Testing of body fluid constituents through measuring light reflected from tympanic membrane
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining a level of a constituent in a body fluid, said apparatus comprisinglight generating means for generating a testing light of known intensity with said testing light including at least one wavelength absorbable by said constituent and directing said testing light toward said fluid;
- light detecting means for measuring an intensity of said testing light reflected from said fluid;
light path measurement means for measuring an actual distance of a light path from said light generating means to said light detecting means via said fluid;
circuit means for calculating a level of said constituent in said fluid in response to a reduction in intensity of said testing light between said light generating means and said light detecting means and in response to said actual distance measured by said light path measurement means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method are disclosed for determining a level of a constituent such as glucose in a body fluid such as blood. The apparatus and method utilize a light generator for generating a testing light of known intensity with the testing light including a wavelength absorbable by the constituent being measured. The light generator also generates a reference light of known intensity having a wavelength not absorbable by the constituent being measured. The testing light and reference light are directed toward a fluid containing an unknown concentration of a constituent. A light detector is provided for measuring the intensity of the testing light and reference light being spectrally modified by the fluid. A light path distance measurer is provided for measuring a distance of a light path traveled by the testing light and reference light. A circuit is provided for calculating a level of the constituent in the fluid in response to a reduction in intensity of the testing light and reference light and in response to the measured distance.
188 Citations
69 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining a level of a constituent in a body fluid, said apparatus comprising
light generating means for generating a testing light of known intensity with said testing light including at least one wavelength absorbable by said constituent and directing said testing light toward said fluid; -
light detecting means for measuring an intensity of said testing light reflected from said fluid; light path measurement means for measuring an actual distance of a light path from said light generating means to said light detecting means via said fluid; circuit means for calculating a level of said constituent in said fluid in response to a reduction in intensity of said testing light between said light generating means and said light detecting means and in response to said actual distance measured by said light path measurement means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus of determining a level of a blood constituent through non-invasive testing, said apparatus comprising:
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light generating means for generating testing light of known intensity and including a wavelength absorbable by said constituent; light detecting means for measuring an intensity of light; housing means having a distal end for carrying said light generating means and said light detecting means with said distal end sized to be received within an auditory canal of an ear with said light generating means and said light detecting means opposing a tympanic membrane; light path measurement means for measuring an actual distance of a light path from said light generating means to said light detecting means via said tympanic membrane; circuit means for calculating a level of said constituent in blood within blood vessels of said tympanic membrane in response to a reduction of intensity of said testing light between said light generating means and said light detecting means and in response to said measured actual distance. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of non-invasive testing of a blood constituent utilizing light generating means for generating a testing light of known intensity and including a wavelength absorbable by said constituent, light detecting means for measuring an amount of light reflected from a tissue containing blood, light path measurement means for measuring a distance of a light path from said light generating means to said light detecting means via said tissue and circuit means for calculating a level of said constituent in said tissue in response to a reduction in intensity of said testing light said light generating means and said light detecting means and in response to said measured distance, said method including the steps of:
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locating said light generating means in a location for light from said light generating means to be directed to a tympanic membrane and reflected back toward said light detecting means; directing said testing light to said tympanic membrane; measuring an intensity of said testing light reflected by said tympanic membrane; measuring an actual distance of said light path from said light generating means to said light detecting means via said tympanic membrane; and calculating a level of said constituent by comparing said measured and known intensities and allowing for an effect of said measured actual distance. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. An apparatus for determining a level of a constituent in a body fluid, said apparatus comprising:
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light generating means for generating a source light including at least one wavelength absorbable by the constituent; directing means for directing said source light to a tympanic membrane; light detection means for detecting light reflected from said tympanic membrane and producing an output signal indicative of an amount of absorption of said light by said tympanic membrane; and processing means for receiving said output signal and calculating an amount of said constituent in a body fluid within said tympanic membrane. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A method for determining a level of a constituent in a body fluid, said method comprising:
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generating a source light including at least one wavelength absorbable by the constituent; directing said source light to a tympanic membrane; detecting light reflected from said tympanic membrane and producing a signal indicative of an amount of absorption of said light by said tympanic membrane; and receiving said signal and calculating an amount of said constituent in a body fluid within said tympanic membrane in response to said received signal. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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Specification