Abstract

Disclosed is a regulating system (150; 150') for a timepiece movement (300), comprising: - an inertial element (4; 4'), - a frame (6), and - an elastic return system (1; 1' 2, 3) for connecting the inertial element (4; 4') to the frame (6) such that the inertial element (4; 4') and the elastic return system (1; 1', 2, 3) form an oscillator (100; 100'), the elastic return system (1; 1', 2, 3) comprising: - a first elastic return element (1; 1') having a first stiffness k1, - a second elastic return element (2) having a second stiffness k2, - a third elastic return element (3) having a third stiffness k3, and - a device (200) for modifying the third stiffness k3, the first elastic return element (1; 1') and the second elastic return element (2) being mounted in series between the inertial element (4; 4') and the frame (6), and the third elastic return element (3) and the second elastic return element (2) being mounted in parallel between the frame (6) and the first elastic return element (1; 1').

IPC Classes  ?

• G04B 17/04 - Oscillators acting by spring tension
• G04B 18/02 - Regulator devicesIndexing devices

Abstract

Method and apparatus for estimating an arrival time (PAT) value of a subject in an automatic and unsupervised fashion from a sequence of electrical impedance tomography (EIT) images. The method comprises: providing an EIT imaging device adapted to record impedance signal distribution within a measurement region of the subject; measuring a sequence of temporally discrete EIT images during a predetermined measuring time period in the measurement region using the EIT imaging device, each EIT image comprising one or a plurality of EIT pixel subsets, each of said one or a plurality of EIT pixel subset representing an impedance value; generating one or a plurality of time series, each of said one or a plurality of time series representing a variation of the impedance value of the sequence of EIT images; and estimating the PAT value from each of said one or a plurality of time series.

IPC Classes  ?

• A61B 5/02 - Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the cardiovascular system, e.g. pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow
• A61B 5/021 - Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels
• A61B 5/00 - Measuring for diagnostic purposes Identification of persons
• A61B 5/0285 - Measuring phase velocity of blood waves
• A61B 5/053 - Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body

Abstract

Method and apparatus for measuring a pulse transit time (PTT) value of a subject, comprising: measuring a first arterial pressure pulse arrival time (PAT) and measuring a second PAT value; calculating a PTT value from the difference between the first PAT value and the second PAT value; processing a sequence of electrical impedance tomography (EIT) images (10) to identify at least one region of interest (ROI); and estimating at least one of the first and second PAT value from the variation of impedance value determined from said at least one ROI. The method allows for the non-invasive and continuous measurement of the PTT value and arterial blood pressures.

IPC Classes  ?

• A61B 5/053 - Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• A61B 5/021 - Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels

Abstract

Method and apparatus for estimating an arrival time (PAT) value of a subject from a sequence of electrical impedance tomography (EIT) images (10). The method comprises: providing an EIT imaging device adapted to record impedance signal distribution within a measurement region (2) of the subject; measuring a sequence of temporally discrete EIT images (10) during a predetermined measuring time period in the measurement region using the EIT imaging device, each EIT image comprising one or a plurality of EIT pixel subsets, each of said one or a plurality of EIT pixel subset representing an impedance value; generating one or a plurality of time series (11), each of said one or a plurality of time series (11) representing a variation of the impedance value of the sequence of EIT images (10); and estimating the PAT value from each of said one or a plurality of time series (11). The method allows for estimating the PAT value in an automatic and unsupervised fashion.

IPC Classes  ?

• A61B 5/053 - Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• A61B 5/0285 - Measuring phase velocity of blood waves
• G01N 27/02 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating impedance

Abstract

A method for measuring and determining a pulse arrival time (PAT) value of a user using a sensor device comprising a photoplethysmographic (PPG) multichannel sensor formed from a plurality of PPG sensor channels and being adapted to measure a set of PPG signals, each PPG signal being measured by one of the PPG sensor channels when the multichannel PPG sensor is in contact with the user; comprising: measuring said set of PPG signals;extracting a plurality of features from each of the measured PPG signals;selecting a subset from the set of PPG signals based on the extracted features; and processing the selected subset of PPG signals to determine the PAT value. The disclosed sensor and method can be embedded into a chest belt and do not need skilled supervision. They canrepresent a potential candidate for the implantation of PWV measurement campaigns in the ambulatory setting.

IPC Classes  ?

• A61B 5/021 - Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels
• A61B 5/024 - Measuring pulse rate or heart rate
• A61B 5/0285 - Measuring phase velocity of blood waves
• A61B 5/0452 - Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns a method for estimating blood constituent concentration of a user under low perfusion conditions using a spectrophotometry-based monitoring device comprising a multichannel sensor (1) formed from a plurality of channels (2, 5), and a cardiovascular sensor (7, 14); comprising: measuring a plurality of photoplethysmographic (PPG) signals, each PPG signal being measured by one of the channels (2, 5); measuring a cardio-synchronous (CV) signal by using the cardiovascular sensor (7, 14); detecting a instantaneous heart rate and determining a heart rate variability from the CV signal; for each detected heart rate, projecting the measured PPG signals multiplied by a window function on a principal frequency component, and selecting reliable projected PPG signals; and estimating a value of said blood constituent concentration from the magnitude of said reliable projected PPG signals selected over a predetermined time period; wherein said window function has a window length which is adjusted at each detected heart rate according to the determined heart rate variability; and wherein the frequency of said principal frequency component is estimated by averaging the heart rate over the window length.The disclosed method requires diminished computational load compared to conventional methods based on frequency domain approach as FFT or DCT,and provides better time and frequency resolution and thus optimal noise reduction and minimal signal distortion.

IPC Classes  ?

• A61B 5/00 - Measuring for diagnostic purposes Identification of persons

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns a sensor (1) for measuring a core body temperature of a user, comprising a first temperature probe (2) to be placed against the skin (3) of the user for measuring a first temperature (Tc); a second temperature probe (6) at a distance from the first temperature probe (2), for measuring a second temperature (Td) and; a thermal insulator (4) provided between the first and second temperature probes (2, 6) for thermally insulating first and second temperature probes (2, 6) from each other; characterized in that the thermal insulator (4) embeds the first temperature probe (2), forming a contact surface (7) extending in the plane of the first temperature probe (2) and destined to be in contact engagement with the skin (3); and in that the sensor (1) further comprises a thermally conductive shield (5) covering at least portion of the thermal insulator (4), the second temperature probe (6) being in contact with the conductive shield (5). The sensor allow for performing measurements that are more robust to perfusion and air temperature variations, hence determining the core body temperature with a better accuracy than when conventional sensors are used.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01K 1/16 - Special arrangements for conducting heat from the object to the sensitive element
• G01K 7/42 - Circuits effecting compensation of thermal inertiaCircuits for predicting the stationary value of a temperature
• G01K 13/00 - Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes