KR20220105589A - Ear-wearable device of measuring physiological signals and system for monitoring physiological signals in non-face-to-face - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a non-face-to-face physiological signal measurement device which can be worn on a user's ear. An ear-wearable physiological signal measurement device comprises: a body which is worn on the back of a user's ear; an ear hook which has one end coupled to the body, and is disposed in front of the ear to secure the body to the ear; an oxygen saturation detection sensor which is at least partially accommodated in the body so that a detection surface is disposed near the other end of the ear hook; an in-ear thermometer which is connected to a housing by a soft cord; and a wireless transceiver which wirelessly transmits measurement values of the oxygen saturation detection sensor and the in-ear thermometer.

Description

Ear-wearable device of measuring physiological signals and system for monitoring physiological signals in non-face-to-face

The present invention relates to a non-face-to-face biosignal measuring device that can be worn on a user's ear.

In addition to telemedicine, epidemics such as COVID-19, which have recently become serious, are increasingly demanding the non-face-to-face provision of medical services. In order to provide medical services, medical staff must accurately know the patient's condition. Biosignals are the most basic and important information for judging a patient's condition. Bio-signals such as body temperature, oxygen saturation, and pulse may be monitored in real time using precise medical equipment provided in medical facilities. However, when it is necessary to proceed with telemedicine or non-face-to-face treatment, it is not easy for a patient to have such a device.

A smart watch or sports earset can measure the pulse based on oxygen saturation. However, since a biological signal such as oxygen saturation is very sensitive to motion artifacts, even a slight movement during measurement may result in higher noise than a signal generated by a venous blood pressure wave. In terms of measuring the pulse precisely, these devices can provide the minimum information required for telemedicine or non-face-to-face health care, but cannot simultaneously measure other vital vital signs such as body temperature.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2018-0060724

An object of the present invention is to provide an ear-wearable bio-signal measuring device capable of non-face-to-face and continuous monitoring of a user's bio-signal.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ear-wearable biosignal measuring device. An ear-wearable biosignal measuring device includes a body over the user's ear, one end coupled to the body and an ear hook disposed in front of the ear to fix the body to the ear, and the body so that a detection surface is disposed near the other end of the ear hook an oxygen saturation detecting sensor at least partially accommodated in the , an in-ear thermometer connected to the housing by a soft cord, and a wireless transceiver for wirelessly transmitting measurement values of the oxygen saturation detecting sensor and the in-ear thermometer.

In one embodiment, the ear hook has an S-shape extending from the body, and when worn, the oxygen saturation detection sensor may be in close contact with the ear or the like.

In one embodiment, the ear hook may be rotatably coupled to the body.

In one embodiment, the ear implantable thermometer is accommodated in the thermometer housing connected to the soft cord and the thermometer housing, and is coupled to a sensor assembly having a temperature compensation function and the thermometer housing to define an internal space in which the sensor assembly is accommodated. It may include a protective cover.

In an embodiment, the sensor assembly includes an assembly housing, a temperature sensor accommodated in the assembly housing and receiving infrared radiation emitted from a human body to measure a first measurement signal and an internal temperature to output a second measurement signal, and the internal temperature It may include a thermoelectric element that increases or decreases.

In an embodiment, the pulse may be calculated from a detection value of the oxygen saturation detection sensor.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a continuous non-face-to-face monitoring system is provided. The continuous non-face-to-face monitoring system includes a plurality of ear-worn bio-signal measuring devices and the plurality of ear-wearable bio-signals that continuously transmit measurement values generated by measuring bio-signals while worn on each of a plurality of people through wireless communication. and a bio-signal collection and processing device for collecting the measured values from a signal measuring device and detecting an abnormal bio-signal by analyzing the collected measured values, wherein the ear-wearable bio-signal measuring device includes a body worn over the user's ear. , An ear hook having one end coupled to the body and disposed in front of the ear to fix the body to the ear, an oxygen saturation detection sensor at least partially accommodated in the body so that the detection surface is disposed near the other end of the ear hook; by a soft cord It may include an ear-type thermometer connected to the housing, and a wireless transceiver for wirelessly transmitting measurement values of the oxygen saturation detection sensor and the ear-type thermometer.

In one embodiment, the ear hook has an S-shape extending from the body, and when worn, the oxygen saturation detection sensor may be in close contact with the ear or the like.

In one embodiment, the ear hook may be rotatably coupled to the body.

In one embodiment, the ear implantable thermometer includes a thermometer housing connected to the soft cord, a sensor assembly accommodated in the thermometer housing, and having a temperature compensation function, and an internal space in which the sensor assembly is accommodated by being coupled to the thermometer housing. It may include a defining protective cover.

In one embodiment, the sensor assembly includes an assembly housing, a temperature sensor accommodated in the assembly housing and receiving infrared radiation emitted from a human body to measure a first measurement signal and an internal temperature to output a second measurement signal, and the internal temperature It may include a thermoelectric element that increases or decreases.

In an embodiment, the pulse may be calculated from a detection value of the oxygen saturation detection sensor.

According to the present invention, it is possible to monitor the user's bio-signals non-face-to-face and continuously.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention is described with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. For ease of understanding, like elements have been assigned like reference numerals throughout the accompanying drawings. The configuration shown in the accompanying drawings is merely an exemplary embodiment for explaining the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In particular, the accompanying drawings, in order to help the understanding of the invention, some components are expressed somewhat exaggerated.
1 is a diagram exemplarily illustrating an ear-wearable biosignal measuring device.
FIG. 2 is a diagram exemplarily illustrating a process of wearing the ear-wearable biosignal measuring device illustrated in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view exemplarily illustrating the ear-wearable biosignal measuring device illustrated in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the non-contact temperature sensor illustrated in FIG. 3 .
FIG. 5 is a diagram exemplarily illustrating a coupling structure between a clip and a main body of the ear-wearable biosignal measuring device illustrated in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 6 is a block diagram functionally illustrating the ear-wearable biosignal measuring device illustrated in FIG. 1 .
7 is a diagram exemplarily illustrating a continuous non-face-to-face monitoring system using the ear-wearable biosignal measuring device illustrated in FIG. 1 .

Since the present invention can have various changes and can have various embodiments, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in detail through the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention. In particular, functions, features, and embodiments to be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings may be implemented alone or in combination with other embodiments. Therefore, it should be noted that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the forms shown in the accompanying drawings.

When a component is referred to as being “connected” or “connected” to another component, it may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but it is understood that other components may exist in between. it should be On the other hand, when it is said that a certain element is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another element, it should be understood that the other element does not exist in the middle.

Terms such as first, second, etc. may be used to describe various elements, but the elements should not be limited by the terms. The above terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

The terms used herein are used only to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present specification, terms such as “comprise” or “have” are intended to designate that a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification exists, but one or more other features It is to be understood that this does not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

In addition, the components of the embodiment described with reference to each drawing are not limitedly applied only to the embodiment, and may be implemented to be included in other embodiments within the scope of maintaining the technical spirit of the present invention, and also Even if the description is omitted, it is natural that a plurality of embodiments may be re-implemented as a single integrated embodiment.

In addition, in the description with reference to the accompanying drawings, the same components regardless of the reference numerals are given the same or related reference numerals, and the overlapping description thereof will be omitted. In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known technology may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, terms such as “…unit”, “…unit”, “…module”, “…group”, etc. described in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which is hardware or software or hardware and software. It can be implemented by combining

Throughout the appended drawings, identical or similar elements are referenced using the same reference numerals.

1 is a diagram exemplarily illustrating an ear-wearable biosignal measuring device.

The ear-wearable biosignal measuring apparatus 10 may measure a basic biosignal of a user. Here, the biosignals that can be directly measured by the ear wearable biosignal measuring device 10 are oxygen saturation and body temperature, and a pulse may be calculated using the oxygen saturation. In addition to oxygen saturation and body temperature, other biological signals can also be measured by applying an appropriate sensor.

The user may be active while wearing the ear wearable biosignal measuring device 10 . Accordingly, the ear-wearable biosignal measuring apparatus 10 may continuously measure the biosignal over a long period of time. Here, 'continuous' is an ambiguous expression for expressing the state in which the ear wearable biosignal measuring device 10 is continuously worn, and even if measured 'periodically' or 'irregularly', sufficient biosignals are also 'continuous'. to express that it is measured as For example, the user may wear the ear-wearable biosignal measuring device 10 not only during daily work but also while sleeping. Accordingly, changes in body temperature and/or pulse can be monitored from hourly to daily or weekly.

An ear-worn type device, such as the ear-worn bio-signal measuring device 10 , does not restrict the user's free use of his/her hands. Unlike oxygen saturation, which can be measured with a smart watch, body temperature measurement must be performed while the thermometer is in contact with the ear or forehead or separated by a certain distance. Therefore, when daily body temperature monitoring is required, the user should measure body temperature at regular intervals while carrying a thermometer. On the other hand, since the oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 of the ear wearable biosignal measuring device 10 is closely attached to the ear, and the thermometer 300 remains inserted into the ear, the user's discomfort is significantly reduced. The ear-wearable bio-signal measuring apparatus 10 may be applied not only to a user who can measure a bio-signal by itself, but also to a user who cannot measure a bio-signal by himself. In particular, the ear-wearable biosignal measuring device 10 may be effective for continuously monitoring a patient with an epidemic that is likely to be infected upon contact.

Referring to FIG. 1 , an ear-wearable biosignal measuring device 10 may include a body 100 , an ear-inserted thermometer 300 , a soft cord 400 , and an ear hook 500 . The charging terminal 110 , the switch 120 , and the oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 exposed to the outside may be disposed on the front surface F of the body 100 . The soft cord 400 may electrically connect the body 100 and the ear insertable thermometer 300 . The ear hook 500 may attach the body 100, in particular, the oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 to the ear or the like. Unlike other biological signals, oxygen saturation is vulnerable to motion noise and can only be measured when it is in close contact with the skin. The ear hook 500 made of an elastic material not only allows the oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 to be in close contact with the skin, but also to maintain the adhered state. In particular, the ear is the smallest body organ, so it is least affected by the movement of the hand or leg.

FIG. 2 is a diagram exemplarily illustrating a process of wearing the ear-wearable biosignal measuring device illustrated in FIG. 1 .

Ear hook 500 extends from one end 510 so that the other end 520 is spaced apart from the front F of the body 100 . For example, the ear hook 500 may extend in a counterclockwise direction from one end 510 . The ear hook 500 is formed of an elastic material to enable convenient wearing, and in particular, in a worn state, the body 100 is pulled in the ear hook 500 direction to closely adhere the oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 to the skin. can keep In one embodiment, for convenient wearing, the other end 520 of the ear hook 500 may be bent in a direction away from the front F to have an S-shape. Due to this, the contact area 525 in contact with the ear may be located near the other end 520 . Additionally, one end 510 of the ear hook 500 may be coupled to the upper surface or the front F of the main body 100 .

The ear wearable biosignal measuring device 10 may be worn by inserting an ear wheel into a gap between the contact area 525 of the ear hook 500 and the front F of the body 100 . Due to this, the ear hook 500 is located in front of the ear and the body 100 is located behind the ear. In the illustrated drawing, the oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 may partially protrude from the front surface F and be easily attached to the back of the ear. Meanwhile, in order to increase the contact area with the back of the ear, at least a part or the whole of the front surface F may be a concave curved surface.

The part of the ear that comes into contact with the contact area 525 of the ear hook 500 should be spaced apart from the ear hole in the worn state. The portion extending from the other end 520 of the ear hook 500 to the contact area 525 should not interfere with the insertion of the thermometer 300 into the ear. When the contact area 525 or the other end 520 is close to the oxygen saturation detection sensor 200, the contact area 525 may be more firmly attached. Accordingly, the position of the contact region 525 or the other end 520 may be adjusted according to the position of the oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 .

After inserting the pinna, by inserting the ear-type thermometer 300 suspended from the soft cord 400 into the ear hole, a wearing process suitable for measuring biosignals can be completed. The length of the soft cord 400 may be determined not to pull the auricle or pinna while being inserted into the ear.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view exemplarily illustrating the ear-wearable biosignal measuring device illustrated in FIG. 1 .

The body 100 may include body housings 101L and 101R. In the front F of the body housing 101L, 101R, charging terminal holes 102L, 102R, switch holes 103L, 103R at positions corresponding to the charging terminal 110 , the switch 120 and the oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 . ) and sensor holes 103L and 103R may be formed. An internal space is defined by the body housings 101L and 101R, and at least some of the components implementing the function of the ear-wearable biosignal measuring device 10 may be accommodated in the defined internal space.

The charging terminal 110 is electrically connected to the rechargeable battery 115 and receives power for charging the battery 115 from the outside. If a wireless charger is adopted, the charging terminal 110 and the charging terminal holes 102L and 102R may be omitted.

The switch 120 controls the operation of the ear wearable biosignal measuring device 10 . Power may be supplied to each component from the battery 115 by the switch 120 . Since the switch 120 is disposed on the front side F, it becomes difficult to turn off the ear wearable biosignal measuring device 10 while worn. Accordingly, the ear wearable biosignal measuring device 10 may not be turned off while being worn due to an intentional manipulation or a mistake.

The oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 has a detection surface on which a plurality of LEDs and a light receiving element are disposed. The LEDs may include red and near infrared LEDs. The detection surface of the oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 may be exposed through the sensor holes 103L and 103R. The oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 measures the light absorption of arterial blood using red light and near-infrared light. Oxygen saturation can be calculated using functional hemoglobin HbO ₂ that transports oxygen bound in the lungs to tissues and subfunctional hemoglobin Hb that does not transport oxygen. HbO ₂ and Hb exhibit different optical properties, ie, different absorbance, in a light band between about 600 nm and about 1,000 nm. At about 660 nm red light, HbO ₂ has a relatively greater absorbance than Hb. Using this, the absorbance can be measured by alternatingly irradiating red light and near-infrared light at regular intervals. From this, the oxygen saturation can be calculated, and the pulse can be calculated from the oxygen saturation.

The body housings 101L and 101R may accommodate the battery 115 , the microprocessor 130 , the wireless transceiver 140 , and the gyro sensor 150 . A power line from the battery 115 to each component and a signal line between the sensors 200 , 330 and the microprocessor 130 may be provided by the printed circuit board 160 . The charging terminal 110 and the switch 120 may be fixed to the printed circuit board 160 .

The wireless transceiver 140 transmits or receives a biosignal according to one or more communication methods under the control of the microprocessor 130 . Here, the wireless transceiver 140 is, for example, a base station according to a mobile communication standard such as W-CDMA, a LAN Wifi router, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Wifi-Direct, and a device supporting short-range wireless communication such as NFC (hereinafter, an access point). ), etc., can be communicated. When only short-range wireless communication is possible, the wireless transceiver 140 may be connected to an access point through a mobile communication terminal such as a smart phone, for example. The wireless transceiver 140 converts the electrical signal output from the microprocessor 130 or the sensors 200 and 300 into a wireless signal and transmits it to an external device through the access point, and converts the wireless signal received through the access point into an electrical signal. converted to and input to the microprocessor 130 .

The gyro sensor 150 measures the acceleration generated in the ear wearable biosignal measuring device 10 . A movement of the user wearing the ear-wearable biosignal measuring device 10 , for example, walking or running may be detected through an acceleration change. The user's movement time may be recorded and managed as exercise time. Meanwhile, since the motion noise increases while the user is moving, the oxygen saturation measurement may be temporarily stopped. When the user collapses or falls, the gyro sensor 150 may measure an acceleration instantaneously generated in the direction of gravity.

The ear insertable thermometer 300 may include a thermometer housing 310 , a protective cover 320 , and a sensor assembly 330 . The sensor assembly 330 is accommodated in an inner space defined by the thermometer housing 310 and the protective cover 320 . Protective cover 320 may at least partially include an open or optically transparent medium to allow passage of infrared radiation emitted from the inner ear.

Meanwhile, the sensor assembly 330 may have a temperature compensation function. The temperature compensation function maintains the temperature of the sensor itself within the normal operating range, thereby reducing the occurrence of measurement errors due to changes in ambient temperature. Various embodiments of the sensor assembly 330 are described in detail with reference to FIG. 4 .

One end of the soft cord 400 is coupled to the ear implantable thermometer 300 , and the vicinity of the other end is coupled to a binding member 410 ( Cord Strain Relief Bushing). The binding member 410 is inserted into the binding member insertion grooves 105L and 105R formed in the lower portion of the body housings 101L and 101R. The soft cord 400 may include an electrical conductor therein, for example, a wire. Two or more wires are electrically connected to each of the battery 115 and the microprocessor 130 to supply power to the ear implantable thermometer 300 , and control signals and measurement signals between the microprocessor 130 and the ear implantable thermometer 300 . to convey

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the non-contact temperature sensor illustrated in FIG. 3 .

The sensor assemblies 330 , 331 , 332 have a temperature compensation function. The sensor assemblies 330 , 331 , and 332 may include an assembly housing 340 , a temperature sensor 350 , and thermoelectric cooling (TEC) 360 , 361 , and 362 . The temperature sensor includes an infrared sensor that receives infrared radiation emitted from the inner ear, a sensor housing that fixes the infrared sensor so that a light-receiving surface of the infrared sensor is disposed substantially perpendicular to the optical axis, and a temperature of the infrared sensor itself or a temperature around the infrared sensor An internal sensor for measuring (hereinafter, collectively referred to as 'internal temperature') may be included. The assembly housing 340 may include a window 345 positioned on the optical axis of the temperature sensor 350 . The sensor housing may be a cylindrical housing with one end open or protected by an optically transparent medium. The sensor housing is electrically insulated from the infrared sensor, and may be formed of a material having high thermal conductivity.

The temperature sensor 350 receives infrared rays radiated from a specific part of the human body, measures a first measurement signal and an internal temperature, and outputs a second measurement signal. The temperature sensor 350 may further include an infrared sensor that outputs a first measurement signal and an internal sensor that measures an internal temperature and outputs a second measurement signal. As an example of the infrared sensor, the thermopile sensor STP9CF55 manufactured by Sunshine Technologies of China includes a thermopile sensor that outputs a first measurement signal and an internal sensor that outputs a second measurement signal, for example, a thermistor. The infrared sensor is a Negative temperature coefficient (NTC) sensor whose resistance value decreases as the temperature indicated by the received infrared light increases, and the internal sensor may be a PTC (Positive temperature coefficient) sensor whose resistance value increases as the internal temperature increases have.

The temperature sensor 350 is thermally coupled to the thermoelectric elements 360 , 361 , 362 . The thermoelectric elements 360 , 361 , and 362 may be driven by electricity to remove (cool) heat from the temperature sensor 350 or transfer heat to the temperature sensor 350 (heat). Additionally, the sensor assemblies 330 , 331 , and 332 may further include a metal member (not shown) for increasing heat exchange efficiency between the thermoelectric elements 360 , 361 , and 362 and the temperature sensor 350 . Hereinafter, the conventional method of correcting the measured body temperature using the internal temperature and the temperature compensation process according to the present invention will be described.

A thermopile sensor, which is an example of an infrared sensor, may output a different first measurement signal according to an operating temperature, even if infrared rays representing the same temperature are received. Conventionally, the internal temperature obtained through the second measurement signal is used to correct the first measurement signal itself or the body temperature calculated from the first measurement signal. However, in order to correct the first measurement signal and/or the body temperature calculated therefrom, a conversion formula or conversion table is required for each thermopile sensor. The conversion formula or conversion table inevitably includes an error within a certain range, and the same type of thermopile sensor also has a relatively large error if it is out of the appropriate temperature range due to the influence of PVT (Process, Voltage, Temperature), etc. It is possible to output a first measurement signal having a In addition, the conversion formula or conversion table should be different for each thermopile sensor.

When the sensor assemblies 330 , 331 , and 332 are turned on, the internal temperature sensor of the temperature sensor 350 outputs a second measurement signal representing the current internal temperature T _current . The microprocessor calculates a difference T _target - T _current by comparing the preset appropriate internal temperature T _target with the current internal temperature T _current . If the difference is positive, an increase in the internal temperature, ie, heating is required, and if the difference is negative, a decrease in the internal temperature, ie, cooling is required. The appropriate internal temperature T _target may be room temperature, such as 25 degrees Celsius. As described above, the thermopile sensor is manufactured in consideration of operation at room temperature, and may output a relatively precise first measurement signal than at other operating temperatures.

The microprocessor may control the thermoelectric elements 360 , 361 , and 362 to drive heating or cooling according to the difference T _target - T _current . The microprocessor controls the direction, magnitude, and application time of the direct current supplied to the thermoelectric elements 360 , 361 , and 362 according to the temperature control command, thereby controlling the temperature sensor 350 among both surfaces of the thermoelectric elements 360 , 361 , 362 . ) is heated or cooled. If the difference T _target - T _current is large, a relatively large current is applied for a certain period of time to induce a relatively rapid temperature rise. The heat generated by the thermoelectric elements 360 , 361 , and 362 is transferred to the temperature sensor 350 to increase the internal temperature. The internal temperature sensor measures the increased internal temperature and outputs a second measurement signal, and the microprocessor compares the current internal temperature T _current calculated using the second measurement signal with an appropriate internal temperature T _target . When the difference T _target - T _current decreases, the magnitude of the current applied to the thermoelectric elements 360 , 361 , and 362 is reduced, so that the rate of temperature increase may be controlled. When cooling is required, that is, if the difference T _target - T _current is negative, the microprocessor changes the direction of the current applied to the thermoelectric elements 360 , 361 , 362 to change the direction of the current applied to the thermoelectric elements 360 , 361 , 362 . Cools the side facing the temperature sensor 350 among both sides of the. This lowers the internal temperature.

4A , the sensor assembly 330 may include a plate-shaped thermoelectric element 360 disposed on an inner bottom of the assembly housing 340. The thermoelectric element 360 is a temperature sensor 350 ) may or may not come into contact with. When disposed to contact the other end of the temperature sensor 350 , the thermoelectric element 360 may directly heat or cool the sensor housing of the temperature sensor 350. Temperature sensor ( When disposed to be spaced apart from the other end of the 350 , the thermoelectric element 360 heats or cools the inner space 365 of the assembly housing 340 , thereby indirectly heating or cooling the infrared sensor and/or the sensor housing. Through this, the internal temperature may be increased or decreased.

4B and 4C , the sensor assemblies 331 and 332 may include thermoelectric elements 361 and 362 processed into a curved surface disposed on the side surface of the temperature sensor 350 . In (b), the thermoelectric element 361 may contact the lower outer surface of the temperature sensor 350 to directly heat or cool the sensor housing of the temperature sensor 350 . In (c), the thermoelectric element 362' is disposed on the lower inner surface of the assembly housing 340 to heat or cool the inner space 365 of the assembly housing 340, thereby indirectly heating the infrared sensor and/or the sensor housing. can be heated or cooled. Through this, the temperature of the infrared sensor itself or the ambient temperature may be increased or decreased.

FIG. 5 is a diagram exemplarily illustrating a coupling structure between a clip and a main body of the ear-wearable biosignal measuring device illustrated in FIG. 1 .

Referring to Figure 5 (a) and (b) together, the receiving socket 511 is formed at one end of the ear hook 500, the receiving socket 511 accommodates the ball 106 for coupling therein. . The coupling ball may be disposed on the upper surface of the body 100 . The receiving socket and the engaging balls 106L and 106R constitute a ball joint, whereby the ear hook 500 can rotate around the direction in which the engaging ball 106 extends from the upper surface. Unlike the wearing method illustrated in FIG. 2 , the user rotates the ear hook 500 clockwise or counterclockwise, places the body 100 on the back of the ear, and then rotates the ear hook 500 in the opposite direction to put the ear wearable type The biosignal measuring device 10 may be worn.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram functionally illustrating the ear-wearable biosignal measuring device illustrated in FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIG. 6 , the ear wearable biosignal measuring device 10 includes a microprocessor 130 , an oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 , an ear implantable thermometer 300 , a gyro sensor 150 , and a wireless transceiver 140 . may include The operation of the ear wearable biosignal measuring device 10 may be initiated by the switch 120 .

The microprocessor 130 may control the operation of the oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 , the ear implantable thermometer 300 , and the wireless transceiver 140 . For example, the microprocessor 130 may measure the biosignal by driving the sensors 200 and 300 at regular time intervals. Here, the detection intervals of the oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 and the ear implantable thermometer 300 may be the same or different. The time interval may be a predetermined interval or an interval set according to a measurement control command received from the outside. The microprocessor 130 may determine whether the biosignal measurement value is within a set normal range. In addition, the microprocessor 130 may allow the wireless transceiver 140 to transmit the measured bio-signal to the outside.

The microprocessor 130 may measure the user's movement through the gyro sensor 150 . For example, the microprocessor 130 may determine that the user is in a walking or running state from a repetitive acceleration change pattern measured by the gyro sensor 150 . Such user's movement may be temporarily stored and then transmitted to the outside. As another example, the microprocessor 130 may temporarily stop measuring oxygen saturation while the user moves. As another example, when the instantaneous acceleration in the direction of gravity is measured, the microprocessor 130 determines that the user is falling or falling, and transmits an emergency signal to the outside through the mobile communication terminal communicating with the wireless transceiver 140 . .

Additionally or alternatively, the microprocessor 130 may control the sensor assembly 330 of the in-ear thermometer 300 to perform a temperature compensation operation. The microprocessor 130 receives the second measurement signal representing the internal temperature from the sensor assembly 330 , and drives the thermoelectric elements 360 , 361 , and 362 so that the second measurement signal does not deviate from the set normal temperature range.

The oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 may measure oxygen saturation and calculate a pulse by using the measured oxygen saturation. Meanwhile, the oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 measures only oxygen saturation, and the pulse rate may be calculated by the microprocessor 130 . The oxygen saturation detection sensor 200 may use optical properties of hemoglobin showing different absorbance rates when red light and near-infrared light are irradiated. The oxygen saturation measurement may include not only an AC component but also a DC component. Unlike the AC component that represents the actual oxygen saturation, DC noise is generated by other living tissues except hemoglobin, and various methods to remove it, such as Beer-Lambert, Peak and Valley, MASIMO, etc., can be applied. have.

7 is a diagram exemplarily illustrating a continuous non-face-to-face monitoring system using the ear-wearable biosignal measuring device illustrated in FIG. 1 .

The video fire monitoring system can easily manage large buildings or large areas. This is because images from multiple locations can be centrally monitored in one place. However, medical equipment used in hospitals mainly implements only a wired communication function, restricting movement after wearing, and thus does not provide a method for monitoring a patient who has left the seat. In particular, it is not easy to measure the condition of a patient outside the scope of the medical staff.

The ear-worn biosignal measuring device 10 enables continuous and non-face-to-face monitoring of a plurality of patients accommodated in a medical facility. Hospitals are equipped with medical staff and medical equipment to care for a large number of patients. However, it is practically impossible to monitor the condition by simultaneously measuring the biosignals of all patients. In particular, a patient's condition can deteriorate rapidly, so continuous monitoring is essential. The ear wearable biosignal measuring device 10 may be worn by every patient accommodated in a medical facility, and an abnormal biosignal among the measured biosignals may be automatically detected and notified to the medical staff.

The ear-worn biosignal measuring device 10 enables provision of remote medical services to people who are not accommodated in medical facilities. Telemedicine services can be provided not only to people with diseases that require constant management, but also to emergency patients who are being transported to medical facilities. Even in daily life, bio-signals may be continuously measured and used as basic information for state determination.

Referring to FIG. 7 , the continuous non-face-to-face monitoring system may include an ear-wearable bio-signal measuring device 10 , a bio-signal collecting and processing device 610 , and terminals 620 and 630 . Here, the terminal may be an electronic information processing device having a communication function, such as a personal computer, a notebook computer, a smart phone, a pad, etc. used by medical personnel. The ear-worn bio-signal measuring device 10 transmits the bio-signal to the bio-signal collection and processing device 610 through the access point 600 . Meanwhile, the biosignal collection and processing device 610 may also transmit a measurement control command to the ear wearable biosignal measuring device 10 through the access point 600 .

The biosignal collection and processing device 610 collects one or more biosignals from the plurality of ear-worn biosignal measuring devices 10 . The collected bio-signals are processed separately for each ear-wearable bio-signal measuring device 10 or a person wearing the same. Here, the processing may include not only a process of analyzing the biosignal to determine whether it is abnormal, but also a process of storing the biosignal before or after processing. The numerical range for determining normal/abnormal may be set differently for each biosignal.

The above description of the present invention is for illustration, and those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can understand that it can be easily modified into other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention. will be. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. In particular, the features of the present invention described with reference to the drawings are not limited to the structures shown in the specific drawings, and may be implemented independently or in combination with other features.

The scope of the present invention is indicated by the following claims rather than the above detailed description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention. .

Claims (14)

a body that is hung over the user's ear;
an ear hook having one end coupled to the body and disposed in front of the ear to fix the body to the ear;
an oxygen saturation detection sensor at least partially accommodated in the body such that the detection surface is disposed near the other end of the ear hook;
an in-ear thermometer connected to the housing by a soft cord; and
and a wireless transceiver for wirelessly transmitting the measured values of the oxygen saturation detection sensor and the in-ear thermometer. The method according to claim 1,
The ear hook has an S-shape extending from the body, and when worn, the ear-wearable bio-signal measuring device closely adheres the oxygen saturation detection sensor to the back of the ear. The method according to claim 1,
The ear hook is an ear-wearable biosignal measuring device rotatably coupled to the body. The method according to claim 1, The ear implantable thermometer,
a thermometer housing connected to the soft cord;
a sensor assembly accommodated in the thermometer housing and having a temperature compensation function; and
and a protective cover coupled to the thermometer housing and defining an inner space in which the sensor assembly is accommodated. The method according to claim 4, wherein the sensor assembly
assembly housing;
a temperature sensor accommodated in the assembly housing and receiving infrared radiation emitted from the human body to measure a first measurement signal and an internal temperature to output a second measurement signal; and
An ear-wearable biosignal measuring device including a thermoelectric element for increasing or decreasing the internal temperature. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pulse is calculated from a detection value of the oxygen saturation detection sensor. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a gyro sensor for measuring acceleration to determine the user's movement. a plurality of ear-wearable bio-signal measuring devices for continuously transmitting the measured values generated by measuring bio-signals while worn by a plurality of people through wireless communication; and
a bio-signal collection and processing device that collects the measured values from the plurality of ear-worn bio-signal measuring devices and analyzes the collected measured values to detect abnormal bio-signals;
The ear wearable biosignal measuring device is
a body that is hung over the user's ear;
an ear hook having one end coupled to the body and disposed in front of the ear to fix the body to the ear;
an oxygen saturation detection sensor at least partially accommodated in the body such that the detection surface is disposed near the other end of the ear hook;
an in-ear thermometer connected to the housing by a soft cord; and
and a wireless transceiver for wirelessly transmitting the measured values of the oxygen saturation detection sensor and the ear-type thermometer. 9. The method of claim 8,
The ear hook has an S-shape extending from the body, and a continuous non-face-to-face monitoring system for attaching the oxygen saturation detection sensor to the back of the ear when worn. 9. The method of claim 8,
The ear hook is a continuous non-face-to-face monitoring system rotatably coupled to the body. The method according to claim 8, wherein the ear implantable thermometer,
a thermometer housing connected to the soft cord;
a sensor assembly accommodated in the thermometer housing and having a temperature compensation function; and
and a protective cover coupled to the thermometer housing and defining an interior space in which the sensor assembly is accommodated. The method according to claim 11, wherein the sensor assembly
assembly housing;
a temperature sensor accommodated in the assembly housing and receiving infrared radiation emitted from the human body to measure a first measurement signal and an internal temperature to output a second measurement signal; and
A continuous non-face-to-face monitoring system comprising a thermoelectric element for increasing or decreasing the internal temperature. The continuous non-face-to-face monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein the pulse rate is calculated from a detection value of the oxygen saturation detection sensor. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a gyro sensor that measures acceleration to determine the user's movement.

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