WO2003003924A1

WO2003003924A1 - Ovulation detection apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2003003924A1
Application number: PCT/KR2001/002046
Authority: WO
Inventors: Byung-Wook Kim
Original assignee: Humantech Co.,Ltd.
Priority date: 2001-07-06
Filing date: 2001-11-27
Publication date: 2003-01-16
Also published as: CN1395908A; KR20030004845A; KR100399757B1

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an ovulation detection apparatus. The ovulation detection apparatus includes a skin resistance measuring means for measuring the resistance value of the skin of fingers, a body temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature value of a tongue, and a potential difference measuring means for measuring the potential difference value of the mucus of a mouth. In the ovulation detection apparatus, a control means doubly determines whether an examinee is ovulating by selecting reference body temperature and potential difference values according to a measured skin resistance value and comparing measured body temperature and potential difference values with the reference body temperature and potential difference values, respectively. The ovulation detection apparatus further includes an output means for outputting the determination result of the control means so as to allow a user to recognize it, a power source for supplying electricity to the means, and an on-off switch for selectively turning on and off electricity supplied from the power source.

Description

OVULATION DETECTION APPARATUS

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to an ovulation detection apparatus, and more particularly to an ovulation detection apparatus that is capable of doubly detecting ovulation using the body temperature and potential difference of saliva or mucus of an examinee while taking her particular skin resistance into account.

Background Art

As well known to those skilled in the art, with the modernization of human society, planned contraception and conception are widely utilized. For contraception, there are widely employed natural contraception using an ovulation period and artificial contraception using medicines and contraceptive appliances. For conception, there are widely employed a natural ovulation method in which sexual intercourses are scheduled in consideration of an ovulation period, and an artificial method using internal and external fertilization.

The artificial methods can increase the rate of success of contraception and conception, but can harm the body of a man or woman. Accordingly, the natural methods utilizing the ovulation period of a woman are preferred to the artificial methods.

Ovulation detection methods can be classified into a variety of types according to detection parameters used to detect ovulation. Of these ovulation detection methods, an ovulation detection method of measuring the lutein hormone content of the body fluid of an examinee and determining whether the examinee is ovulating on the basis of the measured lutein hormone content is most accurate. However, this method requires the observance of special safety regulations, so examinations should be entrusted to experts. Accordingly, examinees shun using this method.

In the meantime, there are proposed an ovulation detection method of measuring the body temperature of an examinee and determining whether an examinee is ovulating on the basis of the measured body temperature and an ovulation detection method of determining whether an examinee is ovulating by collecting the mucus of a mouth and observing crystals formed in the process of drying the mucus. These methods are easy to use, and so widely used by women. However, the body temperature and the crystals of mucus are easily affected by environments, so the reliability of ovulation detection results may be deteriorated.

Recently, Russian Patent Appln. No. 98106257/14 discloses an ovulation detection method in which the potential difference of the mucus of a mouth is measured and the body temperature of an examinee is measured on the basis of the measured potential difference. However, this method detects ovulation on the basis of a single parameter, so the reliability of the result of ovulation detection is not desirable.

Disclosure of the Invention

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ovulation detection apparatus that is capable of doubly detecting ovulation using the body temperature and potential difference of saliva or mucus of an examinee while taking her particular skin resistance into account, thereby facilitating the detection of ovulation and improving the reliability of the detection of ovulation.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an ovulation detection apparatus, comprising skin resistance measuring means for measuring the resistance value of the skin of fingers; body temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature value of a tongue; potential difference measuring means for measuring the potential difference value of the mucus of a mouth; control means for doubly determining whether an examinee is ovulating by selecting reference body temperature and potential difference values according to a measured skin resistance value and comparing measured body temperature and potential difference values with the reference body temperature and potential difference values, respectively; output means for outputting the determination result of the control means so as to allow a user to recognize it; a power source for supplying electricity to the means; and an on- off switch for selectively turning on and off electricity supplied from the power source.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ovulation detection apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the ovulation detection apparatus of the present invention; and

Figs. 3a and 3b are flowcharts showing the operation of the ovulation detection apparatus of the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Hereinafter, an ovulation detection method of the present invention is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ovulation detection apparatus in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the ovulation detection apparatus of the present invention. Referring to Figs. 1 and

2, the ovulation detection apparatus is comprised of a variety of measuring means 10, 20 and 30 for measuring the resistance value of the skin of fingers, the temperature value of a tongue and the potential difference value of the mucus of a mouth, a control means 40 for receiving measured values from the measuring means 10, 20 and 30 and determining whether an examinee is ovulating on the basis of the measured values, a power source for supplying electricity to the means 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50, and an on-off switch 60 for selectively turning on and off electricity supplied from the power source.

Although any one of conductive materials can be used as the skin resistance detection means 10, a copper plate is desirable in consideration of its conductivity and cost. Additionally, a first electrode 31 formed of copper or gold and a second electrode 32 formed of aluminum are employed as the potential difference measuring means 20. When the first and second electrodes can be respectively formed of copper and aluminum, or gold and aluminum, the potential difference of the mucus of a mouth can be precisely measured. A sound output means such as a speaker, radiation means such as light emitting diodes, or a combination thereof can be employed as the output means 50. In this embodiment, the output means 50 is comprised of a sound output means 51 (a speaker) for indicating the beginning and end of measurement, a first radiation means 52 (a red diode) for indicating a state of ovulation, and a second radiation means 53 (a blue diode) for indicating a state of non-ovulation. With reference to Figs. 2, 3a and 3b, the operation of the ovulation detection apparatus of the present invention is described.

First of all, while the body temperature measuring means 20 and the potential difference measuring means 30 are brought into contact with a tongue, the on-off switch 60 is pushed by the index finger of a user. Accordingly, electricity is supplied from the power source 70 to the above-described elements 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50.

In such a state, when the skin resistance measuring means 10 is held by the thumb of the user, the initially measured skin resistance value SR_X of the thumb and index finger is inputted to the control means 40. When the initially measured skin resistance value SR_X is inputted to the control means 40, the sound output means 51 is operated. The user can recognize the beginning of measurement by hearing a sound outputted from the sound output means 51.

Thereafter, after a measuring time T_s elapses by a preset time T₀, a skin resistance value SR_X, a body temperature value t_x, and a potential difference value Ph_x are measured by the measuring means 10, 20 and 30. At the same time, the sound output means 51 is operated, so the user can recognize the end of measurement by hearing sounds outputted from the sound output means 51.

In this embodiment, the sound for indicating the beginning of measurement is set as a single prolonged sound "bee-", and the sound for indicating the end of measurement are set as four short sounds "beep, beep, beep, beep". The user should maintain the body temperature measuring means 20 and the potential difference measuring means 30 in tight contact with the tongue, with the on-off switch 60 and the skin resistance measuring means 10 held by her thumb and index finger, from the time when the user hears the sound for indicating the beginning of measurement and till the time when the user hears the sounds for indicating the end of measurement. In the meantime, after the user hears the sounds for indicating the end of measurement, she can remove the body temperature measuring means 20 and the potential difference measuring means 30 from the tongue, and take her thumb and index finger off the on-off switch 60 and the skin resistance measuring means 10. Thereafter, reference values t₀ and Ph₀ corresponding to the measured skin resistance value SR_x are selected, and the measured body temperature value t_x and the measured potential difference value Ph_x are compared with the reference body temperature value t₀ and the reference potential difference value Pho, respectively. In this case, if the measured body temperature value t_x is not equal to the reference body temperature value t₀ or the measured potential difference value Ph_x is not equal to the reference potential difference value Ph₀, the radiation means 53 is turned on, thereby allowing the user to visually recognize a state of non-ovulation. On the other hand, if the measured body temperature value t_x and the measured potential difference value Ph_x are respectively equal to the reference body temperature value t₀ and the reference potential difference value Ph₀, the radiation means 52 is turned on, thereby allowing the user to visually recognize a state of ovulation.

In such a case, the reference body temperature value t₀ and the reference potential difference value Ph₀ can be each given as a value. However, they are preferably given as value ranges. A plurality of sets of reference values t₀ and Ph₀ are previously set in the control means 40 according to skin resistance values. In accordance with the present invention, adequate reference values t₀ and Ph₀ are selected according to a measured skin resistance value SR_x, and a measured body temperature value t_x and a measured potential difference value Ph_x are respectively compared with the reference body temperature value t₀ and the reference potential difference value Ph₀. Accordingly, a detection result, in which the physical characteristics of a measured woman are taken into account, can be obtained, so the reliability of a detection result can be improved.

Additionally, a state of ovulation or non-ovulation is doubly detected using two parameters, that is, body temperature and potential difference, so the reliability of an ovulation detection result can be guaranteed.

Meanwhile, the measurements may be performed by the measuring means 10, 20 and 30 immediately after an initially measured skin resistance value SR_X is inputted to the control means 40. However, such a process may deteriorate the reliability of ovulation detection results. Accordingly, as shown in Fig. 3a, it is preferable to delay the measurements performed by the measuring means 10, 20 and 30 till the lapse of the preset time T₀.

Additionally, as shown in Fig. 3a, when a user is allowed to recognize the beginning and end of measurement, the user can accurately perform an ovulation detection process, thereby considerably preventing mistakes in detecting ovulation.

In addition, when a portable battery is employed as the power source, the ovulation detection apparatus becomes portable, so a user can use the apparatus conveniently. As described above, the present invention provides an ovulation detection apparatus that is capable of doubly detecting ovulation using the body temperature and potential difference of saliva or mucus of an examinee while taking her particular skin resistance into account, so an ovulation detection process can be facilitated and the reliability of the detection of ovulation can be improved.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. An ovulation detection apparatus, comprising: skin resistance measuring means for measuring the resistance value of the skin of fingers; body temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature value of a tongue; potential difference measuring means for measuring the potential difference value of the mucus of a mouth; control means for doubly determining whether an examinee is ovulating by selecting reference body temperature and potential difference values according to a measured skin resistance value and comparing measured body temperature and potential difference values with the reference body temperature and potential difference values, respectively; output means for outputting the determination result of the control means so as to allow a user to recognize it; a power source for supplying electricity to said means; and an on-off switch for selectively turning on and off electricity supplied from the power source.

2. The ovulation detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said potential difference measuring means is comprised of two electrodes, the first of said two electrodes being formed of copper or gold, the second of said two electrodes being formed of aluminum.

3. The ovulation detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output means is sound output means and/or radiation means.

4. The ovulation detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output means is comprised of sound output means for indicating the beginning and end of measurement, first radiation means for indicating a state of ovulation, and second radiation means for indicating a state of non-ovulation.

5. The ovulation detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said power source is a portable battery.