Patent ID: 7440797
Filing Date: 2008-10-21
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An abdominal impedance based body composition meter comprising: abdominal impedance measuring means; pressing force measuring means; and body composition estimating means; wherein the abdominal impedance measuring means comprises a plurality of electrodes and a support which keeps the electrodes pressed against the abdomen and measures an abdominal impedance when the electrodes are in contact with the abdomen, wherein the pressing force measuring means measures a pressing force when the electrodes are pressed against the abdomen by the support, wherein the body composition estimating means estimates a body composition indicator based on the abdominal impedance measured by the abdominal impedance measuring means and the pressing force measured by the pressing force measuring means, wherein the electrodes comprise a pair of current-passing electrodes and a pair of measuring electrodes, wherein the pressing force measuring means comprises load detection sections which detect loads produced when the electrodes are pressed against the abdomen and determines a pressing force applied to the current-passing electrodes and a pressing force applied to the measuring electrodes based on the loads detected by the load detection sections, wherein the abdominal impedance measuring means determines an abdominal impedance based on a potential difference which is detected between the measuring electrodes when a low-frequency current is passed between the current-passing electrodes and determines an abdominal impedance based on a potential difference which is detected between the measuring electrodes when a high-frequency current is passed between the current-passing electrodes, and determines an additional abdominal impedance, wherein the body composition estimating means computes and estimates an abdominal total fat area as the body composition indicator by substituting the abdominal impedance determined by the abdominal impedance measuring means by passing the low-frequency current into Z