Thermal monitoring and control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016235306-A1
Application number	US-201415026773-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 3, 2014
Priority date	Oct 3, 2013
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for non-invasive thermal monitoring use multiple coupling sensors and temperature sensors in order to determine multiple temperatures of a patient. The sensors may be carried by support structure such as a wrap, blanket, mattress, and similar structures. Signals generated by the coupling sensors reflect coupling strength and/or reliability between sensors and the patient. Positional information/mapping of temperature information can be derived from the coupling sensors, image sensors, and/or the variation of the temperature profile itself over time. The measurements may be used to construct a thermal (full-body) profile of the patient and provide targeted thermal control (heating/cooling).

First claim

1 . A measuring system for non-invasive determination and control of one or more temperatures of a subject, the system comprising:
a body of engagement configured to engage with and/or support a subject wherein the body of engagement is further configured to be wrapped around the subject; multiple coupling sensors that generate coupling signals conveying electrical and/or thermal coupling information with the subject, wherein the coupling sensors are carried by the body of engagement; multiple temperature sensors that generate output signals conveying temperatures of the subject, wherein the temperature sensors are carried by the body of engagement; and one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising:
a coupling module configured to determine coupling levels for individual ones of the temperature sensors based on the coupling signals generated by the coupling sensors;
a temperature determination module configured to determine multiple temperatures of the subject based on the output signals and the determined coupling levels.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensors include a zero-heat-flux temperature sensor that generates output signals conveying a second temperature of the subject, wherein the zero-heat-flux temperature sensor is configured to create thermal insulation between the body of engagement and the subject, wherein the temperature determination module is configured such that the determined temperatures include a core temperature determined based on the output signals generated by the zero-heat-flux temperature.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the coupling module is further configured to determine positional information of the subject in relation to the body of engagement based on the coupling signals generated by individual ones of the coupling sensors, the computer program modules further comprising:
a map module configured to construct a temperature map of the subject based on the determined temperatures and the determined positional information, wherein the determined temperatures include at least one extremity temperature of an extremity of the subject.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the determined temperatures include a first temperature and a second temperature, wherein the first temperature is related to an extremity of the subject, and wherein the computer program modules further comprise:
a tracking module configured to determine a difference between the first temperature and the second temperature, wherein the tracking module is further configured to track whether the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more thermal adjustment elements configured to adjust one or more determined temperatures of the subject, wherein the computer program modules further comprise: a target module configured to determine one or more target temperatures for one or more determined temperatures; and a control module configured to control the one or more thermal adjustment elements in accordance with one or more determined target temperatures.

6 . A method of non-invasive determination and control of one or more temperatures of a subject, the method comprising;
engaging a subject with a body of engagement by wrapping the body of engagement around the subject; generating, by coupling sensors, coupling signals conveying electrical and/or thermal coupling information with the subject at or near a point of engagement between the subject and the body of engagement; generating, by temperature sensors, output signals conveying temperatures of the subject at or near a point of engagement between the subject and the body of engagement; determining coupling levels for individual ones of the temperature sensors based on the coupling signals; and determining multiple temperatures of the subject based on the output signals and the determined coupling levels.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the temperature sensors include a zero-heat-flux temperature sensor, wherein generating output signals conveying temperatures of the subject includes:
creating, by the zero-heat-flux temperature sensor, thermal insulation between the body of engagement and the subject, and generating, by the zero-heat-flux temperature sensor, output signals conveying a second temperature of the subject, wherein determining multiple temperatures includes determining a core temperature based on the output signals generated by the zero-heat-flux temperature sensor.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
determining positional information of the subject in relation to the body of engagement based on the coupling signals; constructing a temperature map of the subject based on the determined temperatures and the determined positional information, wherein the determined temperatures include at least one extremity temperature of an extremity of the subject.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the determined temperatures include a first temperature and a second temperature, wherein the first temperature is related to an extremity of the subject, and further comprising:
determining a difference between the first temperature and the second temperature; and tracking whether the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold.

10 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
determining one or more target temperatures for one or more determined temperatures; controlling one or more thermal adjustment elements in accordance with one or more determined target temperatures, wherein controlling the one or more thermal adjustment elements is based on the determined temperatures.

11 . A system configured to provide non-invasive determination and control of one or more temperatures of a subject, the system comprising;
means for engaging a subject with a body by wrapping the means for engaging around the subject; coupling means for generating coupling signals conveying electrical and/or thermal coupling information with the subject at or near a point of engagement between the subject and the means for engaging; temperature means for generating output signals conveying temperatures of the subject at or near a point of engagement between the subject and the means for engaging; means for determining coupling levels for the temperature means based on the coupling signals; and means for determining multiple temperatures of the subject based on the output signals and the determined coupling levels.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the temperature means includes:
means for creating thermal insulation between the body of engagement and the subject, and means for generating output signals conveying a second temperature of the subject, wherein the means for determining multiple temperatures is configured to determine a core temperature based on the second temperature.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the coupling means is further configured to determine positional information of the subject in relation to the body of engagement based on the coupling signals, the system further comprising:
means for constructing a temperature map of the subject, wherein operation of the means for constructing the temperature map is based on the determined temperatures and the positional information, and wherein the determined temperatures include at least one extremity temperature of an extremity of the subject.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the determined temperatures include a first temperature and a second temperature, wherein the first temperature is related to an extremity of the subjec

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Atallah Louis Nicolas
• Bongers Edwin Gerardus Johannus Maria
• Meftah Mohammed
• Sepkhanov Ruslan Akhmedovich

Classifications

• A61B5/0036

  including treatment, e.g., using an implantable medical device, ablating, ventilating · CPC title

• A61B2562/063

  in a linear array · CPC title

• A61G11/00

  Baby-incubators; Couveuses · CPC title

• A61F7/0097

  Blankets with active heating or cooling sources (warming mats A61F7/08) · CPC title

• A61B2562/046

  in a matrix array · CPC title