Near-infrared laser diodes used in imaging applications

Abstract

A wearable device includes a measurement device to measure a physiological parameter adapted to be placed on a wrist or an ear of a user. First and second light emitting diodes generate corresponding output beams having an initial light intensity and a wavelength between 700-2500 nanometers. A receiver includes spatially separated detectors receiving reflected light from the output beams coupled to analog to digital converters to generate first and second detector signals. The receiver is configured to synchronize to the light emitting diode(s) and to generate an output signal by comparing the first and second detector signals. The measurement device improves signal-to-noise ratio of the output signal by increasing light intensity relative to the initial light intensity of the light emitting diode(s).

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A wearable device, comprising:
 a measurement device to measure a physiological parameter adapted to be placed on a wrist or an ear of a user, comprising at least a first light emitting diode and a second light emitting diode, the first light emitting diode configured to generate a first output optical beam, the first output optical beam having an initial light intensity and at least one near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, the second light emitting diode configured to generate a second output optical beam, the second output optical beam having an initial light intensity and at least one near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers;   the measurement device further comprising a receiver, the receiver having a first detector and a second detector, the first and second detectors being spatially separated, the first detector configured to receive at least a first reflected portion of the first output optical beam, the second detector configured to receive at least a first reflected portion of the second output optical beam;   one or more analog to digital converters coupled to the spatially separated detectors and configured to generate a first detector signal representing at least in part the first reflected portion of the first output optical beam and to generate a second detector signal representing at least in part the first reflected portion of the second output optical beam, and wherein the receiver is configured to generate an output signal at least in part by comparing the first detector signal and the second detector signal;   the measurement device configured to improve signal-to-noise ratio of the output signal by increasing light intensity relative to the initial light intensity of at least the first light emitting diode;   wherein the measurement of the physiological parameter is at least in part a non-invasive measurement on blood; and   wherein the receiver is configured to synchronize to at least one of the first and second light emitting diodes.   
     
     
         22 . The wearable device of  claim 21  wherein one of the spatially separated detectors is located a first distance from the first light emitting diode and a different distance from the second light emitting diode such that the receiver can receive a first reflected portion of the first output optical beam and a first reflected portion of the second output optical beam, and wherein the receiver is configured to generate a detector output signal at least in part by comparing the received first reflected portion of the first output optical beam and the received first reflected portion of the second output optical beam. 
     
     
         23 . The wearable device of  claim 22 , wherein the receiver is further configured to:
 generate a first receiver signal from light detected while the first and second light emitting diodes are off, and   generate a second receiver signal from light detected while at least one of the first and second light emitting diodes is on including at least a portion of the first reflected portion of the first output optical beam; and   wherein the measurement device is configured to further improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the output signal by differencing the first receiver signal and the second receiver signal.   
     
     
         24 . The wearable device of  claim 23 , wherein the measurement device is configured to operate at least one of the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode in a pulsed mode having a pulse repetition rate, and wherein the receiver is configured to synchronize with the pulsed mode repetition rate of the at least one of the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode. 
     
     
         25 . The wearable device of  claim 24 , wherein the wearable device is configured to communicate with a smart phone or tablet, the smart phone or tablet comprising a wireless receiver, a wireless transmitter, a display, a voice input module, a speaker, and a touch screen, the smart phone or tablet configured to receive and to process at least a portion of the output signal, wherein the smart phone or tablet is configured to store the processed portion of the output signal and to transmit at least a portion of the stored output signal as a transmitted signal over a wireless transmission link to a remote device;
 wherein the remote device is configured to receive over the wireless transmission link at least part of the transmitted signal as a received signal, to process the received signal to generate processed data, and to store the processed data, and wherein the remote device is capable of retrieving a history of at least a portion of the processed data; and   wherein the remote device is further configured to transmit at least a portion of the processed data to one or more other locations, wherein the one or more other locations is selected from the group consisting of the smart phone or tablet, a doctor, a healthcare provider, a cloud-based server and one or more designated recipients.   
     
     
         26 . The wearable device of  claim 25 , wherein the measurement device further comprises a reflective surface positioned to receive and redirect toward the spatially separated detectors at least some of the first output optical beam as a second reflected portion of the first output optical beam, and
 wherein the at least one near-infrared wavelength of the first light emitting diode is between 900 nanometers and 1150 nanometers.   
     
     
         27 . The wearable device of  claim 21  wherein at least one of the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode is configured to operate in a continuous wave mode of operation. 
     
     
         28 . A wearable device, comprising:
 a measurement device to measure a physiological parameter adapted to be placed on a wrist or an ear of a user comprising at least a first light emitting diode and a second light emitting diode, the first light emitting diode configured to generate a first optical beam, the first optical beam having an initial light intensity and at least one near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, the second light emitting diode configured to generate a second optical beam, the second optical beam having an initial light intensity and at least one near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers;   the measurement device configured to output at least a portion of the first optical beam as a first output optical beam, and to output at least a portion of the second optical beam as a second output optical beam;   the measurement device further comprising a receiver having one or more detectors, wherein one of the one or more detectors is located a first distance from the first light emitting diode and a different distance from the second light emitting diode to be capable of receiving at least a first reflected portion of the first output optical beam and generating a first detector signal, and receiving at least a first reflected portion of the second output optical beam and generating a second detector signal;   wherein the receiver is configured to generate an output signal in part by comparing the first detector signal and the second detector signal;   the measurement device configured to improve signal-to-noise ratio of the output signal by increasing light intensity relative to the initial light intensity of at least the first light emitting diode;   wherein the measurement of the physiological parameter is at least in part a non-invasive measurement on blood; and   wherein the receiver is configured to lock-in to at least one of the first and second light emitting diodes.   
     
     
         29 . The wearable device of  claim 28  wherein the lock-in comprises phase locking to the at least one of the first and second light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         30 . The wearable device of  claim 28  wherein at least one of the first and second light emitting diodes is configured to operate in a pulsed mode having a pulse repetition frequency; and
 wherein the lock-in comprises detection at the pulse repetition frequency to reject background signals and increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the measurement. 
 
     
     
         31 . The wearable device of  claim 30 , wherein the one or more detectors comprises a plurality of spatially separated detectors, the receiver further comprising one or more analog to digital converters coupled to the spatially separated detectors, the one or more analog to digital converters configured to generate at least two receiver outputs, and the measurement device configured to compare the at least two receiver outputs; and
 wherein the receiver further comprises one or more spectral filters positioned in front of at least some of the spatially separated detectors.   
     
     
         32 . The wearable device of  claim 31 , wherein the receiver is further configured to:
 generate a first signal from light detected while the light emitting diodes are off, and   generate a second signal from light detected while at least one of the light emitting diodes is on, wherein the detected light while at least one of the light emitting diodes is on includes at least the first reflected portion of the first or second output optical beams;   and   wherein the measurement device is configured to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the first reflected portion of the first or second output optical beams by differencing the first signal and the second signal.   
     
     
         33 . The wearable device of  claim 28 , wherein the measurement device is configured to modulate at least one of the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode at a modulation frequency having a phase, and wherein the lock-in comprises filtering at the modulation frequency and locking onto the phase. 
     
     
         34 . The wearable device of  claim 33 , wherein the wearable device is configured to communicate with a smart phone or tablet, the smart phone or tablet comprising a wireless receiver, a wireless transmitter, a display, a voice input module, a speaker, and a touch screen, the smart phone or tablet configured to receive and to process at least a portion of the output signal, wherein the smart phone or tablet is configured to store and display the processed output signal, wherein at least a portion of the processed output signal is configured to be transmitted over a wireless transmission link. 
     
     
         35 . The wearable device of  claim 34 , wherein the measurement device further comprises a reflective surface positioned to redirect at least some of the first reflected portion of the first or second output optical beams toward the detectors. 
     
     
         36 . A wearable device, comprising:
 a measurement device to measure a physiological parameter adapted to be placed on a wrist or an ear of a user, comprising at least a first light emitting diode and a second light emitting diode, the first light emitting diode configured to generate a first optical beam, the first optical beam having an initial light intensity and at least one near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, the second light emitting diode configured to generate a second optical beam, the second optical beam having an initial light intensity and at least one near infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers;   the measurement device configured to output at least a portion of the first optical beam as a first output optical beam, and to output at least a portion of the second optical beam as a second output optical beam;   the measurement device further comprising a receiver having a first detector and a second detector, the first and second detectors being spatially separated, the first detector configured to receive at least a first reflected portion of the first output optical beam and to generate a first detector signal in response, the second detector configured to receive at least a first reflected portion of the second output optical beam and to generate a second detector signal in response;   wherein at least one of the first and second detectors is located a first distance from the first light emitting diode and a different distance from the second light emitting diode and configured to receive at least a second reflected portion of the first output optical beam and to generate a third detector signal in response, and configured to receive at least a second reflected portion of the second output optical beam and to generate a fourth detector signal in response;   the measurement device configured to generate an output signal representing at least in part a non-invasive measurement on blood, the output signal generated at least in part by comparing the first detector signal with the second detector signal, and comparing the third detector signal with the fourth detector signal;   the measurement device further configured to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the output signal by increasing light intensity relative to the initial light intensity of at least the first light emitting diode;   wherein the first and second light emitting diodes operate in a continuous wave operation mode or a pulsed operation mode; and   wherein the receiver is configured to synchronize with the operation mode of at least one of the first and second light emitting diodes.   
     
     
         37 . The wearable device of  claim 36 , wherein at least one of the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode is modulated at a modulation frequency, wherein the receiver is configured to detect at the modulation frequency; and
 wherein the receiver is configured to perform filtering at the modulation frequency, and wherein the modulation frequency has a phase, and wherein the receiver is configured to lock onto the phase.   
     
     
         38 . The wearable device of  claim 37 , wherein the receiver is further configured to:
 generate a first receiver signal responsive to light received while the first and second light emitting diodes are off, and   generate a second receiver signal responsive to light received while at least one of the first and second light emitting diodes is on, wherein the light received while at least one of the first and second light emitting diodes is on includes at least a portion of the first reflected portion of the first output optical beam or the second output optical beam;   and   wherein the measurement device is configured to further improve the signal-to-noise ratio of output signal by differencing the first receiver signal and the second receiver signal.   
     
     
         39 . The wearable device of  claim 38 , wherein the wearable device is configured to communicate with a smart phone or tablet, the smart phone or tablet comprising a wireless receiver, a wireless transmitter, a display, a voice input module, a speaker, and a touch screen, the smart phone or tablet configured to receive and to process at least a portion of the output signal, wherein the smart phone or tablet is configured to store the processed portion of the output signal, wherein at least a portion of the processed output signal is configured to be transmitted over a wireless transmission link as a transmitted signal to a remote device;
 the remote device configured to receive over the wireless transmission link at least part of the transmitted signal, to process the at least part of the transmitted signal to generate processed data and to store the processed data, and wherein the remote device is capable of retrieving a history of at least a portion of the stored processed data.   
     
     
         40 . The wearable device of  claim 39 , wherein the measurement device further comprises a reflective surface positioned to receive and redirect toward the spatially separated detectors at least some of the first portion of the first optical output beam, and wherein the at least one near-infrared wavelength of the first optical beam comprises a wavelength between 900 nanometers and 1150 nanometers; and
 wherein the receiver further comprises one or more spectral filters positioned in front of at least some of the spatially separated detectors.