Biological information arithmetic apparatus, biological information arithmetic method, computer-executable program, and recording medium

• US 20060041198A1
• Filed: 08/09/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Uchida, Shinji, Kondoh, Kazuya
• Application Number:
  US11/200,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20060041198A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/473
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1075 for measuring dimensions by non-invasive methods, e.g. for determining thickness of tissue layer A61B8/0858 takes precedence

Abstract

An optical fat thickness meter includes a light source section which is provided on a measuring surface and which emits light to a living body, a photoreception section which is provided on the measuring surface, and which receives the light passing the living body, a protruding section which is provided so as to surround the light source section and photoreception section substantially, and an arithmetic section which calculates information with regard to a living body on the basis of the amount of the received light.

Claims

1. A biological information arithmetic apparatus, comprising:

a light source emitting light to a living body, which is provided on a measuring surface;

photodetector receiving the light having passed through the living body, which is provided on the measuring surface;

a protruding section which is provided so as to substantially surround the light source and the photodetector; and

a biological information arithmetic unit of calculating information with regard to the living body on the basis of an amount of the received light.

2. The biological information arithmetic apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the photodetector receives the light also in a state where the light is not emitted while receiving the light in a state where the light is emitted, and

the biological information arithmetic unit calculates the information with regard to the living body on the basis of the amount of the light received in the state where the light is not emitted, and the amount of the light received in the state where the light is emitted.

3. The biological information arithmetic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protruding section is continuously provided along an outer periphery of the measuring surface.

4. The biological information arithmetic apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the outer periphery of the measuring surface is substantially a circumference, and

the photodetector is located in a substantial center of the circumference.

5. The biological information arithmetic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a convex section provided so as to bridge the protruding section,

wherein the light source is located in the convex section, and

the photodetector is located in the convex section.

6. The biological information arithmetic apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the outer periphery of the measuring surface is substantially a circumference, and

the convex section is provided so as to cross a substantial center of the circumference.

7. The biological information arithmetic apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a convex section pushing force measuring unit of measuring a pushing force by which the convex section is pushed on a surface of the living body,

wherein the biological information arithmetic unit calculates the information with regard to the living body in consideration of a deformation of the surface of the living body which is caused by the measured pushing force.

8. The biological information arithmetic apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the photodetector has a first light receiving device that receives the light, and a second light receiving device that receives the light, and

the biological information arithmetic unit calculates the information with regard to the living body on the basis of an amount of the light received by the first light receiving device, and an amount of the light received by the second light receiving device.

9. The biological information arithmetic apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the light source has a light emitting device which emits the light,

a distance between the light emitting device and the first light receiving device is substantially from 15 mm to 25 mm, and

a distance between the light emitting device and the second light receiving device is substantially from 35 mm to 50 mm.

10. The biological information arithmetic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a measuring surface pushing force measuring unit of measuring a pushing force by which the measuring surface is pushed on a surface of the living body; and

a judging unit judging whether a magnitude of the measured pushing force is over a predetermined value,

wherein the biological information arithmetic unit calculates the information with regard to the living body if the magnitude of the measured pushing force is judged to be over the predetermined value.

11. A biological information arithmetic method, comprising the steps of:

emitting light using a light source which is provided on a measuring surface so as to be substantially enclosed by a protruding section and which emits light to a living body;

performing photoreception using a photodetector which is provided on the measuring surface so as to be substantially enclosed by the protruding section and which receives light having passed through the living body; and

performing an arithmetical operation using a biological information calculator which calculates information with regard to the living body on the basis of an amount of the received light.

12. A computer-executable program comprising computer-executable program code operable to cause a computer to execute the step of performing an arithmetical operation using a biological information calculator which calculates information with regard to the living body on the basis of an amount of the received light, in the biological information arithmetic method according to claim 11.

13. A recording medium carrying the program according to claim 12, which can be processed by a computer.