Physiological monitoring methods and apparatus

Abstract

An earpiece module includes a plurality of sensor regions, each sensor region contoured to matingly engage a respective different region of an ear of a subject, and each sensor region including an electrode. The earpiece module is configured to detect or measure physiological information about the subject from the different ear regions via the respective electrodes.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An earpiece module comprising a plurality of sensor regions, each sensor region contoured to matingly engage a respective different region of an ear of a subject, wherein each sensor region comprises an electrode, and wherein the earpiece module is configured to detect or measure physiological information about the subject from the different ear regions via the respective electrodes. 
     
     
         2 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one motion sensor configured to detect subject motion. 
     
     
         3 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect electrical conductivity changes during subject motion. 
     
     
         4 . The earpiece module of  claim 3 , wherein the sensor for detecting electrical conductivity changes is configured to detect motion between the earpiece module and the subject. 
     
     
         5 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , wherein the electrodes are configured to measure changes in electric fields. 
     
     
         6 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one energy regulation region configured to selectively block energy moving to and/or from one or more regions of the ear and to provide subject motion information without corruption from subject physiological information. 
     
     
         7 . The earpiece module of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one energy regulation region is configured to block optical energy. 
     
     
         8 . The earpiece module of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one energy regulation region is configured to block electrical energy. 
     
     
         9 . The earpiece module of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one energy regulation region is configured to block an electric field. 
     
     
         10 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , wherein the earpiece module is an earbud module. 
     
     
         11 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , wherein the earpiece module is a hearing aid. 
     
     
         12 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , wherein the earpiece module is an earmuff or jewelry. 
     
     
         13 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor regions is configured to engage the concha region of the ear, and at least one of the plurality of sensor regions is configured to engage the ear canal region of the ear. 
     
     
         14 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor regions is configured to engage the anti-tragus region of the ear, and at least one of the plurality of sensor regions is configured to engage the ear canal region of the ear. 
     
     
         15 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor regions is configured to engage the ear canal region of the ear, and at least one of the plurality of sensor regions is configured to engage the ear between the anti-tragus region of the ear and the acoustic meatus region of the ear. 
     
     
         16 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor regions is configured to engage the concha region of the ear, and wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor regions is configured to engage the ear between the anti-tragus region of the ear and the acoustic meatus region of the ear. 
     
     
         17 . A method of monitoring a subject via an earpiece module, the earpiece module having a plurality of sensor regions, each sensor region having an electrode, the method comprising:
 positioning the earpiece module within an ear of the subject, wherein each sensor region is contoured to matingly engage a respective different region of the ear; and   detecting or measuring physiological information about the subject from the different ear regions via the respective electrodes.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the earpiece module includes at least one motion sensor, and wherein the method further comprises detecting subject motion via the at least one motion sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising detecting motion between the earpiece module and the subject via the at least one motion sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the earpiece module further comprises a sensor configured to detect electrical conductivity changes, and wherein the method further comprises detecting electrical conductivity changes during subject motion. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the earpiece module includes at least one energy regulation region, and wherein the method further comprises blocking energy from moving to and/or from one or more of the ear regions via the at least one energy regulation region to provide subject motion information without corruption from subject physiological information.