Ambient Temperature Compensated (e.g., Dummy Sensor) Patents (Class 374/133)
  • Patent number: 11108976
    Abstract: An embodiment of this application discloses a handheld infrared imager that includes a cell and a batter cover. The cell is provided with a circumferential positioning hole, a circumferential positioning protrusion is correspondingly provided at an end of the battery cover, and the circumferential positioning protrusion and the circumferential positioning hole are engaged with each other to implement relative circumferential positioning. A longitudinal positioning protrusion is provided on an outer peripheral side wall of the cell, a longitudinal positioning groove is correspondingly provided on a sidewall of the battery cover, and the longitudinal positioning protrusion and the longitudinal positioning groove are engaged with each other to implement relative longitudinal positioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Hangzhou Hikmicro Sensing Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Tang
  • Patent number: 10466109
    Abstract: This temperature measuring device includes: a case which has a bottomed tubular shape with a closed portion at one end and an opening at the other end, and in which a temperature sensing part is disposed on the side of the closed portion; an infrared temperature sensor unit in which an infrared temperature detection unit that has a light-receiving surface receiving an infrared ray and detects the received infrared ray and outputs the ray in the form of an electrical signal is disposed opposite the temperature sensing part while being spaced therefrom inside the case; and a connection terminal unit which has in the interior thereof a circuit unit that acquires the electrical signal and that generates temperature information so that the temperature information is outputted to an external device, wherein the connection terminal unit can be disposed at a position spaced from the heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Kawai, Shigeki Tsujii, Hiroshi Sakanoue, Satoi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10261034
    Abstract: A heat flow distribution measurement device includes a sensor module having one multilayer substrate and a plurality of heat flow sensor portions arranged inside of the multilayer substrate. The multilayer substrate has one surface and another surface opposite to the one surface and includes a plurality of stacked insulating layers each formed of a thermoplastic resin. The heat flow sensor portions are each formed of thermoelectric conversion elements and are thermoelectrically independent. An arithmetic portion arithmetically determines a heat flow distribution based on an electromotive force generated in each of the heat flow sensor portions. The thermoelectric conversion elements are formed in the multilayer substrate and therefore manufactured by the same manufacturing process for manufacturing the multilayer substrate. This can minimize the performance difference between the individual thermoelectric conversion elements and allow the heat flow distribution to be measured with high precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Shiraishi, Atusi Sakaida, Norio Gouko, Toshihisa Taniguchi, Keiji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10194807
    Abstract: A body surface thermometer and a wearable temperature measuring device are disclosed. The body surface thermometer includes an infrared temperature sensor and a shielding protective hood disposed outside the infrared temperature sensor, and the shielding protective hood is an infrared ray shielding protective hood. With the body surface thermometer, the measuring precision of surface temperature of a target object can be promoted, thereby raising the freedom degree of test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masakazu Okamura
  • Patent number: 9829393
    Abstract: A method for determining the ambient temperature of a mobile device including: determining an operating condition of the mobile device for determining a thermal condition of the mobile device in a first task, estimating a dynamic parameter, which characterizes the thermal behavior of the mobile device in a second task, and calculating an ambient temperature of the mobile device with the aid of the dynamic parameter in a third task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Claus
  • Patent number: 9786423
    Abstract: A system for generating an asymmetric magnetic field. The system includes a drive circuit and a stacked winding structure coupled to the drive circuit. The stacked winding structure includes a plurality of winding layers. The plurality of winding layers includes a first winding layer including a first conductive winding having first turns and a second winding layer including a second conductive winding having second turns ion. The plurality of winding layers is arranged to produce a first magnetic field at a first side of the stacked winding structure and a second magnetic field at a second side of the stacked winding structure when the drive circuit electrically drives the plurality of winding layers. The first magnetic field is greater than the second magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Al-Thaddeus Avestruz, Arijit Banerjee, Arthur Hsu Chen Chang, Shahriar R. Khushrushahi, Steven B. Leeb
  • Patent number: 9766138
    Abstract: The invention relates to a temperature measuring device for measurement of the external temperature of the ambient air in a vehicle, wherein the temperature measuring device is disposed in a flow path of an air flow and the air flow can be generated from ambient air of the vehicle both through speed-dependent wind resistance of the vehicle and/or wind and also through a compressor unit disposed in the flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Claus Jochemczyk, Thorben Guenzel
  • Patent number: 9563156
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating body, a pressuring body, a heat source and a detecting mechanism. The detecting mechanism is not in contact with the heating body and including an infrared detecting element which detects infrared rays radiated from an outer circumferential face of the heating body. A longitudinal direction of the heating body is a second direction which crosses a first direction as a conveying direction of a recording medium. A detected area is arranged on the outer circumferential face of the heating body so that the infrared rays radiated from the detected area is detected by the infrared detecting element. The detecting mechanism is arranged in a posture inclined to another posture facing the outer circumferential face of the heating body so that a width in the second direction of the detected area is wider than a width in the first direction of the detected area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yuzuru Nanjo
  • Patent number: 9449858
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for processing substrates. Embodiments of the invention include apparatuses for processing a substrate comprising a ceramic reflector plate, which may be optically transparent. The reflector plate may include a reflective coating and be part of a reflector plate assembly in which the reflector plate is assembled to a baseplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Blake R. Koelmel, Aaron M. Hunter, Alexander N. Lerner
  • Patent number: 9433064
    Abstract: A light source apparatus according to the present invention includes a circuit board; a light source mounted on the circuit board; a first temperature measurement element that measures an ambient temperature of the circuit board and outputs a first signal that represents the measured result; a second temperature measurement element that measures a temperature of the circuit board and outputs a second signal that represents the measured result; and a light source drive control section that controls driving of the light source. The light source drive control section does not drive the light source if the temperature represented by the second signal is lower than the temperature represented by the first signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: NEC Display Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Miyamoto, Naoki Masuda, Shuichi Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 9072516
    Abstract: A system and method are described for sensing the orientation of a catheter relative to a tissue and regulating the application of power to maintain the tissue at a pre-determined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic Ablation Frontiers LLC
    Inventor: Marshall Sherman
  • Publication number: 20150131699
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide an RTP system for processing a substrate. An RTP chamber has a radiation source configured to deliver radiation to a substrate disposed within a processing volume. One or more pyrometers are coupled to the chamber body opposite the radiation source. In one example, the radiation source is disposed below the substrate and the pyrometers are disposed above the substrate. In another example, the radiation source is disposed above the substrate and the pyrometers are disposed below the substrate. The substrate may be supported in varying manners configured to reduce physical contact between the substrate support and the substrate. An edge ring and shield are disposed within the processing volume and are configured to reduce or eliminate background radiation from interfering with the pyrometers. Additionally, an absorbing surface may be coupled to the chamber body to further reduce background radiation interference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Wolfgang R. ADERHOLD
  • Publication number: 20150017592
    Abstract: Devices and corresponding methods can be provided to monitor or measure temperature of a target or to control a process. Targets can have low, unknown, or variable emissivity. Devices and corresponding methods can be used to measure temperatures of thin film, partially transparent, or opaque targets, as well as targets not filling a sensor's field of view. Temperature measurements can be made independent of emissivity of a target surface by, for example, inserting a target between a thermopile sensor and a background surface maintained at substantially the same temperature as the thermopile sensor. In embodiment devices and methods, a sensor temperature can be controlled to match a target temperature by minimizing or zeroing a net heat flux at the sensor, as derived from a sensor output signal. Alternatively, a target temperature can be controlled to minimize the heat flux.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: Exergen Corporation
    Inventors: Jason N. Jarboe, Francesco Pompei
  • Patent number: 8912877
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a system and method for activating an electronic device. The activation circuit comprises: a first sensor to monitor for a first condition relating to an environment as affected by a user of the device; a second sensor to monitor for the first condition relating to an environment isolated from effects of the user; and an activation circuit to evaluate signals from the first and second sensors to determine whether to change an activation state of a component on the device. This may involve activating or deactivating the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Spencer Ling, Antonio Chan
  • Patent number: 8489217
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for minimizing reliability problems in a three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuit. A set of sensors are interrogated for current data. A direction of force and a magnitude of the force are determined based on the current data for each sensor in the set of sensors for each of one or more directions between the sensor and at least one neighboring sensor thereby forming a set of forces. Each of the set of forces is used to identify one or more points of stress that are at or above the predetermined force threshold. Responsive to identifying at least one point of stress that is at or above the predetermined force threshold, one or more temperature actuation actions are initiated in order to reduce at least one point of stress in the region where the at least one point of stress is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
  • Patent number: 8376610
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for automated field calibration of temperature sensors uses a series of readings including a reading of a known source, such as an LED, for use in calculating a factor that is compared to a reference for adjusting the sensor output signal. Calibration readings are taken more frequently after start up to compensate for sensor drift during storage, as opposed to less frequent readings during operation to compensate for slower sensor drift while operational.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventors: Sam Paris, Charles Steven Pint
  • Patent number: 8356934
    Abstract: A surrogate temperature sensor (52) for a convection cooled radiant heater system is described. The surrogate temperature sensor has an internal controllable heater (62) and a sensing device such as a thermocouple (64). The surrogate temperature sensor is paired with a furnace/dryer radiant heat source (38). The surrogate's internal heater provides sufficient power to heat the surrogate to the same temperature as the radiant heater. At least one surrogate temperature sensor (52) is positioned to be exposed to the cooling media in a manner similar to the radiant heat source. The surrogate sensor reports its temperature which is indicative of the radiant heater temperature to the cooling controller. The controller responds to this signal and adjusts cooling to maintain the radiant heater at its desired temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Inventor: Paul Allen Howard
  • Publication number: 20120310578
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for enhancing data accuracy of a noncontact infrared thermometer. One method includes determining dry atmospheric constituency and water vapor absorption coefficients across the infrared thermometers spectral bandpass and implementing the coefficients in processing with site-based atmospheric temperature and water vapor density profile and pressure measurements to provide corrected target temperature data compensating for contamination in said raw data due to said intervening atmosphere. The method is particularly well adapted for use in correcting data from less expensive but also less accurate wideband infrared thermometers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventor: Fredrick S. Solheim
  • Patent number: 8215832
    Abstract: A first thermosensitive element including a temperature detecting unit that outputs a voltage corresponding to a temperature to which the unit rises from ambient temperature (temperature of surrounding environment) due to incident infrared, and a second thermosensitive element including a temperature detecting unit that outputs a voltage based on ambient temperature are formed above/on a silicon substrate. The temperature detecting unit of the first thermosensitive element is thermally insulated from the silicon substrate by a clearance (space). The temperature detecting unit of the second thermosensitive element is formed on a first sacrifice layer made of deposited diamond like carbon, and thermally connected to the silicon substrate by the first sacrifice layer. The infrared sensor detects an amount of incident infrared based on the difference between output voltages of the first and second thermosensitive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Kurashina
  • Publication number: 20120033708
    Abstract: A surrogate temperature sensor (52) for a convection cooled radiant heater system is described. The surrogate temperature sensor has an internal controllable heater (62) and a sensing device such as a thermocouple (64). The surrogate temperature sensor is paired with a furnace/dryer radiant heat source (38). The surrogate's internal heater provides sufficient power to heat the surrogate to the same temperature as the radiant heater. At least one surrogate temperature sensor (52) is positioned to be exposed to the cooling media in a manner similar to the radiant heat source. The surrogate sensor reports its temperature which is indicative of the radiant heater temperature to the cooling controller. The controller responds to this signal and adjusts cooling to maintain the radiant heater at its desired temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventor: Paul Allen Howard
  • Patent number: 7841767
    Abstract: A tympanic thermometer includes a thermally conductive nozzle extending from a distal end of the thermometer. A base of a sensor can is thermally connected to the nozzle to define a path of conductive heat transfer from the nozzle to the base of the can thereby minimizing a thermal gradient between proximal and distal ends of the sensor can when temperature is measured in the ear. An air space around the sensor can inhibits heat transfer except at the base of the sensor can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Covidien AG
    Inventor: James M. Harr
  • Patent number: 7731418
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a thermometer is provided. The method includes deriving values of at least two different reference calibration coefficients of a reference calibration equation. The reference calibration equation relates temperature of a reference temperature sensor to at least two different calibration coefficients and a measured characteristic of the reference temperature sensor. A primary temperature sensor of the thermometer is calibrated using the derived values of the at least two different reference calibration coefficients. In another method for calibrating a thermometer, value of at least one reference calibration coefficient is derived from a reference calibration equation. The reference calibration equation is a non-linear equation relating the temperature of the reference temperature sensor to the at least one calibration coefficient and a measured characteristic of the reference temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Covidien AG
    Inventor: Jeffrey E. Price
  • Publication number: 20100091813
    Abstract: A non-invasive method of measuring the temperature of a subject through a portable infrared thermometer includes measuring a temperature related to room temperature and detecting an infrared radiation coming from a region of interest of the subject. The region of interest can be a forehead or an auricle area of the subject. The portable infrared thermometer detecting the infrared radiation determines a surface temperature of the region of interest. A corrective parameter is determined based on the temperature related to the room temperature, and the surface temperature measured by the portable infrared thermometer on the surface portion of the forehead or of the auricle area is corrected using the corrective parameter. The real inner temperature of the subject is determined based upon the correcting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: TECNIMED S.R.L.
    Inventor: Francesco BELLIFEMINE
  • Patent number: 7668686
    Abstract: A method of controlling an initial external temperature display in a vehicle may include comparing an ignition-off time with a first threshold and displaying a current reading from an outside ambient temperature sensor when the ignition-off time equals or exceeds the first threshold. The method further includes comparing at least one secondary condition with at least one secondary parameter when the ignition-off time falls below the first threshold and selecting and displaying a reading based on the comparison of the at least one secondary condition with the at least one secondary parameter. This comparison can include comparing a previous ignition-on time with a second threshold and comparing a sum of the ignition-off time and a stored amount with a third threshold when the previous ignition-on time equals or falls below the second threshold. Alternatively, this comparison can include comparing an engine water temperature with a temperature threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Conte, Akira Oga, Robert Wunsche
  • Patent number: 7641385
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a non-contact temperature detecting element 81 allocated in non-contact with a heat roller, the sensing element detecting a temperature of the heat roller. The non-contact temperature sensing section 81 includes a thermopile P which detects a target temperature Pt of a heat roller 2, a temperature element CPU 100 which estimates an ambient temperature at the periphery of the thermopile P and computes an estimated ambient temperature SQt, and a thermister Q which detects an ambient temperature Qt at the periphery of the thermopile and outputs the ambient temperature Qt at an output voltage of a predetermined rate with respect to a total output voltage value corresponding to the estimated ambient temperature SQt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Sone, Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Yoshinori Tsueda
  • Publication number: 20090296775
    Abstract: An ear thermometer which includes a temperature detection element and infrared detection element arranged near the opening portion of a probe achieves a reduction in manufacturing cost while reducing the influence of thermal shock. This invention provides an ear thermometer incorporating, in a probe, a temperature detection element to detect an environmental temperature and an infrared detection element to detect infrared radiation emitted from a temperature measurement region in an earhole. The probe includes an end face portion having an opening in its distal end, an inner surface portion of a hollow cylindrical member, and an inwardly protruding engaging portion. A detection element housing is fixed to close the opening of the probe and to form an air layer between the detection element housing and the probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: TERUMO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Keiji YAMAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 7625117
    Abstract: A bandage incorporates sensor arrays. The sensor arrays may measure temperature and are fixed to a person's temple in use, or other suitable body part. An estimate of core body temperature may be made using the arrays. The bandage may carry processing electronics and a transmitter. Processing may be done on the bandage or remotely from the bandage. Other physiological parameters may be measured depending on the type of sensor used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Inventors: James W. Haslett, Ivars Finvers, Graham A Jullien
  • Publication number: 20090257469
    Abstract: The invention relates to an infrared (“IR”) thermometer that includes a pistol-grip handle which is operable to receive a high-voltage removable and rechargeable battery pack. In one embodiment, the thermometer includes a main body, a handle portion, a trigger, a display, a control section, an LED flashlight, a plurality of sensors, and a high-voltage removable and rechargeable battery pack. The handle forms an oblique angle with respect to the main body and includes a first recess for receiving the battery pack. The trigger is operable to initiate a temperature measurement, and the display is operable to display, among other things, a measured temperature. The plurality of sensors include, for example, an IR temperature sensor, a thermocouple, a humidity sensor, and an ambient temperature sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Inventors: Mike N. Jones, Evans H. Nguyen, Scott D. Bublitz, Jason R. Crowe
  • Publication number: 20090219971
    Abstract: A method for correcting the output signal of a radiation sensor 20 includes obtaining two or more temperature signals from a corresponding number of measurements of quantities at different times and/or different locations relating to the temperature of the sensor, and correcting the output signal with reference to said temperature signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: PERKINELMER OPTOELECTRONICS GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Martin Liess, Juergen Schilz
  • Publication number: 20090207879
    Abstract: A first thermosensitive element including a temperature detecting unit that outputs a voltage corresponding to a temperature to which the unit rises from ambient temperature (temperature of surrounding environment) due to incident infrared, and a second thermosensitive element including a temperature detecting unit that outputs a voltage based on ambient temperature are formed above/on a silicon substrate. The temperature detecting unit of the first thermosensitive element is thermally insulated from the silicon substrate by a clearance (space). The temperature detecting unit of the second thermosensitive element is formed on a first sacrifice layer made of deposited diamond like carbon, and thermally connected to the silicon substrate by the first sacrifice layer. The infrared sensor detects an amount of incident infrared based on the difference between output voltages of the first and second thermosensitive elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventor: SEIJI KURASHINA
  • Patent number: 7532810
    Abstract: A portable heater incorporates a housing, heating element, outlet for heat generated by the heating element, and diagnostic testing capabilities that test for defective or abnormal conditions of various safety features and report their status. The features include an object sensing or cover detect function, which operates to disconnect the heater from the primary power source in the event an object is detected that may obstruct the heater outlet, a tilt sensor, which detects whether the heater has been tilted, a fuse, and a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) breaker. The diagnostic testing function preferably receives power directly from the primary source of power to enable the status of the tests to be displayed whenever the heater is plugged in. Light emitting diodes preferably provide backlighting to icons representing the various features to indicate their status to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Jaideep Jayaram, Paul Powers, Robert Sherwood, Carlos Alberto Natividad
  • Patent number: 7484885
    Abstract: A thermal imaging apparatus comprises a housing defining an entrance pupil for ingress of imaging radiation. At least one light sensor is positioned forward of the entrance pupil. An electronic imaging device such as a focal plane array is located in the housing rearward of the entrance pupil for converting imaging radiation to electrical signals for further processing. The apparatus further includes a shutter having an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the shutter is located between the entrance pupil and the electronic imaging device so as to inhibit exposure of the electronic imaging device to incident radiation. Circuitry is provided for selectively operating the shutter to be in the closed position based on signals produced at the light sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Raytek Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S. Carlson, Thomas Heinke
  • Publication number: 20080187022
    Abstract: It is disclosed a device (100) for measuring a patient's temperature using an infrared thermometer (1) to detect the intensity of an infrared radiation coming from the body of that patient, whose temperature is wished to be known; the device further comprises a room-temperature sensor to send said temperature to a memory (38). A processing unit (33) receives as an input the room-temperature signal (B) and a temperature signal (A) proportional to the infrared radiation, the room-temperature signal (B) enabling the processing unit (33) to determine a corrective parameter to rectify the temperature (A) detected by the sensor member (7) and to determine the patient's real temperature. The invention allows the problem due to the non-stabilisation in the thermometer environment to be solved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: TECNIMED S.R.L.
    Inventor: Francesco Bellifemine
  • Patent number: 7340293
    Abstract: An approach to noninvasively, remotely and accurately detect core body temperature in a warm-blooded subject, human or animal, via thermal imaging. Preferred features such as the use of in-frame temperature references, specific anatomical target regions and a physiological heat transfer model help the present invention to overcome pitfalls inherent with existing thermal imaging techniques applied to physiological screening applications. This invention provides the ability to noninvasively, remotely and rapidly screen for diseases or conditions that are characterized by changes in core body temperature. One human application of this invention is the remote screening for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), since fever is a common, early symptom. Other diseases and conditions that affect the core body temperature of humans or animals may also be noninvasively and remotely detected with this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Inventor: Gary L. McQuilkin
  • Patent number: 7336987
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the core temperature of an animal or human. Emissions from the eyeball are detected, at one or more wavelengths selected on the basis of various factors, including the ability of that wavelength to reach the interior of the eyeball. An illumination marker shines a spot of light on the eyeball, such that the spot corresponds to the area from which emissions are being detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Inventors: Laird W. Laurence, Jack C. Laurence, James D. King
  • Patent number: 7314309
    Abstract: A body temperature detector is particularly suited to axillary temperature measurements of adults. The radiation sensor views a target surface area of the body and electronics compute an internal temperature of the body as a function of ambient temperature and sensed surface temperature. The function includes a weighted difference of surface temperature and ambient temperature, the weighting being varied with target temperature to account for varying perfusion rate. Preferably, the coefficient varies from a normal of about 0.13 through a range to include 0.09. The ambient temperature used in the function is assumed at about 80° F. but modified with detector temperature weighted by 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Exergen Corporation
    Inventor: Francesco Pompei
  • Patent number: 7289927
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating a body temperature and/or an ambient air temperature and/or blood flow. The method and apparatus acquire values indicative of temperature from two or more sensors. Some of the sensors being in thermal contact with a surface of the body and the other sensors being in thermal contact with the ambient air. A transfer function is then applied to the values from the sensors in order to form an estimate of the body temperature and/or the ambient air temperature and/or blood flow. The transfer function is indicative of a thermal relationship between the body temperature, the values of the sensors, the ambient air temperature and the blood flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Cybiocare, Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Bedard, Dany Nolet
  • Patent number: 7234863
    Abstract: An ambient temperature control apparatus used for measuring ambient temperature. The apparatus has a bottom plate, a panel fitting apparatus, an external mask, and a temperature control device. The panel fitting apparatus is disposed on the bottom plate and is suitable for use to fix a liquid crystal panel. The external mask is detachably mounted on the bottom plate to form a cavity, in which the panel fitting apparatus and the liquid crystal panel are enclosed. The external mask includes at least a window allowing the photometer to measure the liquid crystal panel therefrom. The temperature control device mounted to the external mask is suitable to control the temperature variation of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming-Feng Yu
  • Patent number: 7231307
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a temperature measuring apparatus is provided with a light receiving portion having a plurality of light receiving units for measuring heat quantity of divided temperature detecting area in a noncontact manner, a thermal sensor for detecting temperature of each of the plurality of light receiving units, a calculation portion for calculating a temperature of each of the divided temperature detecting areas based on the temperature obtained by the thermal sensor and the relative temperature difference obtained by the light receiving portion, a correction information holding portion for holding correction information on known reference temperature of the temperature detecting area and its corresponding calculated result outputted from the calculation portion obtained when heat quantity of the temperature detecting area is set to the reference temperature, and a correction portion for correcting the calculated result of the calculation portion based on the correction information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youji Takei, Masao Tsukizawa
  • Patent number: 7226488
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and process for heating and cooling semiconductor wafers in thermal processing chambers. In particular, the apparatus of the present invention includes a cooling device for actively cooling the wafers after the wafers have been heated. During use, the cooling device can be movable towards and away from a wafer placed in the chamber for selectively cooling the wafer at desired times. In an alternative embodiment, a gas can be directed towards the wafer for rapidly reducing the temperature of the wafer at the completion of the process. Alternatively, the wafer can be lowered to close proximity of a cooling member to achieve active and selective cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Arnon Gat
  • Patent number: 7119334
    Abstract: Systems and methods for thermal sensing and imaging using the electro-optic effect. A thermal detection system comprises a temperature sensing element that includes an electro-optic (EO) material layer having a length axis and characterized by a temperature dependent index of refraction, an electrical mechanism for inducing a chance in the index of refraction, a laser beam propagating lengthwise through EO layer for probing the refraction index change, and a light intensity meter for measuring a laser beam intensity change caused by the temperature dependent refraction index change. Thermal imaging is obtained by using a pixel array of such thermal sensing elements. The intensity reading may be done in either a cross-polarizer or a Mach Zehnder Interferometry reading configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Namal Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Lavi Secundo, Yoram Lubianiker
  • Patent number: 7108419
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a tympanic thermometer including a heat sensing probe defining a longitudinal axis and an outer surface extending from a distal end of the tympanic thermometer. The heat sensing probe includes a sensor housing extending to a distal end thereof. A sensor can is mounted with the sensor housing and a nozzle is mounted onto the sensor housing. The sensor can includes temperature sensing electronics for sensing temperature via the heat sensing probe. The nozzle includes a base disposed with the sensor housing and an elongated cylindrical nose portion disposed about the sensor housing. The nozzle is configured to direct heat flux to the distal end of the heat sensing probe. A probe cover is mountable to the distal end of the tympanic thermometer. The probe cover has an inner surface configured to engage an outer surface of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Sherwood Services AG
    Inventor: James Harr
  • Patent number: 7052180
    Abstract: An instrument measures the LED junction temperature directly by taking advantage of the linear relationship between the forward current driven through the LED, the forward drop of the LED, and the junction temperature to determine the LED junction temperature. Calibration is conducted by placing two LEDs from the same family in ambient temperature and passing a small test current through each of the LEDs to obtain the forward drop of the LED at ambient temperature. The LED under test is then placed in an environmentally-controlled chamber where the temperature is raised a known amount above ambient temperature. Known low and high voltage values are associated with the ambient temperature and the environmental chamber temperature, causing the LED under test becomes a calibrated thermometer that can measure its own junction temperature due to the linear relationship between the forward drop and the junction temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Inventor: Kelvin Shih
  • Patent number: 7014358
    Abstract: The invention relates to an infrared thermometer, especially an ear thermometer for measuring temperature, comprising an infrared sensor, a measuring tip which can be heated by a heating element, an actuating device which can be operated by a user, a control device and a display device. The invention also relates to a method for measuring temperature, especially by means of a radiation thermometer having a heatable measuring tip. Said control device switches off the heating element after the user has actuated an actuating device. After a certain amount of time, multiple temperature measurements are successively carried out, and the temperature to be displayed is determined from said measured temperatures or an error message is generated. At the latest, after a maximum measuring time has elapsed or after a maximum number of temperatures have been measured, the temperature to be displayed or an error message is displayed on the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Kraus, Alexander Klös
  • Patent number: 6964515
    Abstract: A temperature determining device is composed of a temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of a determination object member based on an intensity of infrared rays from the object member, a unit for determining a temperature for correction that determines a temperature of an opposing member opposed to the object member or a temperature of a member whose temperature changes in correlation to a change in the temperature of the opposing member, and a calculating unit that corrects the detected temperature obtained by the temperature detecting unit using the temperature as the temperature for correction obtained by the unit for determining a temperature for correction. Thus, stable temperature determination can be performed accurately without being influenced by infrared rays from around a determination object member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Asakura, Keisuke Fujimoto, Masaaki Nakano
  • Patent number: 6923572
    Abstract: A sensor 2 of a data collection system 2 is designed to make, in a predetermined environment, an operation of writing output data of a sensing circuit 24 into a non-volatile memory 22 as reference-value data, and, in a measurement environment, an operation of transmitting output data of the sensing circuit and reference-value data stored in the non-volatile memory, under the control of a memory control section 25, thereby selectively performing by itself the data-writing or data-transmitting operation without receiving instructions from a readout device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Yamatake Corporation
    Inventor: Shiro Kano
  • Patent number: 6919271
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and process for heating and cooling semiconductor wafers in thermal processing chambers. In particular, the apparatus of the present invention includes a cooling device for actively cooling the wafers after the wafers have been heated. During use, the cooling device can be movable towards and away from a wafer placed in the chamber for selectively cooling the wafer at desired times. In an alternative embodiment, a gas can be directed towards the wafer for rapidly reducing the temperature of the wafer at the completion of the process. Alternatively, the wafer can be lowered to close proximity of a cooling member to achieve active and selective cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Arnon Gat
  • Patent number: 6877896
    Abstract: An ambient temperature control apparatus used for measuring ambient temperature. The apparatus has a bottom plate, a panel fitting apparatus, an external mask, and a temperature control device. The panel fitting apparatus is disposed on the bottom plate and is suitable for use to fix a liquid crystal panel. The external mask is detachably mounted on the bottom plate to form a cavity, in which the panel fitting apparatus and the liquid crystal panel are enclosed. The external mask includes at least a window allowing the photometer to measure the liquid crystal panel therefrom. The temperature control device mounted to the external mask is suitable to control the temperature variation of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming-Feng Yu
  • Patent number: 6871999
    Abstract: A method for the correction of the output signal of an infra red radiation multiple element sensor comprises the steps of determining and storing a parameter of a sensor element of the sensor and of generating a corrected signal of the sensor element in accordance with the stored parameter, where the storage of the parameter takes place in a memory supplied by the manufacturer and where prior to the correction being carried out, the parameter is transmitted to a correction device which is separate from the sensor. A sensor has several sensor elements (11a to 11i) which generate an output signal and a memory (14) provided on the sensor for the storage of at least one parameter of at least one sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Perkinelmer Optoelectronics GmbH
    Inventors: Jörg Schieferdecker, Karlheinz Storck
  • Patent number: 6830373
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a temperature measurement device, particularly to a temperature measurement device for the cold junction of a non-contact temperature measurement element, characterized in that a plurality of electrical-conductive pins is provided on the bottom surface of a base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Opto Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Hung-Te Lin, Chung-Nan Chen, Chih-Hsiung Shen