Methods for obtaining quick, repeatable, and non-invasive bioelectrical signals in living organisms

• US 7,542,796 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2003
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prolung Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Biomeridian International, Inc.
• Inventors: Dietz, Phillip, Swift, Harold E., Horne, Douglas S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg; Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOEKSTRA, JEFFREY GERBEN
• Application Number:
  US10/621,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20050015017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• Field of Search: 600/547, 600/548
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/442 Evaluating skin mechanical properties, e.g. elasticity, hardness, texture, wrinkle assessment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4854 Diagnosis based on concepts of traditional oriental medicine

Abstract

The present invention is a method for obtaining an electrical signal from a patient that corresponds to a meridian. The present method contemplates locating a dermal area of a patient proximate a meridian. One embodiment of the present invention comprises locating a dermal area by iteratively measuring and comparing the conductivity of a patient'"'"'s skin until a significant level of conductance is indicated. A probe may then be placed in contact with the dermal area, and actuated to obtain an electrical signal therefrom. The probe tip may be specially designed to apply an appropriate amount of pressure to the dermal area to directly sense a meridian, and configured to avoid erroneous measurements resulting from misalignment of the probe or probe tip.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining an electrical signal from a patient at the patient'"'"'s skin, said method comprising:

locating a dermal area of said patient;

a user statically contacting, with a probe, said dermal area and allowing said probe to dynamically vary a pressure applied by said probe to said dermal area, said probe comprising;

a stationary element to stabilize said probe against said dermal area;

a probe tip operably connected to a biasing element to apply said pressure to said dermal area;

a detector operably connected to said probe tip to detect an electrical signal at the patient'"'"'s skin corresponding to said pressure;

a feedback ioop connected to said detector to provide a feedback signal containing information with respect to said electrical signal at the patient'"'"'s skin;

said biasing element connected to said feedback loop to receive said feedback signal and operating to dynamically adjust said pressure in accordance with said feedback signal; and

obtaining, from said probe, an electrical signal at the patient'"'"'s skin.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said locating a dermal area further comprises providing a point locator for indicating a dermal location having a substantially greater bioclectric conductance value than a surrounding dermal area, said point locator configured to produce audible signals indicating said location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said probe further comprises:

a conductive base; and

an abrasive bristly matrix coupled to a surface area of said conductive base, wherein a plurality of bristles of said abrasive bristly matrix simultaneously contact said dermal area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said information comprises a bioclectric conductance value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising locating said dermal area, wherein said dermal area is a first dermal area by:

locating successive dermal areas approximating said first dermal area;

said user statically contacting said successive dermal areas with said probe;

allowing said probe to dynamically vary a pressure applied by said probe to said successive dermal areas in accordance with said feedback signal; and

determining a dermal location corresponding to said first dermal area before obtaining said electrical signal corresponding to said first dermal area.

6. A method for obtaining an electrical signal from a patient at the patient'"'"'s skin, said method comprising:

measuring relative conductance of a dermal area of said patient;

a user statically contacting with a probe the skin and allowing said probe to dynamically vary a pressure applied by said probe to the skin, said probe comprising;

a stationary element to stabilize said probe against said location;

a probe tip operably connected to a biasing element to apply a pressure to said location;

a detector operably connected to said probe tip to detect an electrical signal at the patient'"'"'s skin corresponding to said pressure;

a feedback loop connected to said detector to provide a feedback signal containing information with respect to said electrical signal at the patient'"'"'s skin; and

said biasing element connected to said feedback ioop to receive said feedback signal and operating to dynamically adjust said pressure in accordance with said feedback signal; and

obtaining, from said probe, an electrical signal at the patient'"'"'s skin.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said measuring relative conductance of a dermal area further comprises:

iteratively measuring a bioelectric conductance value of a surface of said dermal area;

iteratively comparing a first said bioclectric conductance value corresponding to a first surface location to a second said bioclectric conductance value corresponding to a second surface location;

audibly indicating a dermal location where said second bioclectric conductance value is substantially greater than said first bioelectric conductance value.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said probe further comprises:

a conductive base; and

an abrasive bristly matrix coupled to a surface area of said conductive base, wherein a plurality of bristles of said abrasive bristly matrix simultaneously contact said dermal area.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said information comprises a bioelectric conductance value corresponding to said pressure.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising locating said dermal area, wherein said dermal area is a first dermal area by:

said user statically contacting successive dermal areas proximate said first dermal area with said probe;

allowing said probe to dynamically vary a pressure applied by said probe to said successive dermal areas in accordance with said feedback signal; and

determining a dermal location corresponding to said first dermal area before obtaining said electrical signal corresponding to said first dermal area.

11. A method for obtaining an electrical signal from a patient at the patient'"'"'s skin, said method comprising:

locating a first dermal area of said patient exhibiting higher conductivity than adjacent dermal areas;

a user statically contacting, with a probe, said dermal area and allowing said probe to dynamically vary a pressure applied by said probe to said dermal area, said probe comprising;

a stationary element to stabilize said probe against said dermal area;

a probe tip operably connected to a biasing element to apply said pressure to said dermal area;

a detector operably connected to said probe tip to detect an electrical signal at the patient'"'"'s skin corresponding to said pressure;

a feedback loop connected to said detector to provide a feedback signal containing information with respect to said electrical signal at the patient'"'"'s skin;

said biasing element connected to said feedback loop to receive said feedback signal and operating to dynamically adjust said pressure in accordance with said feedback signal; and

obtaining, from said probe, an electrical signal at the patient'"'"'s skin corresponding to said first dermal area.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said locating a first dermal area further comprises providing a point locator for indicating a dermal location having a substantially greater bioelectric conductance value than a surrounding dermal area, said point locator configured to produce audible signals indicating said location.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said probe further comprises:

a conductive base; and

an abrasive bristly matrix coupled to a surface area of said conductive base, wherein a plurality of bristles of said abrasive bristly matrix simultaneously contact said dermal area.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said information comprises a bioclectric conductance value.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising locating said first dermal area by:

locating successive dermal areas approximating said first dermal area;

said user statically contacting said successive dermal areas with said probe;

allowing said probe to dynamically vary a pressure applied by said probe to said successive dermal areas in accordance with said feedback signal; and

determining a dermal location corresponding to said first dermal area before obtaining said electrical signal corresponding to said first dermal area.

16. A method for obtaining an electrical signal from a patient at the patient'"'"'s skin, said method comprising:

measuring relative conductance of a first dermal area of said patient exhibiting higher conductivity than adjacent dermal areas;

a user statically contacting with a probe the skin and allowing said probe to dynamically vary a pressure applied by said probe to the skin, said probe comprising;

a stationary element to stabilize said probe against said location;

a probe tip operably connected to a biasing element to apply a pressure to said location;

a detector operably connected to said probe tip to detect an electrical signal at the patient'"'"'s skin corresponding to said pressure;

a feedback loop connected to said detector to provide a feedback signal containing information with respect to said electrical signal at the patient'"'"'s skin; and

said biasing element connected to said feedback loop to receive said feedback signal and operating to dynamically adjust said pressure in accordance with said feedback signal; and

obtaining, from said probe, an electrical signal at the patient'"'"'s skin corresponding to said first dermal area.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said measuring relative conductance of a first dermal area further comprises:

iteratively measuring a bioclectric conductance value of a surface of said first dermal area;

iteratively comparing a first said bioelectric conductance value corresponding to a first surface location to a second said bioclectric conductance value corresponding to a second surface location;

audibly indicating a dermal location where said second bioelectric conductance value is substantially greater than said first bioelectric conductance value.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said probe further comprises:

a conductive base; and

an abrasive bristly matrix coupled to a surface area of said conductive base, wherein a plurality of bristles of said abrasive bristly matrix simultaneously contact said first dermal area.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said information comprises a bioclectric conductance value corresponding to said pressure.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising locating said first dermal area by:

said user statically contacting successive dermal areas proximate said first dermal area with said probe;

allowing said probe to dynamically vary a pressure applied by said probe to said successive dermal areas in accordance with said feedback signal; and

determining a dermal location corresponding to said first dermal area before obtaining said electrical signal corresponding to said first dermal area.