DEVICES AND METHODS FOR TEMPERATURE DETERMINATION

• US 20140221796A1
• Filed: 12/31/2013
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Lia, Raymond A., Wood, Robert J., Quinn, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,226,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/324
• 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 5/02433 for infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A temperature determination method includes temporarily contacting a forehead of a subject with a first surface of a removable patch, and exposing a second surface of the patch opposite the first surface to ambient conditions. The method also includes sensing a temperature of the first surface of the patch while the first surface is in contact with the forehead at a first location thereon, sensing a temperature of the second surface of the patch, and calculating a sub-skull temperature of the subject based on the sensed temperatures of the first and second surface.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A temperature determination device, comprising:

a patch defining a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first surface is removably attachable to skin of a subject;

a first sensor positioned to detect a temperature of the first surface; and

a second sensor positioned to detect a temperature of the second surface, wherein the device is configured to calculate a core temperature of the subject based on the temperature of the first surface, the temperature of the second surface, and an estimated thermal resistance of the subject'"'"'s skin.

26. The device of claim 25, further comprising a controller operably connected to the first and second sensors, the controller being configured to calculate the core temperature based on the detected temperatures of the first and second surfaces, the estimated thermal resistance of the subject'"'"'s skin, and a known thermal resistance of the patch.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein the patch further includes an infrared radiation source and a third sensor, the third sensor being configured to detect radiation emitted by the radiation source.

28. The device of claim 25, wherein the patch further includes a third surface opposite the first surface, the second surface being separated from the first surface by a first patch thickness, and the third surface being separated from the first surface by a second patch thickness different than the first patch thickness.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the first thickness is characterized by a first thermal resistance and the second thickness is characterized by a second thermal resistance different than the first thermal resistance.

30. The device of claim 28, wherein a first portion of the patch comprising the first thickness is made from a first material, and wherein a second portion of the patch comprising the second thickness is made from a second material different than the first material.

31. The device of claim 25, wherein the patch includes at least one additional sensor positioned to detect the temperature of the first surface, wherein the first sensor is spaced from the at least one additional sensor such that the first sensor and the at least one additional sensor are configured to determine a temperature gradient along the first surface.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the first sensor is disposed at a first location on the first surface and the at least one additional sensor is positioned at a second location on the first surface different than the first location, the first sensor being configured to detect a temperature of the first location, the at least one additional sensor being configured to detect a temperature of the second location, and the device being configured to determine that a difference between the temperature of the first location and the temperature of the second location is greater than a temperature difference threshold.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the device comprises at least one of a display or a signal device configured to indicate that the difference is greater than the temperature difference threshold.

34. The device of claim 25, further comprising a transponder operably connected to at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor, wherein the transponder is configured to wirelessly transmit information corresponding to at least one of the temperature of the first surface or the temperature of the second surface.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the transponder comprises a radio transponder.

36. The device of claim 25, further comprising an SpO₂ sensor configured to determine at least one of arterial blood oxygen saturation or pulse rate of the subject.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the SpO₂ sensor comprises a radiation source configured to direct radiation through the skin, and a receiver configured to measure at least one characteristic of the radiation.

38. A method of manufacturing a measurement device, comprising:

providing a patch defining a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first surface is removably attachable to skin of a subject;

operably connecting a first sensor to the patch proximate the first surface, the first sensor being positioned to detect a temperature of the first surface; and

operably connecting a second sensor to the patch proximate the second surface, the second sensor being positioned to detect a temperature of the second surface, wherein the device is configured to calculate a core temperature of the subject based on the temperature of the first surface, the temperature of the second surface, and an estimated thermal resistance of the subject'"'"'s skin.

39. The method of claim 38, further including operably connecting the first sensor and the second sensor to a controller, the controller being configured to calculate the core temperature based on the detected temperatures of the first and second surfaces, the estimated thermal resistance of the subject'"'"'s skin, and a known thermal resistance of the patch.

40. The method of claim 38, further including forming a third surface of the patch opposite the first surface, the second surface being separated from the first surface by a first patch thickness, and the third surface being separated from the first surface by a second patch thickness different than the first patch thickness.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising forming a first portion of the patch, comprising the first thickness, from a first material, and forming a second portion of the patch, comprising the second thickness, from a second material different than the first material.

42. The method of claim 38, further comprising operably connecting a transponder to at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor, wherein the transponder is configured to wirelessly transmit information corresponding to at least one of the temperature of the first surface or the temperature of the second surface.

43. The method of claim 38, further comprising operably connecting an SpO₂ sensor to the patch, the SpO₂ sensor being configured to determine at least one of arterial blood oxygen saturation or pulse rate of the subject.

44. A method of determining a core temperature of a subject, comprising:

removably disposing a first surface of a patch on skin of the subject;

exposing a second surface of the patch opposite the first surface to ambient conditions;

determining a first temperature of a first location on the patch while the first surface is disposed on the skin;

determining a second temperature of a second location on the patch while the first surface is disposed on the skin, the first location being different than the second location; and

calculating the core temperature of the subject, using a controller, based on the first temperature, the second temperature, and an estimated thermal resistance of the subject'"'"'s skin, wherein the first and second temperatures are determined without contacting the patch.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the controller comprises a component of a non-contact sensing device separate from the patch, the first temperature comprises a temperature of the second surface, and the second temperature comprises a temperature of a third surface of the patch opposite the first surface.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein determining the first and second temperatures comprises detecting the first and second temperatures using the non-contact sensing device.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the patch has a first thickness at the first location and a second thickness at the second location, the first thickness being different than the second thickness.

48. The method of claim 44, further including determining, with the patch, at least one of arterial blood oxygen saturation or pulse rate of the subject, and wirelessly transmitting the at least one of arterial blood oxygen saturation or pulse rate via a transponder of the patch.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the at least one of the arterial blood oxygen saturation or the pulse rate is wirelessly transmitted via at least one of a radio, infrared, wireless, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth communication.