Device for the non-invasive measurement of blood glucose concentration by millimeter waves and method thereof

• US 7,371,217 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2005
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chigrai, Evgenii Even'evich, Meriakri, Viacheslav Viacheslavovich, Kim, Dong-kyun, Won, Jong-hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, II; Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnithithadha; Navin
• Application Number:
  US11/154,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20060025664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 600345-366, 600/309, 600/310, 600/319, 600/316
• US Class Current: 600/365
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement

Abstract

A device and method for the non-invasive measurement of blood glucose concentrations by millimeter waves. The device includes a millimeter wave generator; a TE10 mode rectangular waveguide transmitting a millimeter wave generated by the millimeter wave generator; and a plane parallel plate chosen to yield a minimal point of the power reflection coefficient of the millimeter wave incident to and reflected from the dielectric object under test via the TE10 mode rectangular waveguide and the plane parallel plate. The device also includes power detectors detecting the powers of the incident wave generated by the millimeter wave generator and the reflected wave from the dielectric object via the plane parallel plate; a temperature sensor measuring a temperature of the dielectric object; and a reader reading the minimum power reflection coefficient and a corresponding frequency from the incident and reflected wave detected by the power detectors.

Claims

1. A device for a non-invasive measurement of blood glucose concentrations by millimeter waves, the device comprising:

a millimeter wave generator which creates an electromagnetic wave in a specified frequency band;

a TE10 mode rectangular waveguide which transmits a millimeter wave generated by the millimeter wave generator;

a plane parallel plate which has a refractive index and a thickness determined to yield a minimal power reflection coefficient of the electromagnetic wave in the specified frequency band and which is installed at an end of the TE10 mode rectangular waveguide to be positioned at a front end of a dielectric object under test;

power detectors which detect the powers of an incident wave generated by the millimeter wave generator and a reflected wave from the dielectric object through the plane parallel plate;

a temperature sensor which measures a temperature of the dielectric object; and

a reader which reads the minimum power reflection coefficient and a corresponding frequency of the reflected wave from the powers of the incident and reflected waves detected by the power detectors.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the refractive index of the plane parallel plate is defined by the following equation:

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the plane parallel plate is defined by the following equation:

4. The device of claim 1, wherein a complex refractive index n₃+ik₃ of the dielectric object obtained from the minimum power reflection coefficient and the corresponding frequency measured by the reader is defined by the following equation:

5. A non-invasive measurement method of a blood glucose concentration by millimeter waves, the method comprising:

installing a plane parallel plate, of which a refractive index and thickness are chosen to yield a minimal point of a power reflection coefficient in a specified frequency band, at an end of a TE10 mode rectangular waveguide transmitting a millimeter wave to be positioned at a front end of a dielectric object under test;

detecting the minimum power reflection coefficient and a corresponding frequency of the millimeter wave incident to and reflected from the dielectric object under test via the TE10 mode rectangular waveguide and the plane parallel plate;

measuring a temperature of the dielectric object; and

determinating a glucose concentration of the dielectric object from the minimum power reflection coefficient, the corresponding frequency, and the temperature of the dielectric object.

6. The non-invasive measurement method of claim 5, wherein the refractive index of the plane parallel plate is defined by the following equation:

7. The non-invasive measurement method of claim 5, wherein the thickness of the plane parallel plate is defined by the following equation:

8. The non-invasive measurement method of claim 5, wherein a complex refractive index n₃+ik₃ of the dielectric object obtained from the minimum power reflection coefficient and the corresponding frequency measured by the reader is calculated by the following equation: