Axillary infrared thermometer and method of use

• US 6,402,371 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2001
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Exergen Corporation
• Original Assignee: Exergen Corporation
• Inventors: Ternullo, Janus, Pompei, Francesco
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERBITSKY, GAIL KAPLAN
• Application Number:
  US09/815,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20010019574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 374/126, 374/132, 374/133, 374/129, 374/130, 374/128, 374/172, 600/473, 600/474, 600/549, 250/338.1, 250/339.04, 250/339.06, 250/339.11, 250/338.11, 250/341.2, 250/338.5
• US Class Current: 374/128
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0022 for sensing the radiation of moving bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/021 Probe covers for thermometers, e.g. tympanic thermometers; Containers for probe covers; Disposable probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/026 Control of working procedures of a pyrometer, other than calibration; Bandwidth calculation; Gain control
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0265 Handheld, portable ear thermometers G01J5/049
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/04 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/045 Sealings; Vacuum enclosures; Encapsulated packages; Wafer bonding structures; Getter arrangements getter arrangements per se H01L23/26 and H01L21/3221
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/05 Means for preventing contamination of the components of the optical system; Means for preventing obstruction of the radiation path
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/06 Arrangements for eliminating effects of disturbing radiation; Arrangements for compensating changes in sensitivity for adjusting of solid angle of collected radiation G01J5/07; means for wavelength selection G01J5/0801
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/064 Ambient temperature sensor; Housing temperature sensor; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/16 Arrangements with respect to the cold junction; Compensating influence of ambient temperature or other variables

Abstract

A radiation detector for axillary temperature measurement comprises a wand having an axially directed radiation sensor at one end and an offset handle at the opposite end. The radiation sensor is mounted within a heat sink and retained by an elastomer in compression. The radiation sensor views a target surface through an emissivity compensating cup and a plastic film. A variable reference is applied to a radiation sensor and amplifier circuit in order to maintain full analog-to-digital converter resolution over design ranges of target and sensor temperature with the sensor temperature either above or below target temperature.

Claims

1. A radiation detector comprising:

a radiation sensor which provides an output as a function of difference between target temperature and sensor temperature over a design range of target temperatures and a design range of sensor temperatures;

an amplifier in circuit with the radiation sensor which amplifies the sensor output to produce an amplified sensor output;

an analog-to-digital converter which generates a multibit digital output from the amplified sensor output over a voltage range of the amplified sensor output; and

a variable reference to maintain analog-to-digital converter resolution over the design ranges of target and sensor temperatures, the resolution being greater than would be obtained with a fixed reference over a full design range of target temperature and a design range of sensor temperatures.

2. A radiation detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reference is variable to offset the amplified sensor output by an offset level approximating sensor temperature.

3. A radiation detector as claimed in claim 2 wherein the amplified sensor output approximates target temperature.

4. A radiation detector as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a switch to isolate the radiation sensor from the amplifier, the reference being varied to provide an amplified output which approximates sensor temperature while the radiation sensor is isolated from the amplifier.

5. A radiation detector as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a switch to isolate a resistor which balances resistance of the radiation sensor.

6. A radiation detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reference is set at one of two levels depending on whether target temperature is above or below sensor temperature.

7. A radiation detector as claimed in claim 6 further comprising a switch to isolate the radiation sensor from the amplifier, the reference being varied to provide an amplified output at one of the two levels while the radiation sensor is isolated from the amplifier.

8. A radiation detector as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a switch to isolate a resistor which balances resistance of the radiation sensor.

9. A radiation detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein a measurement offset resulting from the reference is subtracted from the multibit digital output prior to digital computation of target temperature therefrom.

10. A radiation detector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the variable reference is applied to the amplifier.

11. A method of detecting temperature comprising:

amplifying the output of a radiation sensor with an amplifier and applying the amplified output to an analog-to-digital converter; and

varying a reference to maintain analog-to-digital converter resolution over design ranges of target and sensor temperatures, the resolution being greater than would be obtained with a fixed reference over a full design range of target temperatures and design range of sensor temperatures.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the reference is varied to offset the amplified output by an offset level approximating sensor temperature.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the amplified output approximates target temperature.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising varying the reference by isolating the radiation sensor from the amplifier and, while the radiation sensor is isolated from the amplifier producing the reference to provide an amplified output which approximates sensor temperature.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 further comprising isolating a resistor which balances resistance of the isolated radiation sensor.

16. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the reference is set at one of two level depending on whether target temperature is above or below sensor temperature.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the reference is varied with the radiation sensor isolated from the amplifier to provide an amplified output at one of the two levels.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the reference is initially set at an intermediate level and, if the amplified output is out of range of the analog-to-digital converter, the reference is then set at one of said two levels.

19. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein a measurement offset resulting from the reference is subtracted from the multibit digital output prior to digital computation of target temperature therefrom.

20. A method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising the step of varying the reference to the amplifier.