Skin analyzer with speech capability

• US 5,938,593 A
• Filed: 11/06/1997
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microline Technology Corporation (Quanta Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Microline Technology Corporation (Quanta Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ouellette, Loren R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINAKUR, ERIC FRANK
• Application Number:
  US08/963,576
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/309, 600/547, 600/345, 324/692, 324/694, 324/696, 324/722
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/442 Evaluating skin mechanical properties, e.g. elasticity, hardness, texture, wrinkle assessment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface

Abstract

A skin condition analyzer with selectable modes of operation includes a probe apparatus for generating a skin condition signal representative of the moisture content of the skin and a processor that adjusts the skin condition signal in accordance with environmental components, such as temperature and humidity, to arrive at an overall skin condition signal. The skin condition is displayed visually and communicated audibly through a voice synthesizer system, having selectable languages. The modes of operation include single point random measuring and multiple point patterned measuring for compiling a composite skin analysis report.

Claims

1. Apparatus for measuring a condition of skin, comprising:

a probe apparatus that provides an output probe signal in response to contact with skin, said probe signal being representative of a skin characteristic;

a memory in which are stored multiple threshold levels;

a language memory in which are stored words in a first language that are descriptive of skin conditions;

an environmental sensor located at a position that is not in contact with the skin that senses an environmental component and provides an environmental sensor signal representative of the environmental component sensed;

a processor that;

receives the output probe signal;

retrieves the multiple threshold levels from the memory;

compares the output probe signal to said multiple threshold levels; and

provides a skin condition signal based on said comparison;

a display that presents the environmental component sensed as represented by the environmental sensor signal; and

a voice output device that receives the skin condition signal and provides an audible representation of said signal in the first language.

2. The apparatus for measuring a condition of skin of claim 1 further comprising:

a second language memory in which are stored words in a second language that are descriptive of skin conditions;

a language selection switch, the actuation of which selects the second language memory;

wherein the voice output device provides the audible representation of said skin condition signal in the second language in response to actuation of the language selection switch.

3. The apparatus for measuring the condition of skin of claim 1

wherein the processor responds to the environmental sensor signal to adjust the skin condition signal according to the environmental sensor signal.

4. The apparatus for measuring the condition of skin of claim 3 wherein the environmental sensor comprises an humidity sensor that provides an humidity sense signal;

wherein the processor responds to the humidity signal and adjusts the skin condition signal if the humidity signal indicates a sensed humidity exceeding a predetermined threshold.

5. The apparatus for measuring a condition of skin of claim 1 wherein the environmental sensor comprises a temperature sensor that provides a temperature sense signal;

wherein the processor responds to the temperature signal and adjusts the skin condition signal in accordance with the temperature indicated by the temperature sense signal.

6. The apparatus for measuring a condition of skin of claim 1 further comprising:

a composite measuring mode switch, the actuation of which selects a composite measuring mode;

wherein the processor;

in response to the selection of a composite measuring mode, provides a prompt to move the probe apparatus to a second location on the skin for producing a second output probe signal;

retrieves the multiple threshold levels from the memory;

compares a plurality of output probe signals to said multiple threshold levels; and

provides the skin condition signal based on said plurality of comparisons.

7. The apparatus for measuring a condition of skin of claim 1 further comprising:

a power source connected to supply power to the measuring apparatus;

wherein the processor automatically monitors for output probe signals and if no output probe signal is received within a predetermined time period, the processor automatically interrupts the power from said power source.

8. The apparatus for measuring the skin condition of claim 1 further comprising:

a skin type selection switch that provides a skin type signal when actuated;

wherein the processor adjusts the skin condition signal by a predetermined factor in response to the skin type signal.

9. The apparatus for measuring a condition of skin of claim 1 wherein:

the display comprises a visual display that receives the skin condition signal and provides a visual representation of said signal;

a first display scale mounted adjacent the display providing a plurality of categories defining the skin condition signal;

a second display scale interchangeable with the first display scale having a different plurality of categories;

a classification device, the actuation of which selects a first classification according to the first display scale or a second classification according to the second display scale;

wherein the processor provides the skin condition signal according to the particular actuation of the classification device.

10. Apparatus for measuring a condition of skin, comprising:

a probe apparatus that provides an output probe signal in response to contact with skin, said probe signal being representative of a skin characteristic;

a memory in which are stored multiple threshold levels;

a language memory in which are stored words in a first language that are descriptive of skin conditions;

a second language memory in which are stored words in a second language that are descriptive of skin conditions;

a processor that;

receives the output probe signal;

retrieves the multiple threshold levels from the memory;

compares the output probe signal to said multiple threshold levels; and

provides a skin condition signal based on said comparison;

a voice output device that receives the skin condition signal and provides an audible representation of said signal in the first language;

a language selection switch, the actuation of which selects the second language memory;

wherein the voice output device provides the audible representation of said skin condition signal in the second language in response to actuation of the language selection switch;

a portable housing in which are mounted the memory, the processor, and the voice output device;

a removable language device comprising the second language memory, said device having accessible electrical contacts for establishing communications with the second language memory; and

a mounting device disposed in the portable housing configured to accept, retain in a predetermined position, and electrically connect to the accessible electrical contacts of the language device, said mounting device configured so that the language device may be removed and replaced with another language device.

11. Apparatus for measuring a condition of skin, comprising:

a probe apparatus that provides an output probe signal in response to contact with skin at a particular location, said probe signal being representative of a skin characteristic;

a memory in which are stored multiple threshold levels;

a processor that;

receives the output probe signal;

provides a prompt to move the probe apparatus to a second location on the skin for producing a second output probe signal;

retrieves the multiple threshold levels from the memory;

compares the plurality of output probe signals to said multiple threshold levels; and

provides a skin condition signal based on said plurality of comparisons;

an output device that presents the skin condition signal in a human perceptible form.

12. The apparatus for measuring the condition of skin of claim 11 further comprising:

an environmental sensor that provides an environmental sensor signal representative of the environmental component sensed;

wherein the processor responds to the environmental sensor signal to adjust the skin condition signal according to the environmental sensor signal.

13. The apparatus for measuring the condition of skin of claim 12 wherein the environmental sensor comprises an humidity sensor that provides an humidity sense signal;

wherein the processor responds to the humidity signal and adjusts the skin condition signal if the humidity signal indicates a sensed humidity exceeding a predetermined threshold.

14. The apparatus for measuring a condition of skin of claim 13 wherein the environmental sensor comprises a temperature sensor that provides a temperature sense signal;

wherein the processor responds to the temperature signal and adjusts the skin condition signal in accordance with the temperature indicated by the temperature sense signal.

15. The apparatus for measuring a condition of skin of claim 14 further comprising:

a display;

wherein the processor provides signals to the display for the display of the sensed temperature and the sensed humidity.

16. The apparatus for measuring a condition of skin of claim 11 further comprising:

a power source connected to supply power to the measuring apparatus;

wherein the processor automatically monitors for output probe signals and if no output probe signal is received within a predetermined time period, the processor automatically interrupts the power from said power source.

17. The apparatus for measuring the skin condition of claim 11 further comprising:

a skin type selection switch that provides a skin type signal when actuated;

wherein the processor adjusts the skin condition signal by a predetermined factor in response to the skin type signal.

18. The apparatus for measuring a condition of skin of claim 11 further comprising:

a visual display that receives the skin condition signal and provides a visual representation of said signal;

a first display scale mounted adjacent the display providing a plurality of categories defining the skin condition signal;

a second display scale interchangeable with the first display scale having a different plurality of categories;

a classification device, the actuation of which selects a first classification according to the first display scale or a second classification according to the second display scale;

wherein the processor provides the skin condition signal according to the particular actuation of the classification device.

19. The apparatus for measuring a condition of skin of claim 11 further comprising:

a language memory in which are stored words in a first language that are descriptive of skin conditions; and

a voice output device that receives the skin condition signal and provides an audible representation of said signal in the first language.

20. The apparatus for measuring a condition of skin of claim 19 further comprising:

a second language memory in which are stored words in a second language that are descriptive of skin conditions;

a language selection switch, the actuation of which selects the second language memory;

wherein the voice output device provides the audible representation of said skin condition signal in the second language in response to actuation of the language selection switch.

21. The apparatus for measuring a condition of skin of claim 20 further comprising:

a portable housing in which is mounted the memory, the processor, and the voice output device;

a removable language device comprising the second language memory, said device having accessible electrical contacts for establishing communications with the second language memory; and

a mounting device disposed in the portable housing configured to accept, retain in a predetermined position, and electrically connect to the accessible electrical contacts of the language device, said mounting device configured so that the language device may be removed and replaced with another language device.

22. A method of measuring a condition of skin, the method comprising the steps of:

applying a probe apparatus to a first location of the skin to be measured, the probe apparatus providing a first output probe signal representative of a skin characteristic in response to said application to the skin;

storing the first output probe signal;

moving the probe apparatus to a second location on the skin and producing a second output probe signal;

storing the second output probe signal;

comparing the plurality of stored output probe signals to multiple threshold levels; and

providing a skin condition signal based on said plurality of comparisons.

23. The method of measuring a condition of skin according to claim 22 comprising the further steps of:

measuring a component of the environment;

adjusting the skin condition signal according to the measured environmental component; and

displaying the measured environmental component.

24. The method of measuring a condition of skin according to claim 22 comprising the further step of:

audibly announcing the skin condition in one of a plurality of selectable languages.

25. The method of measuring a condition of skin according to claim 22 comprising the further step of:

visually displaying the measured skin condition;

mounting a first display scale adjacent the display, said first display scale having a plurality of categories that define the skin condition signal;

interchanging the first display scale with a second display scale, said second display scale having a different plurality of categories for defining the skin condition signal;

selecting between a first and second classification according to the first and second display scales whereby the skin condition signal is displayed according to the classification selected.