# US 12,216,048 B2 · Measuring apparatus

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- Number: US 12,216,048 B2
- Document ID: US12216048B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/014,756
- Filed: 2021-07-08
- Published: 2023-09-14
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2020-07-30
- Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Ryosuke Kasahara; Yoshio Wada; Yoshihiro Oba; Toshihide Sasaki
- Inventors: Ryosuke Kasahara; Yoshio Wada; Yoshihiro Oba; Toshihide Sasaki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216048B2

## CPC

- G01N 21/35: using infrared light (G01N21/39 takes precedence)
- G01N 21/552: Attenuated total reflection
- A61B 5/14532: {for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement}
- A61B 5/14546: {for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes}
- A61B 5/14551: {for measuring blood gases}
- G01N 21/3151: {using two sources of radiation of different wavelengths (G01N21/33 - G01N21/39 take precedence)}
- G01N 21/3563: for analysing solids; Preparation of samples therefor
- G01N 2021/3148: {using three or more wavelengths}
- G01N 2021/3595: {using FTIR}
- G01N 2201/0634: Diffuse illumination
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A measuring apparatus includes a light source configured to emit light in a mid-infrared region, the light including: first-wavelength light having a wave number of from 970 cm−1 or more to 1010 cm−1 or less; and second-wavelength light different from the first-wavelength light, the second-wavelength light having a wave number of from 950 cm−1 or more to 990 cm−1 or less; a photosensor configured to detect the light emitted from the light source and reflected by a measurement target; and an information processing device configured to: obtain a first absorbance of the first-wavelength light and a second absorbance of the second-wavelength light from an output of the photosensor; and determine a biomarker of the measurement target based on the first absorbance and the second absorbance.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A measuring apparatus, comprising:
a light source to emit light in a mid-infrared region, the light including:
first-wavelength light having a wave number of from 970 cm-1 or more to 1010 cm-1 or less; and
second-wavelength light different from the first-wavelength light, the second-wavelength light having a wave number of from 950 cm-1 or more to 990 cm-1 or less;
a photosensor to detect the light emitted from the light source and reflected by a measurement target; and
information processing circuitry configured to:
obtain a first absorbance of the first-wavelength light and a second absorbance of the second-wavelength light from an output of the photosensor; and
determine a biomarker of the measurement target based on the first absorbance and the second absorbance.

### Claim 2

A measuring apparatus comprising:
a light source to emit light in a mid-infrared region, the light including first-wavelength light and second-wavelength light different from the first-wavelength light, each having a wave number of from 1130 cm-1 or more to 1220 cm-1 or less;
a photosensor to detect the light emitted from the light source and reflected by a measurement target; and
an information processing circuitry configured to:
obtain a first absorbance of the first-wavelength light and a second absorbance of the second-wavelength light from an output of the photosensor; and
determine a biomarker of the measurement target based on the obtained first absorbance and the second absorbance.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the first—wavelength light has a wave number ranging from 1156 cm-1 or more to 1164 cm-1 or less, and the second—wavelength light has a wave number ranging from 1164 cm-1 or more to 1174 cm-1 or less.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the first—wavelength light has a wave number ranging from 1134 cm-1 or more to 1146 cm-1 or less, and the second—wavelength light has a wave number ranging from 1170 cm-1 or more to 1216 cm-1 or less.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the information processing circuitry is configured to:
divide the first absorbance by the second absorbance to obtain a value; and
estimate the biomarker based on the value.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the light further includes third—wavelength light having a wave number of from 1700 cm-1 or more to 1760 cm-1 or less, and
wherein the information processing circuitry is configured to determine the biomarker based on the first absorbance, the second absorbance, and a third absorbance of the third—wavelength light.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the light further includes third—wavelength light having a wave number of from 1130 cm-1 or more to 1220 cm-1 or less, and
wherein the information processing circuitry is configured to determine the biomarker based on the first absorbance, the second absorbance, and a third absorbance of the third—wavelength light.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the light further includes third—wavelength light having a wave number of from 970 cm-1 or more to 1010 cm-1 or less or from 950 cm-1 or more to 990 cm-1 or less, and
wherein the information processing circuitry is configured to determine the biomarker based on the first absorbance, the second absorbance, and a third absorbance of the third—wavelength light.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 6,
wherein the information processing circuitry is configured to:
determine a normalized line to have a ratio of the second absorbance to the third absorbance being 1; and
normalize the first absorbance using the normalized line.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the information processing circuitry is further configured to:
obtain a cross—correlation value from a preliminarily—acquired absorption spectrum of a substance to be measured within the measurement target and an absorption spectrum of the measurement target acquired from the output of the photosensor; and
estimate the biomarker of the measurement target based on the cross—correlation value.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising—
a measurement optical structure between the light source and the photosensor, the measurement optical structure to emit light reflected by the measurement target, to the photosensor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 11,
wherein the measurement optical structure element is an attenuated total reflection prism.

### Claim 13 (depends on 2)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the information processing circuitry is configured to:
divide the first absorbance by the second absorbance to obtain a value; and
estimate the biomarker based on the value.

### Claim 14 (depends on 2)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the light further includes third—wavelength light having a wave number of from 1700 cm-1 or more to 1760 cm-1 or less, and
wherein the information processing circuitry is configured to determine the biomarker based on the first absorbance, the second absorbance, and a third absorbance of the third—wavelength light.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 14,
wherein the information processing circuitry is configured to:
determine a normalized line to have a ratio of the second absorbance to the third absorbance being 1; and
normalize the first absorbance using the normalized line.

### Claim 16 (depends on 2)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the information processing circuitry is further configured to:
obtain a cross—correlation value from a preliminarily—acquired absorption spectrum of a substance to be measured within the measurement target and an absorption spectrum of the measurement target acquired from the output of the photosensor; and
estimate the biomarker of the measurement target based on the cross—correlation value.

### Claim 17 (depends on 2)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:
a measurement optical structure between the light source and the photosensor, the measurement optical structure to emit light reflected by the measurement target, to the photosensor.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The measuring apparatus according to claim 17,
wherein the measurement optical structure is an attenuated total reflection prism.