System for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature, receiving analyzer and methods for using the same

• US 9,526,411 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2014
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ubiquity Biomedical Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ubiquity Biomedical Corporation
• Inventors: Lai, Horng Ji
• Primary Examiner(s): Stout, Michael C
• Application Number:
  US14/517,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20150119750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 600/549
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0025 characterised by electronic signal processing, e.g. eye models
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/10 Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• 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 5/6821 Eye

Abstract

A system is used to measure, record and analyze ocular surface temperature. The system comprises an ocular temperature measurement apparatus and a receiving analyzer. The ocular temperature measurement apparatus includes a temperature sensing device and a signal transmitting device. The temperature sensing device obtains data by measuring ocular surface temperature, and the signal transmitting device transmits the data through wireless signals. The receiving analyzer includes a signal receiving unit and an analyzing unit. The signal receiving unit receives the wireless signals, and based on the wireless signals, the analyzing unit analyzes and determines whether the ocular surface temperature is normal.

Claims

1. A system for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature of an eye, comprising:

an ocular temperature measurement apparatus for placement on an ocular surface, including;

a temperature sensing device generating an electrical signal according to an ocular surface temperature; and

a signal transmitting device converting the electrical signal into a wireless signal; and

a receiving analyzer, including;

a signal receiving unit receiving the wireless signal; and

an analyzing unit analyzing and determining whether the ocular surface temperature is normal according to the wireless signal, wherein the analyzing unit calculates a difference between two values of the ocular surface temperature respectively at daytime and nighttime and, when the difference is below a lower threshold value, an indication is provided to a user indicating that the eye has no myopia or pseudo-myopia.

2. The system for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 1, wherein the ocular temperature measurement apparatus further comprises an antenna transmitting wireless signals outwards, wherein the antenna generates electrical power through inductive coupling with external electromagnetic waves for powering the temperature sensing device and the signal transmitting device.

3. The system for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 2, further comprising an external antenna directing the wireless signal.

4. The system for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 1, wherein the analyzing unit determines that the eye may have myopia or pseudo-myopia when the difference is between the lower threshold value and a higher threshold value, or the analyzing unit determines that the eye has myopia or pseudo-myopia when the difference is above the higher threshold value.

5. The system for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 1, wherein the analyzing unit determines that the eye has dry-eye when a difference between another two values of the ocular surface temperature respectively measured at two time points is below a lower threshold value.

6. The system for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 5, wherein one of the another two values is immediately measured when the eye is just open after blinking and the other is measured within the sixth second to the tenth second when the eye still keeps open.

7. The system for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 6, wherein the analyzing unit determines that the eye may have dry-eye when the difference between the another two values is between 0.2 to 0.4°

C., or the analyzing unit determines that the eye may not have dry-eye when the difference between the another two values is above 0.4°

C.

8. The system for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 1, wherein the receiving analyzer includes:

a mobile interrogation unit powering the signal transmitting device and the temperature sensing device and receiving the wireless signal for generating an RF signal; and

a data receiving unit receiving the RF signal for converting the RF signal into data including the ocular surface temperature.

9. A receiving analyzer for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature of an eye, comprising:

a signal receiving unit receiving a wireless signal, wherein the wireless signal carries the data of ocular surface temperature; and

an analyzing unit analyzing and determining whether the ocular surface temperature is normal according to the wireless signal;

wherein the analyzing unit calculates a difference between two values of the ocular surface temperature respectively at daytime and nighttime and, when the difference is below a lower threshold value, an indication is provided to a user indicating that the eye has no myopia or pseudo-myopia.

10. The receiving analyzer for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 9, wherein the analyzing unit determines that the eye may have myopia or pseudo-myopia when the difference is between the lower threshold value and a higher threshold value, the analyzing unit determines that the eye has myopia or pseudo-myopia when the difference is above the higher threshold value, or the analyzing unit determines that the eye has dry-eye when a difference between another two values of the ocular surface temperature respectively measured at two time points is below a lower threshold value.

11. The receiving analyzer for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 10, wherein one of the another two values is immediately measured when the eye is just open after blinking and the other is measured within the sixth second to the tenth second when the eye still keeps open.

12. The receiving analyzer for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 11, wherein the analyzing unit determines that the eye may have dry-eye when the difference between the another two values is between 0.2 to 0.4°

C., or the analyzing unit determines that the eye may not have dry-eye when the difference between the another two values is above 0.4°

C.

13. The receiving analyzer for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 9, wherein the receiving analyzer includes:

a mobile interrogation unit powering a signal transmitting device and a temperature sensing device and receiving the wireless signal for generating an RF signal; and

a data receiving unit receiving the RF signal for converting the RF signal into data including the ocular surface temperature.

14. A method for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature of an eye, comprising the steps of:

measuring an ocular surface temperature by using a contact lens with a temperature measurement function;

transmitting data of the ocular surface temperature through a wireless signal;

receiving the wireless signal into an analyzing unit;

analyzing and determining, by the analyzing unit, whether the ocular surface temperature is normal according to the wireless signal; and

calculating a difference between two values of the ocular surface temperature respectively at daytime and nighttime and, when the difference is below a lower threshold value, an indication is provided to a user indicating that the eye has no myopia or pseudo-myopia.

15. The method for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 14, wherein the wireless signals conform to a communication protocol.

16. The method for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 14, wherein the analyzing unit determines that the eye may have myopia or pseudo-myopia when the difference is between the lower threshold value and a higher threshold value, the analyzing unit determines that the eye has myopia or pseudo-myopia when the difference is above the higher threshold value, or the analyzing unit determines that the eye has dry-eye when a difference between another two values of the ocular surface temperature respectively measured at two time points is below a lower threshold value.