Bandage with sensors

• US 7,625,117 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graham A. Jullien, Ivars Finvers, James W. Haslett
• Original Assignee: Graham A. Jullien, Ivars Finvers, James W. Haslett
• Inventors: Finvers, Ivars, Haslett, James W., Jullien, Graham A
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad; Patrick J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Adams; Bret
• Application Number:
  US11/681,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20070206655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 374/109, 374/111, 374/115, 374/133, 374/163, 374166-167, 374/170, 374/181, 600/549
• US Class Current: 374/111
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/023 wound covering film layers without a fluid retention layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/12 specially adapted for the head or neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00953 temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/165 for application in zero heat flux sensors

Abstract

A bandage incorporates sensor arrays. The sensor arrays may measure temperature and are fixed to a person'"'"'s temple in use, or other suitable body part. An estimate of core body temperature may be made using the arrays. The bandage may carry processing electronics and a transmitter. Processing may be done on the bandage or remotely from the bandage. Other physiological parameters may be measured depending on the type of sensor used.

Claims

1. A device for the measurement of body temperature, comprising:

a first array of temperature sensors arranged to determine a first temperature T_skin; and

a second array of temperature sensors insulated from the first array, the second array of temperature sensors arranged to determine a second temperature T_outer; and

a data processor configured to estimate core body temperature (T_core) using T_skin and T_outer;

wherein the first temperature is the highest temperature measured by the first temperature sensor array, and the second temperature corresponds to the sensor in closest physical proximity to the location where the highest temperature measured by the first temperature sensor array is, in operation, recorded.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the data processor configured to estimate the core body temperature (T_core) using the following formula

T_core=T_skin+α

(T_skin−

T_outer)

where α

is a pre-determined scaling factor.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the second array of temperature sensors is insulated from the first array of temperature sensors by a layer of insulating material.

4. A device for the measurement of body temperature, comprising:

a first array of temperature sensors arranged to be placed in thermal contact with skin;

a second array of temperature sensors insulated from the first array by a layer of material;

an electronic circuit for converting output from the first array and the second array into digital representations of sensor output;

an electronic circuit for wirelessly transmitting the digital representations of sensor output;

a wireless receiver to receive the digital representations of sensor output; and

a data processor configured to define digital representation of sensor output of the temperature sensor from the first array that measures the highest temperature as T_skin, and configured to define as T_outer digital representation of sensor output of the temperature sensor from the second array which is in closest physical proximity to the temperature sensor from the first array that measures the highest temperature; and

the data processor being configured to estimate the core body temperature (T_core) using the following formula

T_core=T_skin+α

(T_skin−

T_outer)

using the two selected temperatures (T_skin and T_outer), and a scaling factor α

.

5. The device of claim 4 further comprising a means of displaying the estimated core temperature.

6. The device of claim 4 further comprising a means of retransmitting, by wired or wireless means, the estimated core temperature to other patient information processing/gathering system.

7. The device of claim 4 in which the first array, the second array and the processor are incorporated in a flexible carrier having an adhesive face for affixation to a body.

8. The device of claim 4 in which the temperature sensors of at least the first array are each in thermal contact with a disk of material of high thermal conductivity which increases the physical region for which the respective temperature sensors provide a measurement.