System and method for temperature determination and calibration in a biomedical probe

A thermometry system for providing a temperature signal representative of the temperature of a first target derived from the infrared energy received from the first target, comprising:

• detector means having an infrared sensing area for receiving the infrared radiation from the first target and having a reference temperature area, the detector means providing a steady state detector signal which is a function of the temperature of the infrared sensing area and of the reference temperature area;
• sensor means for providing a reference signal which is a function of the temperature of the reference temperature area;
• data storage means for storing a first offset term and first and second gain terms which are based on characteristics of the first target;
• communication means for use in recalibrating the thermometer system with at least one reference source of known temperature, the communication means for receiving the known temperature of the at least one reference source;
• and
• processor means for providing a first polynomial function of the detector signal having a plurality of non-zero terms and applying the first gain term to the entire first polynomial function, for providing a second polynomial function of the reference signal having a plurality of non-zero terms and for applying the second gain term to the entire second polynomial function, for determining calibration data from a comparison of the known temperature of the at least one reference source and the detector signal, for combining the first polynomial function with the second polynomial funtion and for applying the first offset and the calibration data to said combination, and for providing a temperature signal based on said combination.

A thermometry system for providing a temperature signal representative of the temperature of a first target derived from the infrared energy received from the first target, comprising:

• detector means having an infrared sensing area for receiving the infrared radiation from the first target and having a reference temperature area, the detector means providing a steady state detector signal which is a function of the temperature of the infrared sensing area and of the reference temperature area;
• sensor means for providing a reference signal which is a function of the temperature of the reference temperature area;
• data storage means for storing a first offset term and first and second gain terms derived from anatomical characteristics and for storing second offset and third gain terms derived from re-calibrating the thermometry system;
• and
• processor means for providing a first polynomial function of the detector signal having a plurality of non-zero terms and applying the second gain term to each term of the first polynomial function and for applying the first gain term to the entire first polynomial function, for providing a second polynomial function of the reference signal having a plurality of non-zero terms and for applying the second gain term to the entire second polynomial function, for combining the first polynomial function with the second polynomial function and for adding the first and second offset terms to the combination and for providing a temperature signal based on said combination.

A method for providing a temperature signal representative of the temperature of a first target derived from the infrared energy received from the first target by a detector having an infrared sensing area for receiving the infrared radiation from the first target and having a reference temperature area, comprising the steps of:

• providing a steady state detector signal which is a function of the infrared energy received by the infrared sensing area of a detector, the detector signal being a function of the temperatures of the infrared sensing area and the reference temperature area;
• providing a reference signal which is a function of the temperature of the reference temperature area;
• providing a first polynomial function of the detector signal having a plurality of non-zero terms;
• providing a second polynomial function of the reference signal having a plurality of non-zero terms;
• combining the first polynomial function with the second polynomial function;
• and
• providing a temperature signal based on said combination.