IP Library Granted Patent US 11,039,796
Granted Patent B2
US 11,039,796 · App. 15/832,585 · Granted Jun 22, 2021

Heart-rate adaptive pulse oximetry

Inventor: Sean Kerman (Lehi, UT)
Assignee: Owlet Baby Care, Inc.
A61B5/7278A61B5/02416A61B5/14551A61B5/725A61B5/7257
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,039,796
App. No.
15/832,585
Granted
Jun 22, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments are directed to methods and systems for adaptive heart rate monitoring. In one scenario, a method for adaptive heart rate monitoring includes receiving, from a pulse-oximeter, a sensor signal, where the sensor signal is photoplethysmogram waveform. The method next includes generating a frequency-domain photoplethysmogram waveform by applying a transform algorithm to the sensor signal, and dividing the resulting frequency-domain photoplethysmogram waveform into discrete frequency regions. The method further includes identifying a fundamental heart rate harmonic within one of the discrete frequency regions by analyzing each discrete frequency region according to a specified analytic algorithm, and triggering a user interface to display a biometric measurement corresponding to the identification of the fundamental heart rate harmonic.

Claims (34)

1. A method for adaptive heart rate monitoring and for subsequently modifying how a heart rate is monitored based on an initial result obtained from the adaptive heart rate monitoring, said method comprising:

receiving from a pulse-oximeter sensor a sensor signal that corresponds to a heart rate of a patient, wherein the sensor signal comprises a photoplethysmogram waveform;

generating a set of frequency bins by applying a transform algorithm to the sensor signal;

dividing the set of frequency bins into a plurality of discrete frequency regions, wherein:

a first subset of frequency bins selected from the set of frequency bins is associated with a first region, the first region further associated with a first region-specific criteria to determine if any of the first subset of frequency bins within the first region is a candidate for a fundamental heart rate harmonic of the patient, the first region-specific criteria being associated with a heart rate above two-hundred beats per minute, and

a second subset of frequency bins selected from the set of frequency bins is associated with a different, second region, the second region further associated with a second region-specific criteria to determine if any of the second subset of frequency bins within the second region is a candidate for the fundamental heart rate harmonic of the patient, the second region-specific criteria being associated with a heart rate below sixty beats per minute and a measured oxygen level below ninety percent;

identifying the fundamental heart rate harmonic within the first subset of frequency bins or the second subset of frequency bins, based on evaluating the first subset of frequency bins in view of the first region-specific criteria, and based on evaluating the second subset of frequency bins in view of the second region-specific criteria;

triggering a user interface to display a biometric measurement corresponding to the fundamental heart rate harmonic; and

in response to identifying the fundamental heart rate harmonic, modifying how the heart rate of the patient is subsequently monitored based on the heart rate itself, such that subsequent monitoring of the heart rate is adapted to the patient according to the patient's heart rate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of frequency bins is divided into the plurality of discrete frequency regions using a band pass filter.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete frequency regions represent different heart rate ranges.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first and second region-specific criteria are used to evaluate heart rates in the different heart rate ranges.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second region-specific criteria are based on physiological indicators.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transform algorithm comprises a Fourier transform algorithm.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein one or more Fourier transform bins resulting from the Fourier transform are divided into the plurality of discrete frequency regions.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein secondary information is received and applied as an input when dividing the set of frequency bins into the plurality of discrete frequency regions.

9. A computer system for adaptive heart rate monitoring, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the computer system to perform at least the following:

receive from a pulse-oximeter sensor a sensor signal that corresponds to a heart rate of a patient, wherein the sensor signal comprises a photoplethysmogram waveform;

generate a set of frequency bins by applying a transform algorithm to the sensor signal;

divide the set of frequency bins into a plurality of discrete frequency regions, wherein:

a first subset of frequency bins selected from the set of frequency bins is associated with a first region, the first region further associated with a first region-specific criteria to determine if any of the first subset of frequency bins within the first region is a candidate for a fundamental heart rate harmonic of the patient, the first region-specific criteria being associated with a heart rate above two-hundred beats per minute, and

a second subset of frequency bins selected from the set of frequency bins is associated with a different, second region, the second region further associated with a second region-specific criteria to determine if any of the second subset of frequency bins within the second region is a candidate for the fundamental heart rate harmonic of the patient, the second region-specific criteria being associated with a heart rate below sixty beats per minute and a measured oxygen level below ninety percent;

identify the fundamental heart rate harmonic within the first subset of frequency bins or the second subset of frequency bins, based on evaluating the first subset of frequency bins in view of the first region-specific criteria, and based on evaluating the second subset of frequency bins in view of the second region-specific criteria;

trigger a user interface to display a biometric measurement corresponding to the fundamental heart rate harmonic; and

in response to identifying the fundamental heart rate harmonic, modify how the heart rate of the patient is subsequently monitored based on the heart rate itself such that subsequent monitoring of the heart rate is adapted to the patient according to the patient's heart rate.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the set of frequency bins is divided into the plurality of discrete frequency regions using a band pass filter.

11. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of discrete frequency regions represent different heart rate ranges.

12. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the first and second region-specific criteria are used to evaluate heart rates in the different heart rate ranges.

13. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the first and second region-specific criteria are based on physiological indicators.

14. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the transform algorithm comprises a Fourier transform algorithm.

15. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein one or more Fourier transform bins resulting from the Fourier transform are divided into the plurality of discrete frequency regions.

16. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein secondary information is received and applied as an input when dividing the set of frequency bins into the plurality of discrete frequency regions.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2026
From: ABL OPCO LLC
To: OWLET, INC.; OWLET BABY CARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 075211/0186 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2026
From: OWLET BABY CARE, INC.; OWLET, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 075135/0224 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 29, 2026
From: WTI FUND X, INC.; WTI FUND XI, INC.
To: OWLET BABY CARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 075125/0708 →
MERGER Recorded Oct 13, 2025
From: OWLET BABY CARE INC.; PROJECT OLYMPUS MERGER SUB, INC.
To: OWLET BABY CARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 072553/0343 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY DATA PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 44304 FRAME: 692. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Oct 13, 2025
From: KERMAN, SEAN
To: OWLET BABY CARE INC.
Reel/Frame 073086/0958 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2024
From: OWLET BABY CARE, INC.
To: WTI FUND X, INC.; WTI FUND XI, INC.
Reel/Frame 068585/0411 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 13, 2024
From: FIRST-CITIZENS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
To: OWLET BABY CARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 068891/0611 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 13, 2024
From: FIRST-CITIZENS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
To: OWLET BABY CARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 069134/0329 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2024
From: OWLET, INC.; OWLET BABY CARE, INC.
To: ABL OPCO LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 068892/0739 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 28, 2022
From: OWLET BABY CARE, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 061887/0898 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: OWLET BABY CARE INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 052467/0216 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2017
From: KERMAN, SEAN
To: OWLET BABY CARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 044304/0692 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62433524 · Dec 13, 2016
Related Publication 20180160986A1 · Jun 14, 2018