Electronic Thermometer with Selectable Modes

• US 20080112461A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardinal Health Ireland Unlimited Company (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sherwood Services AG
• Inventors: Gierer, Joseph T., Bisch, Michael E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,549,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/163
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/42 Circuits effecting compensation of thermal inertia; Circuits for predicting the stationary value of a temperature

Abstract

An electronic thermometer is configured for selectable predictive modes based upon the same predictive algorithm. A mode selector is adapted for user selection between several modes of operation of the thermometer. Each mode of operation utilizes the same predictive algorithm for estimating the temperature of the subject before the thermometer reaches full equilibrium. Different modes offer users a selection for striking the appropriate balance between response time and precision, based upon user preferences and needs.

Claims

1. An electronic thermometer comprising:

a probe adapted to be heated by a subject for use in measuring the temperature of the subject;

at least one temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the probe;

a mode selector adapted for user selection between at least a first predictive mode of operation of the thermometer and a second predictive mode of operation of the thermometer for determining temperature in the second mode of operation more slowly but with greater accuracy as compared with the first mode of operation, the first mode of operation utilizing a predictive algorithm for estimating the temperature of the subject before the thermometer reaches full equilibrium with the subject and the second mode of operation utilizing the same predictive algorithm for estimating the temperature of the subject before the thermometer reaches full equilibrium with the subject.

2. An electronic thermometer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mode selector is adapted for selecting between a plurality of predictive modes of operation of the thermometer, the plurality of predictive modes of operation being arranged for selection along a continuum from a shortest measurement duration and a standard-precision measurement to a longest measurement duration and a highest-precision measurement, wherein each of said plurality of predictive modes of operation utilizes the same predictive algorithm for estimating the temperature of the subject before the thermometer reaches full equilibrium with the subject.

3. An electronic thermometer as set forth in claim 2 wherein the mode selector comprises one of a rotary dial adapted to be rotated to a plurality of positions corresponding to the plurality of predictive modes of operation, a movable selector adapted to be moved to a plurality of positions corresponding to the plurality of predictive modes of operation, and a plurality of buttons, each button corresponding to one of the plurality of predictive modes of operation.

4. An electronic thermometer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mode selector is further adapted for user selection between at least the first mode of operation, the second mode of operation, and a third mode of operation of the thermometer, the third mode of operation comprising a direct measurement mode by collecting temperature information until the temperature of the temperature sensor equilibrates with the subject, whereby the thermometer determines the temperature in the third mode of operation more slowly and without utilizing a prediction algorithm but with even greater precision, as compared with the first and second modes of operation.

5. A method for determining the temperature of a subject with an electronic thermometer, said method comprising:

receiving from a user of the electronic thermometer a selection between at least a first mode of operation of the thermometer and a second mode of operation of the thermometer;

collecting temperatures of the subject measured by the thermometer over time;

applying at least some of the collected measured temperatures to a predictive algorithm according to the first mode of operation when the selection received from the user is for a first mode of operation;

applying at least some of the collected measured temperatures to the same predictive algorithm according to the second mode of operation different from the first mode of operation when the selection received from the user is for a second mode of operation; and

estimating the temperature of the subject with the predictive algorithm based upon the selected mode of operation.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein said estimating the temperature of the subject with the predictive algorithm based upon the selected mode of operation occurs more quickly when at least some of the collected measured temperatures are applied to the predictive algorithm according to the first mode of operation as compared with when at least some of the collected measured temperatures are applied to the same predictive algorithm according to the second mode of operation.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said estimating the temperature of the subject with the predictive algorithm based upon the selected mode of operation occurs with greater precision when at least some of the collected measured temperatures are applied to the predictive algorithm according to the second mode of operation as compared with when at least some of the collected measured temperatures are applied to the same predictive algorithm according to the first mode of operation.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said applying at least some of the collected measured temperatures to the predictive algorithm according to the first mode of operation comprises applying fewer measured temperatures to the predictive algorithm according to the first mode of operation as compared with the number of measured temperatures applied to the same predictive algorithm according to the second mode of operation.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said estimating the temperature of the subject with the predicted algorithm based upon the selected mode of operation comprises estimating the temperature of the subject according to the first mode of operation when the collecting temperatures of the subject over time has collected at least N number of measured temperatures.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said estimating the temperature of the subject with the predicted algorithm based upon the selected mode of operation comprises estimating the temperature of the subject according to the first mode of operation when the collecting temperatures of the subject over time has collected at least fourteen measured temperatures.

11. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said estimating the temperature of the subject with the predicted algorithm and the selected mode of operation comprises estimating the temperature of the subject according to the first mode of operation when the collecting temperatures of the subject over time has occurred continuously for at least about S number of seconds.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said estimating the temperature of the subject with the predicted algorithm and the selected mode of operation comprises estimating the temperature of the subject according to the first mode of operation when the collecting temperatures of the subject over time has occurred continuously for at least about 2.6 seconds.

13. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said estimating the temperature of the subject with the predicted algorithm based upon the selected mode of operation comprises estimating the temperature of the subject according to the second mode of operation when the estimates of the predictive algorithm converge to a precision meeting a minimum threshold.

14. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein said applying at least some of the collected measured temperatures to the predictive algorithm according to the first mode of operation comprises applying measured temperatures to the predictive algorithm collected over less time according to the first mode of operation as compared with the measured temperatures applied to the same predictive algorithm according to the second mode of operation.

15. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein said collecting temperatures comprises collecting temperatures of a patient measured by the thermometer over time;

and

wherein said estimating the temperature comprises estimating the temperature of the patient with the predictive algorithm based upon the selected mode of operation.

16. A method as set forth in claim 5 further comprising determining if a time limit has elapsed;

and

switching from one of the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation selected by the user to a third mode of operation of the thermometer, the third mode of operation comprising a direct measurement mode adapted for collecting temperature information until the temperature of the temperature sensor equilibrates with the subject, whereby the thermometer determines the temperature in the third mode of operation more slowly but with greater precision, as compared with the first and second modes of operation.

17. A method for determining the temperature of a subject with an electronic thermometer, said method comprising:

receiving from a user of the electronic thermometer a selection of one of a plurality of predictive modes of operation of the thermometer, the plurality of predictive modes of operation being arranged for selection along a continuum from a shortest measurement duration and a standard-precision measurement to a longest measurement duration and a highest-precision measurement;

collecting temperatures of the subject measured by the thermometer over time;

applying at least some of the collected measured temperatures to a predictive algorithm determined according to the predictive mode of operation selected by the user; and

estimating the temperature of the subject with the predictive algorithm based upon the selected predictive mode of operation.

18. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein said applying at least some of the collected measured temperatures to a predictive algorithm according to the selected predictive mode of operation comprises applying more measured temperatures to a same predictive algorithm according to each mode of operation as compared with the number of measured temperatures applied according to any mode of operation arranged immediately adjacent the applied mode of operation toward the end of the continuum associated with the shortest measurement duration and the standard-precision measurement.

19. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein said applying at least some of the collected measured temperatures to a predictive algorithm according to the selected predictive mode of operation comprises applying a portion of collected measured temperatures to a same predictive algorithm collected over more time according to each mode of operation as compared with the portion of collected measured temperatures applied according to any mode of operation arranged immediately adjacent the applied mode of operation toward the end of the continuum associated with the shortest measurement duration and the standard-precision measurement.

20. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein said receiving a selection of one of a plurality of predictive modes of operation comprises providing a selection element adjustable along the continuum of predictive modes of operation from the shortest measurement duration and the standard-precision measurement to the longest measurement duration and the highest-precision measurement.

21. A method as set forth in claim 20 wherein said providing a selection element comprises providing one of a rotary dial adapted to be rotated to a plurality of positions corresponding to the plurality of predictive modes of operation, a movable selector adapted to be moved to a plurality of positions corresponding to the plurality of predictive modes of operation, and a plurality of buttons, each corresponding to one of the plurality of predictive modes of operation.

22. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein said collecting temperatures comprises collecting temperatures of a patient measured by the thermometer over time;

and

wherein said estimating the temperature comprises estimating the temperature of the patient based upon the selected predictive mode of operation.

23. A method as set forth in claim 17 further comprising determining if a time limit has elapsed;

and

switching from one of the plurality of predictive modes of operation selected by the user to a direct mode of operation of the thermometer when said time limit has elapsed, the direct mode of operation comprising a direct measurement mode adapted for collecting temperature information until the temperature of the temperature sensor equilibrates with the subject, whereby the thermometer determines the temperature in the direct mode of operation more slowly but with greater precision, as compared with the first and second modes of operation.

24. A method for determining the temperature of a subject with an electronic thermometer, said method comprising:

receiving from a user of the electronic thermometer a selection between at least a first mode of operation of the thermometer and a second mode of operation of the thermometer;

collecting temperatures of the subject measured by the thermometer over time;

terminating the collecting of temperatures according to the first mode of operation when the selection received from the user is for the first mode of operation;

maintaining the collecting of temperatures according to the second mode of operation beyond the termination according to the first mode of operation when the selection received from the user is for the second mode of operation; and

estimating the temperature of the subject based upon the collected temperatures associated with the selected mode of operation.

25. A method as set forth in claim 24 wherein said terminating the collecting of temperatures according to the first mode of operation comprises terminating the collecting of temperatures when the collecting temperatures has occurred continuously for at least one of S number of seconds and N number of measured temperatures.