwidth includes typical AC line frequencies, which are in the range of 50/60 Hz, and which can have second harmonics in the range of 100/120 Hz (e.g., due to rectification of the AC line frequencies in power supplies).
- the techniques described herein employ differential sensing.
- Differential sensing is useful in that it produces out-of-phase signals corresponding to mechanical vibrations, such as biological vibrations, and the out-of-phase signals constructively interfere and amplify mechanical vibrations (e.g., biological vibrations) when subtracted.
- electromagnetic noise e.g., AC line noise
- in-phase signals i.e., common mode signals
- the in-phase signals cancel out (through destructive interference), leaving an amplified output corresponding to the sensed mechanical vibrations.
- FIGS. 1-9 These and other techniques are described with reference to FIGS. 1-9 . However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes only and should not be construed as limiting.
- FIG. 1 shows an example of a sensor system 100 .
- the sensor system 100 may be used to sense biological vibrations (e.g., chest cavity vibrations or sounds, nasal cavity vibrations or sounds, abdominal cavity vibrations or sounds, and so on) made by a person laying on a bed 102 , a couch, an examination table, or the like.
- biological vibrations e.g., chest cavity vibrations or sounds, nasal cavity vibrations or sounds, abdominal cavity vibrations or sounds, and so on
- the sensor system 100 may be used by a person sitting in a chair, or by a person who has attached part or all of the sensor system 100 (e.g., the sensor package 104 ) to their torso, or to an object in contact with their torso.
- the sensor system 100 may sense other mechanical vibrations.
- the sensor system 100 may include a vibration sensor 110 that is coupled to processing circuitry 114 by an electrical interconnect 108 .
- the vibration sensor 110 may be housed in a sensor package 104
- the processing circuitry 114 may be housed in a processing module 106 (e.g., a separate physical package, such as a dongle)
- the electrical interconnect 108 may take the form of an electrical cord or cable that connects the vibration sensor 110 to the processor 114 .
- the electrical interconnect 108 may take the form of wires, conductive traces, or other conductive elements, which conductive elements may be routed within one or more connectors, on one or more substrates (e.g., on or in a printed circuit board (PCB) or integrated circuit (IC)), or on or within the vibration sensor 110 .
- the vibration sensor 110 , electrical interconnect 108 , and processing circuitry 114 may all be housed within the sensor package 104 and, in some of these embodiments, there may not be a separate housing for the processing circuitry 114 or electrical interconnect 108 (e.g., there may not be a physically separate processing module 106 or electrical cord).
- the sensor package 104 including the vibration sensor 110 , may be flexible, so that it is more or less unnoticeable to a person laying on the bed 102 .
- the electrical interconnect 108 may also be flexible, and/or the processing circuitry 114 may be flexible (e.g., the processing circuitry 114 may be formed on or in a flexible substrate). In some embodiments, one or more of the vibration sensor 110 , electrical interconnect 108 , processing circuitry 114 , or sensor package 104 may not be flexible.
- the processing circuitry 114 may receive and process signals received from the vibration sensor 110 (e.g., signals received via the electrical interconnect 108 ). For example, the processing circuitry 114 may amplify and digitize signals received from the vibration sensor 110 .
- the processing circuitry 114 may include a communications interface for communicating digitized signals or other information to another device 112 (e.g., a remote device), such as a smartphone or electronic watch.
- the communications interface may also receive from the other device 112 .
- the communications interface may receive instructions, control signals, settings, or queries from the other device 112 .
- the communications interface may be wireless (e.g., a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth interface) or wired (e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) interface).
- the processing circuitry 114 may include a processor (e.g., a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA)).
- the processor may control operation of other circuitry, such as the circuity that processes signals received from the vibration sensor 110 , or the communications interface.
- the processing circuitry 114 may additionally or alternatively include circuits that do not rise to the level of a processor.
- the processing circuitry 114 may be housed separately from the vibration sensor 110 , such as in a processing module 106 .
- the processing circuitry 114 may be housed with the vibration sensor 110 in the sensor package 104 , or components of the processing circuitry 114 may be distributed between different physical locations (e.g., a portion of the processing circuitry 114 may be housed with the vibration sensor 110 and a portion of the processing circuitry 114 may be housed in a separate processing module 106 ). In some cases, part or all of the processing circuitry 114 may be integrated with the vibration sensor 110 on a shared substrate. In some embodiments, components or functions of the processing circuitry 114 may be housed by, or provided by, the remote device 112 , and the electrical interconnect 108 may terminate at a connector that plugs into the remote device 112 . The electrical interconnect 108 may also terminate at a connector that plugs into the processing module 106 .
- the sensor package 104 may variously enclose the vibration sensor 110 , and/or protect the vibration sensor 110 from dust, oil, moisture, or liquid spills, and/or electrically insulate the vibration sensor 110 from a user.
- the sensor package 104 may be made of natural or synthetic cloth, plastic, or other materials, and may include a sealed or accessible pouch configured to hold the vibration sensor 110 .
- the sensor package 104 may be a pocket included in (or attachable to) a bed sheet, mattress, cushion, or seating surface.
- the sensor package 104 may include a polymer, thermoplastic polymer, resin, or other material that is applied to, encapsulates, or is molded around the vibration sensor 110 .
- the sensor package 104 may include both an inner package (e.g., a material that is applied to, encapsulates, or is molded around the vibration sensor 110 ) and an outer package (e.g., a cloth or plastic sleeve or cover).
- an inner package e.g., a material that is applied to, encapsulates, or is molded around the vibration sensor 110
- an outer package e.g., a cloth or plastic sleeve or cover.
- the processing module 106 may be constructed similarly to, or different from, the sensor package 104 .
- the processing module 106 may take the form of a polymer (e.g., plastic) housing.
- FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the vibration sensor described with reference to FIG. 1 .
- the vibration sensor 200 shown in FIG. 2 includes a plurality of vibration sensors 202 - 1 , 202 - 2 , 202 - 3 , 202 - 4 , each of which may be configured similarly to the vibration sensor 100 .
- the vibration sensors 202 - 1 , 202 - 2 , 202 - 3 , 202 - 4 may be encapsulated in a flexible material 204 at predefined positions (e.g., in an array or other distribution pattern); held in different pockets of a sensor package (e.g., a sensor package having multiple pockets for the multiple vibration sensors 202 - 1 , 202 - 2 , 202 - 3 , 202 - 4 ); or arbitrarily positioned on a bed or other surface by their user or an aide (e.g., a partner, caretaker, or nurse).
- each vibration sensor 202 - 1 , 202 - 2 , 202 - 3 , 202 - 4 may be positioned at a different location and/or oriented in a different direction with respect to a user's torso.
- Each vibration sensor 202 - 1 , 202 - 2 , 202 - 3 , 202 - 4 may be positioned or used to sense the same or different biological vibrations (e.g., chest cavity vibrations or sounds, nasal cavity vibrations or sounds, abdominal cavity vibrations or sounds, and so on).
- two or more vibration sensors 202 - 1 , 202 - 2 , 202 - 3 , 202 - 4 may be positioned to sense the same biological vibrations (e.g., lung vibrations or sounds), and their outputs may be compared or combined.
- one or more of the vibration sensors 202 - 1 , 202 - 2 , 202 - 3 , 202 - 4 may be positioned to sense chest cavity vibrations or sounds (e.g., one or more vibration sensors may be positioned closer to a user's chest cavity), and one or more different vibration sensors 202 - 1 , 202 - 2 , 202 - 3 , 202 - 4 may be positioned to sense abdominal cavity vibrations or sounds (e.g., one or more vibration sensors may be positioned closer to a user's abdomen).
- one or more vibration sensors 202 - 1 , 202 - 2 , 202 - 3 , 202 - 4 may be positioned to sense heart vibrations or sounds (e.g., one or more vibration sensors may be positioned closer to a user's heart), and one or more other vibration sensors 202 - 1 , 202 - 2 , 202 - 3 , 202 - 4 may be positioned to sense lung vibrations or sounds (e.g., one or more vibration sensors may be positioned closer to a user's lungs).
- the vibration sensors 202 - 1 , 202 - 2 , 202 - 3 , 202 - 4 may all have the same configuration, and may simply be placed closer to, or farther from, different portions of a user's torso. In other embodiments, different vibration sensors may be longer, wider, or differently shaped, to improve their sensitivity to particular types of vibration, or to improve their sensitivity to vibrations originating from particular regions of a user's torso.
- the vibration sensors described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 can be used to differentially sense various types of biological sounds.
- the sensing of biological sounds using differential sensing can enable the sensing of sounds having a frequency bandwidth that includes (e.g., intersects or crosses) an alternating current (AC) line frequency, or sounds on both sides of an AC line frequency (e.g., low-frequency vibrations and higher frequency audible sounds).
- AC alternating current
- the biological vibrations sensed by the vibration sensors described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 may include vibrations or sounds that propagate through a person and/or other objects that are directly or indirectly in contact with the vibration sensors. In this manner, ambient sounds may not be sensed, as might be the case with a typical diaphragm-type microphone included in a smartphone or electronic watch.
- FIG. 3 shows examples of some different types of biological vibrations that can be sensed by the vibration sensors described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , and the approximate frequency ranges of such vibrations.
- a first set of biological vibrations that can be sensed are heart vibrations or sounds.
- Heart vibrations and sounds include, for example, BCG/SCG vibrations and sounds 300 extending from about 5 Hz-50 Hz; S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , and S 4 heart sounds 302 extending from about 25 Hz-250 Hz; and heart murmurs 304 (including different types of heart murmurs) extending from about 100 Hz-1 kilohertz (kHz).
- Both the BCG/SCG vibrations and sounds and S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , and S 4 heart sounds may have frequency bandwidths that intersect or cross an AC line frequency (e.g., 50/60 Hz).
- a differential sensor can subtract out the AC line frequency during signal amplification, as discussed with reference to FIG. 7 .
- a second set of biological vibrations that can be sensed are lung vibrations or sounds.
- Lung vibrations and sounds include, for example, normal lung sounds, wheeze sounds, crackle sounds, and cough sounds, which generally have frequency bandwidths above AC line frequencies, and respiration vibrations, which generally have frequency bandwidths below AC line frequencies.
- Normal lung sounds 306 e.g., vesicular sounds
- wheeze sounds 308 may generally extend from about 100 Hz-5 kHz
- crackle sounds 310 may generally extend from about 300 Hz-700 Hz
- cough sounds 312 may generally extend from about 275 Hz-600 Hz.
- Respiration vibrations (e.g., inspiration and expiration vibrations) 314 are generally in the 1 Hz-2 Hz range, and are typically not audible to the human ear.
- a third set of biological vibrations that can be sensed are nasal vibrations or sounds.
- Nasal vibrations and sounds include, for example, snore sounds.
- Snore sounds 316 may generally extend from about 130 Hz-1250 Hz.
- a type of biological vibration that is sensed by a differential sensor can be distinguished by virtue of the frequency bandwidth in which it resides.
- biological vibration types can be distinguished by their vibration patterns; by a combination of their frequency bandwidth and vibration pattern; or using alternative or additional parameters (e.g., peak-to-peak timings, peak-to-peak intensities, and so on).
- FIG. 4 shows examples vibration patterns 400 for BCG/SCG vibrations; S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , and S 4 heart sounds; heart murmurs; normal lung sounds; wheeze sounds; and crackle sounds.
- the vibration patterns for the different biological sound types typically vary, and sometimes substantially.
- FIG. 5 shows an example embodiment of various components included in the sensor system described with reference to FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 5 shows examples of the vibration sensor 110 , electrical interconnect 108 , and processing circuitry 114 .
- the vibration sensor 110 may include a sensor stack 500 (e.g., a plurality of elements or layers, such as a plurality of planar elements or layers, stacked one on top of the other).
- the sensor stack 500 may include a piezoelectric material 502 (e.g., a piezoelectric element).
- the piezoelectric material 502 may include a polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) material, such as a PVDF film, a PVDF-copolymer, a PVDF/poly-L-lactide (PLLA) blend, and so on.
- PVDF polyvinylidene difluoride
- the piezoelectric material 502 may alternatively include a PLLA material or other material.
- the piezoelectric material 502 may have first and second opposing sides 504 - 1 , 504 - 2 and surfaces that extend in a plane perpendicular to the stack 500 .
- a first electrode 506 - 1 (e.g., a positive electrode) may be connected to the first side 504 - 1 or surface of the piezoelectric material 502
- a second electrode 506 - 2 (e.g., a negative electrode) may be connected to the second side 506 - 2 or surface of the piezoelectric material 502
- the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 may terminate at a sensor interface 508 that passively outputs a pair of signals obtained from the piezoelectric material 502 by the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 .
- the electrical interconnect 108 may be permanently or detachably connected to the sensor interface 508 .
- the sensor stack 500 may further include a first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 (e.g., a first ground layer) disposed on the first side 504 - 1 of the piezoelectric material 502 .
- the first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 may be electrically insulated from both the piezoelectric material 502 and the first electrode 506 - 1 , with the first electrode 506 - 1 disposed between the piezoelectric material 502 and the first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 .
- the sensor stack 500 may also include a second electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 2 (e.g., a second ground layer) disposed on the second side 504 - 2 of the piezoelectric material 502 .
- the second electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 2 may be electrically insulated from both the piezoelectric material 502 and the second electrode 506 - 2 , with the second electrode 506 - 2 disposed between the piezoelectric material 502 and the second electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 2 .
- a first thermoplastic polymer resin 512 - 1 e.g., a first layer of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or biaxially-oriented PET (BoPET)
- a second thermoplastic polymer resin 512 - 2 e.g., a second layer of PET or BoPET
- a first thermoplastic polymer resin 512 - 1 e.g., a first layer of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or biaxially-oriented PET (BoPET)
- PET polyethylene terephthalate
- BoPET biaxially-oriented PET
- the outermost or exterior layers (and in some cases sides) of the stack 500 may include a third thermoplastic polymer resin 514 - 1 (e.g., a third layer of PET or BoPET) disposed on or over the first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 , and a fourth thermoplastic polymer resin 514 - 2 (e.g., a fourth layer of PET or BoPET) disposed on or over the second electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 2 .
- the third and fourth thermoplastic polymer resins 514 - 1 , 514 - 2 may be considered first and second non-conductive stack covers for the vibration sensor 110 .
- the electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may be the outermost or exterior layers of the stack 500 , or the first and second thermoplastic polymer resins 512 - 1 , 512 - 2 may be the outermost or exterior layers of the stack 500 .
- the first and second thermoplastic polymer resins 512 - 1 , 512 - 2 may be coupled to the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 using a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) (e.g., a PSA deposited on each of the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 , or on each of the first and second thermoplastic polymer resins 512 - 1 , 512 - 2 , and/or between corresponding ones of the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and first and second thermoplastic polymer resins 512 - 1 , 512 - 2 ).
- PSA pressure-sensitive adhesive
- the third and fourth thermoplastic polymer resins 514 - 1 , 514 - 2 may be coupled to the first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 using a PSA (e.g., the same type of PSA used to couple the first and second thermoplastic polymer resins 512 - 1 , 512 - 2 to the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 , or a different type of PSA), which PSA may be deposited on each of the first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 , or on each of the third and fourth thermoplastic polymer resins 514 - 1 , 514 - 2 , and/or between corresponding ones of the first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 and third and fourth thermoplastic polymer resins 514 - 1 , 514 - 2 ).
- a PSA e.g., the same type of PSA used to couple the first and
- thermoplastic polymer resins 512 - 1 , 512 - 2 , 514 - 1 , 514 - 2 may alternatively be replaced with a different type of electrical insulator.
- the elements or layers stacked on either side of the piezoelectric material 502 may be symmetric or nearly symmetric on opposite sides 504 - 1 , 504 - 2 of the piezoelectric material 502 (e.g., the silhouettes of corresponding elements or layers may have a symmetric projection over 90% or more of their circumference).
- the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 may be symmetric or nearly symmetric
- the electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may be symmetric or nearly symmetric
- the thermoplastic polymer resins 512 - 1 , 512 - 2 may be symmetric or nearly symmetric
- the thermoplastic polymer resins 514 - 1 , 514 - 2 may be symmetric or nearly symmetric
- the electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may have surface areas that are greater than the surface areas of the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 .
- the electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may completely cover the surface areas of the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 . In some embodiments, the electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may cover most of the surface areas of the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 , but nonetheless have surface areas that are greater than the surface areas of the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 . This helps to mitigate or eliminate the inducement of common mode noise in the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 .
- the electrical interconnect 108 may mechanically and electrically connect to the sensor interface 508 , and may include first and second conductors 516 - 1 , 516 - 2 that connect to the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 at or via the sensor interface 508 .
- the first and second conductors 516 - 1 , 516 - 2 may be surrounded by insulation, and may be twisted to form a twisted pair within the electrical interconnect 108 .
- the first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may be connected to each other and to an electromagnetic noise shield 518 (e.g., a metal or conductive sheath) that surrounds the first and second conductors 516 - 1 , 516 - 2 , thereby forming a shielded twisted pair (STP).
- the electromagnetic noise shield 518 may be surrounded by a non-conductive sheath (not shown).
- the first and second conductors 516 - 1 , 516 - 2 may be routed on a substrate as conductive traces, with a noise shield being formed by conductive traces or planes coupled to the first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 .
- the processing circuitry 114 may include components that form part of an analog front end (AFE) and/or data acquisition (DAQ) circuit.
- the processing circuitry 114 may include a differential amplifier 520 , a differential analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 522 , a communications interface 524 , a processor 526 , and/or other circuitry.
- the differential amplifier 520 may be connected to the first and second conductors 516 - 1 , 516 - 2 of the electrical interconnect 108 .
- the first and second conductors 516 - 1 , 516 - 2 may be electrically connected to input nodes or terminals of the differential amplifier 520 .
- the differential amplifier 520 may provide amplified differential output 528 (e.g., an amplification of the pair of signals obtained from the piezoelectric material 502 ).
- the differential output may include biological vibrations sensed by the piezoelectric material 502 .
- the differential output may have a frequency bandwidth that includes (e.g., intersects or crosses) an AC line frequency.
- the differential amplifier 520 may be a differential charge amplifier. In other embodiments, the differential amplifier 520 may be a transimpedance amplifier (TIA). When using a TIA, the piezoelectric material 502 may be considered a current source instead of a charge source. A TIA may provide a flatter response over a greater range of frequencies than a differential charge amplifier (i.e., a TIA may provide satisfactory amplification over a greater frequency bandwidth).
- TIA transimpedance amplifier
- the differential ADC 522 may be configured to digitize the differential output of the differential amplifier 520 .
- the differential ADC 522 may combine (subtract) the differential signals or differential output of the differential amplifier 520 .
- the digitized differential output may be stored in an optional memory on-board the processing module 106 and/or transmitted (e.g., streamed) to another device via the communications interface 524 .
- the communications interface 524 may include a Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth interface.
- An optional processor 526 or other circuitry may control operation of the differential amplifier 520 , differential ADC 522 , communications interface 524 , memory, and/or other components of the processing module 106 .
- the processor 526 of the processing circuitry 114 may identify at least a first vibration included in the digitized differential output of the differential ADC 522 .
- the same or a different processor may then pattern match the first vibration to any of a number of known biological vibrations, including, for example, any of the biological vibrations described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 .
- FIG. 6 illustrates how measured vibrations, including biological vibrations, may be amplified by the processing circuitry described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 5 , while an AC line frequency or other background noise may be canceled by the processing circuitry.
- a first graph 600 shows how AC line noise may be sensed by a differential piezoelectric sensor, such as one of the vibration sensors described with reference to FIG. 1, 2 , or 5 .
- first and second electrodes of the vibration sensor may sense the AC line noise in-phase, such that a subtraction of one signal from the other results in no signal or a direct current (DC) signal being output from a differential ADC, as shown in a second graph 610 .
- DC direct current
- a third graph 620 shows how a vibration (e.g., a biological vibration) may be measured or sensed by the same differential piezoelectric sensor. As shown, the first and second electrodes may sense the vibration out-of-phase, such that a subtraction of one electrode's signal from the other results in an amplified signal being output from the differential ADC, as shown in a third graph 630 .
- a vibration e.g., a biological vibration
- FIG. 7A shows, in exploded form, an example more detailed cross-section of the sensor stack described with reference to FIG. 5 . Like components are therefore referred to by like reference numerals in FIGS. 5 and 7A .
- FIG. 7B shows the cross-section of FIG. 7A in assembled form.
- the sensor stack 700 includes a piezoelectric material 502 ; first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 connected to opposite sides 504 - 1 , 504 - 2 of the piezoelectric material 502 ; first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 ; and first, second, third, and fourth thermoplastic polymer resins 512 - 1 , 512 - 2 , 514 - 1 , 514 - 2 .
- the sensor stack 700 also includes various PSAs.
- a first PSA 702 - 1 may be disposed on the first electrode 506 - 1 , or between the first electrode 506 - 1 and the first thermoplastic polymer resin 512 - 1 .
- the first thermoplastic polymer resin 512 - 1 may be disposed on the first PSA 702 - 1 , and may be coupled to the first electrode 506 - 1 (and in some areas, to the piezoelectric material 502 ) by the first PSA 702 - 1 .
- a second PSA 702 - 2 may be disposed on the second electrode 506 - 2 , or between the second electrode 506 - 2 and the second thermoplastic polymer resin 512 - 2 .
- the second thermoplastic polymer resin 512 - 2 may be disposed on the second PSA 702 - 2 , and may be coupled to the second electrode 506 - 2 (and in some areas, to the piezoelectric material 502 ) by the second PSA 702 - 2 .
- a third PSA 702 - 3 may be disposed on the first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 , or between the first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 and the third thermoplastic polymer resin 514 - 1 .
- the third thermoplastic polymer resin 514 - 1 may be disposed on the third PSA 702 - 3 , and may be coupled to the first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 (and in some areas, to the first thermoplastic polymer resin 512 - 1 ) by the third PSA 702 - 3 .
- a fourth PSA 702 - 4 may be disposed on the second electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 2 , or between the second electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 2 and the fourth thermoplastic polymer resin 514 - 2 .
- the fourth thermoplastic polymer resin 514 - 2 may be disposed on the fourth PSA 702 - 4 , and may be coupled to the second electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 2 (and in some areas, to the second thermoplastic polymer resin 512 - 2 ) by the fourth PSA 702 - 4 .
- the third thermoplastic polymer resin 514 - 1 and third PSA 702 - 3 may be combined, and/or the fourth thermoplastic polymer resin 514 - 2 and fourth PSA 702 - 4 may be combined.
- the various conductive elements of the sensor stack 700 may have different widths. They may also have different lengths.
- the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 may have widths and/or lengths that are narrower than those of the electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 , so that the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 are better shielded by the electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 .
- the electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may have widths and/or lengths that are the same as those of the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 .
- FIG. 7C shows an example of the sensor interface described with reference to FIG. 5 , in the context of the sensor stack described with reference to FIGS. 7A-7B .
- the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 are shown adjacent to one another in the plan view 710 , the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may be stacked as shown in FIG. 7A and the plan view 712 .
- the second electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 2 is not illustrated because it is stacked directly under the first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 .
- each of the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 are re-routed (to the left or to the right), so that the signals they carry are also routed to the left and right, and so that the conductors of an electrical interconnect may be soldered or otherwise connected to the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 .
- the electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may extend between the re-routed electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 , and may widen to extend over portions of the re-routed electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 .
- the symmetry of the sensor interface 714 can help maintain the differential integrity of the signals carried on the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 .
- the end portions of the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and/or electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may be raised or lowered to a common plane, using vias or other conductive transitions.
- the common plane may be variously defined by the first or second thermoplastic polymer resin 512 - 1 , 512 - 2 , a flex circuit, a printed circuit board (PCB), or other non-conductive element.
- FIG. 8A shows, in exploded form, an example more detailed cross-section of the sensor stack described with reference to FIG. 7A .
- Like components are therefore referred to by like reference numerals in FIGS. 7A and 8A .
- the sensor stack 800 includes all of the elements described with reference to FIG. 7A . However, the sensor stack 800 also includes a capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 .
- the capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 may be disposed in a same layer of the sensor stack 800 as the first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 , but may be electrically insulated from the first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 .
- the sensor stack 800 also includes a third electromagnetic noise shield 804 , which may be positioned between the piezoelectric material 502 and capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 (or more specifically, between the piezoelectric material 502 and the first PSA 702 - 1 ).
- the third electromagnetic noise shield 804 may be electrically insulated from the piezoelectric material 502 and the capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 .
- the first and third electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 804 provide at least some noise mitigation between the piezoelectric material 502 and the capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 , and at least some noise mitigation between the electrode 506 - 1 and the capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 .
- a self-capacitance of the electrode 802 may be sensed to determine whether a user's finger, torso, or other body part is proximate to the exterior surface of the third thermoplastic polymer resin 514 - 1 . In some embodiments, a determination that a user is proximate to the capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 can be used to enable the differential amplifier 520 and downstream circuitry described with reference to FIG. 5 .
- FIGS. 8B-8D show various examples of the sensor interface described with reference to FIG. 5 , in the context of the sensor stack described with reference to FIG. 8A .
- the sensor interfaces described with reference to FIGS. 8B-8D passively output a touch indication obtained from the capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 , in addition to a pair of signals obtained from the piezoelectric material by the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 .
- FIG. 8B shows a non-stacked, plan view 810 of the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 .
- the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 are shown adjacent to one another in the plan view 810 , the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may be stacked as shown in FIG. 8A and the plan view 812 .
- the second electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 2 is not illustrated because it is stacked directly under the first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 .
- each of the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 are re-routed (to the left or to the right), so that the signals they carry are also routed to the left and right, and so that the conductors of an electrical interconnect may be soldered or otherwise connected to the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 .
- the electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may extend between the re-routed electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 .
- the capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 and its electromagnetic noise shield 804 may also extend into the sensor interface 814 , with the electromagnetic noise shield 804 positioned between the second electrode 506 - 2 and the capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 (at least in the plan view 812 ). In this manner, each of the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 , 802 is separated from adjacent electrodes by an electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 , or 804 .
- the stacked portions of the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may be shifted off-center from the end portions of these elements, so that the majority of the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 are farther away from the capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 and its electromagnetic noise shield 804 . This can reduce interference between the sound (vibratory and audio) and touch sensors included in the sensor stack 800 .
- the end portions of the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 , 802 and/or electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 , 804 may be raised or lowered to a common plane, using vias or other conductive transitions.
- the common plane may be variously defined by the first or second thermoplastic polymer resin 512 - 1 , 512 - 2 , a flex circuit, a PCB, or other non-conductive element.
- FIG. 8C shows a non-stacked, plan view 820 of the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 .
- the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 are shown adjacent to one another in the plan view 820 , the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may be stacked as shown in FIG. 8A and the plan view 822 .
- the second electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 2 is not illustrated because it is stacked directly under the first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 .
- each of the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 are re-routed to one side of the electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 , so that the signals they carry are also routed to one side of the electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 , and so that the conductors of an electrical interconnect may be soldered or otherwise connected to the first and second electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 .
- the electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may extend adjacent the re-routed electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 .
- the capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 and its electromagnetic noise shield 804 may also extend into the sensor interface 824 , and may be routed as described with reference to FIG. 8B .
- the electrodes 506 - 1 and 506 - 2 may be bordered by electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 , and 804 , and the capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 may be separated from the other electrodes by the electromagnetic noise shield 804 .
- the end portions of the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 , 802 and/or electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 , 804 may be raised or lowered to a common plane, using vias or other conductive transitions.
- the common plane may be variously defined by the first or second thermoplastic polymer resin 512 - 1 , 512 - 2 , a flex circuit, a PCB, or other non-conductive element.
- FIG. 8D shows a non-stacked, plan view 830 of the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 .
- the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 are shown adjacent to one another in the plan view 830 , the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 and electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may be stacked as shown in FIG. 8A and the plan view 832 .
- the second electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 2 is not illustrated because it is stacked directly under the first electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 .
- the second electrode 506 - 2 is re-routed to one side of the first electrode 506 - 1 , and each of the first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 is re-routed to extend adjacent and between end portions of the first electrode 506 - 1 and the re-routed second electrode 506 - 2 .
- the electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 may also be routed to extend over the transverse portion of the second electrode 506 - 2 .
- the capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 and its electromagnetic noise shield 804 may also extend into the sensor interface 834 , and may be routed as described with reference to FIG. 8B . In this manner, each of the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 , 802 is separated from adjacent electrodes by an electromagnetic noise shield 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 , or 804 .
- the end portions of the electrodes 506 - 1 , 506 - 2 , 802 and/or electromagnetic noise shields 510 - 1 , 510 - 2 , 804 may be raised or lowered to a common plane, using vias or other conductive transitions.
- the common plane may be variously defined by the first or second thermoplastic polymer resin 512 - 1 , 512 - 2 , a flex circuit, a PCB, or other non-conductive element.
- thermoplastic polymer resins could be formed as a layer of PET or BoPET.
- the thermoplastic polymer resins may take other forms, or the thermoplastic polymer resins may be replaced by other materials.
- Some suitable materials include polyurethane (PU) or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) substrates.
- the PU or TPU substrates may be selected to have relatively less hysteresis and relatively elastic strain when undergoing deformation or strain cycling.
- the substrates may be or include shape memory polymer (SMP) substrates (i.e., PU substrates having properties such as good shape recovery, shape retention, and shock absorption over a wide temperature range of interest).
- SMP shape memory polymer
- One useful SMP is poly(urethane-oxazolidone) (PUO, also known as oxazolidone-modified PU), which has a relatively linear E g /E r ratio over a wide temperature range, where E g is a glassy state modulus of the PUO, and E r is a rubber modulus of the PUO.
- E g is a glassy state modulus of the PUO
- E r is a rubber modulus of the PUO.
- the E g /E r ratio and shape recovery of a PUO substrate are generally proportional to the PUO's oxazolidone content.
- the various electrodes described herein may include silver (Ag), and in some cases may be or include silver/silver sulfate or silver/silver chloride electrodes.
- the electrodes may also or alternatively include copper (copper/copper sulfate, copper nickel), mercury (calomel), aluminum, gold (AgNW), or other materials.
- the electromagnetic noise shields described herein may be formed using the same materials used to form the electrodes, or different materials.
- an electromagnetic noise shield may include silver (Ag) printed on a thermoplastic polymer resin, PU, TPU, SMP, and/or PUO substrate.
- an electromagnetic noise shield may include aluminum (Al) and/or copper (Cu), and/or another metal, sputtered on a thermoplastic polymer resin, PU, TPU, SMP, and/or PUO substrate.
- An electromagnetic noise shield may also be provided by a conductive fabric.
- thermoplastic polymer resins, electrodes, and electromagnetic noise shields may be selected to have characteristics such as great flexibility, and resilience to fatigue, during repeated use of a device.
- FIG. 9 illustrates a method 900 of monitoring biological vibrations of a user.
- the method 900 may be performed using a vibration sensor, vibration sensor module, or sensor stack described with reference to FIG. 1, 2, 5, 7A , or 8 A, and the processing module or other device described with reference to FIG. 1 or 5 .
- the method 900 may include receiving a pair of signals from a pair of electrodes connected to opposite sides of a piezoelectric element, as further described herein.
- the method 900 may include differentially amplifying the pair of signals to generate a differential output, as further described herein.
- the differential amplification may be performed using a differential charge amplifier or a TIA.
- the method 900 may include identifying a type of biological vibration included in the differential output, as further described herein.
- the biological vibration may be any of the biological vibrations described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 , or some other biological vibration.
- the method 900 may include outputting an indicator of the type of biological vibration.
- the indicator may be a text alert presented on a display screen, or a haptic or audible notification that a user needs to review further details of the biological vibration or discuss the biological vibration with their doctor.
- the vibration sensors described herein may be used to opportunistically monitor a user's heart rhythm, by sensing basic heart vibrations (S 1 and S 2 heart sounds) and/or BCG/SCG vibrations.
- An irregular rhythm may be detected by pattern matching S 1 /S 2 and/or BCG/SCG heart vibrations to known (possibly learned) arrhythmia vibration patterns.
- the vibration sensors described herein may be used to classify a user's heart rhythm (e.g., as regular (a sinus rhythm (SR)), irregular (e.g., atrial fibrillation detected, etc.), or inconclusive).
- a sinus rhythm e.g., as regular (a sinus rhythm (SR)
- irregular e.g., atrial fibrillation detected, etc.
- inconclusive e.g., as regular (a sinus rhythm (SR)
- SR sinus rhythm
- irregular e.g., atrial fibrillation detected, etc.
- the vibration sensors described herein may be used to generate a report of a user's heart rate variability (HRV).
- HRV heart rate variability
- the vibration sensors described herein may be used to monitor symptoms associated with asthma (e.g., coughs, wheezes, or nighttime awakenings) and generate, for example, a nightly index, trends by week, month, or other time period, and so on.
- symptoms associated with asthma e.g., coughs, wheezes, or nighttime awakenings
- incidences of a particular biological vibration or event may be counted. For example, a number of cough sounds, wheeze sounds, or snoring episodes may be counted by a processor or other circuit as a user sleeps.
- one aspect of the present technology is the gathering and use of data available from various sources, including data that may be indicative of a user's biological vibrations or sounds, and/or data that may identify the person from which such biological vibrations or sounds were obtained.
- this gathered data may include personal information data that uniquely identifies a user or can be used to identify, diagnose, classify, locate, or contact a specific person.
- personal information data can include demographic data, location-based data, telephone numbers, email addresses, home addresses, data or records relating to a user's health or level of fitness (e.g., vital sign measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, or any other identifying or personal information.
- the present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information data, in the present technology, can be used to the benefit of users.
- the personal information data can be used to activate or deactivate various functions of a user's device, or gather health, medical, or fitness information that may be used to diagnose or assist the user.
- other uses for personal information data that benefit the user are contemplated by the present disclosure.
- health, medical, and fitness data may be used to provide insights into a user's general wellness, or may be used as positive feedback to individuals using technology to pursue wellness goals.
- the present disclosure contemplates that the entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transfer, storage, or other use of such personal information data will comply with well-established privacy policies and/or privacy practices.
- such entities should implement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining personal information data private and secure.
- Such policies should be easily accessible by users, and should be updated as the collection and/or use of data changes.
- Personal information from users should be collected for legitimate and reasonable uses of the entity and not shared or sold outside of those legitimate uses. Further, such collection/sharing should occur after receiving the informed consent of the users. Additionally, such entities should consider taking any needed steps for safeguarding and securing access to such personal information data and ensuring that others with access to the personal information data adhere to their privacy policies and procedures.
- policies and practices should be adapted for the particular types of personal information data being collected and/or accessed and adapted to applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations. For instance, in the US, collection of or access to certain health data may be governed by federal and/or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); whereas health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly. Hence different privacy practices should be maintained for different personal data types in each country.
- HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
- the present disclosure also contemplates embodiments in which users selectively block the use of, or access to, personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware and/or software elements can be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data.
- the present technology can be configured to allow users to select to “opt in” or “opt out” of participation in the collection of personal information data during registration for services or anytime thereafter.
- users can select not to provide health, medical, or fitness data to targeted content delivery services.
- users can select to limit the length of time personal information data is maintained or entirely prohibit the development of a diagnosis based on such personal information data.
- the present disclosure contemplates providing notifications relating to the access or use of personal information. For instance, a user may be notified upon downloading an app that their personal information data will be accessed and then reminded again just before personal information data is accessed by the app.
- personal information data should be managed and handled in a way to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Risk can be minimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting data once it is no longer needed.
- data de-identification can be used to protect a user's privacy. De-identification may be facilitated, when appropriate, by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of data stored (e.g., collecting location data at a city level rather than at an address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data across users), and/or other methods.
- the present disclosure broadly covers use of personal information data to implement one or more various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that the various embodiments can also be implemented without the need for accessing such personal information data. That is, the various embodiments of the present technology are not rendered inoperable due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data.
- content can be selected and delivered to users by inferring preferences based on non-personal information data or a bare minimum amount of personal information, such as the content being requested by the device associated with a user, other non-personal information available to the content delivery services, or publicly available information.
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Surgery (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
- Biomedical Technology (AREA)
- Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
- Medical Informatics (AREA)
- Molecular Biology (AREA)
- Pathology (AREA)
- Biophysics (AREA)
- Physiology (AREA)
- Cardiology (AREA)
- Pulmonology (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (AREA)
- Anesthesiology (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Dentistry (AREA)
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
- Psychiatry (AREA)
- Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
- Artificial Intelligence (AREA)
- Measurement Of The Respiration, Hearing Ability, Form, And Blood Characteristics Of Living Organisms (AREA)
- Measuring Pulse, Heart Rate, Blood Pressure Or Blood Flow (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- This application is a nonprovisional of and claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/885,028, filed Aug. 9, 2019, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/891,195, filed Aug. 23, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference as if fully disclosed herein.
- The described embodiments relate generally to an on-bed differential piezoelectric sensor, or to a sensor system including such a sensor. The sensor or sensor system can be used on a bed or elsewhere to sense vibrations, including sounds. The sensed vibrations or sounds may include biological vibrations or sounds made by a user, such as heart vibrations or sounds, lung vibrations or sounds, nasal vibrations or sounds, or digestive vibrations or sounds.
- A device such as a smartphone or electronic watch may include various health sensors. The health sensors may be capable of monitoring a user's heart rate, heart rhythm, steps taken, calories burned, and so on as the user carries the smartphone or wears the electronic watch during the day. However, at night, the user may place (or couple) the smartphone and electronic watch on (or to) one or more chargers. The user's nighttime health may therefore not be monitored, or may be monitored to a lesser extent than the user's daytime health. Although the user may place the smartphone on their bed or wear the electronic watch while sleeping, these options may not be comfortable or convenient, and may interfere with charging these devices.
- Embodiments of the systems, devices, methods, and apparatus described in the present disclosure are directed to sensors and sensor systems for differentially sensing vibrations, such as biological vibrations or sounds made by a user. Biological vibrations and sounds include, for example, heart vibrations or sounds, lung vibrations or sounds, nasal vibrations or sounds, and digestive vibrations or sounds. Vibrations and sounds are collectively referred to herein as vibrations, and may include audible sounds (e.g., sounds heard by a person) and inaudible sounds (e.g., sounds experienced as vibrations and not heard by a person, or sounds heard or sensed by a device configured to listen or monitor for such sounds). In some embodiments, a sensor may be placed on a user's bed, or otherwise positioned on or near the user's torso. The sensor may include a piezoelectric material or element having electrodes connected to opposite sides thereof. Vibration-induced waveforms (e.g., waveforms associated with biological vibrations or sounds) may impinge on the piezoelectric material and impart forces on the piezoelectric material, which forces cause the piezoelectric material to change shape and vibrate. The electrodes connected to the piezoelectric material may differentially sense these vibrations (i.e., the electrodes may produce out-of-phase signals in response to the vibrations, as a result of the electrodes being connected to opposite sides of the piezoelectric material). When the signals generated by the electrodes are differentially amplified and subtracted, the out-of-phase signals combine to produce an amplified waveform (e.g., an amplified vibratory or audio output). In contrast, electromagnetic noise sensed by the electrodes (e.g., AC line noise) may induce in-phase signals that combine with out-of-phase signals. However, when the signals generated by the electrodes are differentially amplified and subtracted, the in-phase noise signals cancel out, leaving only an amplified signal (e.g., an amplified vibratory or audio output).
- In a first aspect, the present disclosure describes a sensor system that includes a sensor stack, a differential amplifier, an analog-to-differential converter, and a processor. The sensor stack may include a piezoelectric material having a first side opposing a second side, a first electrode connected to the first side, and a second electrode connected to the second side. The differential amplifier may be coupled to the first and second electrodes and be configured to generate a differential output indicative of vibrations sensed by the piezoelectric material. The analog-to-differential converter may be configured to digitize the differential output. The processor may be configured to identify a type of biological vibration included in the digitized differential output.
- In another aspect, the present disclosure describes a sensor system that includes a sensor, an electrical interconnect, and a differential amplifier. The sensor may include a piezoelectric element, and first and second electrodes that are respectively connected to first and second opposing surfaces of the piezoelectric element. The electrical interconnect may include first and second conductors, respectively connected (or connectable) to the first and second electrodes. The differential amplifier may be connected (or connectable) to the first and second conductors and provide a differential output indicative of vibrations sensed by the piezoelectric element.
- In another aspect of the disclosure, the present disclosure describes a method of monitoring biological vibrations of a user. The method may include receiving a pair of signals from a pair of electrodes connected to opposite sides of a piezoelectric element; differentially amplifying the pair of signals to generate a differential output; identifying a type of biological vibration included in the differential output; and outputting an indicator of the type of biological vibration.
- In addition to the aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following description.
- The disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:
-
FIG. 1 shows an example of a sensor system that may be used to sense biological vibrations; -
FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the vibration sensor described with reference toFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 shows examples of some different types of biological vibrations that can be sensed by the vibration sensors described with reference toFIG. 1 or 2 , and the approximate frequency ranges of such vibrations; -
FIG. 4 shows example vibration patterns for ballistocardiography (BCG)/seismocardiography (SCG) vibrations or sounds; S1, S2, S3, and S4 heart sounds; heart murmurs; normal lung sounds; wheeze sounds; crackle sounds; snore sounds; cough sounds; and respiration sounds; -
FIG. 5 shows an example embodiment of various components included in the sensor system described with reference toFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 6 illustrates how measured vibrations, including biological vibrations, may be amplified by the processing circuitry described with reference toFIGS. 1 and 5 , while an AC line frequency or other background noise may be canceled by the processing circuitry; -
FIG. 7A shows, in exploded form, an example more detailed cross-section of the sensor stack described with reference toFIG. 5 ; -
FIG. 7B shows the cross-section ofFIG. 7A in assembled form; -
FIG. 7C shows, in exploded form, an example of the sensor interface described with reference toFIG. 5 , in the context of the sensor stack described with reference toFIG. 7A ; -
FIG. 8A shows an example more detailed cross-section of the sensor stack described with reference toFIG. 7A ; -
FIGS. 8B-8D show various examples of the sensor interface described with reference toFIG. 5 , in the context of the sensor stack described with reference toFIG. 8A ; and -
FIG. 9 illustrates a method of monitoring biological vibrations of a user. - The use of cross-hatching or shading in the accompanying figures is generally provided to clarify the boundaries between adjacent elements and also to facilitate legibility of the figures. Accordingly, neither the presence nor the absence of cross-hatching or shading conveys or indicates any preference or requirement for particular materials, material properties, element proportions, element dimensions, commonalities of similarly illustrated elements, or any other characteristic, attribute, or property for any element illustrated in the accompanying figures.
- Additionally, it should be understood that the proportions and dimensions (either relative or absolute) of the various features and elements (and collections and groupings thereof) and the boundaries, separations, and positional relationships presented therebetween, are provided in the accompanying figures merely to facilitate an understanding of the various embodiments described herein and, accordingly, may not necessarily be presented or illustrated to scale, and are not intended to indicate any preference or requirement for an illustrated embodiment to the exclusion of embodiments described with reference thereto.
- Reference will now be made in detail to representative embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description is not intended to limit the embodiments to one preferred embodiment. To the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by the appended claims.
- Described herein are techniques that enable the high-fidelity collection of biological vibrations, such as heart vibrations or sounds, lung vibrations or sounds, nasal vibrations or sounds, or digestive vibrations or sounds. The collection of chest cavity vibrations, in particular, such as heart and lung vibrations or sounds, typically requires a sensing bandwidth of at least 500 Hertz (Hz). Unfortunately, the bandwidth includes typical AC line frequencies, which are in the range of 50/60 Hz, and which can have second harmonics in the range of 100/120 Hz (e.g., due to rectification of the AC line frequencies in power supplies). To provide high-fidelity sensing of chest cavity vibrations (and/or other biological vibrations), while mitigating the effects of line noise interference, the techniques described herein employ differential sensing. Differential sensing is useful in that it produces out-of-phase signals corresponding to mechanical vibrations, such as biological vibrations, and the out-of-phase signals constructively interfere and amplify mechanical vibrations (e.g., biological vibrations) when subtracted. In contrast, electromagnetic noise (e.g., AC line noise) that may interfere with the sensing process produces in-phase signals (i.e., common mode signals). When subtracted, the in-phase signals cancel out (through destructive interference), leaving an amplified output corresponding to the sensed mechanical vibrations.
- These and other techniques are described with reference to
FIGS. 1-9 . However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. - Directional terminology, such as “top”, “bottom”, “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “back”, “over”, “under”, “left”, “right”, etc. is used with reference to the orientation of some of the components in some of the figures described below. Because components in various embodiments can be positioned in a number of different orientations, directional terminology is used for purposes of illustration only and is in no way limiting. The directional terminology is intended to be construed broadly, and therefore should not be interpreted to preclude components being oriented in different ways. The use of alternative terminology, such as “or”, is intended to indicate different combinations of the alternative elements. For example, A or B is intended to include, A, or B, or A and B.
-
FIG. 1 shows an example of asensor system 100. Thesensor system 100 may be used to sense biological vibrations (e.g., chest cavity vibrations or sounds, nasal cavity vibrations or sounds, abdominal cavity vibrations or sounds, and so on) made by a person laying on abed 102, a couch, an examination table, or the like. Alternatively, thesensor system 100 may be used by a person sitting in a chair, or by a person who has attached part or all of the sensor system 100 (e.g., the sensor package 104) to their torso, or to an object in contact with their torso. In addition to biological vibrations, thesensor system 100 may sense other mechanical vibrations. - In some embodiments, the
sensor system 100 may include avibration sensor 110 that is coupled toprocessing circuitry 114 by anelectrical interconnect 108. In some embodiments, thevibration sensor 110 may be housed in asensor package 104, theprocessing circuitry 114 may be housed in a processing module 106 (e.g., a separate physical package, such as a dongle), and theelectrical interconnect 108 may take the form of an electrical cord or cable that connects thevibration sensor 110 to theprocessor 114. Alternatively, theelectrical interconnect 108 may take the form of wires, conductive traces, or other conductive elements, which conductive elements may be routed within one or more connectors, on one or more substrates (e.g., on or in a printed circuit board (PCB) or integrated circuit (IC)), or on or within thevibration sensor 110. In some embodiments, thevibration sensor 110,electrical interconnect 108, andprocessing circuitry 114 may all be housed within thesensor package 104 and, in some of these embodiments, there may not be a separate housing for theprocessing circuitry 114 or electrical interconnect 108 (e.g., there may not be a physicallyseparate processing module 106 or electrical cord). - The
sensor package 104, including thevibration sensor 110, may be flexible, so that it is more or less unnoticeable to a person laying on thebed 102. Theelectrical interconnect 108 may also be flexible, and/or theprocessing circuitry 114 may be flexible (e.g., theprocessing circuitry 114 may be formed on or in a flexible substrate). In some embodiments, one or more of thevibration sensor 110,electrical interconnect 108,processing circuitry 114, orsensor package 104 may not be flexible. - The
processing circuitry 114 may receive and process signals received from the vibration sensor 110 (e.g., signals received via the electrical interconnect 108). For example, theprocessing circuitry 114 may amplify and digitize signals received from thevibration sensor 110. In some embodiments, theprocessing circuitry 114 may include a communications interface for communicating digitized signals or other information to another device 112 (e.g., a remote device), such as a smartphone or electronic watch. The communications interface may also receive from theother device 112. For example, the communications interface may receive instructions, control signals, settings, or queries from theother device 112. The communications interface may be wireless (e.g., a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth interface) or wired (e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) interface). In some cases, theprocessing circuitry 114 may include a processor (e.g., a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA)). The processor may control operation of other circuitry, such as the circuity that processes signals received from thevibration sensor 110, or the communications interface. In some cases, theprocessing circuitry 114 may additionally or alternatively include circuits that do not rise to the level of a processor. Theprocessing circuitry 114 may be housed separately from thevibration sensor 110, such as in aprocessing module 106. Alternatively, theprocessing circuitry 114 may be housed with thevibration sensor 110 in thesensor package 104, or components of theprocessing circuitry 114 may be distributed between different physical locations (e.g., a portion of theprocessing circuitry 114 may be housed with thevibration sensor 110 and a portion of theprocessing circuitry 114 may be housed in a separate processing module 106). In some cases, part or all of theprocessing circuitry 114 may be integrated with thevibration sensor 110 on a shared substrate. In some embodiments, components or functions of theprocessing circuitry 114 may be housed by, or provided by, theremote device 112, and theelectrical interconnect 108 may terminate at a connector that plugs into theremote device 112. Theelectrical interconnect 108 may also terminate at a connector that plugs into theprocessing module 106. - The
sensor package 104 may variously enclose thevibration sensor 110, and/or protect thevibration sensor 110 from dust, oil, moisture, or liquid spills, and/or electrically insulate thevibration sensor 110 from a user. In some embodiments, thesensor package 104 may be made of natural or synthetic cloth, plastic, or other materials, and may include a sealed or accessible pouch configured to hold thevibration sensor 110. In some cases, thesensor package 104 may be a pocket included in (or attachable to) a bed sheet, mattress, cushion, or seating surface. In some embodiments, thesensor package 104 may include a polymer, thermoplastic polymer, resin, or other material that is applied to, encapsulates, or is molded around thevibration sensor 110. In some embodiments, thesensor package 104 may include both an inner package (e.g., a material that is applied to, encapsulates, or is molded around the vibration sensor 110) and an outer package (e.g., a cloth or plastic sleeve or cover). When theelectrical interconnect 108 is packaged in an electrical cord, thesensor package 104 may have an opening through which the electrical cord may pass. When part or all of theprocessing circuitry 114 is separately housed in theprocessing module 106, theprocessing module 106 may be constructed similarly to, or different from, thesensor package 104. In some embodiments, theprocessing module 106 may take the form of a polymer (e.g., plastic) housing. -
FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the vibration sensor described with reference toFIG. 1 . In particular, thevibration sensor 200 shown inFIG. 2 includes a plurality of vibration sensors 202-1, 202-2, 202-3, 202-4, each of which may be configured similarly to thevibration sensor 100. The vibration sensors 202-1, 202-2, 202-3, 202-4 may be encapsulated in aflexible material 204 at predefined positions (e.g., in an array or other distribution pattern); held in different pockets of a sensor package (e.g., a sensor package having multiple pockets for the multiple vibration sensors 202-1, 202-2, 202-3, 202-4); or arbitrarily positioned on a bed or other surface by their user or an aide (e.g., a partner, caretaker, or nurse). In use, each vibration sensor 202-1, 202-2, 202-3, 202-4 may be positioned at a different location and/or oriented in a different direction with respect to a user's torso. - Each vibration sensor 202-1, 202-2, 202-3, 202-4 may be positioned or used to sense the same or different biological vibrations (e.g., chest cavity vibrations or sounds, nasal cavity vibrations or sounds, abdominal cavity vibrations or sounds, and so on). For example, two or more vibration sensors 202-1, 202-2, 202-3, 202-4 may be positioned to sense the same biological vibrations (e.g., lung vibrations or sounds), and their outputs may be compared or combined. Additionally or alternatively, and by way of example, one or more of the vibration sensors 202-1, 202-2, 202-3, 202-4 may be positioned to sense chest cavity vibrations or sounds (e.g., one or more vibration sensors may be positioned closer to a user's chest cavity), and one or more different vibration sensors 202-1, 202-2, 202-3, 202-4 may be positioned to sense abdominal cavity vibrations or sounds (e.g., one or more vibration sensors may be positioned closer to a user's abdomen). Or, for example, one or more vibration sensors 202-1, 202-2, 202-3, 202-4 may be positioned to sense heart vibrations or sounds (e.g., one or more vibration sensors may be positioned closer to a user's heart), and one or more other vibration sensors 202-1, 202-2, 202-3, 202-4 may be positioned to sense lung vibrations or sounds (e.g., one or more vibration sensors may be positioned closer to a user's lungs). In some embodiments, the vibration sensors 202-1, 202-2, 202-3, 202-4 may all have the same configuration, and may simply be placed closer to, or farther from, different portions of a user's torso. In other embodiments, different vibration sensors may be longer, wider, or differently shaped, to improve their sensitivity to particular types of vibration, or to improve their sensitivity to vibrations originating from particular regions of a user's torso.
- The vibration sensors described with reference to
FIGS. 1 and 2 can be used to differentially sense various types of biological sounds. As previously discussed, the sensing of biological sounds using differential sensing can enable the sensing of sounds having a frequency bandwidth that includes (e.g., intersects or crosses) an alternating current (AC) line frequency, or sounds on both sides of an AC line frequency (e.g., low-frequency vibrations and higher frequency audible sounds). - The biological vibrations sensed by the vibration sensors described with reference to
FIGS. 1 and 2 may include vibrations or sounds that propagate through a person and/or other objects that are directly or indirectly in contact with the vibration sensors. In this manner, ambient sounds may not be sensed, as might be the case with a typical diaphragm-type microphone included in a smartphone or electronic watch. -
FIG. 3 shows examples of some different types of biological vibrations that can be sensed by the vibration sensors described with reference toFIGS. 1 and 2 , and the approximate frequency ranges of such vibrations. - A first set of biological vibrations that can be sensed are heart vibrations or sounds. Heart vibrations and sounds include, for example, BCG/SCG vibrations and sounds 300 extending from about 5 Hz-50 Hz; S1, S2, S3, and S4 heart sounds 302 extending from about 25 Hz-250 Hz; and heart murmurs 304 (including different types of heart murmurs) extending from about 100 Hz-1 kilohertz (kHz). Both the BCG/SCG vibrations and sounds and S1, S2, S3, and S4 heart sounds may have frequency bandwidths that intersect or cross an AC line frequency (e.g., 50/60 Hz). A differential sensor can subtract out the AC line frequency during signal amplification, as discussed with reference to
FIG. 7 . - A second set of biological vibrations that can be sensed are lung vibrations or sounds. Lung vibrations and sounds include, for example, normal lung sounds, wheeze sounds, crackle sounds, and cough sounds, which generally have frequency bandwidths above AC line frequencies, and respiration vibrations, which generally have frequency bandwidths below AC line frequencies. Normal lung sounds 306 (e.g., vesicular sounds) may generally extend from about 100 Hz-1 kHz; wheeze sounds 308 may generally extend from about 100 Hz-5 kHz; crackle sounds 310 may generally extend from about 300 Hz-700 Hz; and cough sounds 312 may generally extend from about 275 Hz-600 Hz. Respiration vibrations (e.g., inspiration and expiration vibrations) 314 are generally in the 1 Hz-2 Hz range, and are typically not audible to the human ear.
- A third set of biological vibrations that can be sensed are nasal vibrations or sounds. Nasal vibrations and sounds include, for example, snore sounds. Snore sounds 316 may generally extend from about 130 Hz-1250 Hz.
- In some cases, a type of biological vibration that is sensed by a differential sensor (or different types of biological vibrations) can be distinguished by virtue of the frequency bandwidth in which it resides. Alternatively, biological vibration types can be distinguished by their vibration patterns; by a combination of their frequency bandwidth and vibration pattern; or using alternative or additional parameters (e.g., peak-to-peak timings, peak-to-peak intensities, and so on).
FIG. 4 showsexamples vibration patterns 400 for BCG/SCG vibrations; S1, S2, S3, and S4 heart sounds; heart murmurs; normal lung sounds; wheeze sounds; and crackle sounds. As shown, the vibration patterns for the different biological sound types typically vary, and sometimes substantially. -
FIG. 5 shows an example embodiment of various components included in the sensor system described with reference toFIG. 1 . In particular,FIG. 5 shows examples of thevibration sensor 110,electrical interconnect 108, andprocessing circuitry 114. - As shown, the
vibration sensor 110 may include a sensor stack 500 (e.g., a plurality of elements or layers, such as a plurality of planar elements or layers, stacked one on top of the other). At its core, thesensor stack 500 may include a piezoelectric material 502 (e.g., a piezoelectric element). In some embodiments, thepiezoelectric material 502 may include a polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) material, such as a PVDF film, a PVDF-copolymer, a PVDF/poly-L-lactide (PLLA) blend, and so on. Thepiezoelectric material 502 may alternatively include a PLLA material or other material. Thepiezoelectric material 502 may have first and second opposing sides 504-1, 504-2 and surfaces that extend in a plane perpendicular to thestack 500. - A first electrode 506-1 (e.g., a positive electrode) may be connected to the first side 504-1 or surface of the
piezoelectric material 502, and a second electrode 506-2 (e.g., a negative electrode) may be connected to the second side 506-2 or surface of thepiezoelectric material 502. The first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2 may terminate at asensor interface 508 that passively outputs a pair of signals obtained from thepiezoelectric material 502 by the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2. Theelectrical interconnect 108 may be permanently or detachably connected to thesensor interface 508. - Optionally, the
sensor stack 500 may further include a first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1 (e.g., a first ground layer) disposed on the first side 504-1 of thepiezoelectric material 502. The first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1 may be electrically insulated from both thepiezoelectric material 502 and the first electrode 506-1, with the first electrode 506-1 disposed between thepiezoelectric material 502 and the first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1. Thesensor stack 500 may also include a second electromagnetic noise shield 510-2 (e.g., a second ground layer) disposed on the second side 504-2 of thepiezoelectric material 502. The second electromagnetic noise shield 510-2 may be electrically insulated from both thepiezoelectric material 502 and the second electrode 506-2, with the second electrode 506-2 disposed between thepiezoelectric material 502 and the second electromagnetic noise shield 510-2. - In some embodiments, a first thermoplastic polymer resin 512-1 (e.g., a first layer of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or biaxially-oriented PET (BoPET)) may be disposed between the first electrode 506-1 and the first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1, and a second thermoplastic polymer resin 512-2 (e.g., a second layer of PET or BoPET) may be disposed between the second electrode 506-2 and the second electromagnetic noise shield 512-2.
- In some embodiments, the outermost or exterior layers (and in some cases sides) of the
stack 500 may include a third thermoplastic polymer resin 514-1 (e.g., a third layer of PET or BoPET) disposed on or over the first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1, and a fourth thermoplastic polymer resin 514-2 (e.g., a fourth layer of PET or BoPET) disposed on or over the second electromagnetic noise shield 510-2. The third and fourth thermoplastic polymer resins 514-1, 514-2 may be considered first and second non-conductive stack covers for thevibration sensor 110. In other embodiments, the electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may be the outermost or exterior layers of thestack 500, or the first and second thermoplastic polymer resins 512-1, 512-2 may be the outermost or exterior layers of thestack 500. - The first and second thermoplastic polymer resins 512-1, 512-2 may be coupled to the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2 using a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) (e.g., a PSA deposited on each of the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2, or on each of the first and second thermoplastic polymer resins 512-1, 512-2, and/or between corresponding ones of the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and first and second thermoplastic polymer resins 512-1, 512-2). Similarly, the third and fourth thermoplastic polymer resins 514-1, 514-2 may be coupled to the first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 using a PSA (e.g., the same type of PSA used to couple the first and second thermoplastic polymer resins 512-1, 512-2 to the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2, or a different type of PSA), which PSA may be deposited on each of the first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2, or on each of the third and fourth thermoplastic polymer resins 514-1, 514-2, and/or between corresponding ones of the first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 and third and fourth thermoplastic polymer resins 514-1, 514-2).
- Any of the thermoplastic polymer resins 512-1, 512-2, 514-1, 514-2 may alternatively be replaced with a different type of electrical insulator.
- In some embodiments, the elements or layers stacked on either side of the
piezoelectric material 502 may be symmetric or nearly symmetric on opposite sides 504-1, 504-2 of the piezoelectric material 502 (e.g., the silhouettes of corresponding elements or layers may have a symmetric projection over 90% or more of their circumference). For example, the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2 may be symmetric or nearly symmetric, the electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may be symmetric or nearly symmetric, the thermoplastic polymer resins 512-1, 512-2 may be symmetric or nearly symmetric, and the thermoplastic polymer resins 514-1, 514-2 may be symmetric or nearly symmetric. In addition, the electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may have surface areas that are greater than the surface areas of the electrodes 506-1, 506-2. In some embodiments, the electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may completely cover the surface areas of the electrodes 506-1, 506-2. In some embodiments, the electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may cover most of the surface areas of the electrodes 506-1, 506-2, but nonetheless have surface areas that are greater than the surface areas of the electrodes 506-1, 506-2. This helps to mitigate or eliminate the inducement of common mode noise in the electrodes 506-1, 506-2. - The
electrical interconnect 108 may mechanically and electrically connect to thesensor interface 508, and may include first and second conductors 516-1, 516-2 that connect to the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2 at or via thesensor interface 508. The first and second conductors 516-1, 516-2 may be surrounded by insulation, and may be twisted to form a twisted pair within theelectrical interconnect 108. The first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may be connected to each other and to an electromagnetic noise shield 518 (e.g., a metal or conductive sheath) that surrounds the first and second conductors 516-1, 516-2, thereby forming a shielded twisted pair (STP). Theelectromagnetic noise shield 518 may be surrounded by a non-conductive sheath (not shown). In alternative embodiments, the first and second conductors 516-1, 516-2 may be routed on a substrate as conductive traces, with a noise shield being formed by conductive traces or planes coupled to the first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2. - The
processing circuitry 114 may include components that form part of an analog front end (AFE) and/or data acquisition (DAQ) circuit. For example, theprocessing circuitry 114 may include adifferential amplifier 520, a differential analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 522, acommunications interface 524, aprocessor 526, and/or other circuitry. Thedifferential amplifier 520 may be connected to the first and second conductors 516-1, 516-2 of theelectrical interconnect 108. For example, the first and second conductors 516-1, 516-2 may be electrically connected to input nodes or terminals of thedifferential amplifier 520. Thedifferential amplifier 520 may provide amplified differential output 528 (e.g., an amplification of the pair of signals obtained from the piezoelectric material 502). The differential output may include biological vibrations sensed by thepiezoelectric material 502. As discussed with reference toFIGS. 1 and 3 , the differential output may have a frequency bandwidth that includes (e.g., intersects or crosses) an AC line frequency. - In some embodiments, the
differential amplifier 520 may be a differential charge amplifier. In other embodiments, thedifferential amplifier 520 may be a transimpedance amplifier (TIA). When using a TIA, thepiezoelectric material 502 may be considered a current source instead of a charge source. A TIA may provide a flatter response over a greater range of frequencies than a differential charge amplifier (i.e., a TIA may provide satisfactory amplification over a greater frequency bandwidth). - In general, the more symmetry that can be maintained in the physical layout of the
sensor system 500, from the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2 through the output of thedifferential amplifier 520, the better fidelity of the amplified output. - The
differential ADC 522 may be configured to digitize the differential output of thedifferential amplifier 520. Thedifferential ADC 522 may combine (subtract) the differential signals or differential output of thedifferential amplifier 520. The digitized differential output may be stored in an optional memory on-board theprocessing module 106 and/or transmitted (e.g., streamed) to another device via thecommunications interface 524. In some cases, thecommunications interface 524 may include a Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth interface. Anoptional processor 526 or other circuitry may control operation of thedifferential amplifier 520,differential ADC 522,communications interface 524, memory, and/or other components of theprocessing module 106. - In some embodiments, the
processor 526 of theprocessing circuitry 114, a processor of the device 112 (see,FIG. 1 ), or a processor of yet another device may identify at least a first vibration included in the digitized differential output of thedifferential ADC 522. The same or a different processor may then pattern match the first vibration to any of a number of known biological vibrations, including, for example, any of the biological vibrations described with reference toFIGS. 3 and 4 . -
FIG. 6 illustrates how measured vibrations, including biological vibrations, may be amplified by the processing circuitry described with reference toFIGS. 1 and 5 , while an AC line frequency or other background noise may be canceled by the processing circuitry. In particular, afirst graph 600 shows how AC line noise may be sensed by a differential piezoelectric sensor, such as one of the vibration sensors described with reference toFIG. 1, 2 , or 5. As shown, first and second electrodes of the vibration sensor may sense the AC line noise in-phase, such that a subtraction of one signal from the other results in no signal or a direct current (DC) signal being output from a differential ADC, as shown in asecond graph 610. - A
third graph 620 shows how a vibration (e.g., a biological vibration) may be measured or sensed by the same differential piezoelectric sensor. As shown, the first and second electrodes may sense the vibration out-of-phase, such that a subtraction of one electrode's signal from the other results in an amplified signal being output from the differential ADC, as shown in athird graph 630. -
FIG. 7A shows, in exploded form, an example more detailed cross-section of the sensor stack described with reference toFIG. 5 . Like components are therefore referred to by like reference numerals inFIGS. 5 and 7A .FIG. 7B shows the cross-section ofFIG. 7A in assembled form. - Similar to the sensor stack described with reference to
FIG. 5 , thesensor stack 700 includes apiezoelectric material 502; first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2 connected to opposite sides 504-1, 504-2 of thepiezoelectric material 502; first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2; and first, second, third, and fourth thermoplastic polymer resins 512-1, 512-2, 514-1, 514-2. Thesensor stack 700 also includes various PSAs. - A first PSA 702-1 may be disposed on the first electrode 506-1, or between the first electrode 506-1 and the first thermoplastic polymer resin 512-1. The first thermoplastic polymer resin 512-1 may be disposed on the first PSA 702-1, and may be coupled to the first electrode 506-1 (and in some areas, to the piezoelectric material 502) by the first PSA 702-1. A second PSA 702-2 may be disposed on the second electrode 506-2, or between the second electrode 506-2 and the second thermoplastic polymer resin 512-2. The second thermoplastic polymer resin 512-2 may be disposed on the second PSA 702-2, and may be coupled to the second electrode 506-2 (and in some areas, to the piezoelectric material 502) by the second PSA 702-2.
- A third PSA 702-3 may be disposed on the first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1, or between the first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1 and the third thermoplastic polymer resin 514-1. The third thermoplastic polymer resin 514-1 may be disposed on the third PSA 702-3, and may be coupled to the first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1 (and in some areas, to the first thermoplastic polymer resin 512-1) by the third PSA 702-3. A fourth PSA 702-4 may be disposed on the second electromagnetic noise shield 510-2, or between the second electromagnetic noise shield 510-2 and the fourth thermoplastic polymer resin 514-2. The fourth thermoplastic polymer resin 514-2 may be disposed on the fourth PSA 702-4, and may be coupled to the second electromagnetic noise shield 510-2 (and in some areas, to the second thermoplastic polymer resin 512-2) by the fourth PSA 702-4.
- In some alternative embodiments, the third thermoplastic polymer resin 514-1 and third PSA 702-3 may be combined, and/or the fourth thermoplastic polymer resin 514-2 and fourth PSA 702-4 may be combined.
- As shown in
FIG. 7A , the various conductive elements of thesensor stack 700 may have different widths. They may also have different lengths. In some cases, the electrodes 506-1, 506-2 may have widths and/or lengths that are narrower than those of the electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2, so that the electrodes 506-1, 506-2 are better shielded by the electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2. In other cases, the electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may have widths and/or lengths that are the same as those of the electrodes 506-1, 506-2. -
FIG. 7C shows an example of the sensor interface described with reference toFIG. 5 , in the context of the sensor stack described with reference toFIGS. 7A-7B . Although the electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1 are shown adjacent to one another in theplan view 710, the electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may be stacked as shown inFIG. 7A and theplan view 712. In theplan view 712, the second electromagnetic noise shield 510-2 is not illustrated because it is stacked directly under the first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1. - In the
sensor interface 714, each of the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2 are re-routed (to the left or to the right), so that the signals they carry are also routed to the left and right, and so that the conductors of an electrical interconnect may be soldered or otherwise connected to the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2. The electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may extend between the re-routed electrodes 506-1, 506-2, and may widen to extend over portions of the re-routed electrodes 506-1, 506-2. The symmetry of the sensor interface 714 (at least from a plan perspective) can help maintain the differential integrity of the signals carried on the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2. In some cases, the end portions of the electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and/or electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may be raised or lowered to a common plane, using vias or other conductive transitions. The common plane may be variously defined by the first or second thermoplastic polymer resin 512-1, 512-2, a flex circuit, a printed circuit board (PCB), or other non-conductive element. -
FIG. 8A shows, in exploded form, an example more detailed cross-section of the sensor stack described with reference toFIG. 7A . Like components are therefore referred to by like reference numerals inFIGS. 7A and 8A . - Similar to the sensor stack described with reference to
FIG. 7A , thesensor stack 800 includes all of the elements described with reference toFIG. 7A . However, thesensor stack 800 also includes a capacitivetouch sensor electrode 802. The capacitivetouch sensor electrode 802 may be disposed in a same layer of thesensor stack 800 as the first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1, but may be electrically insulated from the first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1. - The
sensor stack 800 also includes a thirdelectromagnetic noise shield 804, which may be positioned between thepiezoelectric material 502 and capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 (or more specifically, between thepiezoelectric material 502 and the first PSA 702-1). The thirdelectromagnetic noise shield 804 may be electrically insulated from thepiezoelectric material 502 and the capacitivetouch sensor electrode 802. The first and third electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 804 provide at least some noise mitigation between thepiezoelectric material 502 and the capacitivetouch sensor electrode 802, and at least some noise mitigation between the electrode 506-1 and the capacitivetouch sensor electrode 802. - In some embodiments, a self-capacitance of the
electrode 802 may be sensed to determine whether a user's finger, torso, or other body part is proximate to the exterior surface of the third thermoplastic polymer resin 514-1. In some embodiments, a determination that a user is proximate to the capacitivetouch sensor electrode 802 can be used to enable thedifferential amplifier 520 and downstream circuitry described with reference toFIG. 5 . -
FIGS. 8B-8D show various examples of the sensor interface described with reference toFIG. 5 , in the context of the sensor stack described with reference toFIG. 8A . In contrast to the sensor interface described with reference toFIG. 7C , the sensor interfaces described with reference toFIGS. 8B-8D passively output a touch indication obtained from the capacitivetouch sensor electrode 802, in addition to a pair of signals obtained from the piezoelectric material by the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2. -
FIG. 8B shows a non-stacked,plan view 810 of the electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1. Although the electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1 are shown adjacent to one another in theplan view 810, the electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may be stacked as shown inFIG. 8A and theplan view 812. In theplan view 812, the second electromagnetic noise shield 510-2 is not illustrated because it is stacked directly under the first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1. - In the
sensor interface 814, each of the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2 are re-routed (to the left or to the right), so that the signals they carry are also routed to the left and right, and so that the conductors of an electrical interconnect may be soldered or otherwise connected to the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2. The electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may extend between the re-routed electrodes 506-1, 506-2. - The capacitive
touch sensor electrode 802 and itselectromagnetic noise shield 804 may also extend into thesensor interface 814, with theelectromagnetic noise shield 804 positioned between the second electrode 506-2 and the capacitive touch sensor electrode 802 (at least in the plan view 812). In this manner, each of the electrodes 506-1, 506-2, 802 is separated from adjacent electrodes by an electromagnetic noise shield 510-1, 510-2, or 804. - In some embodiments, the stacked portions of the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may be shifted off-center from the end portions of these elements, so that the majority of the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 are farther away from the capacitive
touch sensor electrode 802 and itselectromagnetic noise shield 804. This can reduce interference between the sound (vibratory and audio) and touch sensors included in thesensor stack 800. - In some cases, the end portions of the electrodes 506-1, 506-2, 802 and/or electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2, 804 may be raised or lowered to a common plane, using vias or other conductive transitions. The common plane may be variously defined by the first or second thermoplastic polymer resin 512-1, 512-2, a flex circuit, a PCB, or other non-conductive element.
-
FIG. 8C shows a non-stacked,plan view 820 of the electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1. Although the electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1 are shown adjacent to one another in theplan view 820, the electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may be stacked as shown inFIG. 8A and theplan view 822. In theplan view 822, the second electromagnetic noise shield 510-2 is not illustrated because it is stacked directly under the first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1. - In the
sensor interface 824, each of the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2 are re-routed to one side of the electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2, so that the signals they carry are also routed to one side of the electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2, and so that the conductors of an electrical interconnect may be soldered or otherwise connected to the first and second electrodes 506-1, 506-2. The electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may extend adjacent the re-routed electrodes 506-1, 506-2. - The capacitive
touch sensor electrode 802 and itselectromagnetic noise shield 804 may also extend into thesensor interface 824, and may be routed as described with reference toFIG. 8B . In this manner, the electrodes 506-1 and 506-2 may be bordered by electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2, and 804, and the capacitivetouch sensor electrode 802 may be separated from the other electrodes by theelectromagnetic noise shield 804. - In some cases, the end portions of the electrodes 506-1, 506-2, 802 and/or electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2, 804 may be raised or lowered to a common plane, using vias or other conductive transitions. The common plane may be variously defined by the first or second thermoplastic polymer resin 512-1, 512-2, a flex circuit, a PCB, or other non-conductive element.
-
FIG. 8D shows a non-stacked,plan view 830 of the electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1. Although the electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1 are shown adjacent to one another in theplan view 830, the electrodes 506-1, 506-2 and electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may be stacked as shown inFIG. 8A and theplan view 832. In theplan view 832, the second electromagnetic noise shield 510-2 is not illustrated because it is stacked directly under the first electromagnetic noise shield 510-1. - In the
sensor interface 834, the second electrode 506-2 is re-routed to one side of the first electrode 506-1, and each of the first and second electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 is re-routed to extend adjacent and between end portions of the first electrode 506-1 and the re-routed second electrode 506-2. The electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2 may also be routed to extend over the transverse portion of the second electrode 506-2. - The capacitive
touch sensor electrode 802 and itselectromagnetic noise shield 804 may also extend into thesensor interface 834, and may be routed as described with reference toFIG. 8B . In this manner, each of the electrodes 506-1, 506-2, 802 is separated from adjacent electrodes by an electromagnetic noise shield 510-1, 510-2, or 804. - In some cases, the end portions of the electrodes 506-1, 506-2, 802 and/or electromagnetic noise shields 510-1, 510-2, 804 may be raised or lowered to a common plane, using vias or other conductive transitions. The common plane may be variously defined by the first or second thermoplastic polymer resin 512-1, 512-2, a flex circuit, a PCB, or other non-conductive element.
- In the various embodiments described herein, it was indicated that the various thermoplastic polymer resins could be formed as a layer of PET or BoPET. Alternatively, the thermoplastic polymer resins may take other forms, or the thermoplastic polymer resins may be replaced by other materials. Some suitable materials include polyurethane (PU) or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) substrates. The PU or TPU substrates may be selected to have relatively less hysteresis and relatively elastic strain when undergoing deformation or strain cycling. In some cases, the substrates may be or include shape memory polymer (SMP) substrates (i.e., PU substrates having properties such as good shape recovery, shape retention, and shock absorption over a wide temperature range of interest). One useful SMP is poly(urethane-oxazolidone) (PUO, also known as oxazolidone-modified PU), which has a relatively linear Eg/Er ratio over a wide temperature range, where Eg is a glassy state modulus of the PUO, and Er is a rubber modulus of the PUO. The Eg/Er ratio and shape recovery of a PUO substrate are generally proportional to the PUO's oxazolidone content.
- The various electrodes described herein may include silver (Ag), and in some cases may be or include silver/silver sulfate or silver/silver chloride electrodes. The electrodes may also or alternatively include copper (copper/copper sulfate, copper nickel), mercury (calomel), aluminum, gold (AgNW), or other materials. The electromagnetic noise shields described herein may be formed using the same materials used to form the electrodes, or different materials. In some examples, an electromagnetic noise shield may include silver (Ag) printed on a thermoplastic polymer resin, PU, TPU, SMP, and/or PUO substrate. In some examples, an electromagnetic noise shield may include aluminum (Al) and/or copper (Cu), and/or another metal, sputtered on a thermoplastic polymer resin, PU, TPU, SMP, and/or PUO substrate. An electromagnetic noise shield may also be provided by a conductive fabric.
- In some embodiments, all of the thermoplastic polymer resins, electrodes, and electromagnetic noise shields may be selected to have characteristics such as great flexibility, and resilience to fatigue, during repeated use of a device.
-
FIG. 9 illustrates amethod 900 of monitoring biological vibrations of a user. Themethod 900 may be performed using a vibration sensor, vibration sensor module, or sensor stack described with reference toFIG. 1, 2, 5, 7A , or 8A, and the processing module or other device described with reference toFIG. 1 or 5 . - At
block 902, themethod 900 may include receiving a pair of signals from a pair of electrodes connected to opposite sides of a piezoelectric element, as further described herein. - At
block 904, themethod 900 may include differentially amplifying the pair of signals to generate a differential output, as further described herein. In some cases, the differential amplification may be performed using a differential charge amplifier or a TIA. - At
block 906, themethod 900 may include identifying a type of biological vibration included in the differential output, as further described herein. The biological vibration may be any of the biological vibrations described with reference toFIGS. 3 and 4 , or some other biological vibration. - At
block 908, themethod 900 may include outputting an indicator of the type of biological vibration. In some cases, the indicator may be a text alert presented on a display screen, or a haptic or audible notification that a user needs to review further details of the biological vibration or discuss the biological vibration with their doctor. - In some cases, the vibration sensors described herein may be used to opportunistically monitor a user's heart rhythm, by sensing basic heart vibrations (S1 and S2 heart sounds) and/or BCG/SCG vibrations. An irregular rhythm may be detected by pattern matching S1/S2 and/or BCG/SCG heart vibrations to known (possibly learned) arrhythmia vibration patterns.
- In some cases, the vibration sensors described herein may be used to classify a user's heart rhythm (e.g., as regular (a sinus rhythm (SR)), irregular (e.g., atrial fibrillation detected, etc.), or inconclusive).
- In some cases, the vibration sensors described herein may be used to generate a report of a user's heart rate variability (HRV).
- In some cases, the vibration sensors described herein may be used to monitor symptoms associated with asthma (e.g., coughs, wheezes, or nighttime awakenings) and generate, for example, a nightly index, trends by week, month, or other time period, and so on. In some cases, incidences of a particular biological vibration or event may be counted. For example, a number of cough sounds, wheeze sounds, or snoring episodes may be counted by a processor or other circuit as a user sleeps.
- The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, uses specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art, after reading this description, that the specific details are not required in order to practice the described embodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the specific embodiments described herein are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not targeted to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, after reading this description, that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.
- As described above, one aspect of the present technology is the gathering and use of data available from various sources, including data that may be indicative of a user's biological vibrations or sounds, and/or data that may identify the person from which such biological vibrations or sounds were obtained. The present disclosure contemplates that, in some instances, this gathered data may include personal information data that uniquely identifies a user or can be used to identify, diagnose, classify, locate, or contact a specific person. Such personal information data can include demographic data, location-based data, telephone numbers, email addresses, home addresses, data or records relating to a user's health or level of fitness (e.g., vital sign measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, or any other identifying or personal information.
- The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information data, in the present technology, can be used to the benefit of users. For example, the personal information data can be used to activate or deactivate various functions of a user's device, or gather health, medical, or fitness information that may be used to diagnose or assist the user. Further, other uses for personal information data that benefit the user are contemplated by the present disclosure. For instance, health, medical, and fitness data may be used to provide insights into a user's general wellness, or may be used as positive feedback to individuals using technology to pursue wellness goals.
- The present disclosure contemplates that the entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transfer, storage, or other use of such personal information data will comply with well-established privacy policies and/or privacy practices. In particular, such entities should implement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining personal information data private and secure. Such policies should be easily accessible by users, and should be updated as the collection and/or use of data changes. Personal information from users should be collected for legitimate and reasonable uses of the entity and not shared or sold outside of those legitimate uses. Further, such collection/sharing should occur after receiving the informed consent of the users. Additionally, such entities should consider taking any needed steps for safeguarding and securing access to such personal information data and ensuring that others with access to the personal information data adhere to their privacy policies and procedures. Further, such entities can subject themselves to evaluation by third parties to certify their adherence to widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adapted for the particular types of personal information data being collected and/or accessed and adapted to applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations. For instance, in the US, collection of or access to certain health data may be governed by federal and/or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); whereas health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly. Hence different privacy practices should be maintained for different personal data types in each country.
- Despite the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates embodiments in which users selectively block the use of, or access to, personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware and/or software elements can be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, in the case of advertisement delivery services, the present technology can be configured to allow users to select to “opt in” or “opt out” of participation in the collection of personal information data during registration for services or anytime thereafter. In another example, users can select not to provide health, medical, or fitness data to targeted content delivery services. In yet another example, users can select to limit the length of time personal information data is maintained or entirely prohibit the development of a diagnosis based on such personal information data. In addition to providing “opt in” and “opt out” options, the present disclosure contemplates providing notifications relating to the access or use of personal information. For instance, a user may be notified upon downloading an app that their personal information data will be accessed and then reminded again just before personal information data is accessed by the app.
- Moreover, it is the intent of the present disclosure that personal information data should be managed and handled in a way to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Risk can be minimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting data once it is no longer needed. In addition, and when applicable, including in certain health related applications, data de-identification can be used to protect a user's privacy. De-identification may be facilitated, when appropriate, by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of data stored (e.g., collecting location data at a city level rather than at an address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data across users), and/or other methods.
- Therefore, although the present disclosure broadly covers use of personal information data to implement one or more various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that the various embodiments can also be implemented without the need for accessing such personal information data. That is, the various embodiments of the present technology are not rendered inoperable due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data. For example, content can be selected and delivered to users by inferring preferences based on non-personal information data or a bare minimum amount of personal information, such as the content being requested by the device associated with a user, other non-personal information available to the content delivery services, or publicly available information.
Claims (20)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US16/930,125 US20210041287A1 (en) | 2019-08-09 | 2020-07-15 | On-Bed Differential Piezoelectric Sensor |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201962885028P | 2019-08-09 | 2019-08-09 | |
US201962891195P | 2019-08-23 | 2019-08-23 | |
US16/930,125 US20210041287A1 (en) | 2019-08-09 | 2020-07-15 | On-Bed Differential Piezoelectric Sensor |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20210041287A1 true US20210041287A1 (en) | 2021-02-11 |
Family
ID=74498778
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US16/930,125 Pending US20210041287A1 (en) | 2019-08-09 | 2020-07-15 | On-Bed Differential Piezoelectric Sensor |
US16/929,731 Pending US20210038092A1 (en) | 2019-08-09 | 2020-07-15 | Layered Sensor Having Multiple Laterally Adjacent Substrates in a Single Layer |
Family Applications After (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US16/929,731 Pending US20210038092A1 (en) | 2019-08-09 | 2020-07-15 | Layered Sensor Having Multiple Laterally Adjacent Substrates in a Single Layer |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (2) | US20210041287A1 (en) |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20210085091A1 (en) * | 2019-09-19 | 2021-03-25 | Apple Inc. | Pneumatic Haptic Device Having Actuation Cells for Producing a Haptic Output over a Bed Mattress |
RU217151U1 (en) * | 2023-01-12 | 2023-03-21 | общество с ограниченной ответственностью "Инженерный центр "АСИ" (ООО "ИЦ "АСИ") | Analog-to-digital conversion device for working with piezoelectric sensors |
US11771406B2 (en) | 2020-08-12 | 2023-10-03 | Apple Inc. | In-bed temperature array for menstrual cycle tracking |
Families Citing this family (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
KR101784736B1 (en) * | 2017-05-29 | 2017-10-12 | 주식회사 중일산업 | Sensor using PVDF film |
WO2021071871A1 (en) * | 2019-10-09 | 2021-04-15 | Trustees Of Boston University | Electrography system employing layered electrodes for improved spatial resolution |
Citations (22)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5389848A (en) * | 1993-01-15 | 1995-02-14 | General Electric Company | Hybrid ultrasonic transducer |
US20050257822A1 (en) * | 2004-05-19 | 2005-11-24 | Bed-Check Corporation | Silk-screen thermocouple |
US20070101814A1 (en) * | 2005-11-08 | 2007-05-10 | Lam Campbell | High-temperature piezoelectric vibration sensor assembly |
US20090093687A1 (en) * | 2007-03-08 | 2009-04-09 | Telfort Valery G | Systems and methods for determining a physiological condition using an acoustic monitor |
US20100033710A1 (en) * | 2008-08-08 | 2010-02-11 | Araz Yacoubian | Broad spectral band sensor |
US20100123520A1 (en) * | 2008-11-19 | 2010-05-20 | Supertex, Inc. | Low Noise Binary-Coded Gain Amplifier and Method for Time-Gain Compensation in Medical Ultrasound Imaging |
US20100256512A1 (en) * | 2007-06-08 | 2010-10-07 | Colin Edward Sullivan | sensor system |
US20100274099A1 (en) * | 2008-12-30 | 2010-10-28 | Masimo Corporation | Acoustic sensor assembly |
US20110125060A1 (en) * | 2009-10-15 | 2011-05-26 | Telfort Valery G | Acoustic respiratory monitoring systems and methods |
KR20140005289A (en) * | 2011-02-15 | 2014-01-14 | 후지필름 디마틱스, 인크. | Piezoelectric transducers using micro-dome arrays |
WO2014067777A1 (en) * | 2012-10-29 | 2014-05-08 | Iee International Electronics & Engineering S.A. | Piezoelectric or electret sensing device |
US9131039B2 (en) * | 2011-12-22 | 2015-09-08 | Nokia Technologies Oy | Piezoelectric actuator interface and method |
US20160153860A1 (en) * | 2013-07-10 | 2016-06-02 | Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. | Piezoelectric sensor |
US20160204333A1 (en) * | 2013-09-20 | 2016-07-14 | Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | Piezoelectric sensor |
CN106618521A (en) * | 2016-10-24 | 2017-05-10 | 合肥工业大学 | Wearable wrist integrated sensor based on PVDF piezoelectric film and preparation method of wearable wrist integrated sensor |
US20180160968A1 (en) * | 2016-12-08 | 2018-06-14 | BrainStem Biometrics, Inc. | Eye sensor, system and method |
US20180254403A1 (en) * | 2017-03-03 | 2018-09-06 | Korea Institute Of Ceramic Engineering And Technology | Interdigitated electrode patterned multi-layered piezoelectric laminate structure |
US20190083038A1 (en) * | 2017-09-19 | 2019-03-21 | Ausculsciences, Inc. | System and method for detecting decoupling of an auscultatory sound sensor from a test-subject |
US20190099152A1 (en) * | 2017-10-04 | 2019-04-04 | Ausculsciences, Inc. | Auscultatory sound-or-vibration sensor |
WO2019073104A1 (en) * | 2017-10-13 | 2019-04-18 | Movesole Oy | A device, a method, a computer program product and an apparatus for measuring pressure distribution between a foot and a surface |
US20190189889A1 (en) * | 2017-12-14 | 2019-06-20 | Eastman Kodak Company | Piezoelectric article with dielectric layer and co-planar electrodes |
US20190214542A1 (en) * | 2016-09-27 | 2019-07-11 | Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. | Piezoelectric substrate attachment structure and sensor module |
-
2020
- 2020-07-15 US US16/930,125 patent/US20210041287A1/en active Pending
- 2020-07-15 US US16/929,731 patent/US20210038092A1/en active Pending
Patent Citations (22)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5389848A (en) * | 1993-01-15 | 1995-02-14 | General Electric Company | Hybrid ultrasonic transducer |
US20050257822A1 (en) * | 2004-05-19 | 2005-11-24 | Bed-Check Corporation | Silk-screen thermocouple |
US20070101814A1 (en) * | 2005-11-08 | 2007-05-10 | Lam Campbell | High-temperature piezoelectric vibration sensor assembly |
US20090093687A1 (en) * | 2007-03-08 | 2009-04-09 | Telfort Valery G | Systems and methods for determining a physiological condition using an acoustic monitor |
US20100256512A1 (en) * | 2007-06-08 | 2010-10-07 | Colin Edward Sullivan | sensor system |
US20100033710A1 (en) * | 2008-08-08 | 2010-02-11 | Araz Yacoubian | Broad spectral band sensor |
US20100123520A1 (en) * | 2008-11-19 | 2010-05-20 | Supertex, Inc. | Low Noise Binary-Coded Gain Amplifier and Method for Time-Gain Compensation in Medical Ultrasound Imaging |
US20100274099A1 (en) * | 2008-12-30 | 2010-10-28 | Masimo Corporation | Acoustic sensor assembly |
US20110125060A1 (en) * | 2009-10-15 | 2011-05-26 | Telfort Valery G | Acoustic respiratory monitoring systems and methods |
KR20140005289A (en) * | 2011-02-15 | 2014-01-14 | 후지필름 디마틱스, 인크. | Piezoelectric transducers using micro-dome arrays |
US9131039B2 (en) * | 2011-12-22 | 2015-09-08 | Nokia Technologies Oy | Piezoelectric actuator interface and method |
WO2014067777A1 (en) * | 2012-10-29 | 2014-05-08 | Iee International Electronics & Engineering S.A. | Piezoelectric or electret sensing device |
US20160153860A1 (en) * | 2013-07-10 | 2016-06-02 | Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. | Piezoelectric sensor |
US20160204333A1 (en) * | 2013-09-20 | 2016-07-14 | Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | Piezoelectric sensor |
US20190214542A1 (en) * | 2016-09-27 | 2019-07-11 | Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. | Piezoelectric substrate attachment structure and sensor module |
CN106618521A (en) * | 2016-10-24 | 2017-05-10 | 合肥工业大学 | Wearable wrist integrated sensor based on PVDF piezoelectric film and preparation method of wearable wrist integrated sensor |
US20180160968A1 (en) * | 2016-12-08 | 2018-06-14 | BrainStem Biometrics, Inc. | Eye sensor, system and method |
US20180254403A1 (en) * | 2017-03-03 | 2018-09-06 | Korea Institute Of Ceramic Engineering And Technology | Interdigitated electrode patterned multi-layered piezoelectric laminate structure |
US20190083038A1 (en) * | 2017-09-19 | 2019-03-21 | Ausculsciences, Inc. | System and method for detecting decoupling of an auscultatory sound sensor from a test-subject |
US20190099152A1 (en) * | 2017-10-04 | 2019-04-04 | Ausculsciences, Inc. | Auscultatory sound-or-vibration sensor |
WO2019073104A1 (en) * | 2017-10-13 | 2019-04-18 | Movesole Oy | A device, a method, a computer program product and an apparatus for measuring pressure distribution between a foot and a surface |
US20190189889A1 (en) * | 2017-12-14 | 2019-06-20 | Eastman Kodak Company | Piezoelectric article with dielectric layer and co-planar electrodes |
Non-Patent Citations (2)
Title |
---|
CN-106618521-A English Translation (Year: 2017) * |
English Translation of Korean Patent Application Publication No. KR 20140005289 A (Year: 2014) * |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20210085091A1 (en) * | 2019-09-19 | 2021-03-25 | Apple Inc. | Pneumatic Haptic Device Having Actuation Cells for Producing a Haptic Output over a Bed Mattress |
US11896136B2 (en) * | 2019-09-19 | 2024-02-13 | Apple Inc. | Pneumatic haptic device having actuation cells for producing a haptic output over a bed mattress |
US11771406B2 (en) | 2020-08-12 | 2023-10-03 | Apple Inc. | In-bed temperature array for menstrual cycle tracking |
RU217151U1 (en) * | 2023-01-12 | 2023-03-21 | общество с ограниченной ответственностью "Инженерный центр "АСИ" (ООО "ИЦ "АСИ") | Analog-to-digital conversion device for working with piezoelectric sensors |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20210038092A1 (en) | 2021-02-11 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US20210041287A1 (en) | On-Bed Differential Piezoelectric Sensor | |
US10925544B2 (en) | Acoustic respiratory monitoring sensor having multiple sensing elements | |
US20210022701A1 (en) | Acoustic sensor with attachment portion | |
US10416031B2 (en) | Pressure sensing device | |
US9521483B2 (en) | Wearable physiological acoustic sensor | |
US20070049837A1 (en) | Acoustic sensor | |
US20040181141A1 (en) | Biological signal sensor and device for recording biological signals incorporating the said sensor | |
WO2013099020A1 (en) | Diagnostic device | |
US20050113646A1 (en) | Method and apparatus for evaluation of sleep disorders | |
CN108143427A (en) | Blood oxygen probe and blood oxygen detection device | |
US20220409095A1 (en) | Piezoelectric sensor with resonating microstructures | |
US11744476B2 (en) | Blood pressure measurement using device with piezoelectric sensor | |
TWI667014B (en) | Air pad for biological information detection, biological information detection device and biological information distribution system | |
WO2004078038A1 (en) | Detector patch for biosignals | |
US11771329B2 (en) | Flexible temperature sensing devices for body temperature sensing | |
KR20190052636A (en) | Respiratory monitoring system | |
KR101871285B1 (en) | Respiratory sensing device and respiratory monitoring system | |
CN202665568U (en) | Remote electronic stethoscope | |
KR101999359B1 (en) | Respiratory sensing device and respiratory monitoring system | |
CN209032380U (en) | Blood oxygen probe and blood oxygen detection device | |
TWI725839B (en) | Physiological sensing system | |
JP7304871B2 (en) | ECG electrode connector and ECG cable | |
US11083383B1 (en) | Portable electrocardiogram device | |
WO2017109520A1 (en) | A wearable heart rate and activity monitor system | |
CN214595886U (en) | Breath sound collector |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: APPLE INC., CALIFORNIA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:RIMMINEN, HENRY;AMIN, ALI M.;WEADON, TIMOTHY L.;AND OTHERS;SIGNING DATES FROM 20200708 TO 20200715;REEL/FRAME:053232/0189 |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: DOCKETED NEW CASE - READY FOR EXAMINATION |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: NON FINAL ACTION MAILED |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: RESPONSE TO NON-FINAL OFFICE ACTION ENTERED AND FORWARDED TO EXAMINER |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: FINAL REJECTION MAILED |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: DOCKETED NEW CASE - READY FOR EXAMINATION |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: NON FINAL ACTION MAILED |