Systems and methods for locating a blood vessel

• US 8,167,813 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2007
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Medical Inc (Immersion Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Immersion Medical Inc (Immersion Corporation)
• Inventors: Cohen, Robert F., Tumey, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANEGA, RENEE A
• Application Number:
  US11/749,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20080287824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: 600/549
• US Class Current: 600/549
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/489 Blood vessels

Abstract

Systems and methods for locating a blood vessel are described. One described method includes receiving a first temperature measure associated with a first point on a surface of a skin; receiving a second temperature measure associated with a second point on the surface of the skin, and determining a differential between the first temperature measure and the second temperature measure. The method further includes generating an output signal indicating the presence of a blood vessel if the differential exceeds a threshold.

Claims

1. A handheld system for locating a blood vessel, the system comprising:

a housing configured to be moved across a patient'"'"'s skin;

a temperature sensor disposed within the housing and operable to output a temperature measure of a location on a surface of the patient'"'"'s skin; and

a processor in communication with the temperature sensor and configured to;

receive a first temperature measure at a first location from the temperature sensor,

receive a second temperature measure at a second location from the temperature sensor, the second location different from the first location,

determine a difference between the first temperature measure and the second temperature measure, and

generate an output signal indicating the presence of a blood vessel if the difference exceeds a threshold,

wherein the temperature sensor is configured to output the first and second temperature measures at the first and second locations based on a movement of the housing across the patient'"'"'s skin.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an indicator configured to receive the output signal and indicate the presence of the blood vessel.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a direction of the blood vessel.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the indicator is further configured to indicate the direction of the blood vessel.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the indicator comprises a visual indicator.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the indicator comprises an audible indicator.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the indicator comprises a marker configured to generate a mark on the surface of the skin over the blood vessel.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an actuator configured to provide a haptic effect in response to the output signal.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the haptic effect comprises a vibrotactile haptic effect.

10. A handheld system for locating a blood vessel, the system comprising:

a housing configured to be moved across a patient'"'"'s skin;

a first temperature sensor disposed within the housing and operable to output a temperature measure of a first location on a surface of a skin;

a second temperature sensor disposed within the housing and operable to output a second temperature measure of a second location on the surface of the skin; and

a processor in communication with the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, the processor configured to;

receive the first temperature measure from the first temperature sensor,

receive the second temperature measure from the second temperature sensor,

determine a difference between the first temperature measure and the second temperature measure, and

generate a first output signal indicating the presence of a blood vessel if the difference exceeds a threshold.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising an indicator configured to receive the first output signal and indicate the presence of the blood vessel.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a third temperature sensor in communication with the processor, the third temperature sensor operable to output a third temperature measure of a third point on the surface of the skin;

and wherein the processor is further configured to;

receive the third temperature measure from the third temperature sensor;

determine a second difference between the second temperature measure and the third temperature measure,

generate a second output signal indicating the presence of a blood vessel if the second difference exceeds a threshold; and

the indicator further configured to receive the second output signal and indicate the presence of the blood vessel.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the third temperature sensor are substantially aligned.

14. A handheld system for locating a blood vessel, the system comprising:

a plurality of temperature sensors, each operable to output a temperature measure of a point on the surface of a skin; and

a processor in communication with the plurality of temperature sensors, the processor configured to;

receive the temperature measure from each of the plurality of temperature sensors,

determine a difference between any of two of the temperature measures, and

generate an output signal indicating the presence of a blood vessel if the difference exceeds a threshold.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising an indicator configured to receive the output signal and indicate the presence of the blood vessel.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of temperature sensors are substantially aligned.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of temperature sensors are arranged as an array.

18. A method for locating a blood vessel with a handheld device, the method comprising:

receiving a first temperature measure associated with a first location on a surface of a skin, the first temperature measure generated by a temperature sensor;

moving the temperature sensor to a second location;

receiving a second temperature measure associated with the second location on the surface of the skin, the second temperature measure generated by the temperature sensor;

determining a difference between the first temperature measure and the second temperature measure; and

generating an output signal indicating the presence of a blood vessel if the difference exceeds a threshold.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving the output signal and signaling the presence of a blood vessel.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining a direction of a blood vessel.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving a third temperature measure associated with a third point on a surface of the skin;

determining a second difference between the second temperature measure and the third temperature measure; and

generating an output signal indicating the presence of a blood vessel if the second difference exceeds a threshold.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the first temperature measure is a calibration temperature measure.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising identifying the location of the blood vessel on the surface of the skin.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein identifying the location of the blood vessel on the surface of the skin comprises generating a mark on the surface of the skin.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising identifying the direction of the blood vessel on the surface of the skin.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the first temperature measure and the second temperature measure are received from a single sensor.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the first temperature measure is received from a first sensor and the second temperature measure is received from a second sensor.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein:

the first sensor is in contact with a first point on the surface of the skin; and

the second sensor is in contact with a second point on the surface of the skin.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving the first temperature measure and the second temperature measure occur substantially simultaneously.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein signaling the presence of a blood vessel comprises generating a visual effect.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein signaling the presence of a blood vessel comprises generating an auditory effect.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein signaling the presence of a blood vessel comprises generating a haptic effect.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the haptic effect comprises a vibrotactile haptic effect.

34. The method of claim 19, wherein signaling the presence of a blood vessel comprises generating a plurality of sensory effects.

35. A method for locating a blood vessel with a handheld device, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of temperature measures from a temperature sensor being moved across a patient'"'"'s skin, each of the plurality of temperature measures associated with a different location on a surface of the patient'"'"'s skin;

determining a difference between a pair of the plurality of temperature measures; and

generating an output signal indicating the presence of a blood vessel if the difference exceeds a threshold.

36. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which is encoded computer-executable program code, the program code comprising:

program code for receiving a first temperature measure associated with a first location on a surface of a skin, the first temperature measure generated by a temperature sensor disposed within a housing of a handheld device;

program code for receiving a second temperature measure associated with a second location on the surface of the skin, the second temperature measure generated by the temperature sensor;

program code for determining a difference between the first temperature measure and the second temperature measure; and

program code for generating an output signal indicating the presence of a blood vessel if the difference exceeds a threshold,

wherein the temperature sensor is configured to output the first and second temperature measures at the first and second locations based on a movement of the housing across the patient'"'"'s skin.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 36, further comprising:

program code for receiving a third temperature measure associated with a third point on a surface of the skin;

program code for determining a second difference between the second temperature measure and the third temperature measure; and

program code for generating an output signal indicating the presence of a blood vessel if the second difference exceeds a threshold.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 36, further comprising:

program code for determining a direction of the blood vessel; and

program code for generating an output signal indicating the direction of the blood vessel.

39. A non-transitory computer readable medium on which is encoded computer-executable program code, the program code comprising:

program code for receiving a plurality of temperature measures, each of the plurality of temperature measures associated with a different location on a surface of a patient'"'"'s skin from a temperature sensor disposed within a housing of a handheld device being moved across the patient'"'"'s skin;

program code for determining a difference between a pair of the plurality of temperature measures; and

program code for generating an output signal indicating the presence of a blood vessel if the difference exceeds a threshold.

40. A system comprising:

a housing;

a temperature sensor disposed within the housing and operable to output a temperature measure of a location on a surface of a patient'"'"'s skin; and

a processor in communication with the temperature sensor and configured to;

receive a first temperature measure at a first location from the temperature sensor,

receive a second temperature measure at a second location from the temperature sensor, the second location different from the first location,

determine a difference between the first temperature measure and the second temperature measure, and

generate an output signal indicating the presence of a blood vessel if the difference exceeds a threshold.

41. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which is encoded computer-executable program code, the program code comprising:

program code for receiving a first temperature measure associated with a first location on a surface of a patient'"'"'s skin, the first temperature measure generated by a temperature sensor;

program code for receiving a second temperature measure associated with a second location on the surface of the skin, the second temperature measure generated by the temperature sensor;

program code for determining a difference between the first temperature measure and the second temperature measure; and

program code for generating an output signal indicating the presence of a blood vessel if the difference exceeds a threshold.