IP Library Granted Patent US 11,134,851
Granted Patent B2
US 11,134,851 · App. 16/220,718 · Granted Oct 5, 2021

Sensor device

Inventors: William D. Houck (Santa Rosa, CA); Marc K. Von Gunten (Novato, CA)
Assignee: VIAVI Solutions Inc.
A61B5/02055A61B5/0059A61B5/01A61B5/02007A61B5/0261A61B5/02416A61B5/6802
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,134,851
App. No.
16/220,718
Granted
Oct 5, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A multi-sensor device may perform an optical measurement using an optical sensor of the multi-sensor device, where the optical measurement is performed when a surface of the multi-sensor device is in contact with a human body. The multi-sensor device may perform another measurement using at least one other sensor of the multi-sensor device, where the other measurement is performed when the surface of the multi-sensor device is in contact with the human body, where the other measurement is performed substantially contemporaneously with the optical measurement, and where the optical measurement and the other measurement relate to health parameters. The multi-sensor device may determine a combined measurement value based on the optical measurement and the other measurement.

Claims (48)

1. A device, comprising:

an optical sensor,

wherein the optical sensor is to perform an optical measurement when a surface of the device is in contact with a human body; and

a plurality of electrical probes,

wherein an electrical probe, of the plurality of electrical probes, is provided in a barrier between an optical detector and an illuminator of the optical sensor,

wherein the device is to perform an electrical measurement using the plurality of electrical probes when the surface of the device is in contact with the human body,

wherein the electrical measurement is to be performed substantially contemporaneously with the optical measurement, and

wherein the device is a handheld or wearable device.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical measurement is a hydration measurement or a resistance measurement.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is to perform the optical measurement based on the electrical measurement.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is to perform the optical measurement when the plurality of electrical probes are in contact with the human body based on a resistance determined using the plurality of electrical probes.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is to perform the electrical measurement based on the optical measurement.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical probe is provided approximately in a center of the barrier.

7. A handheld or wearable sensor device, comprising:

an optical sensor,

wherein the optical sensor is to perform an optical health-related measurement when a surface of the handheld or wearable sensor device is in contact with a human body; and

at least one other sensor provided in one or more corners of a physical shell of a housing of the optical sensor,

wherein the at least one other sensor is to perform another health-related measurement, substantially contemporaneously with the optical health-related measurement or with a known time offset from the optical health-related measurement, when the surface of the handheld or wearable sensor device is in contact with the human body.

8. The handheld or wearable sensor device of claim 7 , wherein the optical sensor is a first optical sensor and the at least one other sensor is a second optical sensor.

9. The handheld or wearable sensor device of claim 8 , wherein the first optical sensor is associated with a first spectral range, and wherein the second optical sensor is associated with a second spectral range, wherein the first spectral range is different than the second spectral range.

10. The handheld or wearable sensor device of claim 9 , wherein the first spectral range is between approximately 400 nanometers and 1100 nanometers, and wherein the second spectral range has a lower bound equal to or greater than approximately 2500 nanometers.

11. The handheld or wearable sensor device of claim 8 , wherein an optical detector of the first optical sensor is composed of a first material, and wherein an optical detector of the second optical sensor is composed of a second material different than the first material.

12. The handheld or wearable sensor device of claim 11 , wherein the optical detector of the second optical sensor is smaller than the optical detector of the first optical sensor.

13. The handheld or wearable sensor device of claim 8 , further comprising:

a light pipe to transmit light from the surface to an optical detector of the second optical sensor.

14. The handheld or wearable sensor device of claim 8 , wherein the first optical sensor is associated with a first illuminator and the second optical sensor is associated with a second illuminator different than the first illuminator.

15. The handheld or wearable sensor device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one other sensor includes at least one of:

a temperature sensor,

an electrical sensor,

a magnetic sensor,

a microbolometer,

a barometric sensor, or

an elasticity sensor.

16. A method performed by a multi-sensor device, comprising:

performing an optical measurement using an optical sensor of the multi-sensor device,

wherein the optical measurement is performed when a surface of the multi-sensor device is in contact with a human body; and

performing another measurement using at least one other sensor of the multi-sensor device,

wherein the at least one other sensor is in a barrier between an optical detector and an illuminator of the optical sensor,

wherein the other measurement is performed when the surface of the multi-sensor device is in contact with the human body,

wherein the other measurement is performed substantially contemporaneously with the optical measurement, and

wherein the optical measurement and the other measurement relate to health parameters; and

determining a combined measurement value based on the optical measurement and the other measurement.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

identifying a region of interest for the other measurement using the optical measurement, wherein the other measurement is performed with regard to the region of interest.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the optical measurement and the other measurement are performed based on a time offset between the optical measurement and the other measurement or a configurable time window in which the optical measurement and the other measurement are to be performed.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein performing the other measurement is based on the optical measurement.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

determining that the surface of the multi-sensor device is in contact with the human body using the at least one other sensor, wherein performing the optical measurement is based on determining that the surface of the multi-sensor device is in contact with the human body.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 73189/0873 Recorded May 28, 2026
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: INERTIAL LABS, INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC
Reel/Frame 075642/0381 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2025
From: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC; INERTIAL LABS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 073571/0137 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 21, 2025
From: INERTIAL LABS, INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 073189/0873 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2018
From: HOUCK, WILLIAM D.; VON GUNTEN, MARC K.
To: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 047799/0551 →
Continuity (1)
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