Method and apparatus for rapid, non-contact measurement of the core temperature of animals and humans
First Claim
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1. A device for measuring the core temperature of a subject animal or human, comprising:
- a non-contact sensor unit for non-contact sensing of thermal emissions only from the eye of the subject, the sensor unit having a filter operable to permit only selected wavelengths of the thermal emissions to be detected, and having a detector operable to detect selected wavelengths of the thermal emissions and to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of the thermal emissions;
wherein the selected wavelengths are emitted from a particular depth within the eyeball;
an amplifier unit for amplifying the electrical signal from the sensor-and for producing an amplified electrical signal;
a data processing unit for converting the amplified signal to raw temperature data and for determining core temperature data based on the raw temperature data; and
a display for displaying the core temperature data of the subject.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for measuring the core temperature of an animal or human. Emissions from the eyeball are detected, at one or more wavelengths selected on the basis of various factors, including the ability of that wavelength to reach the interior of the eyeball. An illumination marker shines a spot of light on the eyeball, such that the spot corresponds to the area from which emissions are being detected.
17 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A device for measuring the core temperature of a subject animal or human, comprising:
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a non-contact sensor unit for non-contact sensing of thermal emissions only from the eye of the subject, the sensor unit having a filter operable to permit only selected wavelengths of the thermal emissions to be detected, and having a detector operable to detect selected wavelengths of the thermal emissions and to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of the thermal emissions; wherein the selected wavelengths are emitted from a particular depth within the eyeball; an amplifier unit for amplifying the electrical signal from the sensor-and for producing an amplified electrical signal; a data processing unit for converting the amplified signal to raw temperature data and for determining core temperature data based on the raw temperature data; and a display for displaying the core temperature data of the subject. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of measuring core temperature of a subject animal or human, comprising the steps of:
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using a non-contact sensor unit for non-contact sensing of thermal emissions only from the eye of the subject, by using a filter to filter thermal emissions from the eyeball of the subject, such that only selected wavelengths pass through the filter and by using a detector to detect the filtered thermal emissions; wherein the thermal emissions have a wavelength associated with a particular depth within the eyeball; generating an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of the emissions; receiving the electrical signal at a data processing unit; converting the electrical signal to raw temperature data; processing the raw temperature data by using the raw temperature data to determine core temperature data; and displaying the core temperature data. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of measuring core temperature of a subject animal or human, comprising the steps of:
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using a non-contact sensor unit for non-contact sensing of thermal emissions only from the eye of the subject, by using a filter to filter thermal emissions from the eyeball of the subject, such that only selected wavelengths pass through the filter and by using a detector to detect the filtered thermal emissions; generating an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of the emissions; receiving the electrical signal at a data processing unit; converting the electrical signal to core temperature data; displaying the core temperature of the subject data on a display readout; and detecting identification data associated with the subject. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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Specification