TEMPERATURE PATCH AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME
First Claim
1. A patch adapted for placement proximate to a surface region of a mammal, said patch including:
- a. an infrared target for receiving thermal energy from said surface region and for emitting infrared radiation according to a substantially known emissivity property whereby, when said target is placed proximate to said surface region, the characteristics of infrared radiation emitted by said target substantially correspond to the temperature of said surface region; and
b. an insulator for protecting said target from the thermal effects of media adjacent to, but different from, said surface region.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A patch having an infrared (IR) target is placed proximate to the surface of a mammal. The patch may include an insulator for protecting the target from exterior, ambient IR and may include bar codes or other indicia uniquely associated with either the patch or the mammal. The patch may also include a bio-reactive agent for indicating characteristics such as the pH of the mammal'"'"'s skin. The patch may also include a thermometer for sensing the level of IR radiation from the IR target and may include a display of the temperature associated with such a level. The patch may also include a transmitter for wirelessly communicating information about such level to a remote location. A method of using the patch is also disclosed.
86 Citations
75 Claims
-
1. A patch adapted for placement proximate to a surface region of a mammal, said patch including:
-
a. an infrared target for receiving thermal energy from said surface region and for emitting infrared radiation according to a substantially known emissivity property whereby, when said target is placed proximate to said surface region, the characteristics of infrared radiation emitted by said target substantially correspond to the temperature of said surface region; and b. an insulator for protecting said target from the thermal effects of media adjacent to, but different from, said surface region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A patch adapted for placement proximate to a surface region of a mammal, said patch including:
-
a. an infrared target for receiving thermal energy from said surface region and for emitting infrared radiation according to a substantially known emissivity property whereby, when said target is placed proximate to said surface region, the characteristics of infrared radiation emitted by said target substantially correspond to the temperature of said surface region; b. means for selectively maintaining said target in a position proximate to a surface region of a mammal; and c. indicia uniquely associated with said patch. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. A patch adapted for placement proximate to a surface region of a mammal, said patch including:
-
a. an infrared target for receiving thermal energy from said surface region and for emitting infrared radiation according to a substantially known emissivity property whereby, when said target is placed proximate to said surface region, the characteristics of infrared radiation emitted by said target substantially correspond to the temperature of said surface region; and b. indicia uniquely associated with said patch. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
-
-
48. A method of monitoring the body temperature of a mammal, comprising:
-
a. providing at least one patch, each of said at least one patches including (1) an infrared target for receiving thermal energy from a surface region of the mammal and for emitting infrared radiation according to a substantially known emissivity property whereby, when said target is placed proximate to a said surface region, the characteristics of an infrared radiation emitted by said target substantially correspond to the temperature of said surface region, and (2) an insulator for protecting said target from thermal effects of media adjacent to, but different from, said surface region; b. placing at least one of said patches proximate to a respective associated surface region of the mammal; c. providing at least one infrared thermometer adapted to sense infrared radiation emitted by said target of at least one of said at least one patches; and d. repeatedly using said at least one thermometer to sense infrared radiation emitted by said target of at least one of said at least one patches and to correlate said sensed infrared radiation to an associated temperature. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51)
-
-
52. A method of monitoring the body temperature of a mammal, comprising:
-
a. providing at least one patch, each of said at least one patches including (1) an infrared target for receiving thermal energy from a surface region of the mammal and for emitting infrared radiation according to a substantially known emissivity property whereby, when said target is placed proximate to a said surface region, the characteristics of an infrared radiation emitted by said target substantially correspond to the temperature of said surface region, (2) means for selectively maintaining said target in a position proximate to a surface region of a mammal, and (3) indicia uniquely associated with said patch; b. placing at least one of said patches proximate to a respective associated surface region of the mammal; c. providing at least one infrared thermometer adapted to sense infrared radiation emitted by said target of at least one of said at least one patches; and d. repeatedly using said at least one thermometer to sense infrared radiation emitted by said target of at least one of said at least one patches and to correlate said sensed infrared radiation to an associated temperature. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55)
-
-
56. A method of monitoring the body temperature of a mammal, comprising:
-
a. providing at least one patch, each of said at least one patches including (1) an infrared target for receiving thermal energy from a surface region of the mammal and for emitting infrared radiation according to a substantially known emissivity property whereby, when said target is placed proximate to a said surface region, the characteristics of an infrared radiation emitted by said target substantially correspond to the temperature of said surface region, and (2) indicia uniquely associated with said patch; b. placing at least one of said patches proximate to a respective associated surface region of the mammal; c. providing at least one infrared thermometer adapted to sense infrared radiation emitted by said target of at least one of said at least one patches; and d. repeatedly using said at least one thermometer to sense infrared radiation emitted by said target of at least one of said at least one patches and to correlate said sensed infrared radiation to an associated temperature. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59)
-
-
60. A method of monitoring the body temperature associated with each of at least two mammals, comprising:
-
a. providing at least two patches, each of said at least two patches including (1) an infrared target for receiving thermal energy from a surface region of the mammal and for emitting infrared radiation according to a substantially known emissivity property whereby, when said target is placed proximate to said surface region, the characteristics of infrared radiation emitted by said target substantially correspond to the temperature of said surface region, and (2) indicia uniquely associated with said patch; b. placing at least one of said patches proximate to a respective associated surface region of each one of the mammals; c. providing at least one infrared thermometer adapted to sense infrared radiation emitted by said target of said at least one of said at least two patches on each one of the mammals; d. repeatedly using said at least one thermometer to sense infrared radiation emitted by said target of said at least two patches placed proximate to a respective associated surface region of each of the mammals and to correlate said sensed infrared radiation to an associated temperature; and e. correlating the indicia uniquely associated with each of said at least two patches with the associated temperature obtained from using said at least one thermometer to sense infrared radiation emitted from said target of said associated patch placed proximate to a respective associated surface region of each of the mammals. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62)
-
-
63. A method of using a medium having a substantially known infrared emissivity property to determine the body temperature of a mammal comprising:
-
a. placing said medium proximate to a surface region of the mammal; b. sensing the infrared radiation emitted from said medium; and c. correlating said sensed infrared radiation with an associated temperature. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65)
-
-
66. A method of using a medium having a substantially known infrared emissivity property to determine the body temperature of a mammal comprising:
-
a. step for placing said medium proximate to a surface region of the mammal; b. step for sensing the infrared radiation emitted from said medium; and c. step for correlating said sensed infrared radiation with an associated temperature. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68)
-
-
69. A method of monitoring the body temperature of a mammal, comprising:
-
a. providing at least one patch, each of said at least one patches including an infrared target for receiving thermal energy from a surface region of the mammal and for emitting infrared radiation according to a substantially known emissivity property whereby, when said target is placed proximate to a said surface region, the characteristics of an infrared radiation emitted by said target substantially correspond to the temperature of said surface region; b. placing at least one of said patches proximate to a respective associated surface region of the mammal; c. providing at least one infrared thermometer adapted to sense infrared radiation emitted by said target of at least one of said at least one patches; and d. repeatedly using said at least one thermometer to sense infrared radiation emitted by said target of at least one of said at least one patches and to correlate said sensed infrared radiation to an associated temperature. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72)
-
-
73. A method of monitoring the body temperature associated with each of at least two mammals, comprising:
-
a. providing at least two patches, each of said at least two patches including an infrared target for receiving thermal energy from a surface region of the mammal and for emitting infrared radiation according to a substantially known emissivity property whereby, when said target is placed proximate to said surface region, the characteristics of infrared radiation emitted by said target substantially correspond to the temperature of said surface region; b. placing each of said at least two patches proximate to a respective associated surface region of an associated one of the at least two mammals; c. providing at least one infrared thermometer adapted to sense infrared radiation emitted by said target of each of said at least two patches when said patches are placed proximate to a respective associated surface region of the associated mammal; and d. repeatedly using said at least one thermometer to sense infrared radiation emitted by said target of said at least two patches when said patches are placed proximate to a respective associated surface region of the associated mammal and to correlate said sensed infrared radiation to an associated temperature. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75)
-
Specification