MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20100222776A1
• Filed: 02/25/2010
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ThermImage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ThermImage, Inc.
• Inventors: Turnquist, Douglas G., Eggers, Philip, Snow, Brent W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,939,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1815 using microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• 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: A61B 5/201 Assessing renal or kidney functions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4547 Evaluating teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 15/10 Parts, details or accessories A61G15/14 takes precedence; dental instruments A61C
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/025 Warming the body, e.g. hyperthermia treatment

Abstract

A heating and monitoring system is described having a focused antenna to monitor temperature of internal tissue and or bodily fluids in a non-invasive way. The focused antenna is shielded to form and relatively small and manageable package that can be placed to monitor internal tissue and/or bodily fluids.

Claims

1. A detector, comprising:

a focused antenna configured to determine a condition of an internal structure;

a holding mechanism for holding the focused antenna to a surface;

a radiometer coupled to the focused antenna;

an output configured to couple the radiometer to a computer; and

a shielding enclosure configured to isolate at least the focused antenna from ambient radiation.

2. The detector of claim 1, wherein the enclosure further comprising a shielding material.

3. The detector of claim 1, wherein the surface is the surface of an individual and wherein the internal structure is a kidney.

4. The detector of claim 3, wherein the condition is the temperature of urine in a kidney.

5. The detector of claim 1, wherein the internal structure is urine in a bladder.

6. The detector of claim 5, wherein the condition is the temperature of urine in a bladder.

7. The detector of claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to be coupled to a chair during use.

8. The detector of claim 1, further comprising an analog to digital converter.

9. A system comprising the detector of claim 1, and further comprising a plurality of microwave elements for heating a structure beyond the surface.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a control assembly configured to alternatingly activate the microwave elements, the control assembly controlling the active microwave heating elements at least in part in response to readings from the focused antenna.

11. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a cooling mechanism disposed adjacent the plurality of microwave elements for cooling the surface.

21. The system according to claim 1, wherein the heating assembly comprises a plurality of microwave heating elements spaced apart from one another.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the heating assembly further comprising a cooling mechanism disposed adjacent the heating elements for cooling the surface.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the cooling mechanism comprises a heat sink.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the cooling mechanism comprises a heat pipe.

26. The system according to claim 22, wherein the monitoring assembly is disposed remote from the heating assembly and wherein the desired location is remote from the first location, such that the monitoring assembly detects heat which has traveled from the first location to the desired location.

12. A heating and monitoring system, comprising:

an array of microwave antennas, wherein the array is configured to provide a focal area where energy emitted from each of the microwave antennas converges;

a controller configured to control the focused array of microwave antennas; and

a temperature monitoring device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the focused array is configured to be placed on an individual, and wherein the focal area corresponds to the location of the bladder of the individual.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the temperature monitoring device is a focused antenna.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the focused antenna is configured to receive information correlating to the temperature of fluid in a kidney.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the focused antenna is configured to receive information correlating to the temperature of urine in a bladder.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the temperature monitoring device is configured to monitor the temperature of the skin located at the interface between the individual and the focused array.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to alter the output of the array of microwave antennas based on information provided by the temperature monitoring device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to automatically shut-off output of the focused array if the information provided by the temperature monitoring device indicates a temperature above a desired threshold.

20. A system for monitoring thermal movement, the system comprising:

a heating assembly having a plurality of heat emitting elements for generating heat at a first location below a surface;

a monitoring assembly having at least one focused antenna for detecting temperature at a desired location below the surface; and

a control assembly in communication with the heating assembly and the monitoring assembly for controlling the heating assembly to apply thermal energy and for receiving information from the monitoring assembly to determine thermal energy at the desired location, the control assembly comprising a processor for adjusting the heating assembly responsive to information received from the monitoring assembly.

25. The system according to claim 20, wherein the heating assembly further comprises a passive element for detecting temperature at the desired location.

27. The system according to claim 20, wherein the monitoring assembly comprises a plurality of focused antennas.

28. The system according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of focused antennas are shielded.

29. The system according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the heating assembly and the monitoring assembly are attached to a chair.

30. The system according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the heating assembly and the monitoring assembly is disposed in a garment.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein the garment is a diaper.

32. A heating and monitoring system, comprising:

a focused array of microwave antennas, wherein the array is configured to heat an internal feature of a structure;

a plurality of sensors configured to monitor the structure; and

a controller configured to control the focused array, wherein the controller is configured to alter function of the focused array based on input from at least one of the plurality of sensors.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising a cooling device, wherein the cooling device is configured to be controlled based on signals from the controller.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the controller is further configured to alter the function of the cooling device based on input from at least one of the plurality of sensors.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the plurality of sensors further comprises a temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the cooling device.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the cooling device further comprises a gel pad.

37. The system of claim 33, wherein the cooling device further comprises a pump and cooling fluid, the cooling fluid configured to circulate through the cooling device.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein the cooling device further comprises a heat pipe.

39. The system of claim 32, wherein the controller is configured to turn off the focused array based on a threshold related to an input signal from the at least one of the plurality of sensors.

40. The system of claim 32, wherein the plurality of sensors further comprise temperature sensors configured to monitor the temperature of skin adjacent to the focused array.

41. The system of claim 32, wherein the structure is an individual, wherein the feature is a bladder, and wherein the plurality of sensors further comprise a focused antenna configured to monitor the temperature of urine in the bladder.

42. The system of claim 32, wherein the altered function of the focused array includes at least one of:

reducing the energy emitted from the focused array;

selectively cycling which portion of the focused array emits energy;

altering the duration of time the focused array emits energy;

altering the period at which at least a portion of the focused array emits energy;

pausing the energy emission of the focused array for a detection period and turning off the focused array.