METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING POSITIONING OF A NONINVASIVE ANALYZER SAMPLE PROBE

• US 20080319299A1
• Filed: 05/21/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GLT Acquisition Corporation
• Original Assignee: GLT Acquisition Corporation
• Inventors: BLANK, Thomas B., SLAWINSKI, Christopher, RUCHTI, Timothy L., STIPPICK, Timothy W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• 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 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure

Abstract

The invention relates generally to a probe interface method and apparatus for use in conjunction with an optical based noninvasive analyzer. More particularly, an algorithm controls a sample probe position and attitude relative to a skin sample site before and/or during sampling. For example, a sample probe head of a sample module is controlled by an algorithm along the normal-to-skin-axis. Preferably, the sample probe head is positioned in terms of 3-D location in the x-, y-, and z-axes and is attitude orientated in terms of pitch, yaw, and roll. Further, attitude of the probe head is preferably orientated prior to contact of the sample probe head with the tissue sample using indicators, such as non-contact distance feedback from capacitance sensor, contacting or non-contacting optical sensors, and/or contact electrical sensors.

Claims

1. A noninvasive spectroscopic analyzer An apparatus for analyte property determination from a sample site of a body part, comprising:

a sample probe having a sample probe tip; and

a controller for controlling attitude of said sample probe tip relative to localized curvature of the sample site.

2. The noninvasive spectroscopic analyzer of claim 1, wherein attitude of said sample probe tip relative to the sample site is defined in terms of an x-, y-, and z-axis coordinate system, wherein said x-axis is defined along a length of said body part, wherein said y-axis is defined across said body part, and wherein said z-axis is normal to a plane formed by said x- and y-axes.

3. The noninvasive spectroscopic analyzer of claim 2, wherein said controller controls said attitude of said sample probe tip along all of said x-, y-, and z-axes.

4. The noninvasive spectroscopic analyzer of claim 2, wherein said controller controls said attitude of said sample probe tip along a normal-to-sample site axis, wherein said normal-to-sample site axis is not said z-axis.

5. The noninvasive spectroscopic analyzer of claim 2, wherein said attitude comprises a pitch and a roll, wherein said controller controls said pitch and said roll of said sample probe tip relative to the sample site, wherein pitch comprises rotation of said sample probe tip about said y-axis, wherein roll comprises rotation of said sample probe tip about said x-axis.

6. The noninvasive spectroscopic analyzer of claim 1, further comprising:

an input signal, said input signal providing said controller with information about said attitude of said sample probe tip relative to the sample site.

7. The noninvasive spectroscopic analyzer of claim 6, wherein said input signal comprises a plurality of capacitance signals, wherein each of said plurality of capacitance signals provides information on a distance between a localized section of said sample probe tip and the sample site.

8. The noninvasive spectroscopic analyzer of claim 6, wherein said input signal comprises a conductive contact signal, wherein said conductive contact signal changes in current as an indication that proximate contact between said sample probe tip and the sample site is established.

9. The noninvasive spectroscopic analyzer of claim 7, further comprising:

means for adjusting position of said sample probe tip relative to the tissue site, wherein said controller first adjusts said pitch and said roll of said sample probe tip and, thereafter, said means for adjusting moves, said sample probe tip along a normal-to-skin axis, wherein said normal-to-skin axis is not aligned with an axis corresponding to that of a force attributable to gravity.

10. The noninvasive spectroscopic analyzer of claim 1, further comprising:

means for adjusting said attitude of said sample probe tip relative to the tissue site in terms of a pitch and a roll.

11. The noninvasive spectroscopic analyzer of claim 10, wherein said means for adjusting comprises:

a first motor assembly operating through a pivot point to move a first concentric ring to control pitch of said sample probe tip;

a second motor operating through a second pivot point to move a second concentric ring to control roll of said sample probe tip.

12. The noninvasive spectroscopic analyzer of claim 1, further comprising:

a motor for controlling movement of said sample probe tip along a normal-to-skin-axis, wherein said normal-to-skin axis is tangential to a plane defined by said x- and y-axes and is not aligned with an axis corresponding to that of a force attributable to gravity.

13. A method for analyte property determination from a sample site of a body part, comprising the steps of:

collecting a spectrum with a noninvasive analyzer comprising;

a sample probe having a sample probe tip; and

a controller; and

controlling attitude of said sample probe tip with said controller relative to localized curvature of the sample site.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

positioning said sample probe tip at an attitude relative to the sample site, wherein said attitude is defined in terms of an x-, y-, and z-axis coordinate system, wherein said x-axis is defined along the length of a body part, wherein said y-axis is defined across said body part, wherein said z-axis is normal to a plane formed by said x- and y-axes.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

said controller controlling attitude of said sample probe tip along all of said x-, y-, and z-axes.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said z-axis comprises a normal-to-sample site axis, wherein said z-axis does not align with an axis corresponding to that of a force attributable to gravity.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

said controller controlling a pitch and a roll of said sample probe tip relative to the sample site, wherein pitch comprises rotation of said sample probe tip about said y-axis, and wherein roll comprises rotation of said sample probe tip about said x-axis.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

an input signal providing said controller with information about said attitude of said sample probe tip relative to the sample site.

19. The method of claim 18,

wherein said input signal comprises a plurality of capacitance signals;

and

further comprising the step of each of said plurality of capacitance signals providing information on a distance between a localized section of said sample probe tip and the sample site.

20. The method of claim 18,

wherein said input signal comprises a conductive contact signal;

and

further comprising the step of said conductive contact signal rising in current as an indication that proximate contact between said sample probe tip and the sample site is established.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

adjusting position of said sample probe tip relative to the tissue site, wherein said controller first adjusts pitch and roll of said sample probe tip and, thereafter, moved said sample probe tip along a normal-to-skin axis, wherein said normal-to-skin axis is not aligned with an axis corresponding to that of a force attributable to gravity.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

adjusting said attitude of said sample probe tip relative to the tissue site in terms of a pitch and a roll.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said step of adjusting further comprises the steps of:

a first motor assembly moving a first concentric ring to control pitch of said sample probe tip; and

a second motor moving a second concentric ring to control roll of said sample probe tip.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of:

a third motor controlling movement of said sample probe tip along an axis that is normal to said sample site axis, wherein said normal to skin said sample site axis is not aligned with an axis corresponding to that of a force attributable to gravity.

25. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

generating a glucose concentration from said spectrum, wherein said spectrum comprises signals at wavelengths from about 1200 to above 1800 nm.