Versatile sensors with data fusion functionality

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for identifying with a single, small, intelligent activity monitor a particular type of activity from among a plurality of different activities. The monitor may include a multi-axis accelerometer and microcontroller configured to combine and process accelerometer data so as to generate features representative of an activity. The features may be processed to identify a particular activity (e.g., running, biking, swimming) from among a plurality of different activities that may include activities not performed by a human subject. An intelligent activity monitor may be configured to operate as a versatile sensor, or to operate in combination with a versatile sensor, to further receive and process physiological data and compute a fitness metric for a subject.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A system that is configured to be supported by a subject, the system comprising:
 a processor;   an intelligent activity monitor comprising an accelerometer; and   a non-invasive blood glucose monitor comprising at least one light source and at least one photodetector, the system being configured to interrogate, by at least one of the light sources, a region of the subject, and receive, by at least one of the photodetectors, radiation from the at least one light source which is reflected from or transmitted through the interrogated region of the subject, and to analyze signals from the photodetectors to provide plethysmography data, blood oxygenation data, and/or heart- rate data;   wherein the processor is configured to:   process first data received from the accelerometer to identify, from among a plurality of different activities, an activity performed by the subject;   compute at least one metric representative of the identified activity;   process second data received from the blood glucose monitor of the system;   determine an operational mode, from among a plurality of operational modes, for the blood glucose monitor based upon the results of the at least one metric and the processing of the second data; and   place the blood glucose monitor in one of the plurality of operational modes based upon the processed data from the blood glucose monitor and/or the data received from the accelerometer.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the processor is further configured to compute a blood oxygenation level from the data received from the at least one photodetector in one of the plurality of operational modes. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the processor is further configured to issue control signals to multiple light sources operating at respective multiple wavelengths to obtain blood glucose data in a further of the plurality of operational modes. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain heart-rate data in a yet further of the plurality of operational modes by issuing control signals to a fewer number of light sources than in the further operational mode. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the processor is further configured to analyze a plethysmography waveform from data received from the at least one photodetector in one of the plurality of operational modes. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the processor is further configured to issue control signals to multiple light sources operating at respective multiple wavelengths to obtain blood glucose data in a further of the plurality of operational modes. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain heart-rate data in a yet further of the plurality of operational modes by issuing control signals to a fewer number of light sources than in the further operational mode. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one light source of the non-invasive blood glucose monitor comprises a laser diode. 
     
     
         36 . A method for operating a system that is configured to be supported by a subject, the method comprising:
 processing, by a processor, first data received from an accelerometer of an intelligent activity monitor of the system to identify, from among a plurality of different activities, an activity performed by the subject;   computing, by the processor, at least one metric representative of the identified activity;   processing, by the processor, second data received from a non-invasive blood glucose monitor of the system, the blood glucose monitor comprising at least one light source and at least one photodetector, wherein the system is configured to interrogate, by at least one of the light sources, a region of the subject, and receive, by at least one of the photodetectors, radiation from the at least one light source which is reflected from or transmitted through the interrogated region of the subject and to analyze signals from the photodetectors to provide plethysmography data, blood oxygenation data, and/or heart-rate data;   determining, by the processor, an operational mode, from among a plurality of operational modes, for the blood glucose monitor based upon the results of the at least one metric and the processing of the second data; and   placing, by the processor, the blood glucose monitor in one of the plurality of operational modes based upon the processed data from the blood glucose monitor and/or the data received from the accelerometer.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the processor, a rate of change of a subject's blood glucose level;   comparing, by the processor, the rate of change to a stored threshold value; and   issuing, by the processor, a control signal to an activity monitor to collect acceleration data from the accelerometer at an increased frequency if the rate of change exceeds the stored threshold value.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the processor, a blood glucose level that exceeds a predetermined threshold;   presenting, via at least one display, a first signal to the subject to induce the subject to become active or increase a level of activity;   measuring, by the processor, an amount of activity performed by the subject subsequent the presenting of the first signal; and   presenting, via the at least one display, a second signal to the subject indicating that the subject has performed a predetermined recommended amount of activity.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the processor, a rate of change of a subject's blood glucose level;   comparing, by the processor, the rate of change to a stored threshold value;   detecting, by the processor, a period of relative inactivity of the subject that encompasses, in time, the detected rate of change of the subject's blood glucose level; and   presenting, via at least one display, a signal to the subject to induce the subject to perform an invasive blood glucose measurement to produce a sample on a disposable test strip in response to detecting both the rate of change of the subject' s blood glucose level that exceeds the stored threshold value and the period of relative inactivity.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the processor, a blood glucose level that exceeds a predetermined threshold;   presenting, via at least one display, a first signal to the subject to induce the subject to become active or increase a level of activity;   measuring, by the processor, an amount of activity performed by the subject subsequent the presenting of the first signal; and   presenting, via the at least one display, a second signal to the subject indicating that the subject has performed a predetermined recommended amount of activity.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the processor, a rate of change of a subject's blood glucose level;   comparing, by the processor, the rate of change to a stored threshold value;   detecting, by the processor, a period of relative inactivity of the subject that encompasses, in time, the detected rate of change of the subject's blood glucose level; and   presenting, via at least one display, a signal to the subject to induce the subject to perform an invasive blood glucose measurement to produce a sample on a disposable test strip in response to detecting both the rate of change of the subject' s blood glucose level that exceeds the stored threshold value and the period of relative inactivity.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the processor, a rate of change of a subject's blood glucose level;   comparing, by the processor, the rate of change to a stored threshold value;   detecting, by the processor, a period of relative inactivity of the subject that encompasses, in time, the detected rate of change of the subject's blood glucose level; and   presenting, via at least one display, a signal to the subject to induce the subject to perform an invasive blood glucose measurement to produce a sample on a disposable test strip in response to detecting both the rate of change of the subject's blood glucose level that exceeds the stored threshold value and the period of relative inactivity.