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

• US 9,642,533 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2014
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ubiquity Biomedical Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ubiquity Biomedical Corporation
• Inventors: Lai, Horng Ji
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foreman, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US14/192,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20150119748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 600549, 35115903
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/028 Microscale sensors, e.g. electromechanical sensors [MEMS]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00

Abstract

A system is used to measure, record and analyze ocular surface temperature. The system comprises a contact lens and a receiving analyzer. The contact lens 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, comprising:

a contact lens, 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 determines whether an eye has any pathological changes according to a single value of the ocular surface temperature, a difference between two values of the ocular surface temperature at two time points, or an average or a variation of plural values of the ocular surface temperature at plural points; and

the analyzing unit determines that the eye has no myopia or pseudo-myopia when a difference between two values of the ocular surface temperature respectively at daytime and nighttime is below a lower threshold value, 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.

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

5. The system for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 4, wherein one of the two values of ocular surface temperature 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.

6. The system for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 5, wherein the analyzing unit determines that the eye may have dry-eye when the difference between the 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 two values is above 0.4°

C.

7. 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.

8. A receiving analyzer for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature, comprising:

a signal receiving unit receiving a wireless signal, wherein the wireless signal carries 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 determines whether an eye has any pathological changes according to a single value of the ocular surface temperature, a difference between two values of the ocular surface temperature at two time points, or an average or a variation of plural values of the ocular surface temperature at plural points; and

the analyzing unit determines that the eye has no myopia or pseudo-myopia when a difference between two values of the ocular surface temperature respectively at daytime and nighttime is below a lower threshold value.

9. The receiving analyzer for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 8, 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 two values of the ocular surface temperature respectively measured at two time points is below a lower threshold value.

10. The receiving analyzer for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 9, wherein one of the two values of ocular surface temperature 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.

11. The receiving analyzer for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 10, wherein the analyzing unit determines that the eye may have dry-eye when the difference between the 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 two values is above 0.4°

C.

12. The receiving analyzer for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 8, 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.

13. A method for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature, 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;

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

determining whether an eye has any pathological changes according to a single value of the ocular surface temperature, a difference between two values of the ocular surface temperature at two time points, or an average or a variation of plural values of the ocular surface temperature at plural points; and

determining that the eye has no myopia or pseudo-myopia when a difference between two values of the ocular surface temperature respectively at daytime and nighttime is below a lower threshold value.

14. The method for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 13, wherein the wireless signals conforming to a communication protocol.

15. The method for measuring and analyzing ocular temperature according to claim 13, wherein it is determined that the eye has pathological changes or no pathological changes when the difference is below a lower threshold value, it is determined that the eye may have pathological changes when the difference is between the lower threshold value and a higher threshold value, or it is determined that the eye has pathological changes or no pathological changes when the difference is above the higher threshold value.