DIGITAL THERMOMETER

• US 20100152606A1
• Filed: 04/01/2007
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: How-Are-You Technologies, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: How-Are-You Technologies, Ltd.
• Inventors: Menashe, Ilan
• Application Number:
  US12/295,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20100152606A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/549
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0019 based on measurement of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/00 Thermometers giving results other than momentary value of temperature G01K7/42 takes precedence

Abstract

A digital thermometer (10) includes a temperature measuring device (13) for measuring temperature of an examinee. A microprocessor (12) is coupled to the temperature measuring device for processing a sequence of temperature samples measured during a unitary measuring interval and is responsive to the measured temperature samples or a function thereof for determining at least one health property other than temperature of the examinee or for predicting a change in at least one health property of the examinee such as an onset of an abnormal health condition. According to one embodiment, volatility of the temperature-time characteristic is used to indicate whether the examinee is healthy or not, even when no fever is registered. ‘Volatility’ is a measure of the extent to which temperature samples fluctuate with time, such as the number of temperature rises and falls during the sampling period.

Claims

1. A digital thermometer, comprising a temperature measuring device for measuring temperature of an examinee, and a microprocessor coupled to the temperature measuring device for processing a sequence of temperature samples measured during a unitary measuring interval and being responsive to said temperature samples or a function thereof for determining at least one health property of the examinee or for predicting a change in at least one health property of the examinee;

characterized in that;

the temperature measuring device is adapted to measure to a resolution of at least 0.01°

C. at a sufficiently high sampling rate to yield measurable fluctuations between a plurality of sampled data points within the measuring interval and to enable a health property to be determined or a change in the health property predicted from said fluctuations even when each measured temperature sample exhibits substantially no departure from normal body temperature.

2. The thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the temperature measuring device is adapted to sample at a rate of 25 or more readings per minute.

3. The thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the measuring interval spans over a continuous period of time of up to several minutes.

4. The thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to predict an onset of an abnormal health condition of the examinee.

5. The thermometer according to claim 4, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to compare said temperature samples or a function thereof with predetermined data characteristics of one or more abnormal health conditions for predicting an onset of an abnormal health condition of said examinee.

6. The thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to predict an onset of an abnormal temperature of the examinee.

7. The thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to reject readings that do not fulfill predetermined threshold criteria.

8. The thermometer according to claim 7, wherein a threshold criterion is a maximum slope of a straight line generated between first and last data points of said best-fit line.

9. The thermometer according to claim 7, wherein a threshold criterion is a maximum deviation between two adjacent data points.

10. The thermometer according to claim 7, wherein a threshold criterion is a maximum deviation between one or more amplitudes of the best-fit line and the generated straight line.

11. The thermometer according to claim 1, further comprising a database of stored temperature fluctuation patterns each being characteristic of a respective health condition.

12. The thermometer according to claim 11, wherein the database is customized to store the patterns of a selected population sector.

13. The thermometer according to claim 12, wherein the selected sector is selected from the group of males, females, pregnant women, a pediatric population, a geriatric population, and individuals suffering from heart conditions.

14. The thermometer according to claim 1, including a display unit for displaying an icon or textual message indicative of a health condition of the examinee.

15. The thermometer according to claim 1, including a vocalization unit for vocalizing a tone or message.

16. The thermometer according to claim 1, further comprising a communications unit for conveying data that is received and generated by the microprocessor during the predetermined measuring time.

17. The thermometer according to claim 16, wherein said data is selected from the group of measuring time, stabilization time, a plurality of measured data points, the best-fit line, a deviation of the best-fit line from a stored pattern, the straight regression line, the slope of the straight line, and a maximum deviation between at least two adjacent data points.

18. The thermometer according to claim 1, including a display device for displaying information indicative of a health condition of the examinee.

19. The thermometer according to claim 14, wherein said information is a temperature change rate value associated with the examinee.

20. The thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is disposed remotely to the temperature measuring device.

21. The thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the temperature measuring device and the microprocessor are included in a common housing.

22. The thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is remote from the temperature measuring device.

23. The thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to compute a normalized volatility of the sequence of temperature samples and to compare the normalized volatility with a predetermined threshold for determining whether or not the examinee is healthy.

24. A method for medical diagnosis of an examinee, the method comprising:

measuring a body temperature of the patient during a unitary measuring interval so as to obtain a sequence of temperature samples; and

processing said temperature samples or a function thereof for determining at least one health property other than temperature of the examinee or for predicting a change in at least one health property of the examinee;

characterized by;

measuring to a resolution of at least 0.01°

C. at a sufficiently high sampling rate to yield measurable fluctuations between a plurality of sampled data points within the measuring interval and to enable a health property to be determined or a change in the health property predicted from said fluctuations even when each measured temperature sample exhibits substantially no departure from normal body temperature.

25. The thermometer according to claim 24, wherein the sampling rate is 25 or more body temperature readings per minute.

26. The thermometer according to claim 24, wherein the measuring interval spans over a continuous period of time of up to several minutes.

27. The method according to claim 24, when processing said temperature samples or a function thereof includes:

computing a normalized volatility of the sequence of temperature samples; and

comparing the normalized volatility with a predetermined threshold for determining whether or not the examinee is healthy.

28. The method according to claim 24, when processing said temperature samples or a function thereof includes:

comparing said temperature samples or a function thereof with predetermined data characteristics of one or more abnormal health conditions for predicting an onset of an abnormal health condition of said examinee.

29. A computer program comprising computer program code means for performing the method of claim 24 when said program is run on a computer.

30. A computer program as claimed in claim 29 embodied on a computer readable medium.