Modular Sensor Platform

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments comprise a modular sensor platform, comprising: a base module comprising, a display, a processor, a memory and a communication interface; a band removably coupled to the base module such that the band is replaceable with different types of bands; and a sensor module that collects data from a user, the sensor module in communication with the base module and removably coupled to the band such that the sensor module is replaceable with different types of sensor modules, the sensor module further comprising a plurality of sensor units that are removably coupled to the sensor module such that individual sensor units are replaceable with different types of sensor units.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A device for measuring a physiological or other activity of a user and being wearable on a body part of the user, the device comprising:
 a band having an interior surface, an exterior surface and a receptacle on the interior surface of the band;   an interchangeable sensor module configured to be removably insertable into the receptacle, and configurable to be in contact with the body part when the device is worn by the user, and further comprising:
 a modular sensing circuitry comprising one or more sensor units configured to receive data indicative of a physiological or other activity of the user, wherein each of the one or more sensor units is removably attached to the modular sensor circuitry, and each of the one or more sensor units is interchangeable with another sensor unit. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensor units are configured to be snapped into place on the modular sensing circuitry. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor plate, wherein the one or more sensor units are configured to be snapped into place on the sensor plate. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the sensor plate is removably coupled to the band such that the sensor plate can be replaced with a different sensor plate. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the sensor plate is removably coupled to the band and is sized to accommodate different sized body parts. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensor units is arranged non-uniformly in relation to the others of the one or more sensor units on the sensor plate. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensor units collect one or more of physiological, other activity and sleep data from the user. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the modular sensing circuitry is replaceable with a new or different type of modular sensing circuitry. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the modular sensing circuitry is arranged on the band so that the modular sensing circuitry straddles a blood vessel. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the modular sensing circuitry further includes a sensor computing unit coupled to the one or more sensor units. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the sensor computing unit further comprises one or more of an electrocardiogram (ECG) and bioimpedance (BIOZ) analog front end (AFE), a galvanic skin response (GSR) AFE, an optical sensor AFE, a processor, and analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a memory, a three-axis accelerometer, a pressure sensor and a battery. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a base module, wherein the base module further includes a base computing unit that includes a processor, a memory, a communication interface and a set of sensors including an accelerometer and thermometer. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein at least one the one or more sensor units comprises a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor to measure positional information for use by the base module. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle further comprises an interface receptacle located on an interior side of a backplate configured to receive the modular sensing circuitry. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the interface receptacle is a micro-USB-type receptacle. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the interface receptacle is a centrally located in the backplate. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the interchangeable sensor module comprises one or more light sources disposed on the interior surface adjacent to the modular sensing circuitry, wherein the one or more plurality of light sources are configured to emit lights onto the body part. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the modular sensing circuitry is configured to receive reflective photoplethysmography (PPG) signal of the user, wherein the reflective PPG signal comprises an emitted light reflected off the body part. 
     
     
         19 . A system for measuring a physiological or other activity of a user and being wearable on a body part of a user, the system comprising:
 a band configurable to be fitted over the body part, and having an interior surface configured to contact the body part when worn by the user;   an interface disposed in the interior surface; and   a plurality of interchangeable sensor modules, each of the sensor modules being configured to receive data indicative of a physiological or other activity of the user, being removably disposed on the interior surface, and being detachably engagable with the interface.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein one or more of the plurality of sensor modules is generally contoured to a shape of the body part. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of sensor modules further comprises one or more sensor units, the one or more sensor units are removable and comprise one or more of biological sensors, proximity detectors and environmental sensors. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising an electrocardiogram (ECG) electrode, wherein the one or more sensor units and the ECG electrode form a complete ECG circuit that measures electrical activity of a user's heart over period of time. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a base module configured to communicate wirelessly with the plurality of interchangeable sensor modules and other sensor modules located on different parts of the user to form a body area network. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a base module configured to communicate wirelessly with wirelessly accessible devices. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a base module configured to communicate with a cloud-based database platform in a multi-modal interaction architecture. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the interface is configured to communicate with one or more of the plurality of interchangeable sensor modules. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a sensor plate having one or more of the plurality of interchangeable sensor modules thereon, and wherein the sensor plate is detachably attached to the band. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a base module, wherein the base module further includes a base computing unit that includes a processor, a memory, a communication interface and a set of sensors including an accelerometer and thermometer. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the base module is configured to: receive data from the one or more of the plurality of interchangeable sensor modules, and process the received data to form a predefined representation of a signal. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the interface is configured to communicate with the base module. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a sensor computing unit coupled to one or more of the plurality of interchangeable sensor modules, wherein the plurality of interchangeable sensor modules further comprises any combination of optical sensor array, a thermometer, a galvanic skin response (GSR) sensor array, a bioimpedance (BioZ) sensor array, and an electrocardiography sensor (ECG) sensor.