Patent ID: 7887492

Claim:
A monitoring device for monitoring the health of a user, the monitoring device comprising: an article configured to be worn on a user's hand, the article comprising a thumb portion and a main body portion having a palm portion and a back portion, the article having a mass ranging from once ounce to five ounces; an optical sensor to measure blood flow through an artery of the user and to generate a digital signal corresponding to the flow of blood through the artery of the user, the optical sensor disposed on the thumb portion of the article, wherein the optical sensor is a light-to-frequency photodetector capable of transmitting a digital signal and at least one light emitting diode capable of radiating light ranging from 600 nanometers to 1100 nanometers; a microprocessor configured to process the digital signal from the optical sensor to generate a real-time heart rate value for the user from average pulse values filtered by a first heart rate value based on an average pulse value of a secondary set of time periods subtracted from an average pulse value of a primary set of time periods microprocessor disposed on the article; means for visually displaying the real-time heart rate value of the user, the visually displaying means attached to an exterior surface of the back portion of the article, the visually displaying means comprising a light emitting diode array having a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows, each of the plurality of columns capable of separate illumination to provide the appearance of a moving display; and means for controlling the input information and the output of information displayed on the visually displaying means, the controlling means extending from the exterior surface of the article.