Wireless thermometer and method of use thereof

• US 9,183,738 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2013
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: iDevices, LLC (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Inventors: Allen, Christopher J. Sr., Monteith, Shawn
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US13/867,028
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 340/870.17, 374/110, 600/474, 600/549
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• 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 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/02 using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/16 using resistive elements resistive elements per se H01C, H01L
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

An apparatus and method for sensing body temperature and wirelessly communicating measured data to at least one electronic device. The device includes a sensor device having a housing base, a housing cover releasably mountable on the housing base, and components for sensing body temperature and wirelessly communicating the measured temperature, including a temperature sensor, a power supply, a microprocessor, and a transmitter and receiver. The electronic device can include an application that communicates with the sensor device and provides a user interface.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sensing body temperature and wirelessly communicating measured data to at least one electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor device having a housing base, a housing cover releasably mounted to the housing base so as to permit removal of the housing cover from and re-attachment of the housing cover to the housing base, and components within one or more of the housing base or the housing cover configured for sensing body temperature and wirelessly communicating the measured data, said components including a temperature sensor, a power supply, a microprocessor, and a transmitter and receiver.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one light source.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one light source is an LED.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermistor or a thermocouple.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a battery.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the battery is disposable.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the battery is rechargeable.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power supply is supplied via a power cord.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the power supply is direct current.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the power supply is alternating current.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor includes embedded software and dynamic memory storage.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are adapted to communicate with the at least one electronic device via at least one of:

R-F communication, infrared communication, Bluetooth communication, and Wi-Fi communication.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic device is one or more of:

a smart phone, a tablet, a mobile computer or a desktop computer.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a flexible carrier having an aperture therein, wherein the aperture is configured to engage the sensor device and the aperture releasably retains the sensor device to the carrier within the aperture.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the housing cover has a peripheral projection extending therefrom and the housing base has a peripheral groove in which the peripheral projection is engageable to define between the housing cover and housing base a peripheral channel.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the sensor device is retained in the aperture of the carrier by the peripheral channel.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the housing base has a peripheral lip that extends from the peripheral groove and the sensor device is retained via the peripheral lip on the carrier.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the housing base has a peripheral lip that extends from the peripheral groove and the sensor device is retained by the peripheral lip on the carrier and the peripheral channel.

19. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the sensor device and the carrier are configured to provide a press-fit or snap-fit engagement of the sensor device and the carrier by applying force to one or more of the carrier or the sensor device relative to the other, thereby elastically deforming the aperture and allowing the sensor device to pass into the aperture.

20. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the carrier is comprised of breathable material.

21. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the carrier includes a frame.

22. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the carrier has an adhesive layer with a first side and a second side, the first side being affixed to the frame and the second side being removably affixable to a user.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the carrier includes a backing layer, which is affixable to the adhesive layer for protection of the adhesive layer from an environment prior to use.

24. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the housing base has a protrusion in which the temperature sensor is arranged and the protrusion is contactable with a user to obtain a body temperature reading of the user.

25. A kit comprising:

a sensor device having a housing base, a housing cover releasably mounted to the housing base so as to permit removal of the housing cover from and reattachment of the housing cover to the housing base, and components within one or more of the housing base or the housing cover configured for sensing body temperature and wirelessly communicating the measured data, said components including a temperature sensor, a power supply, a microprocessor, and a transmitter and receiver;

a carrier having an aperture therein, wherein the aperture is configured to engage the sensor device and releasably retain the sensor device to the carrier within the aperture; and

a charging unit adapted to charge the power supply.

26. The kit according to claim 25, wherein the charging unit comprises a charging cover, a charging base, a port within the charging base for fittingly receiving the device therein, and a power cord.

27. The kit according to claim 26, wherein the power cord is connectable to at least one of a wall outlet and a USB device.

28. The kit according to claim 25, wherein the charging unit includes a storage unit for storing the carrier.

37. The kit according to claim 28, wherein the storage unit is configured to store at least one additional of said carrier.

29. A method for sensing body temperature and wirelessly communicating measured body temperature to at least one electronic device, the method comprising the steps of:

communicatingly connecting a device configured to sense body temperature wirelessly to the at least one electronic device;

inserting the device into a carrier having an aperture therein, wherein the aperture is configured to engage the sensor device and releasably retain the sensor device to the carrier within the aperture;

attaching the device to a user;

measuring the body temperature of the user;

transmitting the measured body temperature of the user measured wirelessly from the device to the at least one electronic device; and

displaying the temperature on the at least one electronic device.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the temperature measured is displayed in an application installed on the at least one electronic device.

31. The method according to claim 29, further comprising the step of transmitting data from the at least one electronic device to the device sensing body temperature.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the data comprises measurement instructions.

33. The method according to claim 29, wherein the body temperature measured is wirelessly transmitted from the sensing device to one or more of:

a smart phone, a tablet, a mobile computer and a desktop computer.

34. A method of assembling a sensing device and a carrier for sensing body temperature and wirelessly communicating measured data to at least one electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a sensor device adapted to measure body temperature;

providing a carrier having an opening therein, wherein the opening is configured to engage the sensor device and releasably retain the sensor device to the carrier within the opening; and

arranging the sensor device in the opening of the carrier.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the arranging step comprises press fitting or snap-fitting the sensor device into the opening by applying force to one or more of the carrier or the sensor device relative to the other, thereby elastically deforming the opening and allowing the sensor device to pass into the opening.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the carrier has a perforated tab extending into the opening and engaging the sensor device and the method further comprises the step of pulling the tab to disengage the tab from the sensor device and release the sensor device from the carrier.

38. An apparatus for sensing body temperature and wirelessly communicating measured data to at least one electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor device having a housing base, a housing cover releasably mountable to the housing base, and components for sensing body temperature and wirelessly communicating the measured data, including a temperature sensor, a power supply, a microprocessor, and a transmitter and receiver;

a flexible carrier having an aperture therein for releasably retaining the sensor device;

wherein the housing cover has a peripheral projection extending therefrom and the housing base has a peripheral groove in which the peripheral projection is engageable; and

one or more of;

(i) the peripheral groove and the peripheral projection are engageable to define between the housing cover and housing base a peripheral channel, wherein the sensor device is retained in the aperture of the carrier by the peripheral channel;

or

(ii) the housing base has a peripheral lip that extends from the peripheral groove and the sensor device is retained via the peripheral lip on the carrier.

39. A method of assembling a sensing device and a carrier for sensing body temperature and wirelessly communicating measured data to at least one electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a sensor device adapted to measure body temperature;

providing a carrier having an opening configured to retain the sensor device therein; and

arranging the sensor device in the opening of the carrier;

wherein the carrier has a tab extending into the opening and engaging the sensor device; and

the method further includes pulling the tab to disengage the tab from the sensor device and release the sensor device from the carrier.