Electronic ear thermometer with multiple measurement and memory function

• US 6,939,038 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2004
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovatech, LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovatech, LLC
• Inventors: Hsieh, Chin-Chih
• Primary Examiner(s): Verbitsky, Gail
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRUCHNIC, STANLEY J
• Application Number:
  US10/759,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20050083993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 374/101, 374/102, 374/108, 374/128, 374/142, 374/186, 702/131, 702/187, 600/549, 600/559, 600/474, 128/903, 128/904, 128/920
• US Class Current: 374/186
• 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 5/6815 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A multiple measurement memory-type electronic thermometer includes an ear temperature measuring unit, a microprocessor, a keypad unit, a display unit, and a memory unit. The ear temperature measuring unit, the display unit, and the memory unit are controlled by the microprocessor. When the activation key of the keypad unit is pressed by the user, being controlled by the microprocessor, the ear temperature unit is activated to perform measurement. The measuring result of the ear temperature unit is sent back to the microprocessor, displayed by the display unit, and saved in the memory unit. The memory unit is partitioned into a plurality of independent memory sectors. Each sector includes a queue data structure, such that the ear temperature measured from each person and the measuring time can be stored in the corresponding memory sector. Therefore, measurement of multiple people can be performed, memorized and retrieved.

Claims

1. A multiple measurement and memory electronic ear thermometer, comprising:

a keypad unit including an activation key and a selection key, wherein when the activation key is pressed, the keypad unit is operative to generate a first input signal and when the selection key is pressed, the keypad is operative to generate either a second input signal for selecting the number of users or a third input signal for selecting one of the users;

a microprocessor in electric communication with the keypad unit, the microprocessor being operative to generate a first control signal in response to the first input signal, a third control signal in response to the second input signal and a fourth control signal in response to the third input signal;

an ear temperature measuring unit, operative to measure ear temperature from a selected user in response to the first control signal generated by the microprocessor and convert the ear temperature into an electric signal sent to the microprocessor to generate a second control signal;

a display unit, operative to display the ear temperature in response to the second control signal; and

a memory unit, being partitioned into an individual memory sector for each one of the users, wherein the memory sector is operative to save the ear temperature measurement in response to the second control signal and the fourth control signal or later to retrieve the stored ear temperature measurement in response to the fourth control signal.

2. The thermometer of claim 1, wherein each of the memory sectors is in the form of a queue data structure.

3. The thermometer of claim 1, wherein the display unit includes a liquid crystal display.

4. The thermometer of claim 1, wherein the memory unit includes an electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM) or a random access memory (RAM).

5. The thermometer of claim 1, wherein the ear temperature measuring unit is also operative to count time for ear temperature measurement.

6. The thermometer of claim 1, wherein the keypad unit further includes a key for inputting an identification code for each user.

7. The thermometer of claim 1, wherein the ear temperature measuring unit is operative to measure ear temperature among different users in response to the actuating of the activation key or the selection key, wherein the ear temperature measurements can be stored, retrieved and displayed to/from the corresponding memory section of each user.

8. A multiple measurement and memory electronic ear thermometer, comprising:

a keypad unit including an activation key and a selection key, wherein when the activation key is pressed, the keypad unit is operative to generate a first input signal and when the selection key is pressed, the keypad is operative to generate either a second input signal for selecting the number of users or a third input signal for selecting one of the users;

a microprocessor having a real time clock in electric communication with the keypad unit, the microprocessor being operative to generate a first control signal in response to the first input signal, a third control signal in response to the second input signal and a fourth control signal in response to the third input signal;

an ear temperature measuring unit, operative to measure ear temperature from a selected user in response to the first control signal generated by the microprocessor and convert the ear temperature into an electric signal sent to the microprocessor to generate a second control signal;

a display unit, operative to display the ear temperature and a measuring time from the real time clock in response to the second control signal; and

a memory unit, being partitioned into individual memory sectors for each users, wherein the memory sector is operative to save the ear temperature measurement and the measuring time in response to the second control signal and the fourth control signal or later to retrieve and display the stored ear temperature measurement and the measuring time in response to the fourth control signal.

9. The ear thermometer claimed as claim 8, wherein the display unit can display a user identification with the ear temperature measurement and the measuring time.