WIRELESS VAGINAL SENSOR PROBE

• US 20120016258A1
• Filed: 07/14/2011
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prima Tek II LLC (Prima Tek II)
• Original Assignee: Prima Tek II LLC (Prima Tek II)
• Inventors: Webster, Wade W., Pollack, Richard S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,715,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/549
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0012 Ovulation-period determination for animals A61D17/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• 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 5/4318 Evaluation of the lower reproductive system A61B5/4343 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4325 of the uterine cavities, e.g. uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4337 of the vagina
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6867 specially adapted to be attached or implanted in a specific body part A61B5/6847 takes precedence
• 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: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2215/00 Details concerning sensor power supply

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a temperature sensing device that can comprise an elastic ring structure. The temperature sensing device can further comprise a transducer device, such as a temperature sensor, and a microprocessor, memory and wireless transmitter. Such an arrangement can incorporate a passive (battery free), battery assisted or active battery powered transponder circuit with temperature measurement capability. The elastic ring structure can be forced in a spring loaded state when elastically deformed thus becoming retained when disposed in a vaginal vault. In one embodiment, an active RF receiver or an RFID reader is brought in proximity to the temperature sensing and transmitting device arrangement, such as near a woman'"'"'s pelvis from the outside to read the temperature and record it in a Central Processing Unit, CPU, associated with the receiver or RFID reader, such as a portable, handheld computer or wireless device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving at a monitoring computer system sensor data from a sensing device, the sensing device comprising at least one temperature sensor, a microcontroller, and a wireless transmitter disposed in a flexible ring inserted into the body of a user;

comparing by the monitoring computer system the received sensor data to a baseline temperature for the user; and

determining by the monitoring computer system based on said comparing whether the received sensor data indicates a change from the baseline temperature for the user; and

in response to determining the received sensor data indicates a change from the baseline temperature for the user, providing by the monitoring computer system a notification.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining by the monitoring computer system whether the received sensor data is reliable; and

in response to determining the received sensor data is not reliable, discarding by the monitoring computer system the received sensor data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining by the monitoring computer system whether the received sensor data is reliable; and

in response to determining the received sensor data is reliable, saving by the monitoring computer system the received sensor data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein saving the received sensor data comprises establishing the baseline temperature for the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein flexible ring is inserted into the vaginal vault of the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining whether the received sensor data indicates a change from the baseline temperature for the user comprises determining the received sensor data indicates a rise in a core temperature of the user and wherein providing the notification comprises providing a notification of ovulation.

7. A system comprising:

a sensing device including at least one temperature sensor and a wireless transmitter disposed in a flexible ring, the ring inserted into the body of a user; and

a monitoring system communicatively coupled with the wireless transmitter of the sensing device, wherein the monitoring system receives sensor data from the sensing device, compares the received sensor data to a baseline temperature for the user, determines based on said comparing whether the received sensor data indicates a change from the baseline temperature for the user, and in response to determining the received sensor data indicates a change from the baseline temperature for the user, provides a notification.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the monitoring system comprises a personal computer.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the monitoring system comprises a mobile device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the mobile device comprises a smart phone.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein flexible ring is inserted into the vaginal vault of the user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein determining whether the received sensor data indicates a change from the baseline temperature for the user comprises determining the received sensor data indicates a rise in a core temperature of the user and wherein providing the notification comprises providing a notification of ovulation.

13. An active wireless sensing device comprising:

at least one temperature sensor;

a microcontroller; and

a wireless transmitter, wherein at least one temperature sensor, microcontroller, and wireless transmitter are disposed in a flexible elastic ring and wherein the flexible elastic ring is adapted to be compressed into a spring-loaded state, inserted into the body of a user, and retained therein.

14. The active wireless sensing device of claim 13, further comprising a memory disposed in the flexible elastic ring and wherein the microcontroller periodically saves temperature sensor data to the memory.

15. The wireless sensing device of claim 14, wherein the microcontroller further periodically transmits temperature sensor data saved in the memory of the wireless sensing device via the wireless transmitter to a monitoring computer system.

16. The active wireless sensing device of claim 15, wherein the sensing device comprises a passive RFID circuit receiver.

17. The active wireless sensing device of claim 15, wherein the sensing device comprises an active receiver.

18. The active wireless sensing device of claim 15, wherein the wireless transmitter comprises a Near Field Communications transmitter.

19. The active wireless sensing device of claim 15, wherein the wireless transmitter comprises a Bluetooth transmitter.

20. A passive wireless sensing device comprising:

at least one RFID integrated circuit;

at least one antenna; and

at least one temperature sensor, wherein the at least one temperature sensor, the antenna, and the RFID integrated circuit are disposed in a flexible elastic ring and wherein the flexible elastic ring is adapted to be compressed into a spring-loaded state, inserted into the body of a user, and retained therein.