Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of body portion
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-20
2004-04-20
Marmor, Charles (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of body portion
C600S372000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06725089
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a living body measuring apparatus for measuring the condition of each part of a living body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many of the living body measuring apparatus currently available provide a function for indicating the passed time interval or the remaining time interval for the measurement or for displaying a simplified chart to indicate the progress of measurement by a bar code and the like.
Such conventional living body measuring apparatus generally indicate the entire progress of measurement. However, in more complicated measuring apparatus for measuring each of the parts of the living body in turn, due to longer time period of, for example, a few minutes required for measurement, it is unknown for a person under test what part of the body is now being measured. Therefore, the person under test feels a significantly longer period of time for the measurement than actual. In the extreme case it may happen that the person under test feels some misgivings about whether the measurement is truly proceeding or not, while seeing the display of passed time interval, and as the result, he stops the measuring apparatus, irrespective of in the course of measurement.
The present invention solves such problems in the prior art by providing a new and improved measuring apparatus in which a person under test is not aware of progress in time for measurement and he can know which parts of the body are now being measured.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above, the present invention provides a living body measuring apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of electrodes each of which is structured to make contact with a part of a living body;
a current source connected to said electrodes;
a voltage measuring unit connected to said electrodes;
a control unit connected to said current source and said voltage measuring unit; and
a display unit connected to said control unit,
whereby said control unit instructs said display unit to display the part of the living body to which an electric current is fed by said current source via the associated electrodes.
The living body measuring apparatus further comprises a switching unit, whereby said switching unit selects which electrodes the electric current is fed to. The control unit changes over the part of the body displayed on the display unit in response to the operation of said switching unit.
In another aspect the present invention provides a living body measuring apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of electrodes each of which is structured to make contact with a part of a living body;
a current source connected to said electrodes;
a voltage measuring unit connected to said electrodes;
a control unit connected to said current source and said voltage measuring unit; and
a display unit connected to said control unit,
whereby said control unit instructs said display unit to display the part of the living body of which voltage is measured by said voltage measuring unit on the associated electrodes.
The living body measuring apparatus further comprises a switching unit, whereby said switching unit selects the electrodes on which the voltage is measured. The control unit changes over the part of the body displayed on the display unit in response to the operation of said switching unit.
Further according to the present invention the parts of the living body that the measurement has already been done or is now being performed or is to be performed next may be displayed on the display unit with a solid line, a broken line or a point-dot line. In another embodiment the parts of the living body that the measurement is now being performed may be displayed on the display unit with a broken line that moves in one way. In further embodiment all parts of the living body may be displayed on the display unit in rectangular blocks and some of the blocks corresponding to the parts that the measurement is now being performed may be displayed with a dark shading.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 6490481 (2002-12-01), Komatsu et al.
patent: 07012635 (1995-01-01), None
patent: 09192113 (1997-07-01), None
patent: WO 97/01303 (1997-01-01), None
“Evaluation of Segmental Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (SBIA) for Measuring Muscle Distribution”, Kichul Cha, Ph.D., et al.; J ICHPER. SD-ASIA., P11-14, 1997.
European Search Report dated Jan. 22, 2001.
Komatsu Yoshichika
Sasaki Yoshitsugu
Marmor Charles
McDermott & Will & Emery
Tanita Corporation
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