BREATH ACETONE MONITOR AND METHOD OF DETECTING BREATH ACETONE

• US 20150177224A1
• Filed: 10/31/2014
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western New England University
• Original Assignee: Western New England University
• Inventors: Priefer, Ronny, Rust, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,581,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0087 Breath samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2033/4975 other than oxygen, carbon dioxide or alcohol, e.g. organic vapours
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/31 Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry G01N21/72 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/202499 Formaldehyde or acetone

Abstract

A breath acetone meter is provided. The blood glucose meter includes a receiver comprising a first polymer and a second plurality of layers arranged in an alternating arrangement. The receiver is configured to receive a breath sample from a user. The first plurality of layers and second plurality of layers being configured to interact in response to the level of acetone in the breath sample. The breath acetone meter further including a light source arranged to emit a light onto the receiver. A sensor is arranged to receive the light and output a voltage in response to receiving the light, wherein the voltage is proportional to an amount of acetone in the breath sample.

Claims

1. A breath acetone meter comprising:

a receiver comprising a first plurality of layers and a second plurality of layers, the receiver being configured to receive a breath sample from a user, the first polymer and second polymer being configured to interact in response to the level of acetone in the breath sample;

a light source arranged to emit a light onto the receiver; and

a sensor arranged to receive the light and output a voltage in response to receiving the light, wherein the voltage correlates to an amount of acetone in the breath sample.

2. The breath acetone meter of claim 1 wherein the light source is a light emitting diode having a peak wavelength of about 300 nanometers.

3. The breath acetone meter of claim 1 wherein the first polymer is comprised of a first plurality of layers and the second polymer is comprised of a second plurality of layers.

4. The breath acetone meter of claim 3 wherein first plurality of layers and the second plurality of layers each include between about 10-50 layers.

5. The breath acetone meter of claim 3 wherein:

the first plurality of layers is formed from poly(4-vinylbenzeneboronic acid) family of polymers; and

the second plurality of layers is made from poly(allylamine hydrochloride) family of polymers.

6. The breath acetone meter of claim 3 wherein the first plurality of layers and second plurality of layers are disposed in an alternating arrangement.

7. The breath acetone meter of claim 1 further comprising a controller coupled to receive a signal from the sensor, the controller including a processor responsive to executable computer instructions when executed on the processor for determining a physiological parameter in response to the signal.

8. The breath acetone meter of claim 7 wherein the determined physiological parameter is a blood sugar level.

9. A method of measuring breath acetone, the method comprising:

receiving a sample of a user'"'"'s breath with a meter device, the meter device having a receiver comprising a first polymer and a second polymer, the meter device further having a light source and a sensor;

interacting the first polymer with the second polymer in response to receiving the patient'"'"'s breath;

emitting a light from the light source onto the receiver;

receiving the light on the sensor;

generating a voltage with the sensor; and

determining an amount of acetone based at least in part on the voltage.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein:

the first polymer and the second polymer are each formed from a plurality of layers; and

the step of interacting the first plurality of layers with the second plurality of layers includes cross-linking the first polymer and the second polymer.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining a physiological parameter based at least in part on the determined amount of acetone.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the determined physiological parameter is a blood sugar level.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising disposing the first plurality of layers and the second plurality of layers in an alternating arrangement.

14. A breath acetone meter comprising:

a receiver having a first plurality of polymer layers and a second plurality of polymer layers, the receiver being arranged to receive a breath sample from a user, the first plurality of layers and second plurality of layers being formed from a polymer material that is configured to interact in response to the level of acetone in the breath sample;

a light source arranged on one side of the receiver;

a second arranged on side of the receiver opposite the light source, the sensor configured to receive light from the light source and output a voltage signal in response; and

a controller coupled to receive the voltage signal, the controller including a processor that is responsive to executable computer instructions when executed on the processor for determining a physiological parameter level in response to receiving the voltage signal.

15. The breath acetone meter of claim 14 wherein the light source is a UV LED.

16. The breath acetone meter of claim 15 wherein the light source emits light having a peak wavelength of about 300 nanometers.

17. The breath acetone meter of claim 16 wherein the first plurality of layers is formed from poly(4-vinylbenzeneboronic acid) family of polymers and the second plurality of layers is made from poly(allylamine hydrochloride) family of polymers.

18. The breath acetone meter of claim 17 wherein first plurality of layers and the second plurality of layers each include between about 10-50 layers.