US 5,632,555 A · Medical thermometer

Abstract

An improved prediction-type medical thermometer that provides an accurate estimate of a patient's temperature in substantially reduced time as compared to prior thermometers of this kind. This improved performance is achieved by using a special hollow probe tip having a low heat capacity and incorporating a resistive heater that is actuated only upon removal of the probe from a base housing. The heater regulates the temperature to a value of about 93.degree. F. After the probe is applied to the patient, a microprocessor repeatedly samples the thermistor and estimates the patient's temperature based on the successive samples. If a predetermined number of successive temperature estimates lie within a predetermined error range, the sampling is terminated and the most recent estimate is displayed as the patient's temperature. In addition, when that estimate lies outside of a normal temperature range, an increased number of successive estimates lying within a predetermined error range are required before the thermometer displays the estimated temperature.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A medical thermometer for estimating the temperature of a patient, comprising:

a probe;
a temperature sensor mounted in the probe, for producing a signal indicating the temperature of the probe;
a display;
a sampler for repeatedly sampling the temperature sensor signal, to produce a succession of temperature measurements;
and
a processor configured to repeatedly estimate the patient's temperature based on the succession of temperature measurements and to repeatedly determine the stability of the resulting succession of temperature estimates, wherein the processor provides a final estimate of the patient's temperature, for display on the display, when the determined stability of the succession of temperature estimates has a prescribed level of stability, wherein the prescribed level of stability is selected in accordance with the values of the succession of temperature estimates.

3 more elements

A method for estimating a patient's temperature using a medical thermometer of the kind having a probe and a sensor that produces a signal indicating the temperature of the probe, comprising:

repeatedly measuring the sensor signal, to produce a succession of temperature measurements;
repeatedly evaluating the succession of temperature measurements using predetermined criteria, to provide a succession of estimates of the patient's temperature;
repeatedly determining the stability of the succession of temperature estimates;
and
displaying a final estimate of the patient's temperature when the determined stability of the succession of temperature estimates has been determined to have a prescribed level of stability, wherein the prescribed level of stability is selected according to the values of the successive temperature estimates.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Medical thermometer

Life of this patent

Medical thermometer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13