Method of detecting and predicting ovulation and the period of fertility
First Claim
1. A method of providing an indication related to the fertility of a female human comprising the steps of:
- (i) taking multiple measured temperature readings from the female human during an extended overnight period using an intra-vaginal temperature measuring device;
using a processor to process the measured temperature readings to determine at least one representative temperature reading for the overnight period, the processing comprising the steps of;
(ii) identifying and disregarding measured temperature readings having one or more characteristics of irrelevant or faulty data to obtain a plurality of non-disregarded temperature readings;
(iii) processing the plurality of non-disregarded temperature readings to obtain one or several representative temperature values for the extended period;
(iv) repeating steps (i) to (iii) over multiple extended overnight periods; and
(v) analysing the representative temperature values obtained over multiple extended overnight periods for one or more patterns in the representative temperature values indicative or predictive of ovulation in order to provide information relating to the fertility of the female human to a user, wherein the representative temperature values are not the maximum or minimum temperature readings obtained for the extended period, wherein said extended overnight period is one hour or longer, and providing intervention if said information provides an indication as to whether a significant event related to the fertility of the female human has occurred.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of providing information relating to the fertility of a female mammal comprising the steps of: (i) taking multiple temperature readings from the female mammal during an extended period; (ii) identifying and disregarding temperature readings having one or more characteristics of irrelevant or faulty data; (iii) obtaining one or several representative temperature values for the extended period; (iv) repeating steps (i) to (iii) over multiple extended periods; (v) analyzing the representative temperature values obtained over multiple extended periods for one or more patterns in the representative temperature values indicative or predictive of ovulation in order to provide information relating to the fertility of the female mammal to a user, wherein the representative temperature values are not the maximum or minimum temperature readings obtained for the extended period; and related uses and apparatus.
50 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of providing an indication related to the fertility of a female human comprising the steps of:
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(i) taking multiple measured temperature readings from the female human during an extended overnight period using an intra-vaginal temperature measuring device; using a processor to process the measured temperature readings to determine at least one representative temperature reading for the overnight period, the processing comprising the steps of; (ii) identifying and disregarding measured temperature readings having one or more characteristics of irrelevant or faulty data to obtain a plurality of non-disregarded temperature readings; (iii) processing the plurality of non-disregarded temperature readings to obtain one or several representative temperature values for the extended period; (iv) repeating steps (i) to (iii) over multiple extended overnight periods; and (v) analysing the representative temperature values obtained over multiple extended overnight periods for one or more patterns in the representative temperature values indicative or predictive of ovulation in order to provide information relating to the fertility of the female human to a user, wherein the representative temperature values are not the maximum or minimum temperature readings obtained for the extended period, wherein said extended overnight period is one hour or longer, and providing intervention if said information provides an indication as to whether a significant event related to the fertility of the female human has occurred. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A device for providing an indication related to the fertility of a female human, comprising:
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an intra-vagina temperature measuring device for taking multiple measured temperature readings from the female human during multiple extended overnight periods; a non-transitory memory for storing said temperature readings; a processor for processing the measured temperature readings to determine at least one representative temperature reading for the overnight period, wherein the processor is configured to process the measured temperature readings to identify measured temperature readings having one or more characteristics of irrelevant or faulty data and either delete said readings or label them to be subsequently disregarded to obtain a plurality of non-disregarded temperature readings; and wherein the processor is configured to calculate using the plurality of non-disregarded temperature readings one or several representative temperature values for each extended overnight period; and wherein the processor is configured to analyse the representative temperature values obtained over multiple extended overnight periods for one or more patterns in the representative temperature values indicative or predicative of ovulation; and a signalling device to provide an indication related to the fertility of the female human to the user, wherein the representative temperature values are not the maximum or minimum temperature readings obtained for the extended overnight period, wherein said extended overnight period is one hour or longer, and provide intervention if said indication indicates whether a significant event related to the fertility of the female human has occurred. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus comprising:
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an indwelling temperature measuring device suitable for intravaginal use for taking multiple body temperature readings from a female human during multiple extended overnight periods; and a separate unit configured to accommodate the indwelling temperature measuring device, wherein the separate unit comprises; a non-transitory memory for storing said temperature readings; an internet, telephonic, or wireless link arranged for communicating the multiple body temperature readings, or a derivative thereof, stored in the non-transitory memory to a data processing device; and an internet, telephonic, or wireless link for receiving indication relating to the fertility of the female human from a remote computer file server; and a signalling device to provide said information relating to the fertility of the female human to a user, wherein said extended overnight period is one hour or longer.
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21. A data processing device comprising:
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a processor configured to; receive multiple measured body temperature having one or more characteristics of irrelevant or faulty data and either deleting said readings or labelling them to be subsequently disregarded, thereby obtaining a plurality of non-disregarded temperature readings; process the plurality of non-disregarded temperature readings to obtain one or several representative temperature values for each extended period; analyse the representative temperature values obtained over multiple extended overnight periods in order to identify a pattern in the representative temperature values indicative or predictive of ovulation; and provide, based on the analysis, an indication related to the fertility of the female human to a computer file server for later retrieval by a user; wherein the representative temperature values are not the maximum or minimum measured temperature readings obtained for the extended period; and wherein said extended overnight period is one hour or longer. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A method of providing an indication relating to the fertility of a female human comprising:
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taking a plurality of measured temperature readings from the female human during an extended period using an intra-vaginal temperature measuring device; using a processor to process the plurality of measured temperature readings to disregard measured temperature readings having one or more characteristics of irrelevant or faulty data and determine from the filtered plurality of measured temperature readings at least one representative temperature reading for the extended period; repeating the steps of taking readings and processing the readings for a plurality of extended periods to obtain at least one representative temperature reading for each extended period over several days; using a processor to analyse the representative temperature readings based on stored data of expected patterns of variations in temperature related to ovulation in the female human; and using a processor to output an indication relating to the fertility of the female human based on the analysis, and providing intervention if said indication indicates whether a significant event related to the fertility of the female human has occurred.
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24. A system for providing information relating to the fertility of a female human comprising:
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an intra-vaginal temperature measuring device for taking multiple body temperature readings from the female human during multiple overnight periods, the intra-vaginal temperature measuring device further comprising a rechargeable power supply; a base unit for receiving the intra-vaginal temperature measuring device, the base unit comprising a charger for charging the rechargeable power supply for the intra-vaginal temperature measuring device; and one or more processors for performing a method comprising; taking a plurality of measured temperature readings from the female human during an extended overnight period using an intra-vaginal temperature measuring device; processing the plurality of measured temperature readings to; disregard measured temperature readings having one or more characteristics of irrelevant or faulty data; and determine from a plurality of measured temperature readings at least one representative temperature reading for the extended overnight period; repeating the steps of taking readings and processing the readings for a plurality of extended overnight periods to obtain at least one representative temperature reading for each extended overnight period; analysing the representative temperature readings to identify one or more patterns indicative or predictive of ovulation in the female human; and outputting an indication relating to the fertility of the female human based on the analysis, and providing intervention if said indication indicates whether a significant event related to the fertility of the female human has occurred.
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Specification