Biocapacitance Sensor
AssigneeBruin Biometrics, LLC
InventorsMartin F. BURNS, Graham O. ROSS, David M. GIUNTOLI
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides apparatuses and methods for measurement of the biocapacitance of tissue. The apparatus comprises a sensor comprising two electrodes, a movable element coupled to the sensor, and a switch disposed between the movable element and a fixed element, wherein the switch electrically closes when a gap between the movable element and the fixed element is less than or equal to a pre-determined value. The device makes a measurement of the biocapacitance between the two electrodes when the switch closes.
Claims21
An apparatus for measuring biocapacitance of tissue, the apparatus comprising:
- a sensor comprising two electrodes;
- a movable element coupled to the sensor, wherein the movable element is configured to move along a translation axis with respect to a fixed element, and to allow rotation about at least one of a first rotation axis that is perpendicular to the translation axis and a second rotation axis that is perpendicular to both the translation axis and the first rotation axis;
- a switch disposed between the movable element and the fixed element and configured to electrically close when a gap between the movable element and the fixed element is less than or equal to a pre-determined value;
- a capacitance-to-digital converter (CDC) coupled to the sensor and configured to make a measurement of a capacitance between the electrodes;
- and
- a processor coupled to the switch and to the CDC and configured to receive the measurement from the CDC when the switch electrically closes.
(canceled)
An apparatus for measuring biocapacitance of tissue, the apparatus comprising:
- a sensor comprising two electrodes,
- a capacitance-to-digital converter (CDC) coupled to the sensor and configured to make a measurement of a capacitance between the electrodes,
- a barcode scan engine configured to optically scan a machine-readable image and determine a first alphanumeric string that is encoded in the machine-readable image,
- a processor coupled to the CDC and the engine and configured to receive the measurement from the CDC and to receive the first alphanumeric string from the engine.
A method of measuring biocapacitance of tissue, the method comprising:
- positioning a sensor that comprises a first electrode and a second electrode against a patient's skin over the tissue,
- measuring a capacitance between the electrodes,
- optically scanning a primary machine-readable image that is associated with the patient,
- determining a primary alphanumeric string that is encoded in the primary machine-readable image, and
- associating the capacitance with the primary alphanumeric string.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.