# US 2014/0155708 A1 · Systems, methods and related apparatus for determining physiological parameters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0155708 A1 - Document ID: US20140155708A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/234,986 - Filed: 2013-05-13 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-14 - Assignees: Lionsgate Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Lionsgate Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Christian Leth Petersen; John Mark Ansermino; Guy Dumont - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155708A1 ## CPC - A61B 5/6898: {Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers} - A61B 5/01: Measuring temperature of body parts {; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue} (clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20) - A61B 5/02055: {Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature} - A61B 5/022: by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers - A61B 5/1107: {Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ or muscle} - A61B 5/308: for electrocardiography [ECG] - A61B 5/7278: {Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesizing signals from measured signals} - G01K 13/20: Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals - A61B 5/087: Measuring breath flow - A61B 2560/0431: Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00) ## Abstract Methods, systems and related apparatus are provided for controlling an electronic device to operate an external sensor connectable to an audio interface of the electronic device by applying a first harmonic driving signal to a first contact and a second harmonic driving signal to a second contact of the audio interface for driving the external sensor, receiving a response signal at a third contact of the audio interface, adjusting at least one of the first and second harmonic driving signals, determining one or more physiological parameters based on characteristics of the first and second harmonic driving signals and the response signal, and outputting the determined one or more physiological parameters. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for controlling an electronic device to operate an external sensor connectable to an audio interface of the electronic device, the audio interface comprising a plurality of contacts, the method comprising: applying a first harmonic driving signal to a first contact and a second harmonic driving signal to a second contact of the audio interface for driving the external sensor; receiving a response signal at a third contact of the audio interface; adjusting at least one of the first and second harmonic driving signals; determining one or more physiological parameters based on characteristics of the first and second harmonic driving signals and the response signal; and outputting the determined one or more physical parameters. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 wherein adjusting comprises providing feedback based on the response signal for modifying one of the driving signals to minimize the response signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 wherein adjusting comprises maintaining a substantially constant amplitude of the first driving signal while sweeping an amplitude of the second harmonic driving signal through a predetermined range. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3 wherein sweeping the amplitude comprises sweeping through a range between a maximum amplitude of the audio interface and zero, and the substantially constant amplitude is about one half of the maximum amplitude. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3 wherein sweeping comprises linearly ramping the amplitude. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3 comprising determining a ratio of driving signals based on timing information of a local minimum in the received response signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3 wherein the external sensor comprises a temperature sensor, comprising determining a temperature based on the timing information of the local minimum in the received response signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 wherein the external sensor comprises a temperature sensor, comprising determining a temperature based on a ratio of amplitudes of the driving signals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7 wherein the temperature sensor consists essentially of a thermistor and a reference resistor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 wherein the external sensor comprises a pressure sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A method according to claim 10 comprising multiplying the response signal by one of the driving signals and a phase shifted version of one of the driving signals to generate a response input and determining one or more physiological parameters based on the response input. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11 comprising determining mean blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and/or heart rate based on the response input and a ratio of amplitudes of the driving signals. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) A method according to claim 10 wherein the pressure sensor is coupled to receive pressure from an inflatable member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) A method according to claim 10 wherein the pressure sensor is within a mechanically compressible member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) A method according to claim 13 comprising determining a strength of muscular contractions based on a ratio of amplitudes of the driving signals. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) A method according to claim 10 wherein the pressure sensor comprises a differential pressure sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11 wherein the pressure sensor comprises a differential pressure sensor, comprising determining respiratory parameters based on the response input and a ratio of amplitudes of the driving signals. ### Claim 18 A system for controlling an electronic device to operate an external sensor connectable to an audio interface of the electronic device, the audio interface comprising a plurality of contacts, the system comprising: a driving signal generator for applying a first harmonic driving signal to a first contact and a second harmonic driving signal to a second contact of the audio interface for driving the external sensor and adjusting at least one of the first and second harmonic driving signals; a response signal detector for receiving a response signal at a third contact of the audio interface; a physiological parameter extractor for determining one or more physiological parameters based on characteristics of the first and second harmonic driving signals and the response signal; and an output for outputting the determined one or more physical parameters. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A system according to claim 18 wherein the driving signal generator receives feedback based on the response signal for modifying one of the driving signals to minimize the response signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A system according to claim 19 wherein the driving signal generator maintains a substantially constant amplitude of the first driving signal while sweeping an amplitude of the second harmonic driving signal through a predetermined range. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A system according to claim 20 wherein the driving signal generator sweeps the amplitude of the second harmonic driving signal through a range between a maximum amplitude of the audio interface and zero, and the substantially constant amplitude is about one half of the maximum amplitude. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) A system according to claim 20 wherein the driving signal generator sweeps the amplitude of the second harmonic driving signal by linearly ramping the amplitude. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) A system according to claim 20 wherein one of the response signal detector and the physiological parameter extractor determines a ratio of driving signals based on timing information of a local minimum in the received response signal. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) A system according to claim 20 wherein the external sensor comprises a temperature sensor, wherein the physiological parameter extractor determines a temperature based on the timing information of the local minimum in the received response signal. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) A system according to claim 18 wherein the external sensor comprises a temperature sensor, wherein the physiological parameter extractor determines a temperature based on a ratio of amplitudes of the driving signals. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) A system according to claim 24 wherein the temperature sensor consists essentially of a thermistor and a reference resistor. ### Claim 27 (depends on 18) A system according to claim 18 wherein the external sensor comprises a pressure sensor. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A system according to claim 27 wherein the response signal detector multiplies the response signal by one of the driving signals and a phase shifted version of one of the driving signals to generate a response input and the physiological parameter extractor determines one or more physiological parameters based on the response input. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) A system according to claim 28 wherein the physiological parameter extractor determines mean blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and/or heart rate based on the response input and a ratio of amplitudes of the driving signals. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) A system according to claim 27 wherein the pressure sensor is coupled to receive pressure from an inflatable member. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) A system according to claim 27 wherein the pressure sensor is within a mechanically compressible member. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) A system according to claim 30 wherein the physiological parameter extractor determines a strength of muscular contractions based on a ratio of amplitudes of the driving signals. ### Claim 33 (depends on 27) A system according to claim 27 wherein the pressure sensor comprises a differential pressure sensor. ### Claim 34 (depends on 28) A system according to claim 28 wherein the pressure sensor comprises a differential pressure sensor, wherein the physiological parameter extractor determines respiratory parameters based on the response input and a ratio of amplitudes of the driving signals. ### Claim 35 A thermometer for connecting to an audio interface of an electronic device, the thermometer comprising: a jack plug having first and second contacts for receiving first and second harmonic driving signals from the electronic device and a third contact for returning a response signal to the electronic device; and a temperature sensor consisting essentially of a thermistor connected between the first and third contacts and a reference resistor connected between the second and third contacts. ### Claim 36 An adaptor for connecting to an audio interface of an electronic device, the adaptor comprising: a jack plug having first and second contacts for receiving first and second harmonic driving signals from the electronic device and a third contact for returning a response signal to the electronic device; and, a pressure sensor having a pressure sensitive area, the pressure sensor connected as a bridge across the first and second contact to provide the response signal to the third contact, between the first and third contacts and a reference resistor connected between the second and third contacts. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) An adaptor according to claim 36 comprising a housing encasing the pressure sensitive area and having a passage in fluid communication with the pressure sensitive area. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) An adaptor according to claim 37 wherein the pressure sensor comprises a differential pressure sensor having two pressure sensitive areas, and wherein the housing has two passages, with one passage connected to each of the pressure sensitive areas. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) An adaptor according to claim 37 wherein the housing comprises a tube connector for coupling the passage to a pressure tube. ### Claim 40 (depends on 36) An adaptor according to claim 36 comprising a mechanically compressible member, wherein the pressure sensor is contained within the mechanically compressible member.