Apparatus and method for noninvasive glucose measurement
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for noninvasively measuring the glucose concentration in the blood of a patient, comprising;
- (a) a light source,(b) a test channel comprising (i) a first light filter capable of transmitting a narrow bandwidth of light within a range of wavelengths that is absorbed by glucose, (ii) a first photodetector capable of measuring the light passing the light filter, (iii) a first pulse amplifier, and (iv) a first analog-to-digital converter,(c) a first optic unit comprising optical fibers and capable of transporting light pulses from the light source to the skin of a patient, receiving light reflected back from the patient, and transporting the reflected light to the test channel,(d) a reference channel comprising (i) a second light filter, (ii) a second photodetector, (iii) a second pulse amplifier, and (iv) a second analog-to-digital converter, each identical to the corresponding elements in the test channel,(e) a second optic unit capable of transporting light pulses from the light source to the reference channel, and(f) a processing unit capable of comparing the output of the test channel to the output of the reference channel to quantify the intensity of light absorbed by the glucose in the blood of the patient.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for noninvasively measuring blood glucose concentration. The apparatus disclosed uses light pulses directed onto a patient'"'"'s skin and reflected back from the patient to measure blood glucose. Reflected light is passed through light filters that transmit a narrow bandwidth of light within a range of wavelengths that is absorbed by glucose and then measured. Unreflected light is passed through identical light filters and also measured. The two measurements are then compared and used to calculate the patient'"'"'s blood glucose concentration.
69 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for noninvasively measuring the glucose concentration in the blood of a patient, comprising;
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(a) a light source, (b) a test channel comprising (i) a first light filter capable of transmitting a narrow bandwidth of light within a range of wavelengths that is absorbed by glucose, (ii) a first photodetector capable of measuring the light passing the light filter, (iii) a first pulse amplifier, and (iv) a first analog-to-digital converter, (c) a first optic unit comprising optical fibers and capable of transporting light pulses from the light source to the skin of a patient, receiving light reflected back from the patient, and transporting the reflected light to the test channel, (d) a reference channel comprising (i) a second light filter, (ii) a second photodetector, (iii) a second pulse amplifier, and (iv) a second analog-to-digital converter, each identical to the corresponding elements in the test channel, (e) a second optic unit capable of transporting light pulses from the light source to the reference channel, and (f) a processing unit capable of comparing the output of the test channel to the output of the reference channel to quantify the intensity of light absorbed by the glucose in the blood of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus for noninvasively measuring the glucose concentration in the blood of a patient, comprising:
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(a) a light source, (b) a light filter capable of transmitting a narrow bandwidth of light within a range of wavelengths that is absorbed by glucose, (c) a first optic unit comprising optical fibers and capable of transporting light pulses from the light source to the skin of a patient, receiving light reflected back from the patient, and transporting the reflected light to the light filter, (d) a second optic unit capable of transporting light pulses directly from the light source to the light filter, (e) a photodetector capable of measuring the light passing the light filter, (f) a processing unit capable of comparing the intensity of the reflected light passing through the light filter to the intensity of the light directly from the light source to quantify the intensity of light absorbed by the glucose in the blood of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for noninvasively measuring the glucose concentration in the blood of a patient, comprising:
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(a) projecting a pulse of light through a fiber optic device placed in direct contact with the patient'"'"'s skin, (b) measuring the intensity of light reflected from the patient over a narrow bandwidth within a range of wavelengths that is absorbed by glucose, (c) measuring the intensity of light projected onto the patient'"'"'s skin over the same bandwidth and wavelengths used in step (b), and (d) comparing the measurements of light obtained in steps (b) and (c) to quantify the intensity of light absorbed by the glucose in the blood of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for noninvasively measuring the glucose concentration in the blood of a patient, comprising:
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(a) generating a pulse of light, (b) projecting a first portion of the pulse of light through a fiber optic device placed in direct contact with the patient'"'"'s skin, (c) passing the light reflected from the patient through a first light filter that transmits a narrow bandwidth of light within a range of wavelengths that is absorbed by glucose, (d) passing a second portion of the pulse of light through a second light filter identical to first light filter, (e) measuring the intensity of the light passing through the first and second light filters, and (f) comparing the intensity of light passing through the first light filter to the intensity of light passing through the second light filter to quantify the intensity of light absorbed by the glucose in the blood of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification