Temperature measurement system

• US 9,474,450 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Mullin, Matthew D., Lane, John A., Quinn, David E., Anson, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sakamoto, Colin T
• Application Number:
  US14/186,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20140171805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/067 using accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0011 Ear thermometers G01J5/021 and G01J5/049 take precedence
• 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 5/0265 Handheld, portable ear thermometers G01J5/049
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0275 Control or determination of height or distance or angle information for sensors or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/12 using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/48 Thermography; Techniques using wholly visual means
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/223 Infrared clinical thermometers, e.g. tympanic
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A method of determining a temperature of a patient includes measuring a first temperature of the patient with a temperature device, and measuring a second temperature of the patient. The method also includes determining a temperature value indicative of a core temperature of the patient based on at least one of the first and second temperatures.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a temperature

measurement device, comprising:

providing a first sensing element configured to determine a temperature of a first anatomical structure of a patient without contacting the first anatomical structure;

providing a second sensing element configured to determine a temperature of a second anatomical structure of the patient without contacting the second anatomical structure, wherein the second anatomical structure is different from the first anatomical structure;

associating a controller with at least one of;

the first sensing element and the second sensing element;

connecting an imaging device to the controller; and

programming the controller to;

capture, using the imaging device, a non-thermal image of the patient including the first and second anatomical structures,

identify, using the non-thermal image, a location of the first anatomical structure and a location of the second anatomical structure;

measure a temperature of the first anatomical structure by focusing a field of view of the first sensing element on the location of the first anatomical structure;

measure a temperature of the second anatomical structure by focusing a field of view of the second sensing element on the location of the second anatomical structure, and

determine a temperature of the patient based on the temperatures of at least one of the first and second anatomical structures.

2. The method of claim 1, further including connecting a display to the controller, the display being configured to display the non-thermal image of the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first and second anatomical structures comprises a sinus region of the patient.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second sensing elements comprises a sensing element in an array of sensing elements.

5. The method of claim 1, further including configuring the controller to render the non-thermal image on a display simultaneously with a visual illustration of an alignment parameter, the visual illustration indicating whether the device is located within a predetermined position range, relative to the patient, associated with a third sensor of the device.

6. The method of claim 1, further including configuring the controller to maintain the first sensing element inactive until the first anatomical structure is brought within the field of view of the first sensing element, and activating the first sensing element in response to the first anatomical structure being within the field of view of the first sensing element.

7. The method of claim 1, further including configuring the controller to determine one of an approximate age of the patient and a gender of the patient, and automatically selecting, with the controller, a control configuration of the device based on the one of the approximate age and the gender.

8. The method of claim 1, further including configuring the controller to output a signal indicating whether the device is disposed within a predetermined position range extending from the device to the patient, wherein the signal comprises at least one of a visual signal and an audible signal.

9. A temperature measurement device, comprising:

a first sensing element configured to determine a temperature of a first location on a measurement site of a patient without contacting the first location;

a second sensing element configured to determine a temperature of a second location on the measurement site of the patient different from the first location without contacting the second location;

an imaging device; and

a controller in communication with the imaging device, the first sensing element, and the second sensing element, the controller being configured to;

identify the first location using a digital photo of the patient captured by the imaging device;

identify the second location using the digital photo;

measure a temperature of the first location by focusing a field of view of the first sensing element on the first location;

measure a temperature of the second location by focusing a field of view of the second sensing element on the second location; and

determine a temperature of the patient based on the temperatures of at least one of the first and second locations.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the imaging device is configured to direct signals to the controller;

the device further including

a display in communication with the controller, the display being configured to display a visual image of the measurement site based on the signals.

11. The device of claim 9, further comprising a sensor configured to determine an alignment parameter indicative of a position of the device relative to the patient, and a signal device configured to indicate whether the alignment parameter is within a predetermined parameter range at least partly in response to a determination of the alignment parameter made by the sensor.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second sensing elements comprises a sensing element in an array of sensing elements, and wherein the first and second locations comprise locations at a nose region on a face of the patient.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the device comprises a handpiece including a display, the controller including an image processor configured to assist in forming a visual image of the patient on the display.

14. A method of determining a temperature of a patient, comprising:

capturing a digital photo of the patient with an imaging device;

identifying, with a temperature device, a first location on an outer surface of the patient using the digital photo;

identifying, with the temperature device, a second location on the outer surface using the digital photo;

measuring a first temperature of the patient with the temperature device, without contacting the patient with the device, by focusing a field of view of a first sensing element of the temperature device on the first location;

measuring a second temperature of the patient with the temperature device, without contacting the patient with the device, by focusing a field of view of a second sensing element of the temperature device on the second location;

determining an orientation of the device relative to the patient while measuring at least one of the first temperature and the second temperature; and

determining a third temperature based on the orientation of the device, and at least one of the first temperature and the second temperature.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second locations comprise locations at an eye region of a face of the patient.

16. The method of claim 14, further including assigning a weight factor to at least one of the first temperature, the second temperature and the orientation of the device, and determining the temperature value based on the weight factor.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the orientation of the device comprises at least one of a distance between the device and the patient, and an angle formed between the device and a plane substantially defined by the outer surface.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the first sensing element comprises an element of a sensor array of the device.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the first sensing element comprises an infrared sensing element, and the first location on the outer surface comprises a sinus region of the patient illustrated in the image, the image being generated using an imaging device of the temperature device.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the third temperature comprises a core temperature of the patient.

21. A temperature measurement device, comprising:

a first sensing element configured to determine a temperature of a first location on a measurement site of a patient without contacting the first location;

a second sensing element configured to determine a temperature of a second location on the measurement site of the patient different from the first location without contacting the second location;

an imaging device configured to capture a visual image of the measurement site; and

a controller in communication with the first sensing element, the second sensing element, and the imaging device, the controller being configured to;

identify the first location using the visual image;

identify the second location using the visual image;

measure a temperature of the first location by focusing a field of view of the first sensing element on the first location;

measure a temperature of the second location by focusing a field of view of the second sensing element on the second location; and

determine a temperature of the patient based on the temperatures of at least one of the first and second locations.