Abstract:
An electronic device which includes a detector, a counter and a processor. The detector is configured to detect a plurality of pulse signals and the counter is connected to the detector and configured to count the plurality of pulse signals. The processor is configured to receive the count from the counter and use the count to determine a heart rate, characterized in that the processor generates and send out an activation signal if the determined heart rate reaches or goes lower than a threshold of 60 beats per minute.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/560,043 filed on Nov. 15, 2011 under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), the entire contents of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to a health monitoring device and, more particularly, to a physiological signal monitoring device. 
         [0003]    Products for health monitoring are prevalent nowadays. Various large-scale hospitals may be equipped with high-tech instruments to monitor a patient&#39;s condition. Domestic medical devices such as manometers, glucometers/glucose meters, theromometers and etc. may also be available in health care shops. However, most of such domestic medical devices cannot real-time monitor the condition of a user and timely send out an alert once any abnormal physiological signal is detected. 
         [0004]    Therefore, it is desired in the market a health monitoring device that may keep detecting and analyzing physiological signals and alert people of the occurrence of abnormal event. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Examples of the present invention may provide an electronic device which includes a detector, a counter and a processor. The detector is configured to detect a plurality of pulse signals and the counter is connected to the detector and configured to count the plurality of pulse signals. The processor is configured to receive the count from the counter and use the count to determine a heart rate, characterized in that the processor generates and send out an activation signal if the determined heart rate reaches or goes lower than a threshold of 60 beats per minute. 
         [0006]    Examples of the present invention may also provide an electronic device which includes a detector, a counter and a processor. The detector is configured to detect a plurality of pulse signals and the counter is connected to the detector and configured to count the plurality of pulse signals. The processor is configured to receive the count from the counter and use the count to determine a heart rate, characterized in that the processor generates and send out an activation signal if the determined heart rate reaches or goes over a threshold of 180 beats per minute for a certain interval. 
         [0007]    Examples of the present invention may also provide an electronic device which includes a detector, a counter and a processor. The detector is configured to detect a plurality of pulse signals and the counter is connected to the detector and configured to count the plurality of pulse signals. The processor is configured to receive the count from the counter and use the count to determine a heart rate variability, which is represented by the changes of heart rate over an interval, characterized in that the processor generates and send out an activation signal if the determined heart rate variability reaches or goes lower than a threshold of −0.5. 
         [0008]    Examples of the present invention may provide an electronic device which includes a detector, a counter and a processor. The detector is configured to detect a plurality of pulse signals and the counter is connected to the detector and configured to count the plurality of pulse signals. The processor is configured to receive the count from the counter and use the count to determine a heart rate, characterized in that the processor generates and send out an activation signal if the determined heart rate reaches or goes lower than a threshold of 60 beats per minute or the determined heart rate reaches or goes over a threshold of 180 beats per minute for a certain interval. 
         [0009]    Additional features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in portion in the description which follows, and in portion will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
         [0010]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, examples are shown in the drawings. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the examples. 
           [0012]    In the drawings: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1A  is a schematic top view of a first side of a monitoring device in accordance with an example of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 1B  is a schematic top view of a second side of a monitoring device in accordance with an example of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 1C  is a schematic perspective view of a monitoring device illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 1B ; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of a monitoring device in accordance with another example of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present examples of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like portions. It should be noted that the drawings are in greatly simplified form and are not to precise scale. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1A  is a schematic top view of a first side of a monitoring device in accordance with an example of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1A , the monitor device  1  may include a body  10  which may have a first slot  17 - 1  and a second slot  17 - 2 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 1B  is a schematic top view of a second side of a monitoring device in accordance with an example of the present invention, wherein the second side of the monitoring device is opposite to the first side. Referring to  FIG. 1B , the body  10  may further include a first electrode  17 - 3  and a second electrode  17 - 4 . Each of the first and second electrodes may be formed by but is not limited to one of the following electrically conductively materials: electrically conductive silicone, stainless steel. In another example, the body  10  may be formed by at least one of the aforesaid electrically conductively materials and the first electrode  17 - 3  and the second electrode  17 - 4  may be eliminated. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1C  is a schematic perspective view of a monitoring device illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . Referring to  FIG. 1C , the monitor device  1  may include a signal amplifier  11 , a filter  12 , a processor  13 , a detector  14 , a counter  15 , an alarm device  16 , a transmitter  18  and a thermo meter  19 . The monitoring device  1  may also include a first terminal  11 - 1  and a second terminal  11 - 2 . The first terminal  11 - 1  and the second terminal  11 - 2  may respectively, electrically connect to the first electrode  17 - 3  and the second electrode  17 - 4  as shown in  FIG. 1B . 
         [0021]    In one example, the amplifier  11  may be but is not limited to an electrocardiography (ECG) amplifier which may amplify signals received from the first terminal  11 - 1  and second terminal  11 - 2 . The amplified signals may then be sent to the filter  12  to eliminate noises or interferences. The filtered signals may then be sent to the processor  13  and in turn the detector  14 , which may be but is not limited to a QRS detector in the present example. The QRS detector  14  may identify a QRS complex and inform the counter  15  if any QRS complex is identified. The counter  15  may periodically send the count to the processor  13  which may determine whether or not to activate the alarm device  16  in accordance with the counting from the counter  15 . 
         [0022]    In one example, the processor  13  may use the count from the counter  15  to determine a heart rate (HR), means the number of heartbeats per unit of time, which may be expressed as beats per minute (bpm). If the determined HR reaches or goes lower than a threshold of 60 bpm, the processor  13  may activate the alarm device  16  at once and keep determining the HR. In another example, the processor  13  may also use the count from the counter  15  to determine heart rate variability (HRV), which is a physiological phenomenon where the time interval between heart beats varies and may be represented by a slope in the electrocardiogram (changes of HR over an interval). If the slope reaches or goes lower than a threshold of −0.5, the processor  13  may activate the alarm device  16  at once and keep determining the HR. 
         [0023]    In another example, if the determined HR reaches or goes over a threshold of 180 bpm for a certain interval, for example, for consecutive three or five minutes, the processor  13  may activate the alarm device  16  at once and keep determining the HR. 
         [0024]    Still referring to  FIG. 1C , the thermo meter  19  may connect to the second terminal  11 - 2  and send the temperature-related signals to the processor  13 . The processor  13  may determine whether or not to activate the alarm device  16  in accordance with the temperature-related signals from the thermo meter  19 . In another example, the thermo meter  19  may connect to the first terminal  11 - 1 . The processor  13  may also provide the transmitter  18  with signals associated with the count from the counter  15  and the temperature-related signals from the thermo meter  19 . 
         [0025]    In accordance with another example of the subject application, the amplifier  11 , filter  12 , detector  14 , counter  15  and transmitter  18  may be implemented in hardware or software, in which the former may be more advantageous in view of operation speed while the latter may be more cost effective in view of design complexity. If implemented in hardware, the amplifier  11 , filter  12 , detector  14 , counter  15  and transmitter  18  may be fabricated in an integrated chip (IC). 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of a monitoring device in accordance with another example of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the monitor device  2  may include a detector  21 , a counter  22 , a processor  23 , an alarm device  24 , a transmitter  25  and a thermo meter  26 . The monitoring device  2  may also include a first terminal  21 - 1  and a second terminal  21 - 2 . The monitor device  2  may be similar to the monitor device  1  as described and illustrated in  FIG. 1C  except that the amplifier  11  and filter  12  are eliminated and further replaced by the detector  24  and counter  25 . 
         [0027]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the examples described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular examples disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0028]    Further, in describing representative examples of the present invention, the specification may have presented the method and/or process of the present invention as a particular sequence of steps. However, to the extent that the method or process does not rely on the particular order of steps set forth herein, the method or process should not be limited to the particular sequence of steps described. As one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, other sequences of steps may be possible. Therefore, the particular order of the steps set forth in the specification should not be construed as limitations on the claims. In addition, the claims directed to the method and/or process of the present invention should not be limited to the performance of their steps in the order written, and one skilled in the art can readily appreciate that the sequences may be varied and still remain within the spirit and scope of the present invention.