Electrocardiogram sensor ring

Abstract

An electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor has a flexible thin ring-shaped substrate configured to be worn about a patient's finger. The substrate has an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface. A first ECG electrode is positioned at the outer surface of said substrate and a second ECG electrode is positioned at the inner (or outer) surface of the said substrate in contact with the finger (or the adjacent finger if the electrode is on the outer surface), whereby the two ECG electrodes receives a single-lead. ECG signal when the first electrode is touched to the patient's body. Touching different locations on the body or wearing multiple rings can provide multi-lead ECG measurements. The ring shape can be converted to a wearable patch for continuous ECG measurements.

1 . An electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor comprising:
 a flexible thin ring-shaped substrate configured to be worn about a patient's finger, said substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface;   a first ECG electrode positioned at the outer surface of said substrate; and   a second ECG electrode positioned at the inner surface of said substrate in contact with the patient's finger, whereby the first and second ECG electrodes receive a single-lead ECG signal when the first ECG electrode is touched to the patient's body.   
     
     
         2 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein touching the first ECG electrode to different locations on the patient's body or wearing multiple ECG sensors provides multi-lead ECG measurements. 
     
     
         3 . The sensor of  claim 1 , said substrate further comprising at least one connector having a locking position to lock the substrate in a ring shape, and an unlocked position whereby the substrate has a substantially linear shape to function as a wearable patch. 
     
     
         4 . The sensor of  claim 1 , further comprising a processing device configured to receive the signal from the ECG sensor, configure the received signal and transmit the signal to a remote mobile device. 
     
     
         5 . The sensor of  claim 4 , further comprising the remote mobile device, said remote mobile device having a processing device configured to receive the signal from the ECG sensor and process the received signal. 
     
     
         6 . The sensor of  claim 1 , further comprising a processing device configured to receive the signal from the ECG sensor, analyze the signal and contact an emergency service in response to the analyzed signal. 
     
     
         7 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second ECG electrodes are embedded in said substrate with a top surface of each of said first and second ECG electrodes exposed at and flush with a top surface of said substrate. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . An electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor comprising:
 a flexible elongated substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, said substrate having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;   a first connector at the first end of said substrate;   a second connector at the second end of said substrate, whereby the first and second connectors can be removably engaged and have a first locked position wherein the first and second connectors are locked and the flexible substrate is in a ring shape configured to be worn about a patient's finger, and a second unlocked position wherein the first and second connectors are disengaged and the flexible substrate is in a substantially linear shape configured to conform to the patient's body; and   an ECG electrode positioned at the inner surface of said substrate, whereby the first ECG electrode receives an ECG signal when touched to the patient's body.   
     
     
         10 . The sensor of  claim 9 , further comprising a second ECG electrode positioned at the outer surface of said substrate and the first ECG electrode is in contact with a finger of the patient, whereby the first and second ECG electrodes receive a single-lead ECG signal when the second electrode is touched to the patient's body. 
     
     
         11 . The sensor of  claim 9 , wherein said substrate is configured in the shape of a ring to be worn about a finger of the patient. 
     
     
         12 . The sensor of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second ECG electrodes are embedded in said substrate with a top surface of each of said first and second ECG electrodes exposed at and flush with a top surface of said substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The sensor of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second ECG electrodes detect an ECG signal from the patient's body without use of a gel. 
     
     
         14 . An electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor comprising:
 an electronics layer having a first flexible packaging layer with an inner surface;   a first electronic component having a first conductive contact, said first electronic component embedded in the first flexible packaging layer with at least a portion of the first conductive contact exposed at the inner surface of the first flexible packaging layer;   a second electronic component having a second conductive contact, said second electronic component embedded in the first flexible packaging layer with at least a portion of the second conductive contact exposed at the inner surface of the first flexible packaging layer, said second electronic component spaced apart from said first electronic component;   a contact via layer having a second flexible packaging layer positioned over the inner surface of said electronics layer, said contact via layer having a first contact via extending through the second flexible packaging layer and aligned with the first conductive contact, and a second contact via extending through the second flexible packaging layer and aligned with the second conductive contact;   an interconnect layer having a third flexible packaging layer positioned over said contact via layer, said interconnect layer having an interconnect channel with a first end aligned with and in flow communication with the first contact via and a second end aligned with and in flow communication with the second contact via; and   a conductive material in said first contact via, second contact via and interconnect channel to electrically couple the first conductive contact of the first electronic component with the second conductive contact of the second electronic component.   
     
     
         15 . The sensor of  claim 14 , wherein said first electronic component comprises an electrode and said second electronic component comprises a processing device. 
     
     
         16 . The sensor of  claim 15 , wherein said electrode is spaced apart from the first conductive contact, and further comprising a wire connecting said electrode to the first conductive contact. 
     
     
         17 . The sensor of  claim 14 , said interconnect layer further comprising an injection via extending through the packaging layer, said injection via connected to and in flow communication with the interconnect channel, whereby the conductive material can be introduced into the interconnect channel, first contact via, and second contact via through the injection via. 
     
     
         18 . The sensor of  claim 17 , further comprising a flexible seal on the interconnect layer over the injection via to seal the conductive material in the sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The sensor of  claim 14 , said first electronic component comprising an electrode embedded in the first packaging layer and exposed at an outer surface opposite the inner surface. 
     
     
         20 . The sensor of  claim 14 , wherein the contact via layer has a first surface in direct contact with the inner surface of said electronics layer, and the interconnect layer is in direct contact with a second surface of the contact via layer. 
     
     
         21 . The sensor of  claim 20 , wherein the electronics layer, contact via layer and interconnect layer are thin and elongated, and the first surface, second surface, and inner surface are continuous. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled)