Thermometer patch and methods
The present invention provides devices and methods for measuring the body temperature of a user, and providing audio and/or visual indications upon deviations of said body temperature from predetermined values. The devices of the present invention are further configured to deactivate the various electric components accommodated within said devices following a trigger activation by the user and/or external user, for a predetermined time period.
1. A self-contained adhesive thermometer patch comprising:
an adhesive surface configured to be attached to a skin of a user and an opposing surface;
a control unit;
a non-invasive temperature sensor configured to measure temperatures in a range of 30° C. to 45° C., and to transfer temperature signals to said control unit, in response thereto; wherein the non-invasive temperature sensor is associated with or embedded into a portion of the adhesive surface so that at least a portion of the sensor is configured to contact the skin of the user non-invasively while the adhesive surface is attached to the skin of the user;
a power supply unit;
an audible indication unit; and
a first trigger unit,
wherein the adhesive surface and the opposing surface form a housing therebetween accommodating at least the control unit, the power supply unit, the audible indication unit, and the first trigger unit;
wherein said control unit is configured to switch from a monitoring state to an alerting state upon receiving transferred temperature signals that indicate a temperature above a first threshold or below a second threshold,
wherein the audible indication unit is deactivated in the monitoring state,
wherein the control unit is configured to activate said audible indication unit in the alerting state, and
wherein in the alerting state, upon activation of the first trigger unit, the control unit switches from the alerting state to a temporary suspension state for a predetermined time period in a range of 10 minutes to 4 hours, wherein in the temporary suspension state, the control unit is configured to deactivate at least the audible indication unit for the predetermined time period before automatically reactivating the audible indication unit.
2. The adhesive thermometer patch according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is provided in a deactivated state, wherein the first trigger unit is further configured to switch the control unit from the deactivated state to an active state, wherein the active state comprises the alerting state, the temporary suspension state, and the monitoring state.
3. The adhesive thermometer patch according to claim 2 , wherein upon switching from the deactivated state to the active state, the control unit is configured to be in the monitoring state.
4. The adhesive thermometer patch according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is configured to transfer the temperature signals to the control unit at repeating intervals of every 5 seconds to 5 minutes.
5. The adhesive thermometer patch according to claim 4 , further comprising at least one visual indicator, wherein the control unit is configured to operate the at least one visual indicator to provide a first visual indication, upon receiving each one of the temperature signals, in the monitoring state.
6. The adhesive thermometer patch according to claim 5 , wherein the control unit is further configured to operate the at least one visual indicator to provide a second visual indication, upon receiving the temperature signals indicating that the temperature is above the first threshold or below the second threshold, in the alerting state.
7. The adhesive thermometer patch according to claim 6 , wherein in the temporary suspension state the control unit is further configured to deactivate the temperature sensor, the first trigger unit, and the at least one visual indicator.
8. The adhesive thermometer patch according to claim 1 , wherein following said predetermined time period, the control unit is configured to switch from the temporary suspension state to the monitoring state.
9. The adhesive thermometer patch according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is embedded into a portion of the adhesive surface.
10. The adhesive thermometer patch according to claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises an opening located on the opposing surface, wherein the opposing surface comprises a circumferential external barrier surrounding the opening and extending upwards perpendicularly to the adhesive surface, wherein the first trigger unit is a push button switch, and wherein the circumferential external barrier surrounds the push button switch, thereby preventing accidental activation thereof.
11. The adhesive thermometer patch according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises a processor that is configured to switch from the monitoring state to the alerting state upon receiving at least two consecutive transferred temperature signals that indicate a temperature above the first threshold or below the second threshold.
12. The adhesive thermometer patch according to claim 1 , wherein the first threshold is a temperature in a range of 38° C. to 39° C., and the second threshold is a temperature in a range of 35° C. to 36.5° C.
13. The adhesive thermometer patch according to claim 5 , wherein the power supply unit comprises a battery, configured to enable up to about 72 hours of continuous operation for each one of the temperature sensor, the control unit, the audible indication unit, and the at least one visual indicator, wherein the battery has a capacity in a range of 200 to 350 mAh.
14. A method for measuring a user's skin temperature, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a self-contained adhesive thermometer patch and attaching it to the user's skin, wherein the adhesive thermometer patch comprises: a control unit; an adhesive surface; a non-invasive temperature sensor associated with or embedded into a portion of the adhesive surface so that at least a portion of the sensor is configured to contact the skin of the user non-invasively while the adhesive surface is attached to the user's skin; an audible indication unit; and a first trigger unit;
(b) initializing an activation of the adhesive thermometer patch, upon pressing the first trigger unit, wherein the activation comprises activating the control unit and the temperature sensor;
(c) performing temperature measurements of the user's skin every 5 seconds to 5 minutes using the temperature sensor, and transferring temperature signals corresponding thereto to the control unit;
(d) determining whether the user's skin temperature is: above a first threshold, below a second threshold, or between the first and the second thresholds;
(e) activating the audible indication unit, if the temperature of the user's skin is above the first threshold or below the second threshold;
(f) deactivating the audible indication unit for a predetermined time period upon pressing the first trigger unit when the audible indication unit is activated; and
(g) reactivating the audible indication unit of the temperature sensor, automatically by the control unit, following the predetermined time period of deactivation of step (f).
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the adhesive thermometer patch further comprises a power supply unit, at least one visual indicator, an adhesive surface, and an opposing surface, wherein the adhesive surface and the opposing surface form a housing therebetween accommodating at least one of the control unit and the power supply unit.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein step (c) further comprises providing a first visual indication by the at least one visual indicator, and wherein during step (c) the audible indication unit is deactivated.
17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein step (e) comprises activating the audible indication unit, if the temperature of the user's skin—is above the first threshold or below the second threshold and proceeding to step (f); or returning to step (c), if the temperature of the user's skin is between the first and the second thresholds.
18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein step (e) further comprises providing a second visual indication by the at least one visual indicator.
19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the pressing of the first trigger unit in step (f) causes the control unit to deactivate the audible indication unit for the predetermined time period, and to deactivate at least one of the temperature sensor and the first trigger unit.
20. The method according to claim 14 , wherein step (g) further comprises returning to step (c).