Continuously wearable physiological measurement system with multi-function watch

Abstract

A wearable physiological measurement system may include, inter alia, sensors and circuitry for automatically and continually determining a heart rate of a wearer. The system can be charged while worn by the wearer via coupling with a removable modular housing, which may itself provide additional functionality such as a multi-function watch.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wearable physiological measurement system, comprising:
 a wearable strap configured to be couplable to an appendage of a user, the wearable strap comprising:
 a bracelet; 
 a screen on the bracelet for displaying physiological data; 
 one or more light emitters for emitting light toward a skin of the user; 
 one or more light detectors for receiving reflected light from the skin of the user; 
 an electronic circuit board including a processor configured by instructions stored in a memory to analyze data corresponding to the reflected light for automatically and continually determining a heart rate of the user; and 
 a first set of one or more batteries for supplying electrical power to the one or more light emitters, the one or more light detectors, and the electronic circuit board; and 
   a modular housing removably couplable to the wearable strap, the modular housing comprising a second set of one or more batteries chargeable by an external power source, the second set of one or more batteries configured to recharge the first set of one or more batteries in the wearable strap,   wherein the combination of the first and second set of one or more batteries is configured to facilitate continuous monitoring of the heart rate of the user by the wearable strap by recording data from the user under power of the first set of one or more batteries when the modular housing is removed from the wearable strap for recharging of the second set of one or more batteries, and recharging the first set of one or more batteries from the second set of one or more batteries when the modular housing is coupled to the wearable strap, wherein the modular housing covers a display device of the bracelet when removably coupled thereto, and wherein the modular housing provides a multi-function watch including a visual display device.   
     
     
         2 . A wearable physiological measurement system, comprising:
 a wearable strap configured to be couplable to a body of a user;   a head portion retained by the wearable strap against the body of the user;   one or more light emitters in the head portion configured to emit light toward the body of the user;   one or more light detectors in the head portion configured to receive light reflected from the body of the user;   an electronic circuit board in the head portion including a processor configured by instructions stored in a memory to analyze a signal from the one or more light detectors to automatically and continually determine a heart rate of the user;   a first set of one or more batteries in the head portion for supplying electrical power to the one or more light emitters, the one or more light detectors, and the electronic circuit board; and   a modular housing including a second set of one or more batteries configured to recharge the first set of one or more batteries when the modular housing is coupled to the head portion, the modular housing removable from the head portion, rechargeable while removed from the head portion, and replaceable to the head portion, wherein the modular housing is removable, rechargeable, and replaceable while the wearable strap is worn by the user and while the head portion continuously monitors the heart rate of the user, wherein the modular housing covers the head portion when removably coupled thereto, and wherein the modular housing provides at least one additional component including a multi-function watch including a visual display device.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first set of one or more batteries is structurally configured to power the one or more light emitters, the one or more light detectors, and the electronic circuit board during at least one sleep interval of the user. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first set of one or more batteries is structurally configured to power the one or more light emitters, the one or more light detectors, and the electronic circuit board for at least one day. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein a combination of the first set of one or more batteries and the second set of one or more batteries is configured to enable continuous monitoring of the heart rate of the user by the head portion. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the electronic circuit board includes a storage device for storing data corresponding to the light reflected from the body of the user. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the electronic circuit board includes a wireless transmitter for transmitting data corresponding to the light reflected from the body of the user to an external computational device. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the modular housing includes a global positioning system (GPS) sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the modular housing includes a processor. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a press-fit mechanism configured to removably couple the modular housing to the wearable strap. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the modular housing covers a display of the head portion, the display including one or more light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the visual display device of the modular housing includes a user interface for the wearable physiological measurement system. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the visual display device of the modular housing includes a user interface configured to display an indication of the heart rate of the user. 
     
     
         14 . A continuously wearable system, comprising:
 a wearable strap couplable to a body of a user;   a head portion retained by the wearable strap against the body of the user;   an electronic system in the head portion including a circuit board with a processor and one or more sensors coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured by instructions stored in a memory to automatically and continually process data from the one or more sensors;   a first battery in the head portion for supplying electrical power to the electronic system; and   a modular housing including a second battery configured to recharge the first battery, the modular housing removable from the head portion, rechargeable, and replaceable to the head portion, wherein the modular housing is removable, rechargeable, and replaceable while the wearable strap is worn by the user and while the first battery continuously powers the electronic system, wherein the modular housing provides a multi-function watch including a visual display.   
     
     
         15 . The continuously wearable system of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic system is configured to acquire physiological data from the user. 
     
     
         16 . The continuously wearable system of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic system is configured to acquire heart rate data from the user. 
     
     
         17 . The continuously wearable system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to be powered by the first battery to continue collecting and processing data from the user while the modular housing is removed. 
     
     
         18 . The continuously wearable system of  claim 14 , wherein the modular housing couples to the head portion on a surface away from the body of the user to permit continued contact of the one or more sensors with the body of the user when the modular housing is coupled to the head portion. 
     
     
         19 . The continuously wearable system of  claim 14 , wherein the modular housing includes a user interface within the visual display, the user interface configured to display heart rate data for the user. 
     
     
         20 . The continuously wearable system of  claim 14 , wherein the modular housing includes a global positioning system (GPS) sensor.