# US 10,502,630 B2 · Temperature measurement device and temperature measurement method

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- Number: US 10,502,630 B2
- Document ID: US10502630B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/712,264
- Filed: 2017-09-22
- Published: 2018-03-29
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-27
- Assignees: Topcon Corporation
- Applicants: Topcon Corporation
- Inventors: Hisashi Isozaki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502630B2

## CPC

- G01J 5/0025: {Living bodies (ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00)}
- A01K 9/00: Sucking apparatus for young stock {; Devices for mixing solid food with liquids}
- A01K 29/005: {Monitoring or measuring activity}
- A61B 5/015: {By temperature mapping of body part}
- G01J 5/53: Reference sources, e.g. standard lamps; Black bodies
- A61B 2503/40: Animals
- A61B 2560/0238: Means for recording calibration data
- G01J 5/485: {Temperature profile}
- G01J 5/80: Calibration (using comparison with reference sources G01J5/52)
- G01J 2005/0077: {Imaging}
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

The temperature measurement device includes a thermography 20 for measuring a temperature distribution of a predetermined range in a non-contact manner; a calibrator 21 including at least one heater 30 able to generate heat to a preset temperature; thermistors 32a to 32d provided on installation points on the calibrator 21, and measuring temperatures at the installation points, the installation points having different temperatures; and a controller 22 for calibrating a first temperature measurement result obtained from a temperature distribution of a range covering an object (an eye E of a calf C) measured by the thermography 20, based on temperature differences between a second temperature measurement result obtained from a temperature distribution of a range covering the calibrator 21 measured by the thermography 20 and a third temperature measurement result obtained from a temperature distribution of the calibrator 21 measured by the thermistors 32a to 32d.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A temperature measurement device for measuring a body temperature of an animal in a non-contact manner apart from a body of the animal, the temperature measurement device comprising:
a feed provider for providing the animal with feed;
a first temperature measurement portion for measuring a temperature distribution of a predetermined range in a non-contact manner;
a calibrator including a single heater able to generate heat to a preset temperature and including a heat conductor conducting heat from the single heater and having a temperature gradient such that a part of the heat conductor closer to the single heater has a highest temperature, and the temperature decreases away from the single heater;
second temperature measurement portions provided on installation points on the heat conductor, and measuring temperatures at the installation points; and
a controller for calibrating a first temperature measurement result obtained from a temperature distribution of a range covering an object measured by the first temperature measurement portion when the animal eats feed via the feed provider, by comparing
a second temperature measurement result obtained from a temperature distribution of a range covering the calibrator measured by the first temperature measurement portion with
temperatures of respective points of a third temperature measurement result obtained from a temperature distribution of the calibrator measured by the second temperature measurement portions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The temperature measurement device of claim 1, wherein
the feed provider is a nursing unit including an artificial nipple and a main body supporting the artificial nipple, and
in the main body, the first temperature measurement portion is provided in a higher position than the artificial nipple.

### Claim 3

A temperature measurement method for measuring a body temperature of an animal in a non-contact manner apart from a body of the animal, the temperature measurement method comprising:
a first temperature measurement step for making a first temperature measurement portion measure a temperature distribution of a range covering an object when the animal eats feed via a feed provider for providing the animal with the feed, the first temperature measurement portion for measuring a temperature distribution of a predetermined range in a non-contact manner;
a second temperature measurement step for making the first temperature measurement portion measure a temperature distribution of a range covering a calibrator including a single heater able to generate heat to a preset temperature and including a heat conductor conducting heat from the single heater and having a temperature gradient such that a part of the heat conductor closer to the single heater has a highest temperature, and the temperature decreases away from the single heater;
a third temperature measurement step for making second temperature measurement portions measure a temperature distribution of the calibrator, the second temperature measurement portions being provided on installation points on the heat conductor and measuring temperatures at the installation points; and
a calibration step for calibrating a first temperature measurement result obtained from the first temperature measurement step based on temperature differences between a second temperature measurement result obtained from the second temperature measurement step and a third temperature measurement result obtained from the third temperature measurement step.