Temporal artery temperature detector

• US 7,787,938 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Exergen Corporation
• Original Assignee: Exergen Corporation
• Inventors: Pompei, Francesco
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Long V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cheng; Jacqueline
• Application Number:
  US12/011,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20080200830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 600/474, 600/459, 374/100, 374/104, 374/121, 374/126, 374/129
• US Class Current: 600/474
• 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 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• 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 5/026 Control of working procedures of a pyrometer, other than calibration; Bandwidth calculation; Gain control
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/04 Casings
• 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 5/16 Arrangements with respect to the cold junction; Compensating influence of ambient temperature or other variables

Abstract

Body temperature measurements are obtained by scanning a thermal radiation sensor across the side of the forehead over the temporal artery. A peak temperature measurement is processed to compute an internal temperature of the body as a function of ambient temperature and the sensed surface temperature. The function includes a weighted difference of surface temperature and ambient temperature, the weighting being varied with target temperature through a minimum in the range of 96° F. and 100° F. The radiation sensor views the target surface through an emissivity compensating cup which is spaced from the skin by a circular lip of low thermal conductivity.

Claims

1. A method of detecting human body temperature comprising moving a radiation detector to scan across skin over an artery and measure radiation as target skin surface over the artery is viewed, and electronically determining a body temperature approximation, distinct from skin surface temperature, from the radiation detector as the target skin surface over the artery is viewed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the body temperature approximation corresponds to an oral measurement.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the body temperature approximation corresponds to a rectal measurement.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the body temperature approximation based on an ambient temperature to which the human body is exposed.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising evaluating a plurality of radiation readings to determine the body temperature approximation.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the body temperature approximation.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising sounding an audible signal upon completion of the measurement.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising measuring radiation emitted in at least three readings per second.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising providing a peak temperature reading.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the artery has relatively constant blood flow.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the body temperature approximation is based on heat flow from the body to ambient.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the artery is a temporal artery.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the artery is a forehead artery.

14. A method of detecting human body temperature comprising making at least three radiation readings per second while moving a radiation detector to scan across a region of skin over an artery to electronically determine a body temperature approximation, distinct from skin surface temperature.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the body temperature approximation corresponds to an oral measurement.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the body temperature approximation corresponds to a rectal measurement.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining the body temperature approximation based on ambient temperature to which the human body is exposed.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising evaluating a plurality of radiation readings to determine the body temperature approximation.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising displaying the body temperature approximation.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising sounding an audible signal upon completion of the measurement.

21. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining the body temperature approximation from a peak temperature reading.

22. The method of claim 14 wherein the artery has relatively constant blood flow.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein the body temperature approximation is based on heat flow from the body to ambient.

24. The method of claim 14 wherein the artery is a temporal artery.

25. The method of claim 14 wherein the artery is a forehead artery.

26. A method of detecting human body temperature comprising, with a radiation detector, measuring radiation as target skin surface over an artery is viewed, the artery having a relatively constant blood flow, and electronically determining a body temperature approximation, distinct from skin surface temperature, from the radiation detector as the target skin surface over the artery is viewed.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the body temperature approximation corresponds to an oral measurement.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the body temperature approximation corresponds to a rectal measurement.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising determining the body temperature approximation based on ambient temperature to which the human body is exposed.

30. The method of claim 26 further comprising evaluating a plurality of radiation readings to determine the body temperature approximation.

31. The method of claim 26 further comprising displaying the body temperature approximation.

32. The method of claim 26 further comprising sounding an audible signal upon completion of the measurement.

33. The method of claim 26 further comprising moving the radiation detector to scan the region of the skin over the artery.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising measuring radiation emitted in at least three readings per second.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising providing a peak temperature reading.

36. The method of claim 26 wherein the body temperature approximation is determined based on heat flow from the body to ambient.

37. The method of claim 26 wherein the artery is a temporal artery.

38. The method of claim 26 wherein the artery is a forehead artery.

39. A body temperature detector comprising:

a radiation detector;

electronics that measure radiation from at least three readings per second of the radiation detector as target skin surface over an artery is viewed and that process the detected radiation to provide a body temperature approximation based on heat flow from an internal body temperature to ambient.

40. The body temperature detector claimed in claim 39 wherein the body temperature corresponds to an oral measurement.

41. The body temperature detector as claimed in claim 39 wherein the body temperature corresponds to a rectal measurement.

42. The body temperature detector claimed in claim 39 wherein the electronics determine body temperature based on ambient temperature to which the body is exposed.

43. The body temperature detector as claimed in claim 39 further comprising a display of the body temperature approximation.

44. The body temperature detector as claimed in claim 39 further comprising an audible signal that sounds upon completion of a measurement.

45. The body temperature detector as claimed in claim 39 wherein the electronics provide the body temperature approximation from a peak reading.

46. The body temperature detector of claim 39 wherein the artery is a temporal artery.

47. The body temperature detector claimed in claim 39 wherein the artery is a forehead artery.

48. A body temperature detector comprising:

a radiation detector; and

electronics that measure radiation from at least three readings per second of the radiation detector as a target skin surface over an artery is viewed, the artery having a relatively constant blood flow, and that process the measured radiation to provide a body temperature approximation, distinct from skin surface temperature, based on detected radiation.

49. The body temperature detector of claim 48 wherein the artery is a temporal artery.

50. The body temperature detector of claim 48 wherein the artery is a forehead artery.

51. A method of detecting human body temperature comprising:

measuring temperature of a region of skin of the forehead; and

processing the measured temperature to provide a body temperature approximation based on heat flow from an internal body temperature to ambient temperature.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the region of the skin is over an artery.

53. The method of claim 51 wherein the region of the skin is over a temporal artery.

54. A method of detecting human body temperature comprising:

measuring radiation as target skin surface of the forehead is viewed, and

processing the measured radiation to provide a body temperature approximation based on heat flow from an internal body temperature to ambient temperature.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein the region of the skin is over an artery.

56. The method of claim 54 wherein the region of the skin is over a temporal artery.

57. A method of detecting human body temperature comprising:

moving a temperature detector to scan across skin of a region of a forehead; and

providing a body temperature approximation from a peak temperature reading from plural readings taken from plural locations during the scan.

58. A method as claimed in claim 57 wherein the temperature detector comprises a radiation sensor which views a target surface area of the forehead.

59. A method as claimed in claim 58 wherein the radiation sensor views the target surface area through a reflective cup, the cup having a large open diameter close to the target surface area and a window at the base of the cup through which the radiation sensor views the target surface area, the cup being out of the field of view of the sensor.

60. A method as claimed in claim 57 further comprising providing a body temperature approximation based on ambient temperature to which the human body is exposed and the peak temperature reading.

61. A method as claimed in claim 60 wherein the body temperature approximation corresponds to an oral temperature.

62. A method as claimed in claim 60 wherein the body temperature approximation corresponds to a rectal temperature.

63. A method as claimed in claim 60 wherein the function includes a weighted difference of surface temperature and ambient temperature, the weighting including an approximation of h/pc at a forehead artery where h is a heat transfer coefficient between a target surface of the forehead and ambient, p is perfusion rate and c is blood specific heat.

64. A method as claimed in claim 60 wherein the temperature detector comprises a radiation sensor which views a target surface area of the forehead.

65. A method as claimed in claim 57 wherein the scan is over an artery.

66. A method as claimed in claim 57 wherein the scan is over a temporal artery.

67. A method of claim 57 wherein the temperature detector makes at least three readings per second as it is moved.