Zero-heat-flux, deep tissue temperature measurement system
First Claim
1. A zero-heat-flux temperature measurement system for measuring deep tissue temperature using a probe with first and second flexible substrate layers sandwiching a layer of thermally insulating material and a tab with electrical connection pads, in which a heater and a first thermal sensor are disposed on the first substrate layer, a second thermal sensor and a programmable memory device are disposed on the second substrate layer, the system including:
- a controller with a signal connector jack and an emulator;
a probe signal interface cable with first and second ends;
a first connector attached to the first end of the probe signal interface cable for detachably connecting to the tab; and
,a second connector attached to the second end of the probe signal interface cable for being inserted into and removed from the signal connector jack in the controller;
in which the probe signal interface cable and the first and second connectors are a single integrated element separate from the probe.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A zero-heat-flux, deep tissue temperature measurement system measures internal body temperature by way of a probe having a heater and thermal sensors arranged in a zero-heat-flux construction. The measurement system includes control mechanization that determines heater and skin temperatures based upon data obtained from the probe and uses those temperatures to calculate a deep tissue temperature. The measurement system includes a signal interface cable having a connector where a probe can be releasably connected to the system. The cable and attached connector are a removable and replaceable part of the system, separate from the probe. The measurement system provides an output signal imitating a standard input signal configuration used by other equipment.
25 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A zero-heat-flux temperature measurement system for measuring deep tissue temperature using a probe with first and second flexible substrate layers sandwiching a layer of thermally insulating material and a tab with electrical connection pads, in which a heater and a first thermal sensor are disposed on the first substrate layer, a second thermal sensor and a programmable memory device are disposed on the second substrate layer, the system including:
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a controller with a signal connector jack and an emulator; a probe signal interface cable with first and second ends; a first connector attached to the first end of the probe signal interface cable for detachably connecting to the tab; and
,a second connector attached to the second end of the probe signal interface cable for being inserted into and removed from the signal connector jack in the controller; in which the probe signal interface cable and the first and second connectors are a single integrated element separate from the probe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A deep tissue temperature measurement system, including:
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a zero-heat-flux measurement probe with a heater, a first thermal sensor operative to sense a heater temperature, a second thermal sensor operative to sense a skin temperature, and a programmable memory device, and a connector interface; a processing unit with probe signal connector and emulator jacks; a probe signal interface cable with first and second ends; a first connector attached to the first end of the probe signal interface cable and connected to and removed from the probe connector interface; a second connector attached to the second end of the probe signal interface cable for being inserted into and removed from the probe signal connector jack; in which the probe signal interface cable and the first and second connectors are a single integrated element separate from the probe; and
,a thermistor emulator operative to provide an emulator output signal at the emulator output jack. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A zero-heat-flux, deep tissue temperature measurement controller-executed method of measuring deep tissue temperature using a zero-heat-flux temperature measurement probe with a heater and a first thermal sensor disposed on a first substrate layer, and a second thermal sensor and a programmable memory device disposed on a second substrate layer, by the zero-heat-flux deep tissue temperature measurement controller-executed steps of:
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setting an information switch to a first state; reading thermistor calibration information from the programmable memory device through the information switch in the first state; setting the information switch to a second state; and then controlling the probe by the following control loop; reading heater and skin temperature signals from the first and second thermal sensors, respectively, through the information switch in the second state; generating heater and skin temperature values by combining the heater and skin temperature signals with the thermistor calibration information; generating a pulse-width-modulated heater drive signal based on the heater and skin temperature values; applying the heater drive signal to the heater; displaying the skin temperature value as a deep tissue temperature; and
,turning the heater off if respective heater or temperature limits are exceeded, otherwise, executing the control loop again. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A combination for measuring deep tissue temperature, comprising:
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a zero-heat-flux probe with first and second flexible substrate layers sandwiching a layer of thermally insulating material, a heater and a first thermal sensor disposed on the first substrate layer, a second thermal sensor and a programmable memory device disposed on the second substrate layer, and a tab with electrical connection pads appended to the probe; a signal interface cable with first and second ends, a first connector attached to the first end and detachably connected to the tab, and a second connector attached to the second end for removable insertion into a signal connector jack; a zero-heat-flux controller in electrical communication with the signal connector jack and configured to exchange signals with the zero-heat-flux so as to read thermistor calibration information from the programmable memory device and heater and skin temperature signals from the first and second thermal sensors, respectively, in which the zero-heat-flux controller is further configured to; generate heater and skin temperature values by combining the heater and skin temperature signals with the thermistor calibration information; generate a pulse-width-modulated heater drive signal based on the heater and skin temperature values; apply the heater drive signal to the heater via the signal interface cable; display the skin temperature value as a deep tissue temperature value; and
,turn the heater off if respective heater or temperature limits are exceeded. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A controller-executed method of operating a zero-heat-flux temperature measurement probe with a heater and a first thermal sensor disposed on a first substrate layer, and a second thermal sensor and a programmable memory device disposed on a second substrate layer, by the controller-executed steps of:
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in response to connection of the zero-heat-flux temperature measurement probe to the controller; checking electrical integrity of the heater; reading a data value regarding prior use of the probe from the programmable memory device; if the data value is equal to a limit value, interrupting operation of the controller;
otherwise,changing the data value to account for a current use; writing the changed data value to the programmable memory device; and
,measuring deep tissue temperature with the zero-heat-flux temperature measurement probe. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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- 28. A thermistor emulation system comprising an output light-dependent resistor, a light source positioned to generate illumination that operates the light-dependent resistor, and a controller coupled to control the light source, the controller comprising emulation control logic operative to cause the light-dependent resistor to imitate a thermistor.
- 34. A method for emulating a thermistor by operating an illumination source to illuminate an output light-dependent resistor, and executing an emulation control logic operative to control the illumination source so as to cause the light-dependent resistor to imitate a thermistor.
Specification