Patent Description:
Exposure to light is the key mechanism that enables a proper synchronization of the body clock with the solar day cycle. Timing, duration, intensity and spectral composition of light exposure all have impact on the so-called entrainment of a person to a <NUM>-hour circadian rhythm. It has been shown that restorative sleep can only occur in synchronicity with the body clock. For certain people who have a phase shift of their internal body clock relative to the social schedules around them, exposure to bright light at welldefined times can be used to shift their body clock forward or backwards to better align it with their social needs. Also for the treatment of seasonal affective disorder, timed and regular exposure to bright light is an effective means.

The assessment of light levels to which a person is exposed over the course of multiple days or even weeks is an important instrument for the diagnosis of mood and sleep disorders. Existing actigraphy products measure the activity and light exposure with a device that is used and worn similar to a wrist watch.

Such a wrist-worn device is shown, for example, in <CIT>, showing a system and method for monitoring information related to sleep. The wrist-worn device shown in this document comprises an illumination sensor to provide information related to the intensity of ambient illumination of the user. The signal of the sensor can be further processed by suitable electronic computing means.

UK patent application <CIT> discloses a light monitoring device comprising at least one light sensitive element and recording means. The output from the or each element is recordable by the recording means. The recorded data is related to the lighting conditions around the device. A programme running on the computer is able to extract the memorised data and construct a virtual spacial distribution of light.

EP patent application <CIT> discloses a system intended to determine the orientation in the space of a body integral with a photoreceiver, comprised of three photosensors which receive light from a photoemitter, and which provides through an electronic calculation subsystem to determine the direction of the incident radiation.

The common sensor modules are usually mounted such that the axis of main sensitivity is orthogonal to the display surface of the operation module, i.e., orthogonal to the outer hand surface of the user. At the same time, the axis of main sensitivity of the sensor is completely independent from the direction of gaze of the user, with the consequence that there is no good correlation between the light levels being measured and those light levels present at the user's eyes which would be optimal for the estimation of the visual and non-visual effects caused by light exposure such as e.g., shifting human circadian phase. Furthermore, generally the main axis of sensitivity is different from the direction from which the main portion of ambient light is received. In most environments light is not being uniformly received from all directions, but the main exposure is caused by a small number of light sources (the sun, lighting on the ceiling, etc.). It follows from the above that using wrist-worn devices as described above not always leads to satisfactory results in sensing the ambient lighting and estimating its influence on the visual and non-visual effects as e.g., shifting human circadian phase.

Further examples of the prior art can be found in <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wrist-worn device for sensing ambient light intensity that is improved with respect to the measurement of ambient lighting and its influence on a human being and that decreases or even eliminates the influence of a directional sensitivity of the sensor arrangement within the device.

This object is achieved by a wrist-worn device comprising the features of claim <NUM>.

The wrist-worn device for sensing ambient light intensity according to the present invention comprises not only one but a plurality of light receivers arranged at different positions of the wrist-worn device in different orientations to receive light from different directions. In this arrangement the effect of a directional receptivity of one of the receivers is counterbalanced by different receivers pointing in different directions, so that a multi-directional measurement is possible. This leads to better results in estimating the ambient light intensity. With increasing number of light receivers used in this arrangement, a quasi omni-directional light measurement is possible, being almost independent from the present orientation of the wrist-worn device on the body of the user.

The light receivers are light sensors that collect light and convert the received light intensity into a corresponding electric signal that can be further processed. The receptivity of the light receiver corresponds to the sensitivity of the sensor.

In the present invention, each of the different directions corresponds to a main axis of maximum receptivity of one of the light receivers. This means that the receivers are oriented such that their axes of maximum receptivity lie in different spatial directions. The maximum receptivity corresponds to the maximum sensitivity of the sensor on its main axis.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least some of the different directions are orthogonal to each other. Just to give one example, one of the light receivers may be placed on top of the wrist-worn device, with its main axis of maximum receptivity standing orthogonal to the back of the hand of the user, while another light receiver is arranged laterally at the wrist-worn device, pointing in a direction orthogonal to the first light receiver.

According to another preferred embodiment, for example, two different light receivers can be arranged on opposite sides of the wrist-worn device.

In the present invention, the light receivers are arranged in pairs, wherein the two light receivers of each pair are arranged in opposite orientations on one spatial axis of a Cartesian coordinate system. For example, six light receivers can be used in total, with three pairs of light receivers on the spatial axes of a three dimensional coordinate system.

Preferably the wrist-worn device comprises an operation module and a wrist band connected with its ends to opposite sides of the operation module, and the light receivers are arranged in different positions on the operation module and/or the wrist band.

The operation module can be, for example, a housing receiving an integrated circuit for processing and storing the signals provided by sensors used as light receivers, comparable to the housing of a common wrist watch.

The light receivers are sensors for generating a signal corresponding to the received light intensity.

According to an example not part of the present invention, the light receivers are connected via light conductors with one common sensor that collects the light received by the light receivers. In this case the light receivers themselves are not provided as sensors but only as optical light collecting devices, such as optical lenses, coupled to light conduction fibers that supply the collected light towards the sensor for further processing.

More preferably, the light receivers are provided to receive light of one or a plurality of spectral ranges, for example, within the visible light spectrum or also including the infrared or ultraviolet spectral range.

According to the invention, the wrist-worn device further comprises a central processing unit for processing signals representing the intensities received by the light receivers and for identifying and further processing a signal representing a maximum intensity among these intensities. In the invention only the signal of the light receiver having received the maximum intensity among all receivers is further processed.

According to another preferred embodiment, the central processing unit is provided for identifying and further processing a signal representing the maximum intensity in one predetermined spectral range.

According to an example not part of the present invention, the wrist-worn device comprises a central processing unit for processing signals representing the intensities received by the light receivers and for combining these signals to one general intensity signal. This combination can be achieved, for example, by adding all signals of the light receivers, or by any other linear or non-linear combination of them.

According to still another preferred embodiment, the wrist-worn device further comprises an accelerometer for sensing the spatial orientation of the of the wrist-worn device. The signal of the accelerometer can be used to identify, for example, the light receiver that points to the ground, or another light receiver that points to the ceiling or to the sky. This information can be used to enhance the overall sensing sensitivity from the spatial arrangement of the light receivers.

The invention also refers to a method for sensing ambient light intensity using a wrist-worn device of the above kind, comprising the steps of supplying signals representing the intensities received by the light receivers to the central processing unit, comparing the supplied signals, and identifying a signal representing the maximum intensity among the received intensities.

Another method for sensing ambient light intensity according to an example not part of the present invention, using a wrist-worn device as mentioned above, comprises the steps of supplying signals representing the intensities received by the light receivers to central processing unit, and combining the supplying signals to one general intensity signal.

<FIG> shows a wrist-worn device <NUM> for sensing the ambient light intensity in the environment of a user (not shown) wearing this device <NUM>. Generally the wrist-worn device <NUM> comprises an operation module <NUM> in the shape of a flat rectangular box, and a flexible wrist band <NUM> that is attached with its ends to opposite sides of the operation module <NUM> such that the operation module <NUM> and the wrist band <NUM> form a ring. The inner diameter of the wrist band <NUM> is dimensioned such that the wrist-worn device <NUM> can comfortably be worn on the wrist of a user. For putting on the device <NUM>, the wrist band <NUM> may have a certain elasticity to be widened, or a opening and closing mechanism (not shown in the Figures) may be provided for connecting one end of the wrist band <NUM> to the operation module <NUM>. Generally the operation module <NUM> and the wrist band <NUM> are formed similar to a common wrist watch.

The operation module <NUM> is formed as a housing that receives an integrated electronic circuit for processing and storing electric signals, as will be described further below. On the top surface <NUM> of the operation module <NUM>, there is a display <NUM> for displaying a status information of the device <NUM> or any other information, like, for example, the daytime.

Further provided on the top surface <NUM> of the operation module <NUM> there is a light sensor <NUM> for measuring the ambient light intensity. Other sensors <NUM> and <NUM> are arranged laterally at the operation module <NUM>, while another sensor <NUM> is arranged on top of the wrist band <NUM> (with respect to the orientation in <FIG>), a fifth light sensor <NUM> is positioned opposite to the top sensor <NUM> on the bottom of the wrist band <NUM>, and finally a sixth sensor (not shown in <FIG> but present in <FIG>) is located on the back of the wrist band, opposite to the front sensor <NUM> on top of the operation module <NUM>.

All sensors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are arranged at different positions of the wrist-worn device <NUM> to receive light from different directions. Each of these directions corresponds to a main axis of maximum sensitivity of one of the sensors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. For example, the right sensor <NUM> on the right side of the operation module <NUM> is oriented such that it receives light from the right side in <FIG>, and this sensor <NUM> has a main axis of maximum sensitivity marked by a dashed line A that stands perpendicular to the side wall of the operation module <NUM> and to the ring plane of the wrist band <NUM>. In this axis A, the sensitivity of the sensor <NUM> is at its maximum. The sensor <NUM> is positioned to receive light from a direction +X (marked by an arrow in <FIG>) along its main axis A.

The sensor <NUM> is arranged on the opposite lateral side of the operation module <NUM>, with its main axis of maximum sensitivity falling together with the axis A of the sensor <NUM> described before. However, this left sensor <NUM> is arranged to receive light from the opposite direction -X (also marked by an arrow opposite to the arrow +X in <FIG>) along this axis A. As a result, both opposite sensors <NUM> and <NUM> are opposite to each other, arranged to receive light from opposite directions +X, -X on a common axis A of maximum sensitivity.

The top sensor <NUM> and the bottom sensor <NUM> are also arranged opposite to each other to receive light from opposite directions. Namely, the top sensor <NUM> is arranged to receive light from a top direction +Y perpendicular to the surface of the wrist band <NUM>, while the bottom sensor <NUM> is arranged to receive light from the opposite direction -Y, while the marked directions +Y, -Y both lie on the same main axis B representing the maximum sensitivity of the sensors <NUM> and <NUM>. This second main axis B of sensitivity is marked by the dashed line in <FIG>. It is noted that this second main axis B of maximum sensitivity stands perpendicular to the first main axis A of maximum sensitivity of the left and right sensors <NUM> and <NUM>.

Finally the front sensor <NUM> on top of the operation module <NUM> and the back sensor <NUM> (<FIG>) are opposite to each other to receive light from the opposite directions marked by arrows +Z, -Z. Each of these directions +Z, -Z lies on a main axis C of maximum sensitivity of the front and back sensors <NUM> and <NUM>.

In the arrangement described above, each two light sensors of the six light sensors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are arranged in pairs, wherein two light sensors of one pair are arranged in opposite orientations +X, -X, +Y, -Y, and +Z, -Z, respectively, on one spatial axis of a Cartesian coordinate system spanned by the orthogonal axes of these pairs. These orthogonal axes are represented by the described axes A, B, and C of maximum sensitivity of the sensors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. This further means that each two sensors are arranged orthogonal to each other, for example the left sensor <NUM> and the top sensor <NUM>, the right sensor <NUM> and the bottom sensor <NUM>, or the top sensor <NUM> and the back sensor <NUM>, and so forth.

By this arrangement, it is possible to sense the ambient light intensity in a quasi omni-directional way, receiving light from all directions in the three dimensional space. By use of the signals of all sensors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, it is possible to strongly decrease or even eliminate the influence of a directional sensitivity of each of the sensors, i.e. light falling along the main axis A, B or C of maximum sensitivity of the respective sensor <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> generates a stronger signal than light arriving with an incident angle with respect to the main axis of maximum sensitivity of the respective sensor. This effect can be minimized by the above described arrangement.

In the present example, sensors are used as light receivers to transform light into an electric signal that can be further processed and/or stored by a central processing unit in the operation module <NUM>. In the present embodiment, the sensors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are represented by opto-sensitive electronic components. However, it is possible to arrange other kinds of light receivers in place of the sensors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> at the same positions and with the same orientations, that also have a main axis of maximum receptivity for light, in form of optical elements that collect light and further supply the collected light via light conductors towards a common sensor that is housed within the operation module <NUM>, so that the electric signal is generated by this common sensor. It is also possible that the light receivers (i.e., sensors or any other kinds of light collecting optical elements) are provided to receive light of one or a plurality of spectral ranges, for example, within the visible light spectrum or in the infrared or ultraviolet spectral area. The central processing unit may then process signals representing the intensities received by the light receivers and identify the signal that represents the maximum measured intensity, for further storing and/or processing. This means that the central processing unit decides which of the light receivers or sensors measures the maximum intensity, and further processes only the signals of this identified sensor. It is further possible to carry out this identification and further processing on one selected spectral range of the sensors.

Another possibility is to combine the signals of all light receivers or light sensors to one general intensity signal within the central processing unit, by any linear or non-linear combination. This processing can also be weighted by an accelerometer (not shown) that is provided within the operation module <NUM> for sensing the spatial orientation of the wrist-worn device <NUM>. In this case it is possible to identify, for example, one sensor that points in an upward direction towards the sky or the room ceiling, and to use this identification or information for further processing of the signals representing the intensities of the sensors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

Claim 1:
Wrist-worn device (<NUM>) for sensing ambient light intensity, comprising:
a plurality of light receivers arranged at different positions of the wrist-worn device (<NUM>) in different orientations to receive light from different directions (+X, -X; +Y, - Y; +Z, -Z), wherein the light receivers are sensors (<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>) for generating a signal corresponding to the received light intensity; and
a central processing unit configured for:
processing the signals representing the intensities received by the light receivers,
identifying a signal representing the maximum intensity among these intensities,
identify which of the sensors measures the maximum intensity, and
further processing only signals of the identified sensor,
wherein each of the different directions (+X, -X; +Y, -Y; +Z, -Z) corresponds to a main axis (A,B,C) of maximum receptivity of one of the light receivers,
wherein the light receivers are arranged in pairs,
wherein the two light receivers of each pair are arranged in opposite orientations on one spatial axis of a Cartesian coordinate system.