Apparatus and method of determining fertility status

• US 4,465,077 A
• Filed: 11/12/1981
• Issued: 08/14/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Howard Schneider
• Original Assignee: Howard Schneider
• Inventors: Schneider, Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US06/320,227
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 128/736, 128/738, 364/413, 364/415, 364/417
• US Class Current: 600/551
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0012 Ovulation-period determination for animals A61D17/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0019 based on measurement of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/24 in a specially-adapted circuit, e.g. bridge circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/924 Medical

Abstract

A fertility computer is disclosed having the ability to store information about a users past menstrual cycle history, basal body temperature, gynecological disorders, which along with certain prediction indicators is used to statistically predict when ovulation will occur. The prediction indicators are based on information concerning the current status of certain body indicators such as mucus change, spotting in the middle of a cycle or a sore throat. This information is processed in accordance with a predetermined program which ascribes certain values to the above parameters to predict the present fertility status of the user.

Claims

1. A fertility computer comprising:

(a) storage means for storing data indicating;

(i) the day of the week, DW;

(ii) the day of a menstrual cycle, DC;

(iii) a user'"'"'s average cycle length, CL;

(iv) the day of a menstrual cycle in which mucus change occurred, DM;

(v) the relative value of the change in (iv);

(vi) a plurality of the most recent Basal Body Temperature (BBT) readings of the user T(1)-T(N);

(vii) the number of menstrual cycles in which the computer has been used by the user, CN; and

(viii) a plurality of discrepancy indicators F1-F(n);

(b) data processing means for utilizing the above data to provide an indication to the user of current fertility status;

(c) switch means operable by a user for inputting data with respect to a user'"'"'s menstrual cycle parameters, basal body temperature, and physical disturbances into said data processing means;

(d) a temperature sensor for producing an analog temperature signal indicative of the user'"'"'s basal body temperature;

(e) converter means for converting said analog signal to a digital signal; and

(f) display means for displaying to the user whether of not the temperature sensor is in a functional position and when it is permissible to remove the sensor from the functional position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fertility status is computed by ascribing different values to such data depending upon:

(a) the liklihood of a discrepancy, or

(b) the user'"'"'s average cycle length, or

(c) the relative value of the mucus change.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the discrepancy indicators are one or more of the following:

(a) a cycle of more than 40 days or less than 20 days;

(b) spotting within a cycle.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein a factor in the computation is whether or not a BBT rise or drop has been completed.

5. A self-contained system for measuring and analyzing data which is indicative of a user'"'"'s fertility and pregnancy status, comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) an electrical power source inside said housing;

(c) switches mounted on said housing including a first switch to be pressed when the user senses blood per vagina indicative of a new period, a second switch to be pressed when a dry to wet change in the cervical mucus is sensed by the user, a third switch to be pressed when a disturbance in physical condition such as feeling ill is sensed by the user, and a fourth switch to be pressed when the user makes a mistake pressing one of the above switches and wishes to correct this mistake;

(d) a temperature sensor coupled to the housing comprising a thermistor which need not measure temperature accurately but only in a repeatable fashion;

(e) display means indicating

(i) correct operation of the system and

(ii) suitable power or

(iii) problems with either,

(iv) that the temperature sensor is still to be kept in a functional position within the mouth,

(v) the probability that the user is in the fertile phase of her menstrual cycle, and

(vi) the probability that the user is pregnant;

(f) a permanent memory consisting of a low power random-access-memory (RAM) device to which electric power is constantly applied and which is used to store among other data the current day of the menstrual cycle, lengths of a certain number of previous menstrual cycles if they exist, and values related in a predictable fashion to a number of previous or current temperature readings;

(g) a microprocessor coupled to an oscillator circuit, a read-only-memory (ROM), and said random-access-menmory (RAM) and input-output signal conditioners where said microprocessor interacts with the various elements it is attached to in accordance with a controlling algorithm preprogrammed in the ROM;

(h) self-test circuitry and logic means to determine whether circuit elements, including the electric power source and random-access-memory, are functional and convey this information to the user via said display means; and

,

(i) temperature measurement and logic means to convert measured temperature of the temperature sensor to a digital signal related to the observed temperature and indicate to the user to keep the temperature probe in a functional position and to provide a signal to said display means until a certain period of time and/or certain thermal equilibrium is achieved.

6. The system of claim 5 including logic means for giving lesser or zero value to the digital signal representative of observed temperature if said third switch is pressed.

7. The system of claim 5 including logic means to disregard input from the first switch at the initial portion of the menstrual cycle.

8. The system of claim 5 including logic means to indicate that a new period is starting if the first switch has been pressed on at least two consecutive days.

9. The system of claim 5 including logic means to avoid obtaining and/or storing temperature measurements during the initial part of the menstrual cycle.

10. The system of claim 5 including:

logic means to allow computation from the stored cyclic information of a differential value which indicates the beginning of the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle and where said differential value is made smaller by previous menstrual cycles of short duration and by determination that the stored information is indicative of a relatively new unit and where said differential value is not used to determine the start of the fertile phase if the second switch is pressed during an appropriate time of the menstrual cycle but at a day of the current cycle smaller than the said differential value.

11. The system of claim 5 including logic means to disregard input from the second switch at the initial portion of the menstrual cycle.

12. The system of claim 5 including logic means to interpret stored temperature measurements to determine fertility status and ovulation wherein a user'"'"'s temperature measurements taken on days of cycle smaller than the differential value are used to construct a representative baseline temperature and at days of a cycle equal to or greater than the differential value, a day'"'"'s temperature measurement is interpreted as elevated if it exceeds the representative baseline temperature by a preset threshold value which value is in turn determined by a sensitivity value, and wherein a certain number of days after ovulation determination has been completed the day'"'"'s temperature measurement is interpreted as depressed if the temperature measurement is exceeded by a representative baseline temperature value constructed from temperature measurements immediately following ovulation by a preset threshold value which is in turn determined by said sensitivity value, and wherein ovulation is determined to have occurred if three recent temperature measurements are interpreted to have been elevated where said elevated temperature measurements occur consecutively or within a duration of four or five days and wherein a certain number of measurements are associated with no disturbances and a certain number are associated with disturbances and a minority are not interpreted as elevated, and wherein the indication of no fertility or infertility is given to the user after ovulation determination is complete, where an indication of pregnancy is given to the user if the day of cycle is greater than the expected menstrual cycle length and several recent temperature values are not interpreted as depressed in a consecutive fashion.

13. An electronic apparatus for measuring and analyzing data which is indicative of a user'"'"'s fertility and pregnancy status according to claim 5 further comprising means for determining and indicating the start of the next menstrual cycle.

14. An electronic apparatus for measuring and analyzing data which is indicative of a user'"'"'s fertility and pregnancy status according to claim 5 further comprising logic means to indicate low and maximum probability of fertility and/or pregnancy.