Variable wavelength generating method and apparatus thereof, for use in measuring body fluids constituent concentration

• US 20060074281A1
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hwang, In-duk
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1491 Heated applicators

Abstract

A variable wavelength generating method and an apparatus thereof, for use in measuring a body fluid constituent concentration. The apparatus includes: a thermo-electric cooler (TEC) whose temperature is varied depending on a change in a supplied current; a light source section generating a wavelength that is varied depending on a temperature change of the thermo-electric cooler; a current supply control section controlling a current supplied to the TEC; an operation power source generation section supplying an operation power source for performing synchronization so that an operation of the light source section may be performed; and a controller for adjusting a current flowing in the TEC adjusting the operation power source supplied to the light source section.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring a body fluid constituent concentration, comprising:

a variable wavelength generation section generating an optical wavelength signal varied depending on a temperature change;

an optical transmission section illuminating the optical wavelength signal generated from the variable wavelength generation section onto a subject matter whose body fluid constituent concentration is to be measured;

an optical reception section detecting the optical wavelength signal transmitted or reflected from the subject matter; and

a constituent concentration analysis/estimation section analyzing and estimating a constituent concentration of the subject matter using the optical wavelength signal detected by the optical reception section.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the variable wavelength generation section includes:

a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) whose temperature is varied depending on a change in a supplied current;

a light source section generating a wavelength that is varied depending on a temperature change of the TEC; and

a current supply controller controlling a current supplied to the TEC.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the variable wavelength generation section includes an operation power source controller supplying an operation power source signal to the light source section.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a storage section storing reference spectrum data regarding the body fluid constituent concentration, and wherein the constituent concentration analysis/estimation section extracts spectrum data of the optical wavelength signal detected by the optical reception section and compares the extracted spectrum data with the reference spectrum data regarding the body fluid constituent concentration stored in the storage section, thereby estimating the body fluid constituent concentration of the subject matter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display section displaying body fluid constituent concentration analysis/estimation data of the subject matter, analyzed and estimated by the constituent concentration analysis/estimation section.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a signal processing section having an optical amplifier amplifying the optical wavelength signal detected by the optical reception section and an analog/digital (A/D) converter for the optical wavelength signal amplified by the optical amplifier into a digital optical wavelength signal.

7. A variable wavelength generating apparatus, comprising:

a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) whose temperature is varied depending on a change in a supplied current;

a light source section generating a wavelength that is varied depending on a temperature change of the TEC;

a current supply controller controlling a current supplied to the TEC; and

an operation power source generation section supplying an operation power source signal to operate the light source section.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the light source section is configured such that a plurality of light source elements are mounted in form of a module on the TEC.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the operation power source generation section supplies operation power source signals to each of the light source elements so that each of the light source elements operates with a predetermine period and a predetermined time difference.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the operation power source generation section includes a time delay by which the operation power source generation section supplies the operation power source signal to each of the light source elements with a time difference.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the operation power source signal is a current pulse signal having a predetermined period.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of light source elements included in the light source section is mounted on a single-type TEC.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the TEC is formed in plural elements so that each of the elements of the TEC is connected with each of light source elements included in the light source section.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the light source section includes a light emitting diode (LED) or a laser diode (LD).

15. A method of measuring a body fluid constituent concentration, comprising:

generating a wavelength varied depending on a temperature change;

illuminating the generated optical wavelength signal onto a subject matter whose body fluid constituent concentration is to be measured;

detecting the optical wavelength signal transmitted or reflected from the subject matter; and

analyzing and estimating a body fluid constituent concentration of the subject matter using the detected optical wavelength signal.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, between the detecting and the analyzing, loading reference spectrum data regarding a body fluid constituent concentration, and wherein the analyzing extracts spectrum data of the detected optical wavelength signal and compares the extracted spectrum data with the stored reference spectrum data, thereby estimating a body fluid constituent concentration of a subject matter.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising, between the detecting and the analyzing, amplifying the detected optical wavelength signal and converting the amplified optical wavelength signal into a digital optical wavelength signal.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying analyzed and estimated body fluid constituent concentration analysis/estimation data of the subject matter.

19. A variable wavelength generating method for use in measuring a body fluid constituent concentration in a system having a light source section on its thermo-electric cooler (TEC), the method comprising:

adjusting a temperature of the TEC by controlling a current supplied to the TEC;

supplying an operation power source operating the light source section; and

generating, at the light source section, an optical wavelength varied depending on an adjusted temperature of the TEC.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the light source section is configured such that a plurality of light source elements are mounted in form of a module on the TEC.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the supplying supplies operation power sources to each of the light source elements so that each of the light source elements can operate with a predetermine period and a predetermined time difference.

22. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for causing a processor to perform a method of measuring a body fluid constituent concentration, the method comprising:

generating a wavelength varied depending on a temperature change;

illuminating the generated optical wavelength signal onto a subject matter whose body fluid constituent concentration is to be measured;

detecting the optical wavelength signal transmitted or reflected from the subject matter; and

analyzing and estimating a body fluid constituent concentration of the subject matter using the detected optical wavelength signal.

23. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for causing a processor to perform a method of a variable wavelength generating method for use in measuring a body fluid constituent concentration in a system having a light source section on its thermoelectric cooler (TEC), the method comprising:

adjusting a temperature of the TEC by controlling a current supplied to the TEC;

supplying an operation power source operating the light source section; and

generating, at the light source section, an optical wavelength varied depending on an adjusted temperature of the TEC.

24. An apparatus for measuring fluid constituent concentration, comprising:

a variable wavelength generator generating an optical wavelength signal of a variable wavelength;

an optical transmitter transmitting the generated optical wavelength signal onto a subject matter the fluid concentration of which is to be measured;

an optical receiver receiving the optical wavelength signal reflected from the subject matter; and

a constituent concentration analyzer/estimator analyzing and estimating a fluid constituent concentration of the subject matter based on the received optical wavelength signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the wavelength of the optical wavelength signal varies based on a temperature of a thermoelectric cooler (TEC).