Wearable monitoring device

Abstract

A wearable monitoring device includes a band configured to at least partially encircle a portion of the body of a subject and at least one optical emitter and at least one optical detector attached to the band. The band includes a generally cylindrical outer body portion and a generally cylindrical inner body portion secured together in concentric relationship. The inner body portion includes light transmissive material and has outer and inner surfaces. A layer of cladding material is near the inner body portion inner surface, and a plurality of windows are formed in the cladding material that each serve as a light-guiding interface to the body of the subject. The plurality of windows are circumferentially spaced apart from each other.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A monitoring device, comprising:
 a band configured to at least partially encircle a portion of the body of a subject, the band comprising:   a generally cylindrical outer body portion and a generally cylindrical inner body portion secured together in concentric relationship, the inner body portion comprising light transmissive material, and having outer and inner surfaces;   a layer of cladding material near the inner body portion inner surface; and   a plurality of windows formed in the cladding material that each serve as a light-guiding interface to the body of the subject, wherein the plurality of windows are circumferentially spaced apart from each other; and   at least one optical emitter and at least one optical detector attached to the band.   
     
     
         2 . The monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of windows comprise a first window and a second window, and wherein a first direction normal to the first window is transverse to a second direction normal to the second window. 
     
     
         3 . The monitoring device of  claim 2 , wherein the light transmissive material is in optical communication with the at least one optical emitter and the at least one optical detector and is configured to deliver light from the at least one optical emitter to one or more locations of the body of the subject via the first window and to collect light from one or more locations of the body of the subject via the second window and deliver the collected light to the at least one optical detector. 
     
     
         4 . The monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of windows comprise first and second windows that are circumferentially spaced apart from each other, and further comprising a light blocking member separating the inner body into a first light guiding region and a second light guiding region, wherein the first window is in optical communication with the first light guiding region, and the second window is in optical communication with the second light guiding region, wherein the at least one optical emitter is in optical communication with the first light guiding region, and the at least one optical detector is in optical communication with the second light guiding region, and wherein light from the at least one optical emitter cannot reach the at least one optical detector directly through the inner body. 
     
     
         5 . The monitoring device of  claim 4 , further comprising a second light blocking member positioned between the at least one optical emitter and the at least one optical detector. 
     
     
         6 . The monitoring device of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one optical detector comprises a first optical detector in optical communication with the second light guiding region, and a second optical detector in optical communication with the first light guiding region, wherein the first optical detector is configured to measure only infrared (IR) light, and wherein the second optical detector is configured to measure only visible light. 
     
     
         7 . The monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the body comprises a limb, a nose, an earlobe, and/or a digit. 
     
     
         8 . The monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the band comprises a lens region in optical communication with the at least one optical emitter that focuses light emitted by the at least one optical emitter. 
     
     
         9 . The monitoring device of  claim 1 , further comprising a light reflective material on at least a portion of one or both of the inner and outer surfaces. 
     
     
         10 . The monitoring device of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one optical detector comprises first and second optical detectors, and further comprising a signal processor, and wherein at least a portion of light reflected by the light reflective material and detected by the second optical detector is processed by the signal processor as a noise reference for attenuating motion noise from signals produced by the first optical detector. 
     
     
         11 . The monitoring device of  claim 1 , further comprising a signal processor configured to receive and process signals produced by the at least one optical detector, and a transmitter configured to transmit signals processed by the signal processor to a remote device. 
     
     
         12 . The monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the band further comprises at least one optical filter configured to selectively pass at least one optical wavelength. 
     
     
         13 . The monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the band further comprises at least one optical filter configured to selectively pass at least one optical wavelength for transmission into the body of the subject. 
     
     
         14 . The monitoring device of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one optical detector comprises first and second optical detectors, and further comprising a signal processor, and wherein at least a portion of light blocked by the optical filter and detected by the second optical detector is processed by the signal processor as a noise reference for attenuating motion noise from signals produced by the first optical detector. 
     
     
         15 . A monitoring device, comprising:
 a band configured to at least partially encircle a portion of the body of a subject, the band comprising:   a generally cylindrical outer body portion and a generally cylindrical inner body portion secured together in concentric relationship, the inner body portion comprising light transmissive material, and having outer and inner surfaces;   a layer of cladding material near the inner body portion inner surface; and   at least one window formed in the cladding material that serves as a light-guiding interface to the body of the subject; and   at least one optical emitter and at least one optical detector attached to the band;   wherein the at least one window is circumferentially spaced apart from the at least one optical emitter and the at least one optical detector.   
     
     
         16 . The monitoring device of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one window is circumferentially spaced apart from the at least one optical emitter and the at least one optical detector by at least ninety degrees (90°). 
     
     
         17 . The monitoring device of  claim 15 , wherein the light transmissive material is in optical communication with the at least one optical emitter and the at least one optical detector and is configured to deliver light from the at least one optical emitter to one or more locations of the body of the subject via the at least one window and to collect light from one or more locations of the body of the subject via the at least one window and deliver the collected light to the at least one optical detector. 
     
     
         18 . The monitoring device of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one window comprises first and second windows that are circumferentially spaced apart from each other, and further comprising a light blocking member separating the inner body into a first light guiding region and a second light guiding region, wherein the first window is in optical communication with the first light guiding region, and the second window is in optical communication with the second light guiding region, wherein the at least one optical emitter is in optical communication with the first light guiding region, and the at least one optical detector is in optical communication with the second light guiding region, and wherein light from the at least one optical emitter cannot reach the at least one optical detector directly through the inner body. 
     
     
         19 . The monitoring device of  claim 18 , further comprising a second light blocking member positioned between the at least one optical emitter and the at least one optical detector. 
     
     
         20 . The monitoring device of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one optical detector comprises a first optical detector in optical communication with the second light guiding region, and a second optical detector in optical communication with the first light guiding region, wherein the first optical detector is configured to measure only infrared (IR) light, and wherein the second optical detector is configured to measure only visible light. 
     
     
         21 . The monitoring device of  claim 15 , wherein the portion of the body comprises a limb, a nose, an earlobe, and/or a digit. 
     
     
         22 . The monitoring device of  claim 15 , wherein the band comprises a lens region in optical communication with the at least one optical emitter that focuses light emitted by the at least one optical emitter. 
     
     
         23 . The monitoring device of  claim 15 , further comprising a light reflective material on at least a portion of one or both of the inner and outer surfaces. 
     
     
         24 . The monitoring device of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one optical detector comprises first and second optical detectors, and further comprising a signal processor, and wherein at least a portion of light reflected by the light reflective material and detected by the second optical detector is processed by the signal processor as a noise reference for attenuating motion noise from signals produced by the first optical detector. 
     
     
         25 . The monitoring device of  claim 15 , further comprising a signal processor configured to receive and process signals produced by the at least one optical detector, and a transmitter configured to transmit signals processed by the signal processor to a remote device. 
     
     
         26 . The monitoring device of  claim 15 , wherein the band further comprises at least one optical filter configured to selectively pass at least one optical wavelength. 
     
     
         27 . The monitoring device of  claim 15 , wherein the band further comprises at least one optical filter configured to selectively pass at least one optical wavelength for transmission into the body of the subject. 
     
     
         28 . The monitoring device of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one optical detector comprises first and second optical detectors, and further comprising a signal processor, and wherein at least a portion of light blocked by the optical filter and detected by the second optical detector is processed by the signal processor as a noise reference for attenuating motion noise from signals produced by the first optical detector. 
     
     
         29 . A monitoring device, comprising:
 a band configured to at least partially encircle a portion of the body of a subject, the band comprising:   a generally cylindrical outer body portion and a generally cylindrical inner body portion secured together in concentric relationship, the inner body portion comprising light transmissive material, and having outer and inner surfaces;   a layer of cladding material near the inner body portion inner surface; and   first and second light blocking members separating the inner body into a first light guiding region and a second light guiding region, wherein the first and second light blocking members are circumferentially spaced apart; and   first and second windows formed in the cladding material that each serve as a light-guiding interface to the body of the subject, wherein the first window is in optical communication with the first light guiding region, wherein the second window is in optical communication with the second light guiding region, and wherein the first and second windows are circumferentially spaced apart from each other.   
     
     
         30 . The monitoring device of  claim 29 , further comprising an optical emitter and an optical detector attached to the band, wherein the optical emitter is in optical communication with the first light guiding region, and the optical detector is in optical communication with the second light guiding region, wherein the first and second light blocking members prevent light from the optical emitter reaching the optical detector directly through the light transmissive material. 
     
     
         31 . The monitoring device of  claim 29 , further comprising an additional optical detector in optical communication with the first light guiding region, wherein the additional optical detector is configured to measure only visible light, and wherein the optical detector in optical communication with the second light guiding region is configured to measure only infrared (IR) light. 
     
     
         32 . The monitoring device of  claim 29 , wherein the portion of the body comprises a limb, a nose, an earlobe, and/or a digit. 
     
     
         33 . The monitoring device of  claim 29 , further comprising at least one signal processor configured to receive and process signals produced by the optical detector, and a transmitter configured to transmit signals processed by the at least one signal processor to a remote device.