Detector device and process for detecting ovulation

• US 3,924,609 A
• Filed: 07/02/1974
• Issued: 12/09/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dr. Robert Friedenberg, Maryland
• Original Assignee: Robert Friedenberg, William H. Reading III, William Reese
• Inventors: Friedenberg, Robert, Reese, William, Reading, William H. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Michell, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US05/485,262
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.1R,2.1Z,2.1E,2R 324/71R
• US Class Current: 600/551
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0012 Ovulation-period determination for animals A61D17/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0016 based on measurement of electric currents, e.g. conductivity tests
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/30 Input circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/305 Common mode rejection

Abstract

A test procedure and apparatus is provided for actually determining the low D.C. potentials of the order of milli-volts for measurement and identifying the different phases as well as the fact of ovulation in adult mammalian females. The measurement device will visibly indicate the phases as actual potential calibrated to milli-volts from a circuit formed of solid state and low noise elements in which a high input impedance is combined with high common mode rejection with significant processing techniques which includes input filtering to exclude extraneous as well as body induced currents.

Claims

1. Method for determing the phase of an ovulation cycle in an adult mammalian female comprising applying conductive contacts each to a widely separated area of the body of the test individual remote from the ovulation site, measuring and visibly indicating the D.C. potential developed between the conductive contacts by a test circuit having a high input impedance and a high common mode rejection in which interfering potentials developed both within and without the test body have been removed, and identifying the phase of ovulation of the female corresponding to the measured D.C. potential.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 in which the conductive contacts are surrounded by an applied electro-conductive substance to improve the conductivity of the contacts with the surface area of the test body.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the phase of ovulation cycle is identified relative to the maximum D.C. potential developed by the test individual at the ovulation maximum.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein a curve representative of the ovulation cycle of a test individual established by periodic measurements of the potential and the phase of the ovulation is identified by the slope of the curve representative of the ovulation cycle of the test individual.

5. In a low D.C. potential measuring device for low voltage, for measurement and identifying phases of the ovulation cycle in adult female mammals measured at a point remote from the ovulation site, the combination of means for conductively contacting seParate body portions remote from the ovulation site, means for measuring the potential developed between said contacting means which corresponds to the ovulation potential, and means for indicating said potential output, said measuring means including a high input impedance means and a high common mode rejection means for excluding and reducing interfering external and extraneous body generated potentials.

6. The device as defined in claim 5 wherein the operating elements of said measuring means are solid state and low noise amplifiers.

7. In a low D.C. potential measurement device for identification and measurement of ovulation phases in female mammals measured at a point remote from the ovulation site, the combination of means for conductively contacting separate body portions remote from the ovulation site, means for measuring the potential developed between said contacting means which corresponds to the ovulation potential, and means for indicating said potential output, said measuring means including a high input impedance means exceeding about 109 ohms and a high common mode rejection means, and said indicating means including means for visibly indicating the developed output in D.C. potential in terms of the fact or imminance of ovulation.

8. The device as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for visibly indicating the developed output as a D.C. potential has visible markings divided into areas of higher and lower potentials developed in the test measurement and an indicator needle moveable through said areas responsive to said test potential, said areas being divided at a critical point, the lower potential area corresponding to a potential output of no ovulation in the test subject, and the higher potential area corresponding to a potential output approaching and shortly following ovulation over a measured time period of the test subject.

9. The device as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for visibly indicating the developed output D.C. potential has regularly spaced markings, said markings being spaced in a graduated scale calibrated to indicate the test D.C. potential output in milli-volts or micro-volts directly readable from said markings, and an indicator needle moveable across the spaced markings responsive to said test potential.

10. In a D.C. potential measurement device for identification of phases the ovulation phenomena in adult female mammals measured at a point remote from the ovulation site, the combination of means for conductively contacting separate body portions remote from the ovulation site, means for measuring the potential developed between said contacting means which corresponds to the ovulation potential, and means for indicating said potential output, said measuring including a high input impedance means, a high common mode rejection means, and signal processing means including input filtering means to exclude interfering extraneous signals and internal signals generated in the test subject being measured.

11. In a low D.C. potential measuring device for identification and measurement of ovulation phenomena in female mammals measured at a point remote from the ovulation site, the combination of separate body contact electrodes to sense the ovulation potential from separated surface areas of the test body applied remote from the ovulation site, circuit means for measuring the potential developed between said electrodes which corresponds to the ovulation potential, said circuit means including high input impedance means in the range of about 109 to 1014 ohms, high common mode rejection means and signal processing means to exclude interfering and masking AC potentials and test body generated DC potentials other than from ovulation and visual readout means to identify said potential.

12. The device as defined in claim 11 wherein the operating elements of said circuit means are solid state and low noise amplifiers.

13. The device as defined in claim 12 wherein saiD circuit means further includes filtering means, and batteries as the source of the driving potential, said circuit means further including means for maintaining said battery potential at an average substantially constant intermediate value.

14. In a low D.C. potential measuring device for measurement and identifying phases of the ovulation cycle in adult female mammals measured at a point remote from the ovulation site, the combination of means for conductively contacting separate body portions remote from the ovulation site, means for measuring the potential developed between said contacting means which corresponds to the ovulation potential, and means for visibly indicating said potential output, said measuring means including low noise solid state elements providing high input impedance means in circuit with a common mode rejection means, filtering means in said measuring means comprising low noise elements, said high input impedance means and said common mode rejection means reducing interfering external and extraneous body generated potentials, said impedance means being in the range of about 1010 and 1014 ohms, a pair of batteries in series with said measuring means providing a powering potential for its operation, and means for maintaining said batteries output at a substantially constant intermediate value.

15. The device as defined in claim 14 wherein said means for visibly indicating the developed output D.C. potential has regular visible markings, said markings being spaced in a graduated scale calibrated to indicate the test output in milli-volts or micro-volts directly readable from said markings, and an indicator needle moveable across the spaced markings responsive to said test potential.