Patent ID: 8244324
Filing Date: 2012-08-14
Classification: A61B,G01N

Abstract:
1. An optical measurement instrument for a living body, the optical measurement instrument comprising: a probe unit including a plurality of light irradiation parts for irradiating light onto a subject, and a plurality of light detection parts for detecting light transmitting through or reflecting from the inside of said subject; and a processing and control unit adapted to transmit a signal for light modulation on light to be emitted from each of said light irradiation parts to said probe unit, and to receive a measurement result corresponding with received light signals from said probe unit, wherein said probe unit further comprises, inside thereof: at least one driving device configured to receive said signal for light modulation and to output a driving signal which is modulated depending on said signal for light modulation and is to be sequentially distributed to each of said light irradiation parts; a multiplexer for timewise and sequentially distributing said driving signal to each of said light irradiation parts to make each of said light irradiation parts sequentially emit light involving an intensity modulation; a plurality of analog-to-digital converters respectively configured to convert respective light detection signals detected at said light detection parts into digital signals; and a parallel-serial converter configured to convert the light detection signals that were respectively converted to the digital signals into a serial signal that is sequentially indicating each of light values respectively detected at said light detection parts and to transmit the serial signal to said processing and control unit as the measurement result.