Method and apparatus for measuring internal body temperature utilizing infrared emissions
First Claim
1. A body temperature measuring system comprising:
- a probe unit;
a chopper unit configured to removably receive the probe unit;
the probe unit having a handle portion and a head assembly connected to a forward end of the handle portion;
the head assembly including a thermopile, a waveguide for directing infrared emissions to the thermopile, and a probe made of a thermally insulative material surrounding the waveguide;
the head assembly further including means for maintaining the thermopile at a predetermined substantially constant ear canal reference temperature;
the chopper unit having a target positioned so that when the probe unit is received by the chopper unit the target will be within the field of view of the thermopile;
the chopper unit further including means for maintaining the target at a predetermined substantially constant target reference temperature;
the chopper unit further including processing means for receiving an output signal of the thermopile, for receiving signals from the thermopile reference temperature maintaining means, and for receiving signals from the target reference temperature maintaining means;
the processing means including memory means for storing a set of calibration data and a control program;
the chopper unit further including a set of function switches and a display connected to the processing means;
the processing means being capable of storing first signals in the memory means representative of the output signal of the thermopile when the thermopile receives infrared radiation from the target, storing second signals in the memory means representative of the output signal of the thermopile when the probe unit is removed from the chopper unit and the probe is inserted in an external ear canal of a patient so that the thermopile receives infrared radiation emitted in the ear canal, comparing the first and second signals to calculate an internal body temperature of the patient, and indicating the internal body temperature on the display.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hand held probe unit has an infrared sensitive thermopile mounted in a metal housing kept at a constant reference temperature by a regulator circuit. A waveguide tube, surrounded by a thermally insulative probe, directs infrared emissions to the thermopile. The thermopile and regulator circuit of the probe unit are electrically connected to processing circuitry in a chopper unit. Prior to taking a patient'"'"'s temperature, the probe unit is mated with the chopper unit so that the thermopile detects infrared emissions from a reference target which is also kept at a constant reference temperature by another regulator circuit. The processing circuitry repeatedly acquires the output level of the thermopile and stores calibration data. The probe unit is then removed from the chopper unit, the probe is covered with an IR transparent, disposable speculum, and is inserted in the patient'"'"'s external ear canal. The processing circuitry then determines the patient'"'"'s core temperature by comparing the stored calibration data to the maximum output of the thermopile during a succession of ear canal samplings.
390 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A body temperature measuring system comprising:
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a probe unit; a chopper unit configured to removably receive the probe unit; the probe unit having a handle portion and a head assembly connected to a forward end of the handle portion; the head assembly including a thermopile, a waveguide for directing infrared emissions to the thermopile, and a probe made of a thermally insulative material surrounding the waveguide; the head assembly further including means for maintaining the thermopile at a predetermined substantially constant ear canal reference temperature; the chopper unit having a target positioned so that when the probe unit is received by the chopper unit the target will be within the field of view of the thermopile; the chopper unit further including means for maintaining the target at a predetermined substantially constant target reference temperature; the chopper unit further including processing means for receiving an output signal of the thermopile, for receiving signals from the thermopile reference temperature maintaining means, and for receiving signals from the target reference temperature maintaining means; the processing means including memory means for storing a set of calibration data and a control program; the chopper unit further including a set of function switches and a display connected to the processing means; the processing means being capable of storing first signals in the memory means representative of the output signal of the thermopile when the thermopile receives infrared radiation from the target, storing second signals in the memory means representative of the output signal of the thermopile when the probe unit is removed from the chopper unit and the probe is inserted in an external ear canal of a patient so that the thermopile receives infrared radiation emitted in the ear canal, comparing the first and second signals to calculate an internal body temperature of the patient, and indicating the internal body temperature on the display.
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2. A body temperature measuring system comprising:
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a probe unit having a handle portion, a head assembly connected to a forward end of the handle portion, an infrared sensor mounted in the head assembly and the probe means connected to the head assembly and insertable in an ear canal of a patient for placing the infrared sensor in sufficient proximity for receiving infrared radiations emitted in the ear canal; a chopper unit connected to, or connectable to, the probe unit, and configured to removably receive the probe unit and including processing means for receiving an output signal of the infrared sensor and determining an internal body temperature of the patient therefrom, means including a constant temperature target for calibrating the processing means, and means for displaying the temperature. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4)
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5. A system for measuring the internal body temperature of a patient comprising:
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a case having a portion configured to be grasped by a user'"'"'s hand; an infrared sensor mounted in the case adjacent a forward end thereof and which produces an output signal representative of the amount of infrared radiation detected; a substantially constant temperature reference source, said case being selectively positionable adjacent said source so that infrared emissions therefrom impinge upon the sensor to cause the latter to generate a first output signal; probe means connected to the forward end of the case for insertion into an ear canal of the patient for positioning the infrared sensor to receive infrared radiation emitted in the ear canal in response to which the sensor generates a second output signal; processing and calibration means connected to, or connectable to, the infrared sensor for determining the internal body temperature of the patient by comparing the second output signal to the first output signal; and means connected to said processing means for indicating the internal body temperature to the user.
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6. A system for measuring the internal temperature of a patient'"'"'s body comprising:
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means for sensing the level of infrared radiation emitted in an ear canal of the patient and for producing an output signal representative of the sensed level; means having a portion insertable into the ear canal for directing infrared radiation emitted therein to the sensing means; means for thermostatically maintaining the environment of the sensing means at a predetermined substantially constant ear canal reference temperature; and means for determining the internal body temperature based upon the output signal, including means connected to, or connectable to, the directing means for calibrating the determining means against a predetermined target reference temperature. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus for measuring the core body temperature of a living subject comprising, a sensor of infrared radiation;
- probe means including an open-ended tubular waveguide having an inner end adjacent said sensor and having an outer end remote from said sensor, the outer end of said probe means being adapted for insertion into a body opening of a living subject to receive through the outer end of the waveguide infrared radiation from the interior of the body opening, which radiation is guided toward said sensor for impingement thereon;
thermostatically controlled means for maintaining the environment of said sensor at a predetermined temperature; and
means for determining the core body temperature based upon an output signal of said sensor including means connected to, or connectable to, said probe means for calibrating said determining means against a predetermined reference temperature. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
- probe means including an open-ended tubular waveguide having an inner end adjacent said sensor and having an outer end remote from said sensor, the outer end of said probe means being adapted for insertion into a body opening of a living subject to receive through the outer end of the waveguide infrared radiation from the interior of the body opening, which radiation is guided toward said sensor for impingement thereon;
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19. Apparatus for measuring the core body temperature of a living subject comprising, a sensor of infrared radiation;
- probe means including an open-ended tubular waveguide having an inner end ajacent said sensor and having an outer end remote from said sensor, the outer end of said probe means being adapted for insertion into a body opening of a living subject to receive through the outer end of the waveguide infrared radiation from the interior of the body opening, which radiation is guided toward said sensor for impingement thereon; and
thermostatically controlled means maintained at a predetermined temperature and connected to, or connectable to, said probe means for calibrating the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (20)
- probe means including an open-ended tubular waveguide having an inner end ajacent said sensor and having an outer end remote from said sensor, the outer end of said probe means being adapted for insertion into a body opening of a living subject to receive through the outer end of the waveguide infrared radiation from the interior of the body opening, which radiation is guided toward said sensor for impingement thereon; and
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21. In combination, a radiation sensor;
- probe means including an open-end tubular waveguide having an inner end adjacent said sensor and having an outer end remote from said sensor, the outer end of said probe means being adapted for insertion into a body opening of a living subject to receive through the outer end of the waveguide radiation from the interior of the body opening, which radiation is guided toward said sensor for impingement thereon;
a speculum made of pliant material removably disposed over the outer end of said probe means, said speculum having a generally cylindrical body portion and a radiation transparent imperforate transverse membrane portion extending across a forward end of the body portion and through which radiation can enter the waveguide; and
a calibrator connected to, or connectable to, said probe means. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
- probe means including an open-end tubular waveguide having an inner end adjacent said sensor and having an outer end remote from said sensor, the outer end of said probe means being adapted for insertion into a body opening of a living subject to receive through the outer end of the waveguide radiation from the interior of the body opening, which radiation is guided toward said sensor for impingement thereon;
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25. In combination, an infrared radiation responsive sensor;
- calibratable means connected to said sensor for determining the temperature of a source of infrared radiation impinging on said sensor based on the response of the sensor to such radiation;
target means maintained at a predetermined substantially constant reference temperature, said sensor and target means being selectively positionable in juxtaposition such that infrared radiation emitted by the target means impringes on said sensor; and
means connected to, or connectable to, said sensor for calibrating said calibratable temperature determining means against said reference temperature when said sensor and target means are in said juxtaposition. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
- calibratable means connected to said sensor for determining the temperature of a source of infrared radiation impinging on said sensor based on the response of the sensor to such radiation;
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30. In combination, a probe unit including a sensor which produces an output signal in response to impingement of infrared radiation thereon;
- a base configured to removably receive the probe unit in a stored position, said probe unit, upon removal from said stored position, being positionable in a second position in which infrared radiation from a source whose temperature is to be measured impinges on said sensor;
circuit means in at least one of said probe and base units connected to said sensor and operable to determine the temperature of the source based on the output signal produced by the sensor in response to impingement thereon of infrared radiation from said source;
switch means connected to said circuit means and actuatable by movement of said probe means into and out of said stored position; and
circuit means for calibrating the temperature determining circuit means against a predetermined substantially constant reference temperature when said probe unit is in said stored position. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
- a base configured to removably receive the probe unit in a stored position, said probe unit, upon removal from said stored position, being positionable in a second position in which infrared radiation from a source whose temperature is to be measured impinges on said sensor;
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39. Apparatus for measuring the core body temperature of a living subject comprising, a sensor of infrared radiation;
- probe means including a tubular waveguide having an inner end adjacent said sensor and having an outer end remote from said sensor, the outer end of said probe means being adapted for insertion into a body opening of a living subject to receive through the outer end of the waveguide infrared radiation from the interior of the body opening, which radiation is guided toward said sensor for impingement thereon;
thermostatically controlled means for maintaining the environment of said sensor at a predetermined temperature; and
means for determining the core body temperature based upon an output signal of the sensor including means connected to, or connectable to, to probe means for calibrating the determining means against a predetermined reference temperature. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
- probe means including a tubular waveguide having an inner end adjacent said sensor and having an outer end remote from said sensor, the outer end of said probe means being adapted for insertion into a body opening of a living subject to receive through the outer end of the waveguide infrared radiation from the interior of the body opening, which radiation is guided toward said sensor for impingement thereon;
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43. Apparatus for measuring the core body temperature of a living subject comprising, a sensor of infrared radiation;
- probe means including a tubular waveguide having an inner end adjacent said sensor and having an outer end remote from said sensor, the outer end of said probe means being adapted for insertion into a body opening of a living subject to receive through the outer end of the waveguide infrared radiation from the interior of the body opening, which radiation is guided toward said sensor for impingement thereon; and
thermostatically controlled means maintained at a predetermined temperature and connected to, or connectable to, said probe means for calibrating the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (44)
- probe means including a tubular waveguide having an inner end adjacent said sensor and having an outer end remote from said sensor, the outer end of said probe means being adapted for insertion into a body opening of a living subject to receive through the outer end of the waveguide infrared radiation from the interior of the body opening, which radiation is guided toward said sensor for impingement thereon; and
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45. In combination, a radiation sensor;
- probe means including a tubular waveguide having an inner end adjacent said sensor and having an outer end remote from said sensor, the outer end of said probe means being adapted for insertion into a body opening of a living subject to receive through the outer end of the waveguide radiation from the interior of the body opening, which radiation is guided toward said sensor for impingement thereon;
a speculum made of a pliant material removably disposed over the outer end of said probe means, said speculum having a generally cylindrical body portion and a radiation transparent imperforate transverse membrane portion extending across a forward end of the body portion and through which radiation can enter the waveguide; and
a calibrator connected to, or connectable to, said probe means. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
- probe means including a tubular waveguide having an inner end adjacent said sensor and having an outer end remote from said sensor, the outer end of said probe means being adapted for insertion into a body opening of a living subject to receive through the outer end of the waveguide radiation from the interior of the body opening, which radiation is guided toward said sensor for impingement thereon;
Specification