Physiological monitoring systems and methods of estimating vital-sign data

A physiological monitoring system is provided. The physiological monitoring system includes a feature extraction device, an identifier, a processor, a physiological sensing device, and a vital-sign detector. The feature extraction device extracts biological information of an object to generate an extraction signal. The identifier receives the extraction signal and verifies an identity of the object according to the extraction signal. The processor receives the extraction signal and obtains at least one biological feature of the user according to the extraction signal. The physiological sensing device senses a physiological feature to generate a bio-signal. The vital-sign detector estimates vital-sign data of the object according to the bio-signal and the at least one biological feature.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a physiological monitoring system, and more particularly to a physiological monitoring system which detects vital-sign data of a user based on the biological information about the personal identification of the user.

Description of the Related Art

With aging societies, more and more burden is placed on hospital resources. Moreover, cardiovascular diseases are increasing, as people age and stress increases for modern day living. Thus, vital-sign self-measurement devices have become an important target for development in the healthcare industry. Through sensing or detecting medically health information, such as electrocardiography (ECG), photoplethysmogram (PPG), heart rate, and blood pressure of patients in bio-signal self-measurement manners, the patients can monitor their own physiology status anytime, to relieve strain on hospital resources and provide needed medical attention to patients. Generally, to enhance the accuracy of a vital-sign self-measurement device, a user needs to input his/her biological features, such as age, gender, weight, height, and race, such that the vital-sign self-measurement device can select an appropriate model or adjust parameters of a reference model to estimate the user's health information. However, some biological features, such as the age, weight, and height, may change over time, and the user has to update these biological features every once in a while, which is inconvenient, especially for the elderly. In some situations, one vital-sign self-measurement device is shared by several users, such as a family. Since these users may be of different ages, genders, weight, height, or races, the appropriate models for estimating the health information are also different. Every time the vital-sign self-measurement device operates to estimate one of these users, the user has to manually switch the vital-sign self-measurement device to an appropriate model, which is inconvenient and is also easy to switch to the wrong model.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, it is desired to provide a physiological monitoring system which detects vital-sign data of a user based on biological features which is obtained from information about the personal identification of the user, thereby enhancing the accuracy of the detection result.

An exemplary embodiment of a physiological monitoring system is provided. The physiological monitoring system comprises a feature extraction device, an identifier, a processor, a physiological sensing device, and a vital-sign detector. The feature extraction device extracts biological information of an object to generate an extraction signal. The identifier receives the extraction signal and verifies an identity of the object according to the extraction signal. The processor receives the extraction signal and obtains at least one biological feature of the user according to the extraction signal. The physiological sensing device senses a physiological feature to generate a bio-signal. The vital-sign detector estimates vital-sign data of the object according to the bio-signal and the at least one biological feature.

An exemplary embodiment of a method of estimating vital-sign data. The method comprises the steps of extracting biological information of an object to generate an extraction signal for verifying an identity of the object; obtaining at least one biological feature of the user according to the extraction signal; sensing a physiological feature to generate a bio-signal; and estimating vital-sign data of the object according to the bio-signal and the at least one biological feature.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1shows one exemplary embodiment of a physiological monitoring system. As shown inFIG. 1, a physiological monitoring system1is provided to operate to monitor at least one vital-sign of an object, such as a user, to generate vital-sign data. The physiological monitoring system1comprises a feature extraction device10, a processor11, an identifier12, a vital-sign detector13, a speaker14, a displayer15, and a physiological sensing device16. In an embodiment, the feature extraction device10operates to extract the biological information of the user to generate at least one extraction signal S10. The extracted biological information of the user comprises the facial profile, a fingerprint, and/or voiceprint which are unique to the user. In an embodiment, as shown inFIG. 2, the feature extraction device may comprise a camera10A, a voice detector10B, and a fingerprint scanner10C. The camera10A captures an image of the face of the user which is facing the camera10A and generates an extraction signal S10A according to the captured image. In an embodiment, the camera10A may be a TrueDepth camera. The extraction signal S10A comprises data related to the facial profile of the user. The voice detector10B detects sound transmitted from the user. The voice detector10B analyzes the features of the detected sound to obtain the voiceprint of the user and generates an extraction signal S10B according to the obtained voiceprint. In an embodiment, the voice detector10B comprises a microphone to receive sound. The fingerprint scanner10C scans an image of one finger of the user which is contacting a touch panel of the fingerprint scanner10C, such as the fingerprint of the right thumb. The fingerprint scanner10C analyzes scanned the scanned image and detects the fingerprint of the finger, and generates an extraction signal10C according to the detected fingerprint. The touch panel of the fingerprint scanner10C is dedicated for fingerprint scanning on a portion of a touch screen. The camera10A, the voice detector10B, and the fingerprint scanner10C operate at different times. Alternatively, at least two of camera10A, the voice detector10B, and the fingerprint scanner10C operate at the same time.

Since the facial profile, the fingerprint, and the voiceprint are unique to the user, the identifier12can verify the identity of the user according to at least one of the extraction signals S10A˜S10C. In the cases where the physiological monitoring system1is in a locked mode, the identifier12unlocks the physiological monitoring system1when the identity of the user is verified successfully. In other cases, the identifier12can determine the authority of the user to access the physiological monitoring system1based the verified identify. In the embodiment, the identifier12may use any biometrics manners to verify the identity of the user according to at least one of the extraction signals S10A˜S10C.

Referring toFIGS. 1-2, the processor11also receives at least one of the extraction signals S10A˜S10C and obtains at least one biological feature of the user according to the received extraction signal(s). Generally, a person's age, gender, body information (including weight and height), and race can be learned from the facial profile. Thus, in the embodiment, when the camera10A operates to capture an image of the face of the user, the processor11receives the extraction signal S10A which comprises the data related to the facial profile of the user and analyzes the extraction signal S10A to obtain at least one of the age, the gender, the body information, and the race of the user as at least one biological feature. After obtaining the at least one biological feature, the processor11generates at least one corresponding bio-tag for the vital-sign detector13. In the embodiment, the bio-tags related to the age, the gender, the body information, and the race are represented by T11˜T14, respectively. Since the bio-tags T11˜T14are derived from the biological information of the user, one bio-tag or a combination of at least two bio-tags serves as an identification of the user.

Moreover, a person's age and gender can be learned from his/her voiceprint. Thus, in the embodiment, when the voice detector10B detects sound transmitted from the user, the processor11receives the extraction signal S10B and analyzes the extraction signal S10B to obtain at least one of the age and the gender of the user as at least one biological feature. After obtaining the at least one biological feature, the processor11generates at least one corresponding bio-tag T11or T12for the vital-sign detector13.

Generally, as people age, the fingerprints of the fingers become shallower. Thus, a person's age or age range can be learned from his/her fingerprint. In the embodiment, when the fingerprint scanner10C detects the fingerprint of one finger of the user, the processor13receives the extraction signal S10C and analyzes the extraction signal S10C to obtain the age or the age range of the user as a biological feature. After obtaining the biological feature, the processor11generates a corresponding bio-tag T11for the vital-sign detector13.

The physiological sensing device16operates to sense at least one physiological feature of the user who is wearing, holding or contacting the physiological sensing device16, such as the motion, photoplethysmogram (PPG), electrocardiography (ECG), the body fat, and amount of red light (R) and infrared (IR) received by the blood of the user. The physiological sensing device16generates at least one bio-signal according to the at least one sensed physiological feature. Referring toFIG. 2, in an embodiment, the physiological sensing device16comprises a motion sensor16A, a photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor16B, an electrocardiography (ECG) sensor16C, a body-fat sensor16D, and a SPO2 sensor16E. The motion sensor16A is disposed on a specific portion of the body of the user, such as one arm, one wrist, or one leg of the user, to sense the motion or activity of the user and generate a bio-signal S16A. The PPG sensor16B illuminates the skin of the user (for example, the skin of the right wrist) by a red light (R) source, a green light (G) source, or infrared (IR) source, detects the changes in light absorption of the blood under the skin, and generates a bio-signal S16B based on the measured changes. The ECG sensor16C senses the electrical activity of the heart of the user through electrodes contacting the skin of the user and generates a bio-signal S16C. The body-fat sensor16D provides a small electric current to the body of the user through two conductors attached to the body and measures the resistance between the two conductors to generate a bio-signal S16D.

The SPO2 sensor16E comprises a probe, such as a clip-type probe. The clip-type probe grips a specific portion of the body of the user, such as the right index finger of the user. A red light (R) source and an infrared (IR) source are disposed on one side of the probe, and a photo detector is disposed on the other side thereof. The light emitted by the R and IR sources travels through the tissue and blood and is then collected in the photo detector. The photo detector generates a bio-signal S16E according to the amount of received R and IR. Since the deoxyhemoglobin (Hb) and the oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) in the blood have different capacities for R and IR having different wavelengths, the bio-signal S16E is related to the amount of the deoxyhemoglobin (Hb) and the amount of the oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) in the blood.

In the above embodiment, the processor11receives at least one of the extraction signals S10A˜S10C indicating at least one biological feature and generates at least one bio-tag according to the received extraction signal(s). In another embodiment, the processor11further receives at least one of the bio-signals S16A˜S16E and generates at least one bio-tag according to the received extraction signal(s) and the received bio-signal(s). In this embodiment, since the bio-signals S16A˜S16E indicate the physiological features of the user, the bio-tag(s) indicating the biological feature(s) of the user can be determined more accurately when at least one bio-signal is also considered.

The vital-sign detector13receives the bio-tag(s) from the processor11and the bio-signal(s) from the physiological sensing device16and detects vital-sign data of the user according to the received the bio-tag(s) and the received bio-signal(s). In the embodiment, the vital-sign data comprises at least one of an index representing an obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk, a blood pressure, a body-fat percentage, an index representing an incidence of cardiovascular diseases, an index representing a sleep stage, a value representing a heart rate, an index representing heart rate variability, an index representing atrial fibrillation, and a value representing blood oxygen saturation. As described above, the bio-tags represent the different biological features, such as the age, the gender, the body information, and the race. In the embodiment, the vital-sign detector13can select an appropriate estimation model or change parameters of a reference estimation model according to at least one bio-tag, so that the vital-sign detector13can accurately estimate vital-sign data of the user.

In an embodiment, the physiological monitoring system1is implemented in an apparatus, such as a physiological monitoring apparatus or a smart phone. In another embodiment, the physiological monitoring system1is implemented in different apparatuses. As shown inFIG. 3, there are a smart phone30and a wearable device31with healthcare functions, such as a smart watch. In this embodiment, the feature extraction device10, the processor11, and the identifier12are disposed in the smart phone30, while the vital-sign detector13, the speaker14, the displayer15, and the physiological sensing device16are disposed in the smart watch31. The smart phone30transmits the bio-tags to the smart watch31in a wireless manner.

In the following paragraphs, the detail of the operation of the vital-sign detection device13will be described with reference to several embodiments.

According to an embodiment, the vital-sign detection device13stores a plurality of estimation models for cardiovascular diseases in the memory130. When vital-sign detection device13receives at least one of the bio-tags T11˜T14, such as the bio-tag (age) T11and the bio-tag (gender) T12, and further receives the bio-signal S16C, the vital-sign detection device13selects one estimation model from the memory130according to the received bio-tags T11and T12and then estimates an index representing an incidence of cardiovascular diseases according to the bio-signal S16C related to the electrical activity of the heart by using the selected estimation model. The estimated index may be transmitted to the displayer15through a corresponding image signal S13B and shown on the displayer15.

In an embodiment where the user which is wearing, holding or contacting the physiological sensing device16is sleeping, when the vital-sign detection device13receives at least one of the bio-tags T11˜T14and further receives the bio-signals S16A and S16B, the vital-sign detection device13selects one estimation model from the memory130according to the received bio-tag(s) and then estimates an index representing a sleep stage of the user according to the bio-signals S16A and S16B by using the selected estimation model. The estimated index may be transmitted to the displayer15through a corresponding image signal S13B and shown on the displayer15.

In another embodiment, when the vital-sign detection device13receives at least one of the bio-tags T11˜T14and further receives at least one of the bio-signals S16B˜S16C, the vital-sign detection device13selects one estimation model from the memory130according to the received bio-tag(s) and then estimates a value representing the heart rate of the user or an index representing the heart rate variability of the user according to the at least one of the bio-signals S16B˜S16C by using the selected estimation model. The estimated value or index may be transmitted to the displayer15through a corresponding image signal S13B and shown on the displayer15.

In an embodiment, when the vital-sign detection device13receives at least one of the bio-tags T11˜T14and further receives the bio-signals S16A˜S16B, the vital-sign detection device13selects one estimation model from the memory130according to the received bio-tag(s) and then estimates an index representing the atrial fibrillation of the user according to the bio-signals S16A˜S16B by using the selected estimation model. In another embodiment, an index representing the atrial fibrillation of the user can be estimated according to the bio-signal S16C. In detail, when the vital-sign detection device13receives at least one of the bio-tags T11˜T14and further receives the bio-signal S16C, the vital-sign detection device13selects one estimation model from the memory130according to the received bio-tag(s) and then estimates an index representing the occurrence of the atrial fibrillation on the user according to the bio-signal S16C by using the selected estimation model. The estimated index may be transmitted to the displayer15through a corresponding image signal S13B and shown on the displayer15.

In an embodiment, when the SPO2 is connecting through the probe, when the vital-sign detection device13receives at least one of the bio-tags T11˜T14and further receives the bio-signal S16D, the vital-sign detection device13selects one estimation model from the memory130according to the received bio-tag(s) and then estimates a value representing the blood oxygen saturation (SPO2) according to the bio-signal S16D by using the selected estimation model. The estimated value may be transmitted to the displayer15through a corresponding image signal S13B and shown on the displayer15.

FIG. 4shows a flow chart of estimating a blood pressure according to the bio-signal(s) and bio-tag(s) according to an exemplary embodiment. The vital-sign detection device13stores a plurality of estimation models for blood pressures in the memory130. When vital-sign detection device13receives at least one of the bio-tags T11˜T14(step S40), such as the bio-tag (age) T11, the bio-tag (gender) T12, the bio-tag (body information) T13, and further receives the bio-signal S16B from the PPG sensor16B (step S41), the vital-sign detection device13selects one estimation model from the memory130according to the received bio-tags T11˜T13(step S42) and then estimates the blood pressure according to the bio-signal S16B by using the selected estimation model (step S43). The value of the blood pressure may be transmitted to the displayer15through an image signal S13B and shown on the displayer15. According to another embodiment, the memory130may store historical estimation models which were used in the previous estimation of the blood pressures of different users. In this embodiment, at the step S42, the vital-sign detection device13reads the historical estimation model for the previous estimation of the blood pressure of the user from the memory130according to the bio-tags T11˜T13.

FIG. 5shows a flow chart of estimating a body-fat percentage according to the bio-signal(s) and bio-tag(s) according to an exemplary embodiment. In an embodiment, the vital-sign detection device13stores a plurality of estimation models for body-fat percentages in the memory130. When vital-sign detection device13receives at least one of the bio-tags T11˜T14(step S50), such as the bio-tag (age) T11, the bio-tag (gender) T12, the bio-tag (body information) T13, and further receives the bio-signal S16D from the body-fat sensor16D (step S51), the vital-sign detection device13selects one estimation model from the memory130according to the received bio-tags T11˜T13(step S52) and then estimates the body-fat percentage according to the bio-signal S16C by using the selected estimation model (step S53). The value of the body-fat percentage may be transmitted to the displayer15through an image signal S13B and shown on the displayer15. After estimating the body-fat percentage, the vital-sign detection device13adjusts an upper threshold of a normal range according to the bio-tag (gender) T12(step S54). The vital-sign detection device13determines whether the body-fat percentage is larger than the adjusted upper threshold (step S55). In response to determining that the body-fat percentage is larger than the adjusted upper threshold, the vital-sign detection device13generates a control signal S13A to control the speaker14to play a warning sound.

FIG. 6shows a flow chart of estimating an OSA risk according to the bio-signal(s) and bio-tag(s) according to an exemplary embodiment. In an embodiment, the vital-sign detection device13stores a plurality of estimation models for OSA risks in the memory130. When vital-sign detection device13receives at least one of the bio-tags T11˜T14(step S60), such as the bio-tag (age) T11, the bio-tag (gender) T12, the bio-tag (body information) T13, and the bio-tag (race) T14, and further receives the bio-signal S16A from the motion sensor16A (step S61), the vital-sign detection device13selects one estimation model from the memory130according to the received bio-tags T11˜T14(step S62). For example, when the bio-tag (age) T11indicates that the age of the user is more than 40 years old, the bio-tag (gender) T12indicate that the user is a male, the bio-tag (body information) T13indicates that the weight of the user is great, and the bio-tag (race) T14indicates that the user is an Asian, the vital-sign detection device13selects a high-risk estimation model which includes a lower threshold. In other cases, the vital-sign detection device13may selects a low-risk estimation model. The vital-sign detection device13then estimates the OSA risk according to the bio-signal S16A by using the selected estimation model (step S63). The value of the vital-sign detection device13may be transmitted to the displayer15through an image signal S13B and shown on the displayer15. After estimating the body-fat percentage, the vital-sign detection device13determines whether the OSA risk is larger than the threshold of the selected estimation model. In response to determining that the OSA risk is larger than the threshold, the vital-sign detection device13generates a control signal S13A to control the speaker14to play a warning sound.

According to an embodiment, the memory130may store databases of different users. Each database comprises the historical estimation models and/or the historical parameters which were used in the previous estimation of the vital-sign data of a user and further comprises the historical vital-sign data which was estimated in the previous estimation. When the physiological monitoring system1operates to estimate vital-sign data of a user, the vital-sign detection device13may access a database exclusive to the user from the memory130according to at least one bio-tag of the user. Thus, the user can estimate vital-sign data by referring to the historical estimation model or parameters and by taking the historical vital-sign data as reference data, thereby enhancing of the accuracy of the estimation of the vital-sign data. Moreover, each time the vital-sign detection device13estimates vital-sign data of a user, the vital-sign detection device13stores the estimated vital-sign data into a database exclusive to the user which is determined according to at least one bio-tag of the user.