Abstract:
The innovation is an on-line self-operated pressure point impedance measuring device. The device will be quantifying the impedance of measured pressure point into digital format. The qualified impedance data will be able to on-line interface to a PC computer for recording and further application using USB protocol. The configuration of device is including a hand-held body or with a parallel connection unit as a current loop for measuring device; a flexible round point as a measuring point for the device, and an impedance sensing circuitry. This innovation will be significantly improving the convenience of operating procedures for impedance measurement.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     (a) Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention is related to the electrical impedance measurement of biological body, in particular, an on-line and self-operated electrical impedance measurement of biological body.  
         [0003]     (b) Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     The impedance measurement is based on the theory of Chinese tradition medicine that stated that the vitality of internal organ would reflect to some pressure points on human body. In other word, the status of specific group pressure points can be used to diagnose diseases in theory. The physiological status of pressure point is including itching, sour, pain and many others. The physical status of the pressure point on the skin is related to the electrical conduction. Dr. Croon first announced the discovery of low electrical impedance in relationship to the pressure point area in 1947. Follows by Dr. Yoshio Nakatani whom further established that the impedance measured of a certain pressure points group were related to specific disease in human. The connection of the group of pressure point that had good electrical conduction was named as Ryodorku. This innovation is based on this prior knowledge to devise an easy operating apparatus for impedance measurement.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The object of this invention is to provide a simple apparatus and easily operated (self-operated in particular) instrument of impedance measurement for homecare and e-Health environment. The measurement of impedance can be completed in one step operating procedure. The one button instrument when pressed will activate the impedance sensing and detection circuit. A LED light in cooperated with a beeping sound will be indicating the completion of the impedance measurement. The acquired data, the value of impedance of the measuring area, will be transmitted to PC on line through USB communication protocol.  
         [0006]     In order to achieve such novelty, four unique designs have been made to accomplish such object. (1) The contact of the probe applied to the measuring object, the pressure applied to the surface of measuring object, should be consistence. (2) The proper pressure applied to the probe will be activating the impedance measuring mechanism. (3) When the successful of data acquisition is completed, the user will be notified with beeping sound and LED light indicator. And, (4) the device should be able to self-operate or, with an extra electrical lead, a helping personnel can operate the device.  
         [0007]     The innovated device, a electrical impedance measuring device for homecare and e-Health environment, is shaped as a pen with a hallow interior. The main body, the pen shaped arrangement of the device, is used for the hand held by the user. The hand held portion is consisted of one electrical lead of the device. The other electrical lead of the device, the electrical probe, is located at the front end of the device. The probe is connected to an elastic unit for absorbing impact pressure and for proper the applied pressure. The hallow interior of the device contains an impedance measuring circuitry. The functional blocks of impedance measuring circuitry are including (1) a power management unit that provides proper isolated DC power to the circuitry; (2) a function generator; (3) a microprocessor controlled functional unit for the signal digitization, the USB data communication, and the control of the signal processing flow; and (4) a user interface button to activate the function of microprocessor.  
         [0008]     The preferred USB communication interface of the electrical impedance measuring device for homecare and e-Health environment will be come through at the rear end of the device. It is able to be connected to a personal computer. The USB connection is used for data communication and will be able to receive power from computer. The received power will be converted to proper voltage level that will be providing isolated power to the circuitry. There is an extra electrical lead that is parallel connected to hand held body of the device which is come through the rear end of the device as USB connection.  
         [0009]     The preferred innovated device, an electrical impedance measuring device for homecare and e-Health environment with a specific design, is a utility of self-operated instrument. With an extra electrical lead, the device can be used for measuring subject&#39;s impedance with help of others. The preferred device is able to connect to a personal computer through USB connection. The required power to operate the circuitry is from delivered from computer and is taking advantage of USB connection. The power management unit of the device will be isolating the power usage of device from power source. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of this invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a partial section perspective view of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is the exploded view of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of the partial area in  FIG. 3 , showing the construction details front-end portion of the probe.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a partial section perspective view of front-end portion for another preferred embodiment of this invention showing installed interior view.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is the partial section side view of  FIG. 5 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram personification of preferred innovated embodiment of this invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is similar to the  FIG. 1  but showing another preferred innovated device of this invention with extra electrical lead.  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is the partial exploded view of  FIG. 8 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 10  is similar to the  FIG. 8  but showing another preferred embodiment of this invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  is the partial exploded view of  FIG. 10 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 12  is similar to the  FIG. 8  but showing another preferred embodiment of connection with additional USB connector for preferred extra device with electrical lead.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0022]     The preferred innovated device with two electrical leads is shown as  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The probe is used to contact the measuring area. The other electrical lead is located at hand held body of the preferred device. When electrical leads are contacted to the biology with the device activated, the impedance will be measured and the data will be sent to a personal computer for further processed. The process flow is shown as  FIG. 7 . The device is pen like hand held instrument. The measuring device ( 10 ) of this invention that is composed from hand held body ( 11 ), the probe ( 12 ) at front portion of the device and a USB connection ( 31 ). The hand held portion of main structure with hallow interior is composed of top ( 101 ) and bottom ( 102 ) casing that is holding the circuitry ( 20 ) of the device. The top and bottom of the hand held body are joined together by the electrical conduction lead ( 13 ) that is connected to the impedance measuring circuitry as shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the electrical leads of the circuitry are used for contacting to the biological surface such as labeled ( 21 ) and ( 22 ). The impedance measuring circuitry connected with two electrical leads, preferred, one electrical lead ( 21 ) at the tip of probe ( 12 ) and the other electrical lead ( 22 ) is located on the outer surface of the cylinder of the hand held body ( 11 ). The electrical lead ( 22 ) is electric-connecting to a conduction element ( 13 ) of the hand held body ( 11 ), or is parallel connected with extra hand held electrical lead ( 40 ) as shown in FIGS.  7  to  12 .  
         [0023]     As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , there is a control button ( 15 ) that is able to activate, interrupt the function of impedance measuring. A sound and/or lighting indicator are used to signal the completion of impedance acquisition. The control button ( 15 ) is also able to signal the data communication.  
         [0024]     For proper the applied pressure to the biological body, the elastic unit is assembled with the probe ( 12 ) with minute spacer to absorb the pressure shock from impact. When measuring the biological impedance, the pressure is applied to the probe that will be making the probe contacting to the circuitry. As shown in  FIGS. 2, 3 , and  4 , the elastic unit, e.g., spring ( 14 ), and the supporting stopper ( 16 ) is assembled with probe ( 12 ) that is giving a minute sliding motion to absorb the applying pressure when measuring the impedance. The probe and the elastic unit are situated in the front casing ( 103 ). The supporting stopper ( 16 ) is hard wired and connected to the measuring circuitry ( 20 ). When no pressure is applied to the probe, the probe is virtually disconnected from the circuitry. Two views of elastic unit with its casing are detailed and shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 .  
         [0025]     The above pressure shock absorption design will be upholding added stress and maintain unvarying contact, pressure and distant, to the measuring area. The same design will be activating conduction of probe to the circuitry when proper force is acted on the subject. Shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the pressure stock absorption is composed from two elastic segments. The first segment is a spring unit ( 18 ) that supports the acted on pressure of the probe ( 12 ) and escort sliding back motion the probe to the second elastic segment. The second elastic segment ( 19 ) is a U-shaped leaf spring. The one arm of U-shaped lead spring is fixed on the circuitry. The other is a free arm of U-shaped leaf spring ( 191 ) that is obverting to the measuring circuitry and having a space D to back end ( 121 ) of the probe ( 12 ).  
         [0026]     while the probe ( 12 ) is pressed against the surface of the object, the skin, the probe ( 12 ) is retracted and is acted onto the spring unit ( 18 ). If the retracted distance is greater that space D, the probe ( 12 ) will be contacting to the lead spring ( 19 ) and is making the conduction to the circuitry.  
         [0027]     The above stated measuring circuitry ( 20 ) is including a preferred constant current source, shown as  FIG. 7 . The circuitry ( 20 ) is composed from a function generator ( 24 ), e.g. a sine wave function generator, a signal condition and management unit ( 23 ) that will be providing powered functional signal to the measuring circuitry. The powered functional signal will be isolating and conditioning from the external source. The powered functional signal will be conducted to the measuring area ( 21 ) through probe ( 12 ) and measuring area ( 22 ) through hand held conduction area ( 13 ) that will return and measuring the impedance of measuring pressure point.  
         [0028]     The power management unit ( 25 ) of the circuitry will be providing isolated and sufficient current to the measuring circuitry, digitizer and USB communication at proper voltage levels. The measured data, impedance, is transmitted, displayed, and stored into a computer for further processes. Shown in  FIG. 1 , the impedance measuring device is utilizing USB ( 27 ) connection and protocol with a connector ( 31 ) to communicate and interface with a personal computer ( 28 ) for data storage, communication, and display ( 29 ).  
         [0029]     The above description is illustrating a practice of a self-operated example. The impedance of pressure point can be measured by others using same circuitry with an preferred wiring installation as illustrated below. The configuration is shown as  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 . The extra hand held electrical lead ( 40 ) has a connector ( 41 ) using extra electrical lead conduction wire ( 42 ) to the measuring device ( 10 ) through the tail end ( 17 ) of the device, as shown in  FIG. 9 . And the extra hand held electrical lead ( 40 ) is parallel connected to the electrical lead of impedance measuring circuitry ( 20 ) through the receptacle ( 43 ) in the measuring device ( 10 ). The receptacle for the extra hand held electrical lead ( 40 ) can be at main body of the measuring device ( 10 ), at USB connector ( 31 ), or at USB extension connector ( 44 ). Another preferred installation of receptacle located at USB connector is shown in  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 . The connector ( 41 ) of the extra hand held electrical lead is connected to the client end of USB connector. Furthermore, the preferred design for receptacle of the extra hand held electrical lead located at the USB extension connector ( 44 ) is shown in  FIG. 12 . The connection of extra hand held electrical lead to the circuitry is through the side ( 441 ) of the USB extension connector ( 44 ). The utilization of this invention is for clinical/medical practitioner to acquire impedance data from the subject. While the Extra hand held electrical lead ( 40 ) is used in the system, the electrical connection to the surface lead of main body of the measuring device is disconnected by the plug in of the extra hand held electrical lead to the receptacle. In this practice, with the practitioner holding the main body of measuring device ( 10 ), of a proper touch of the probe ( 12 ) to the subject, the current loop of impedance measuring circuitry is still through the subject who is holding the extra hand held electrical lead. Furthermore, the usage of current loop of impedance measuring device can be selected either from the computer or by the plug in of extra hand held electrical lead.  
         [0030]     In summary, the innovated device has a specific design for self-operated impedance measuring as well as operated by practitioner. The impedance measuring device is utilizing USB connection and protocol to communicate and interface with a personal computer. The power from the computer is converted to the proper range and is isolated to the subject. The measured impedance data is stored into user database or can be used to consult with the remote serve in the internet.  
         [0031]     While the preferred embodiments of the methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention. Other embodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from the spirit of the inventions and the scope of the appended claims.