Means and Apparatus for Rapid, Accurate, Non-Contacting Measurement of the Core Temperature of Animals and Humans
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device for measuring the core temperature of a subject animal or human, based on thermal emissions from the subject'"'"'s eye, comprising:
- a sensor unit having at least a modulator and a detector;
the modulator operable to modulate the amplitude of the thermal emissions that reach the detector;
the sensor unit operable to permit only selected wavelengths of the thermal emissions to be detected; and
the detector operable to detect the selected wavelengths of thermal emissions from the eyeball of the subject and to generate a signal corresponding to the emissions;
wherein the sensor unit is non contacting to the eyeball;
a demodulator for demodulating the signal from the sensor unit and for generating a demodulated signal;
a data processing unit for converting the demodulated signal to raw temperature data and for determining core temperature data based on the raw temperature data; and
a display for displaying the core temperature data.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for measuring the core temperature of an animal or human. Thermal black body emissions from the eyeball are detected, at one or more wavelengths selected on the basis of various factors, including the ability of that wavelength to reach the interior of the eyeball. An illumination marker shines a spot of light on the eyeball, such that the spot corresponds to the area from which emissions are being detected.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A device for measuring the core temperature of a subject animal or human, based on thermal emissions from the subject'"'"'s eye, comprising:
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a sensor unit having at least a modulator and a detector; the modulator operable to modulate the amplitude of the thermal emissions that reach the detector; the sensor unit operable to permit only selected wavelengths of the thermal emissions to be detected; and the detector operable to detect the selected wavelengths of thermal emissions from the eyeball of the subject and to generate a signal corresponding to the emissions; wherein the sensor unit is non contacting to the eyeball; a demodulator for demodulating the signal from the sensor unit and for generating a demodulated signal; a data processing unit for converting the demodulated signal to raw temperature data and for determining core temperature data based on the raw temperature data; and a display for displaying the core temperature data. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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2. (canceled)
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3. (canceled)
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4. A device for measuring the core temperature of a subject animal or human, based on thermal emissions from the subject'"'"'s eye, comprising:
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a sensor unit having at least a lens, a filter, and a detector; the lens operable to focus the thermal emissions onto the detector; the filter operable to permit only selected wavelengths of the thermal emissions to be detected; the detector operable to detect the selected wavelengths of thermal emissions from the eyeball of the subject and to generate a signal corresponding to the emissions; wherein the sensor unit is non-contacting to the eyeball; an optical cable for delivering visible light to the lens via a terminal end of the optical cable through the lens; an amplifier unit for amplifying the signal from the sensor unit and for generating an amplified signal; a data processing unit for converting the amplified signal to raw temperature data and for determining core temperature data based on the raw temperature data; and a display for displaying the core temperature data. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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5. A device for measuring the core temperature of a subject animal or human, based on thermal emissions from the subject'"'"'s eye, comprising:
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a binocular housing having an illuminator tube and an eye temperature detection tube; a sensor unit housed in the eye temperature tube, the sensor unit having a lens for focusing the thermal emissions from a first eye of the subject into the sensor unit, and having a detector operable to detect only selected wavelengths of thermal emissions from the eyeball of the subject and to generate a signal corresponding to the emissions; wherein the sensor unit is non contacting to the eyeball; an optical illuminator housed in the illuminator tube, operable to provide a target light to a second eye of the subject; a data processing unit for converting the signal to raw temperature data and for determining core temperature data based on the raw temperature data; and a display for displaying the core temperature data. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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6. A device for measuring the core temperature of a subject animal or human, based on thermal emissions from the subject'"'"'s eye, comprising:
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a sensor unit having at least a lens, a beam splitter, and a detector; the lens operable to focus the thermal emissions to the detector; the beam splitter operable to bend the thermal emissions such that the optical path to the detector is bent; the detector operable to detect only selected wavelengths of thermal emissions from the eyeball of the subject and to generate a signal corresponding to the emissions; wherein the sensor unit is non contacting to the eyeball; a data processing unit for converting the signal to raw temperature data and for determining core temperature data based on the raw temperature data; and a display for displaying the core temperature data. - View Dependent Claims (7, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method of measuring core temperature of a subject animal or human, comprising the steps of:
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using a non-contact sensor unit for non-contact sensing of thermal emissions only from the eye of the subject, by using a filter to filter thermal emissions from the eyeball of the subject, such that only selected wavelengths pass through the filter and by using a detector to detect the filtered thermal emissions; modulating the amplitude of the thermal emissions that reach the sensor unit; generating an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of the emissions;
receiving the electrical signal at a data processing unit;converting the electrical signal to core temperature data; and displaying the core temperature of the subject data on a display readout. - View Dependent Claims (51)
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Specification