Patent Abstract:
A biochemical detection apparatus includes an electronic computing device and an optical device. The optical device includes a main body. The main body includes an accommodating space provided in the main body, and an insertion slot, an optical lens and an opening that are in communication with the accommodating space. The optical lens and the opening are disposed on a same plane of the main body, and the optical lens is located above an image capturing unit of the electronic computing device. The optical device may be installed at a handheld electronic computing device commonly carried by an individual, and is capable of immediately performing detection for an environmental parameter or a biological parameter by a biochemical sheet. The optical device having a simple structure is small in volume, convenient and low in cost, and may replace expensive precision detection apparatuses.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a detection apparatus, and particularly to a biochemical detection apparatus. The biochemical detection apparatus is capable of performing detection for an environmental parameter or a biological parameter by a biochemical sheet and an electronic computing device without time and location limitations. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In the early years, when detection for an environmental parameter such as the amount of a metal component of a contaminant or a pH value in the environment, or for a biological parameter such as blood sugar in the human body, is performed by a biochemical sheet, the object under test, i.e., the contaminant or blood sugar, is mixed with a reactant on the biochemical sheet to produce a change. A precision apparatus or manual means is the applied to identify or determine whether the object under test satisfies a standard. 
         [0003]    The above manual means for detecting an object under test is time saving. However, the change after a reaction of the object under test may vary due to the observation and determination of different individuals, leading to unstable outcomes that cannot be relied upon as a reference standard in the subsequent detection. Further, conventional biochemical sheets used for specific detection are more costly. Once the number of times of detection gets large, the amount of biochemical sheets used is increased to inevitably increase investment costs of a business entrepreneur. 
         [0004]    Therefore, a method of an optical image extending apparatus is proposed to improve the determination method performed by manual means. With an optical lens disposed, an image capturing unit captures an image of a change result in a biochemical sheet, and the image is further extended and determined. The accuracy and efficiency of such method are higher than those of the determination method by manual means. 
         [0005]    However, current commercially available optical image extending apparatuses not only have sophisticated and complex components and higher costs, but also have an excessively large overall volume such that they are not readily portable and hence quite inconvenient. Thus, these optical image extending apparatuses may not be applied to immediately detect an object under test, such as the amount of a metal component or a pH value of the environment or a biological parameter of the human body. Therefore, there is a need for a solution that solves the drawbacks of high costs and the incapability of immediate detection due to poor portability of a conventional optical image extending apparatus. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a biochemical detection apparatus incorporating an electronic computing device and a low-cost and readily portable optical device having a small volume. Thus, the biochemical detection apparatus of the present invention is capable of immediately detecting an environmental parameter such as the amount of a metal component of a contaminant in the environment or a pH value, or a biological parameter such as blood sugar in the human body. 
         [0007]    According to the above object, the present invention provides a biochemical detection apparatus including an electronic computing device and an optical device. The electronic computing device includes at least one display unit, and at least one image capturing unit coplanar with the display unit. The optical device includes a main body. The main body includes an accommodating device provided in the main body, an insertion slot in communication with the accommodating space, an optical lens in communication with the accommodating space, and an opening in communication with the accommodating space. The optical lens and the opening are disposed on a same plane of the main body, and the optical lens is located above the image capturing unit. 
         [0008]    The biochemical detection apparatus further includes a biochemical sheet inserted in the insertion slot. The biochemical sheet includes a test area and a calibration area disposed at one end thereof. The test area and the calibration area are located above the image capturing unit. 
         [0009]    The present invention provides features below. 
         [0010]    1. In the present invention, the optical device is a readily portable and low-cost structure having a small volume. Thus, a user may immediately apply the present invention to a fluid or a gas in the environment to detect the amount of a metal component of a contaminant, a pH value, or the presence of contamination, or to detect an object under test such as a biological fluid in the human body, including blood, urine or saliva to conveniently monitor the level of a special an analyte (e.g., glucose, cholesterol, ketone or a specific protein) existing in the fluid. To put to application, an object under test is added to the test area of the biochemical sheet to allow the object under test to mix with a biochemical reactant on the test area. The biochemical sheet is then inserted into the insertion slot to cause the test area to align with the optical lens, so as to allow the image capturing unit to scan a change result of the test area, and to perform image extension and determination. The detection result is displayed on the display unit immediately for the user to determine detection data of the object under test, thereby solving the drawbacks of high costs and the incapability of immediate detection due to poor portability of an expensive conventional apparatus. 
         [0011]    2. Through an application program, the electronic computing device of the present invention divides a part of the display unit into a light emitting area, and locates the light emitting area below the opening of the main body to have the illumination from the light emitting area serve as a main light source for the image capturing unit to capture an image of the test area. The light beams of the light emitting area further irradiate into the accommodating space through the opening to provide the image capturing unit with sufficient light beams for scanning and facilitating the observation of the change result of the test area. 
         [0012]    3. Through the application program, the electronic computing device of the present invention simultaneously divides the display unit into the light emitting area and a display area. Thus, the user is allowed to at the same time observe the change result of the test area through the display area while the image capturing unit scans the change result of the test area. 
         [0013]    4. In the present invention, one end of the biochemical sheet is simultaneously embedded with the test area and the calibration area. Thus, the user may directly compare the change result of the test area with a comparison reference object at the calibration area to determine the difference between the change result and the comparison reference object, which is distinct from the drawback of the test area and the calibration area belonging to two different objects and being more costly and inconvenient in a conventional solution. 
         [0014]    5. When detection is performed using the biochemical sheet, the detection result can be manually observed. Alternatively, the image capturing unit is controlled through the application program to cause the image capturing unit to automatically scan the change result of the test area and the comparison reference object. A difference between the change result of the test area and the comparison reference object is then automatically calculated, and the calculated result is displayed on the display area. 
         [0015]    6. In the present invention, a focusing target object is embedded in the calibration area to allow the image capturing unit to perform preceding operations including focusing, image alignment and light source adjustment to enhance the detection accuracy. 
         [0016]    7. The electronic computing device of the present invention may store the calculated result to a database to serve for data statistics, data analysis and subsequent remote support applications. 
         [0017]    8. In the present invention, with the optical lens disposed between the test area and the image capturing unit, the image capturing unit is allowed to scan the change result of the test area through the properties of the optical lens to provide image extension. Thus, the test area is capable of detecting the object under test with the biochemical reactant in a quite small area, thereby reducing the area that the test area requires and reducing the object amount under test, increasing the amount of detection and reducing investment costs of the business entrepreneur. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an electronic computing device and an optical device of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of an optical device and a biochemical sheet of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a perspective sectional view of an optical device and a biochemical sheet of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4A  is a planar view of an assembly of an electronic computing device, an optical device and a biochemical sheet of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4B  is a sectional view of  FIG. 4A  along  4 B- 4 B; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a biochemical detection apparatus of the present invention in another application form; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a planar view of a fixing member according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a fixing member according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an electronic computing device in another form and an optical device of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3  showing a biochemical detection apparatus  1  of the present invention, the biochemical detection apparatus  1  includes an electronic computing device  2  and an optical device  3 . The electronic computing device  2  includes at least one display unit  20 , and at least one image capturing unit  21  coplanar with the display unit  20 . The optical device  3  includes a main body  30 , which includes an accommodating space  300  provided in the main body  30 , an insertion slot  301  in communication with the accommodating space  300 , an optical lens  302  in communication with the accommodating space  300 , and an opening  303  in communication with the accommodating space  300 . The optical lens  302  and the opening  303  are disposed on a same plane of the main body  30 , and the optical lens  302  is located above the image capturing unit  21 . In an embodiment of the present invention, the electronic computing device  2  may a handheld smart mobile device with a computing function, or may be an electronic computing device such as a laptop computer  6  or a tablet computer shown in  FIG. 8 . Further, the display unit  20  and the image capturing unit  21  are located at a same front side. More specifically, the display unit  20  and the image capturing unit  21  may be implemented as a screen and a lens at a front side, respectively. Alternatively, the display unit  20  and the image capturing unit  21  may be implemented as a screen and a lens at a rear side, respectively. In the embodiment of the present invention, for example but not limited to, the optical lens  302  is a convex lens. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B , the biochemical detection apparatus  1  of the present invention further includes a biochemical sheet  4 . The biochemical sheet  4 , inserted in the insertion slot  301  of the main body  30 , includes a test area  40  and a calibration area  41  at one end thereof. The test area  40  and the calibration area  41  are accommodated in the accommodating space  300 , and are located above the image capturing unit  21  for the image capturing unit  21  to scan. The optical device  3  of the present invention is a readily portable structure having a small volume and a low cost. To put to application, an object under test is added to the test area  40  of the biochemical sheet  4  to allow the object under test to mix with a biochemical reactant on the test area  40 . The biochemical sheet  4  is then inserted into the insertion slot  301  to cause the test area  40  to align with the optical lens  302 , so as to allow the image capturing unit  21  to scan a change result of the test area  40 , and to perform image extension and a determination. The detection result is displayed on the display unit  20  immediately for the user to determine detection data of the object under test, thereby solving the drawbacks of high costs and the incapability of immediate detection due to poor portability of an expensive conventional optical image extending apparatus. The biochemical reactant on the test area  40  of the present invention is applicable to a fluid or a gas in the environment to detect the amount of a metal component of a contaminant, a pH value, or the presence of contamination, or to detect an object under test, e.g., blood sugar in a biological fluid including blood, urine saliva of the human body to conveniently monitor the level of a special an analyte (e.g., glucose, cholesterol, ketone or a specific protein) existing in the fluid. 
         [0029]    In the present invention, the optical lens  302  is disposed between the test area  40  and the image capturing unit  21 . Thus, the image capturing unit  21  provides image extension through the properties of the optical lens  302 , such that the test area  40  is allowed to detect the object under test using the biochemical reactant having a quite small area, thereby reducing the area that the test area requires and reducing the object amount under test , increasing the amount of detection and reducing investment costs of a business entrepreneur. 
         [0030]    In the present invention, when the test area  40  and the calibration area  41  at one end of the biochemical sheet  4  are accommodated in the accommodating space  300 , depending on actual conditions, the electronic computing device  2  may include an application program (not shown) electrically connected to the image capturing unit  21 . Through the application program, the electronic computing device  2  of the present invention divides one part of the display unit  20  into a light emitting area  200 , and locates the light emitting area  200  below the opening  303  of the main body  30  to have the illumination provided by the light emitting area  200  to serve as a main light source for the image capturing unit  21  to capture an image of the test area  40 . Further, light beams from the light emitting area  200  irradiate into the accommodating space  300  through the opening  303  to provide the image capturing unit  21  with sufficient light beams for scanning and facilitating the observation for a change result of the test area  40 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 5 , depending on actual conditions, the main body  30  includes a through hole  304 , which is located at one side of the main body  30  opposite the optical lens  302  and is in communication with the accommodating space  300 . The user may additionally apply an external light source such as a torch  5  to utilize illumination of the external light source as the main light source for the image capturing unit  21  to capture an image of the test area  40 . The light beams from the external light source irradiate into the accommodating space  300  through the through hole  304  to provide the image capturing unit  21  with more sufficient light beams for scanning a change result of the test area  40 . Further, when the illumination of the light emitting area  200  serves as the main light source for the image capturing unit  21  to capture the change result of the test area  40 , the external light source may also serve as an auxiliary light source for the image capturing unit  21  to capture the change result of the test area  40 . 
         [0031]    As previous described, in the present invention, the light emitting area  200  on the display unit  20  provides a lighting function. Further, through the control of the application program, the shape of the light emitting area  200  may be made to be consistent with the shape of the main body  30 , so as to allow the optical lens  302  of the main body  30  to align with a center point of the image capturing unit  21 . 
         [0032]    Further, the application program may control a position of the display unit  20  to form a display area  201 , which is located at a center part of the display unit  20 . The electronic computing device  2  of the present invention may simultaneously divide the display unit  20  into the light emitting area  200  and the display area  201  through the application program, hence allowing the user to at the same time observe the change result of the test area  40  while the image capturing unit  21  scans the change result of the test area  40 . Alternatively, through the control of the application program, the display unit  20  is caused to form the light emitting area  200  or the display area  201  at different time points, e.g., the display unit  20  activates only the light emitting area  200  during the detection, and activates the display area  201  to display the detection result after the detection is complete. 
         [0033]    In one embodiment of the present invention, the main body  30  may be provided as a housing having better reflectivity. When light beams enter the accommodating space  300 , the light beams are less likely absorbed by the main body  30 . Thus, more light beams can be reflected to the test area  40  and the calibration area  41 , such that the image capturing unit  21  is provided with more sufficient light beams for scanning the change result of the object under test mixed with the biochemical reactant on the biochemical sheet  4 . 
         [0034]    The calibration area  41  includes at least one comparison reference object (not shown). The comparison reference object is comparison reference data that is embedded in the calibration area  41  according to the type of the object under test to be detected. More specifically, to detect an amount of a metal component or a pH value, corresponding data such a comparison value or a form is embedded into the calibration area  41  to serve as a comparison standard for the current detection. To detect blood sugar in blood, urine or saliva, corresponding data is similarly embedded into the calibration area  41 , and so forth. 
         [0035]    The present invention is suitable for various types of electronic computing devices. However, these electronic computing devices in different brands or models may have different screen display or brightness parameter settings, or numerous data settings (e.g. color temperature and white balance) of the image capturing unit  21  may also be different. Further, assuming that the image capturing unit  21  adopts non-automatic focusing and the precision levels by which the user operates and inserts the biochemical sheet  4  are different, undesired effects of image recognition and determination errors may be resulted if preceding calibration operations are not provided before the application of the biochemical sheet  4 . Therefore, the calibration area  41  of the present invention further includes at least one focusing target object (not shown), which is embedded into the calibration area  41 . Before the biochemical sheet  4  is inserted, calibration operations including insertion alignment, image focusing and white balance are first performed for the image capturing unit  21  of the electronic computing device  2  to enhance the detection accuracy. In one embodiment, the focusing target object may be implemented as a calibration object in form of a plurality of thick/thin strips or grids for aligning an object or a light source or calibrating white balance. 
         [0036]    As previously described, one end of the biochemical sheet  4  is simultaneously embedded with the test area  40  and the calibration area  41 , so that the user may directly compare the change result of the test area  40  with the comparison reference object at the calibration area  41 , which is distinct from the drawback of the test area  40  and the calibration area  41  belonging to two different objects and being more costly and inconvenient of a conventional solution. It should be noted that, the comparison reference object or the focusing target object may be stored in the electronic computing device  2 . Further, the focusing target object may be an identification password of the manufacturer of the biochemical sheet  4 , hence allowing only predetermined biochemical sheets  4  to be activated and used for detection by the electronic computing device  2 . 
         [0037]    Further, when detection is performed using the biochemical sheet  4 , the change result of the test area  40  can be manually observed. Alternatively, the image capturing unit  21  is controlled by the application program to cause the image capturing unit  21  to automatically scan the change result of the test area  40  and the comparison reference object. A difference between the change result of the test area  40  and the comparison reference object is then automatically calculated, and the calculated result is displayed on the display area  201  of the display unit  20 . 
         [0038]    Further, the electronic computing device  2  includes a database (not shown) electrically connected to the application program. The calculated result of the application program may be stored in the database to serve for data statistics and data analysis purposes, or to serve for subsequent support applications after a connection is established with a remote server. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 , the optical device  3  includes a fixing member for fixing the main body  30  on the electronic computing device  2 . The fixing member is coplanar with the optical lens  302  and the opening  303  of the main body  30 , and is located between the optical lens  302  and the opening  303 . The fixing member may be implemented by an adhesive film  31 , a rubber band  31   a,  or a clamping tool (not shown). In the present invention, the optical device  3  is fixed on the electronic computing device  2  using the fixing member, so as to prevent the electronic computing device  2  or the optical device  3  from human impacts that may dislocate the electronic computing device  2  or the optical device  3 .

Technology Classification (CPC): 7