Non-invasive infrared absorption spectrometer for measuring glucose or other constituents in a human or other body
First Claim
1. A method for noninvasive infrared absorption spectrometry comprising:
- (a) inducing a temperature gradient in a body such that the temperature is cooler on the surface than internally;
(b) measuring the intensity and wavelength of infrared energy emanating from within the body by multiple sequential measurements taken at predetermined times;
the body having a temperature gradient that is warmer inside the body than on a surface of the body;
(c) utilizing the detected infrared energy for analysis of at least one constituent of the body;
the utilizing step further including the steps of;
(c1) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be absorbed by the at least one constituent;
(c2) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be not absorbed by the at least one constituent; and
(c3) calculating the amount of the infrared energy absorbed by the at least one constituent based on the steps (c1) and (c2).
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Abstract
A noninvasive infrared spectrometer which includes an infrared detector system for measuring the intensity, wavelength, and time varying nature of infrared energy emanating from deep layers within a body. Before detection, the energy emanating from deep within the body passes through layers of that body in the presence of a natural or induced thermal gradient. The measured infrared energy is processed into an absorption spectra and then into a concentration of at least one constituent of the body which concentration may be strongly dependent on the depth into the body. In one embodiment the temperature gradient is induced by chilling the surface of the body to provide a clearer indication of the infrared absorption levels of the deeper constituents. Other embodiments describe the sequential or simultaneous heating and cooling of the heterogenous body to induce and capture the transient infrared absorption spectral information.
200 Citations
67 Claims
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1. A method for noninvasive infrared absorption spectrometry comprising:
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(a) inducing a temperature gradient in a body such that the temperature is cooler on the surface than internally; (b) measuring the intensity and wavelength of infrared energy emanating from within the body by multiple sequential measurements taken at predetermined times;
the body having a temperature gradient that is warmer inside the body than on a surface of the body;(c) utilizing the detected infrared energy for analysis of at least one constituent of the body;
the utilizing step further including the steps of;(c1) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be absorbed by the at least one constituent; (c2) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be not absorbed by the at least one constituent; and (c3) calculating the amount of the infrared energy absorbed by the at least one constituent based on the steps (c1) and (c2). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A noninvasive thermal gradient subsurface absorption spectrometer comprising:
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means for inducing a temperature gradient in a body such that the temperature is cooler on the surface than internally and such that the temperature gradient propagates to multiple predetermined depths of the body at predetermined times; means for measuring the intensity and wavelength of infrared energy emanating from within the body by multiple sequential measurements taken at predetermined times;
the body having a temperature gradient that is warmer inside the body than on a surface of the body;means for utilizing the detected infrared energy for analysis of at least one constituent of the body;
the utilizing means further including;first means for quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be absorbed by the at least one constituent;
second means for quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be not absorbed by the at least one constituent; andmeans for calculating the amount of energy absorbed by the at least one constituent based on the first and second quantifying means, the calculating means determining the concentration of the at least one constituent at different depths within the body at multiple sequential predetermined time. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A noninvasive thermal gradient subsurface absorption spectrometer comprising:
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a cooling means for controllably reducing a surface temperature of a body to cause the thermal gradient to have magnitude, propagation velocity, and contour profile that maximizes spectral content of an infrared energy passing through and absorbed by subsurface layers of the body that contain concentrations of at least one constituent of interest; means for measuring the intensity and wavelength of infrared energy emanating from with the body by multiple sequential measurements taken at predetermined times;
the body having a temperature gradient that is warmer inside the body than on a surface of the body;means for utilizing the measured infrared energy for analysis of at least one constituent of the body;
the utilizing means further including;first means for quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be absorbed by the at least one constituent; second means for quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be not absorbed by the at least one constituent; and means for calculating the amount of the infrared energy absorbed by the at least one constituent based on the first and second quantifying means, the calculating means being performed at multiple sequential predetermined times to calculate the concentration of the at least one constituent at different depths within the body. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A noninvasive thermal gradient subsurface absorption spectrometer comprising:
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cooling means for controllably reducing a surface temperature of a body after the body temperature has been artificially raised to create a gradient whose magnitude, propagation velocity and contour profile maximize the spectral content of a infrared absorption spectra of a plurality of layers of the body containing the concentrations of the constituent of interest; means for measuring the intensity and wavelength of infrared energy emanating from within the body by multiple sequential measurements taken at predetermined times;
the body having a temperature gradient that is warmer inside the body than on a surface of the body;means for utilizing the detected infrared energy for analysis of at least one constituent of the body;
the utilizing means further including;first means for quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be absorbed by the at least one constituent; second means for quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be not absorbed by the at least one constituent; and means for calculating the amount of the infrared energy absorbed by the at least one constituent based on the first and second quantifying means, the calculating means being performed at multiple sequential predetermined times to calculate the concentration of the at least one constituent at different depths within the body. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for noninvasive subsurface infrared spectrometry comprising:
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means for alternately heating and cooling a surface of a heterogeneous body to establish a thermal gradient whose magnitude, propagation velocity and depth profile maximize a spectral content of infrared energy from a plurality of layers within the heterogeneous body;
optical means to collect a maximum amount of the energy coaxially with the alternately heating and cooling means;wavelength selection means for receiving the energy from the optical means that is synchronized with the spectral content of infrared energy detected from deep layers of the plurality of layers as the thermal gradient propagates through the body; a detector system for converting the spectral content of the infrared energy into electrical signals; a signal processor means for converting the electrical signals into measures of concentration of a constituent of interest within the deep layers;
the signal processor means including means for utilizing the detected infrared energy for analysis of at least one constituent of the body;
the utilizing means further including;first means for quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be absorbed by the at least one constituent; second means for quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be not absorbed by the at least one constituent; and means for calculating the amount of infrared energy absorbed by the at least one constituent based on the first and second quantifying means, the calculating means being performed at multiple sequential predetermined times to calculate the concentration of the at least one constituent at different depths within the body. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A noninvasive thermal gradient subsurface spectrometer comprising:
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means for inducing a temperature gradient in a body such that a temperature is cooler on a surface of the body than internally and such that the temperature gradient propagates to multiple predetermined depths of the body at predetermined times; means for measuring the intensity and wavelength of infrared energy emanating from with the body;
the body having a temperature gradient that is warmer inside the body than on a surface of the body by multiple sequential measurements taken at predetermined times;means for utilizing the measured infrared energy for analysis of at least one constituent of the body;
the utilizing means further including;first means for quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be absorbed by the at least one constituent; second means for quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be not absorbed by the at least one constituent; and means for calculating the amount of the infrared energy absorbed by the at least one constituent based on the first and second quantifying means, the calculating means being performed at multiple sequential predetermined times to calculate the concentration of the at least one constituent at different depths within the body. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An apparatus for noninvasive subsurface infrared absorption spectrometry comprising:
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means for alternately heating and cooling a heterogeneous body to establish a thermal gradient whose magnitude and contour profile maximize a spectral content of infrared absorption of deep layers of the heterogeneous body; an optical means to collect a maximum amount of the spectral content of the infrared absorption coaxially with the alternately heating and cooling means;
means for measuring the intensity and wavelength of infrared energy emanating from within the body;
the body having a temperature gradient that is warmer inside the body than on a surface of the body by multiple sequential measurements taken at predetermined times;a wavelength selection means for receiving an infrared absorption spectral content of the optical means that is synchronized with the spectral content of the infrared absorption provided from the deep layers as the thermal gradient stabilizes through the layers; means for converting the synchronized spectral content of infrared absorption into electrical signals; and means for utilizing the converted infrared energy for analysis of at least one constituent of the body;
the utilizing means further including;first means for quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be absorbed by the at least one constituent; second means for quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be not absorbed by the at least one constituent; and means for calculating the amount of the infrared energy absorbed by the at least one constituent based on the first and second quantifying means, the calculating means calculating the concentration of the at least one constituent at different depths within the body at multiple sequential predetermined times. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for noninvasive thermal gradient subsurface absorption spectrometry comprising the steps of:
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(a) inducing a temperature gradient in a body such that a temperature is cooler on the surface than internally and such that the temperature gradient propagates to multiple predetermined depths of the body at predetermined times; (b) measuring the intensity and wavelength of infrared energy emanating from within a body by multiple sequential measurements taken at predetermined times;
the body having a temperature gradient that is warmer inside the body than on a surface of the body;(c) utilizing the measured infrared energy for analysis of at least one constituent of the body;
the utilizing step further including;(c1) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be absorbed by the at least one constituent; (c2) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be not absorbed by the at least one constituent; and (c3) calculating the amount of the infrared energy absorbed by the at least one constituent based on the steps (c1) and (c2), the calculating step being performed at multiple sequential predetermined times to calculate the concentration of the at least one constituent at different depths within the body. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for noninvasive thermal gradient absorption subsurface spectrometry comprising the steps of:
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(a) controllably reducing a surface temperature of a body to cause the thermal gradient to have magnitude, propagation velocity, and contour profile that maximizes spectral content of an infrared energy passing through and absorbed by subsurface layers of the body that contain concentrations of at least one constituent of interest; (b) measuring the intensity and wavelength of infrared energy emanating from within the body by multiple sequential measurements taken at predetermined times;
the body having a temperature gradient that is warmer inside the body than on a surface of the body;(c) utilizing the measured infrared energy for analysis of at least one constituent of the body;
the utilizing step further including;(c1) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be absorbed by the at least one constituent; (c2) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be not absorbed by the at least one constituent; and (c3) calculating the amount of the infrared energy absorbed by the at least one constituent based on steps (c1) and (c2), the calculating step being performed at multiple sequential predetermined times to calculate the concentration of the at least one constituent at different depths within the body. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method for noninvasive thermal gradient subsurface absorption spectrometry comprising the steps of:
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(a) reducing a surface temperature of a body after the body temperature has been artificially raised to create a gradient whose magnitude, propagation velocity and contour profile maximize a spectral content of the infrared absorption spectra of a plurality of layers of the body containing concentrations of the constituent of interest; (b) measuring the intensity and wavelength of infrared energy emanating from within the body by multiple sequential measurements taken at predetermined times;
the body having a temperature gradient that is warmer inside the body than on a surface of the body; and(c) utilizing the measured infrared energy for analysis of at least one constituent of the body;
the utilizing step further including;(c1) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be absorbed by the at least tone constituent; (c2) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be not absorbed by the at least one constituent; and (c3) calculating the amount of the infrared energy absorbed by the at least one constituent based on steps (c1) and (c2), the calculating step being performed at multiple sequential predetermined times to calculate the concentration of the at least one constituent at different depths within the body. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method for noninvasive subsurface infrared absorption spectrometry comprising the steps of:
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(a) sequentially heating and cooling a surface of a heterogeneous body to establish a thermal gradient whose magnitude, propagation velocity and depth profile maximize the spectral content of infrared energy from layers within the heterogeneous body, the body including a plurality of layers; (b) collecting a maximum amount of the energy of the spectral content coaxially with the sequentially heating and cooling step; (c) receiving the energy that is synchronized with the spectral content of the infrared energy detected from deep layers of the plurality of layers as the thermal gradient propagates through the layers; (d) converting the spectral content infrared energy into electrical signals; (e) converting the electrical signals into measures of concentration of the constituent of interest within the deep layers by quantifying the infrared energy absorbed in a cooler layer, the converting step further including; (e1) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be absorbed by the at least one constituent; (e2) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be not absorbed by the at least one constituent; and (e3) calculating the amount of the infrared energy absorbed by the at least one constituent based on step (e1) and (e2), the calculating step being performed at multiple sequential predetermined times to calculate the concentration of the at least one constituent at different depths within the body. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method for noninvasive thermal gradient subsurface absorption spectrometry comprising the steps of:
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(a) inducing a temperature gradient in a body such that the temperature is cooler on a surface of the body than internally and such that the temperature gradient propagates to multiple predetermined depths of the body at predetermined times; and (b) measuring the intensity and wavelength of infrared energy emanating from within the body by multiple sequential measurements taken at predetermined times;
the body having a temperature gradient that is warmer inside the body than on a surface of the body;(c) utilizing the detected infrared energy for analysis of at least one constituent of the body;
the utilizing step further including;(c1) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be absorbed by the at least one constituent; (c2) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be not absorbed by the at least one constituent; and (c3) calculating the amount of the infrared energy absorbed by the at least one constituent based on steps (c1) and (c2), the calculating step being performed at multiple sequential predetermined times to calculate the concentration of the at least one constituent at different depths within the body. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A method for noninvasive subsurface infrared absorption spectrometry comprising the steps of:
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(a) alternately heating and cooling a heterogeneous body to establish a thermal gradient whose magnitude and contour profile maximize the spectral content of infrared absorption of deep layers of the heterogeneous body; (b) collecting a maximum amount of the spectral content of the infrared absorption coaxially with the alternately heating and cooling step; (c) measuring the intensity and wavelength of infrared energy emanating from within the heterogeneous body by multiple sequential measurements taken at predetermined times;
the heterogeneous body having a temperature gradient that is warmer inside the body than on a surface of the body;(d) receiving the infrared absorption spectral content of the collecting step that is synchronized with the spectral content of the infrared absorption provided from the deep layers as the thermal gradient stabilizes through the layers; (e) converting the synchronized spectral content of infrared absorption into electrical signals;
the converting step further including;(e1) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be absorbed by at least one constituent of the body; (e2) quantifying the infrared energy in a band known to be not absorbed by the at least one constituent; and (e3) calculating the amount of the infrared energy absorbed by the at least one constituent based on steps (e1) and (e2), the calculating step being performed at multiple sequential predetermined times to calculate the concentration of the at least one constituent at different depths within the body. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. A noninvasive infrared spectrometer comprising:
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detector means for measuring the intensity and wavelength of infrared energy emanating from within a body;
the body having a temperature gradient that is warmer inside the body than on a surface of the body;means for inducing a temperature gradient in a body such that the temperature is cooler on the surface than internally;
the inducing means comprising a chilling system;
the chilling system further comprising;a chilling mechanism; an optical path defrosting means; and a reciprocating mechanism coupled to the chilling mechanism, the reciprocating mechanism for causing the chilling mechanism to come into contact with the body to induce the temperature gradient therein.
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67. A noninvasive infrared spectrometer comprising:
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detector means for measuring the intensity and wavelength of infrared energy emanating from within a body;
wherein the body comprises a solid or a liquid, the body having a temperature gradient that is warmer inside the body than on a surface of the body;means for inducing a temperature gradient in a body such that the temperature is cooler on the surface than internally;
the inducing means comprising a chilling system;
the chilling system further comprising;a chilling mechanism; and a reciprocating mechanism coupled to the chilling mechanism, the reciprocating mechanism for causing the chilling mechanism to come into contact with the body to induce the temperature gradient therein.
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Specification