Capacitive sensor for thermometer probe

A method of determining a temperature of a subject with an electronic thermometer, said thermometer having a probe adapted to be heated by a subject and at least one temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the probe, said method comprising:

• detecting a condition at the probe of the thermometer with a probe sensor, said probe sensor having an idle condition when the probe is not inserted into the subject;
• and
• monitoring a change in the condition of the probe sensor from the idle condition to an active condition wherein the probe has been received in a probe cover and inserted into the subject;
• and detecting the temperature of the probe inserted into the subject by using the temperature sensor to determine the temperature of the subject;
• wherein the thermometer comprises a processor operatively connected to the temperature sensor, the method further comprising activating the temperature sensor using the processor for determining the temperature of the subject only after the probe sensor detects a change in condition from the idle condition to the active condition indicating that the probe is received in a probe cover and inserted into the subject.

A method of determining a temperature of a subject with an electronic thermometer, said method comprising:

• measuring a condition at a probe of the thermometer with a probe sensor, said probe sensor having an idle condition when the probe is not inserted into the subject;
• programming a processor of the thermometer to identify a first condition corresponding to a first change in condition measured by the probe sensor signaling that the probe has been inserted into the subject without a probe cover disposed over the probe, and a second condition corresponding to a second change in condition measured by the probe sensor different from the first change in condition signaling that the probe has been inserted into the subject with a probe cover disposed over the probe;
• and detecting a temperature of the probe inserted into the subject by using a temperature sensor to determine the temperature of the subject;
• wherein the probe sensor is a capacitive sensor that measures a capacitance at the probe, the capacitive sensor having an idle capacitance when the probe is not inserted into the subject, wherein the first condition corresponds to a first change in capacitance measured by the capacitive sensor signaling that the probe has been inserted into the subject without a probe cover disposed over the probe, and the second condition corresponds to a second change in capacitance measured by the capacitive sensor different from the first change in capacitance signaling that the probe has been inserted into the subject with a probe cover disposed over the probe;
• and
• wherein the processor is operatively connected to at least one temperature sensor for determining the temperature of the subject, the method further comprising activating the at least one temperature sensor only after the probe sensor detects the second condition.