Acupuncture Meridian Measurement System

• US 20120316457A1
• Filed: 10/24/2011
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Meng, Hao, Lee, Charles
• Application Number:
  US13/279,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20120316457A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/548
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0532 specially adapted for acupuncture or moxibustion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4854 Diagnosis based on concepts of traditional oriental medicine
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/65 Impedance, e.g. skin conductivity; capacitance, e.g. galvanic skin response [GSR]
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 39/02 Devices for locating such points

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an acupuncture meridian measurement system. The acupuncture meridian measurement system comprises: a signal generator configured to generate an alternating current excitation signal; an impedance measurer coupled to the signal generator and configured to measure a biological impedance between a fixed point to be measured and at least one selected point of an object; an acupuncture point determiner coupled to the impedance measurer and configured to locate an acupuncture point based on the measured biological impedance, wherein, the determined acupuncture point is a selected point, the biological impedance between which and the fixed point is less than a threshold. A technical problem solved by an embodiment of the present disclosure is to realize an accurate location of the acupuncture meridian. A use of an embodiment of the present disclosure is to locate acupuncture meridian and Yuan acupuncture points.

Claims

1. An acupuncture meridian measurement system comprising:

a signal generator configured to generates an alternating current excitation signal;

an impedance measurer coupled to said signal generator, and configured to measure a biological impedance between a fixed point and at least one selected point of an object to be measured using said alternating current excitation signal; and

an acupuncture point determiner coupled to said impedance measurer, and configured to determine the selected point, the biological impedance between which and the fixed point is less than a predetermined threshold, based on the measured biological impedance, so as to locate an acupuncture point.

2. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according claim 1, wherein said signal generator is configured to generate a sweep frequency signal as said alternating current excitation signal.

3. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according claim 2, wherein said signal generator is configured to generate said sweep frequency signal of a frequency less than 100 Hz.

4. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according claim 2, wherein said signal generator is configured to generate said sweep frequency signal of a frequency range from 50 Hz to 95 Hz.

5. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 1, wherein said impedance measurer further comprises:

an operation amplifier that is coupled to biological impedance of the object to be measured; and

a feedback resistor whose resistance is determined according to a biological impedance of an acupuncture point to be measured, said feedback resistor being coupled between an output and an input of said operation amplifier.

6. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 1, wherein said acupuncture point determiner is configured to determine the acupuncture point corresponding to the selected point, the biological impedance between which and said fixed point is less than 200 kΩ

, as a “

Yuan”

acupuncture point.

7. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 1, wherein said acupuncture point determiner is configured to determine the acupuncture point corresponding to the selected point, the biological impedance between which and said fixed point is less than a predetermined threshold within a range of 100-200 kΩ

, as a “

Yuan”

acupuncture point.

8. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 1, wherein said acupuncture point determiner is configured to determine the acupuncture point corresponding to the selected point, the biological impedance between which and said fixed point is less than a predetermined threshold within a range of 200-450 kΩ

, as a “

Yuan”

acupuncture point.

9. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 1, wherein said acupuncture meridian measurement system is configured to be calibrated with a calibration impedance of 100 kΩ

.

10. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 2, wherein said impedance measurer is configured to measure the biological impedance of the object to be measured according to an average value calculated for a plurality of discrete sweep frequency points of said sweep frequency signal.

11. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a signal processor coupled between said impedance measurer and said acupuncture point determiner and configured to process a signal outputted from said impedance measurer.

12. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 11, wherein said signal processor further comprises:

an analog-to-digital converter coupled to an output of said impedance measurer and configured to convert an analog signal representing the measured biological impedance into a digital signal; and

a Fourier transformer coupled between an output of said analog-to-digital converter and an input of said acupuncture point determiner and configured to perform Fourier transformation on said digital signal.

13. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 12, wherein said signal processor further comprises:

a programmable gain amplifier coupled between an output of said impedance measurer and an input of said analog-to-digital converter.

14. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 13, wherein said signal processor further comprises:

a low-frequency filter coupled between an output of said programmable gain amplifier and an input of said analog-to-digital converter.

15. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a micro-controlling unit configured to calculate the amplitude of an impedance of the object to be measured based on an output of said Fourier transformer, said micro-controlling unit being coupled between an output of said Fourier transformer and an input of said acupuncture point determiner.

16. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 12, further comprising a computer coupled to an output of said Fourier transformer, wherein said computer comprises a processor configured to calculate the amplitude of the impedance of the object to be measured based on an output of said Fourier transformer.

17. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 1, wherein said acupuncture meridian measurement system further comprises a computer.

18. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 17, wherein said acupuncture point determiner is provided within said computer.

19. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 17, wherein said computer further comprises a graphic user interface for presenting a measurement result of said acupuncture meridian measurement system.

20. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 1, wherein said acupuncture meridian measurement system is a portable device and further comprises:

an encapsulation for accommodating said signal generator, said impedance measurer and said Yuan acupuncture point determiner, wherein said encapsulation comprises;

a housing including a first portion and a second portion;

a terminal of said acupuncture meridian measurement system corresponding to said fixed point and having a configuration convenient to be held, said terminal being provided between said first portion and said second portion,

wherein, the other terminal of said acupuncture meridian measurement system corresponding to said selected point has a configuration extending from an end portion of said second portion of said housing.

21. The acupuncture meridian measurement system according to claim 20, wherein said acupuncture meridian measurement system further comprises:

a display portion provided in said first portion of said housing.