Dual purpose wearable patch for measurement and treatment

Abstract

A dual purpose wearable patch includes a stretchable and permeable substrate, a sensing unit mounted in the stretchable and permeable substrate, wherein the sensing unit can conduct a measurement of a user to produce a measurement signal, one or more electrodes respectively attached to the stretchable and permeable substrate, a circuit substrate on the stretchable and permeable substrate, wherein the circuit substrate includes a circuit electrically connected with the one or more electrodes and the sensing unit, and a semiconductor chip mounted on the circuit substrate and in connection with the circuit. The semiconductor chip can receive the measurement signal from the sensing unit and can produce a treatment control signal to control the one or more electrodes to apply a voltage across the user's body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wearable patch, comprising:
 a stretchable substrate;   two electrodes respectively attached to the stretchable substrate, wherein the two electrodes are configured to be in electrical contact with the user's skin and to apply a voltage across the user's body, wherein at least one of the two electrodes includes an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the lower portion is configured to be in electrical contact with the user's skin;   a circuit substrate on the stretchable substrate, wherein the circuit substrate comprises a circuit electrically connected with the two electrodes; and   a semiconductor chip mounted on the circuit substrate and in connection with the circuit, wherein the semiconductor chip is configured to produce a treatment control signal to control the two electrodes to apply a voltage across the user's body.   
     
     
         2 . The wearable patch of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two electrodes comprises an electrically conductive cup electrically connected with the circuit, wherein the stretchable substrate comprises a first opening in which the electrically conductive cup is mounted. 
     
     
         3 . The wearable patch of  claim 2 , wherein the electrically conductive cup comprises a bottom portion configured to be in contact with the user's skin. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable patch of  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor chip is configured to produce a treatment control signal to control the two electrodes to apply a voltage across the user's body in response to a measurement signal. 
     
     
         5 . The wearable patch of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an antenna mounted on the circuit substrate and in electric connection with the semiconductor chip, wherein the semiconductor chip is configured to produce electric signals to enable the antenna to wirelessly exchange treatment data with an external device, wherein the treatment control signal is at least in part based on the treatment data.   
     
     
         6 . The wearable patch of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sensing unit mounted in the stretchable substrate and electrically connected with the circuit, wherein the sensing unit is configured to conduct a measurement of a user to produce a measurement signal, wherein the semiconductor chip is configured to receive the measurement signal from the sensing unit,   
     
     
         7 . The wearable patch of  claim 6 , wherein the semiconductor chip is configured to produce a treatment control signal to control the two electrodes to apply a voltage across the user's body in conjunction with the measurement conducted by the sensing unit. 
     
     
         8 . The wearable patch of  claim 6 , wherein the sensing unit includes a bottom portion adapted to be in direct contact with a user's skin 
     
     
         9 . The wearable patch of  claim 6 , wherein the sensing unit comprises a temperature sensor in thermal contact with the bottom portion to conduct the measurement of a user to produce the measurement signal. 
     
     
         10 . The wearable patch of  claim 9 , wherein the sensing unit further includes a thermally conductive cup having the bottom portion mounted in a second opening in the stretchable substrate, wherein the temperature sensor is positioned inside and is in thermal conduction cup with the conductive cup, wherein the bottom portion of the thermally conductive cup is configured to be in contact with the user's skin. 
     
     
         11 . The wearable patch of  claim 10 , wherein the sensing unit comprises:
 a thermally-conductive adhesive that fixes the temperature sensor to an inner surface of the conductive cup; and   a thermally insulating material in a top portion of the conductive cup.   
     
     
         12 . The wearable patch of  claim 9 , wherein the temperature sensor is configured to measure the user's skin temperature, wherein the measurement signal comprises temperature data. 
     
     
         13 . The wearable patch of  claim 6 , wherein the sensing unit includes an accelerometer configured to measure the user's movement, wherein the measurement signal comprises movement data. 
     
     
         14 . The wearable patch of  claim 6 , wherein the sensing unit includes a pressure sensor or a force sensor configured to measure the user's blood pressure and/or the user's pulse, wherein the measurement signal comprises pulse data and blood pressure data. 
     
     
         15 . The wearable patch of  claim 6 , wherein the sensing unit includes a first electrode that is configured to measure an electrical signal from the user's body in conjunction with the two electrodes attached to the stretchable substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The wearable patch of  claim 6 , wherein the semiconductor chip is configured to switch the circuit, the two electrodes, and the sensing unit into or off from a measurement mode and a treatment mode. 
     
     
         17 . The wearable patch of  claim 6 , wherein the sensing unit includes an accelerometer configured to measure movement of the user. 
     
     
         18 . The wearable patch of  claim 6 , wherein the sensing unit includes a pressure sensor or a force sensor configured to measure blood pressure or pulse of the user. 
     
     
         19 . The wearable patch of  claim 6 , wherein the semiconductor chip is configured to control the sensing unit based on the voltage applied across the user's body, wherein the semiconductor chip is configured to vary a frequency, or a duration of the measurement by the sensing unit. 
     
     
         20 . The wearable patch of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an antenna mounted on the circuit substrate and in electric connection with the semiconductor chip, wherein the semiconductor chip is configured to produce electric signals to enable the antenna to wirelessly exchange measurement data based on the measurement signal with an external device.