IT202000009541A1 - PORTABLE DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

of the Italian Patent for Industrial Invention entitled:

?PORTABLE DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE?

field of technique

The present invention relates to a portable diagnostic device for monitoring people's health status.

State of the art

As ? known, the health emergencies that are periodically occurring in different parts of the world and sometimes even globally, have highlighted the need for to keep monitored the state of health of the people and, in particular, the need? to monitor whether people are suffering from some type of transmissible infection.

Having this kind of information available? in fact, is it possible to take the necessary countermeasures to ensure the health of infected people as well as? that of the people around them, for example by activating social isolation procedures, preventing people who show symptoms from accessing workplaces, shops, airports, public events and other sensitive places.

To carry out this activity? Yes ? so far the solution has been chosen to arrange, at the access points to these places, health operators in charge of assessing the state of health of all people in transit, typically by measuring their body temperature.

Except? the measurement of body temperature only provides a very partial and approximate picture of the state of health of people, especially when the pathologies can manifest themselves with different symptoms than that of fever.

To get a picture more? precise, it would therefore be necessary to provide healthcare professionals with a series of measuring instruments with which to detect, not only body temperature, but also other important vital parameters of people, such as heartbeat and/or respiration.

However, an approach of this type would be very expensive and would imply long waiting times, inevitably slowing down the business. of people, causing discomfort and sometimes creating gatherings that could even favor the spread of diseases.

Furthermore, an approach of this type does not allow for timely action to be taken. the measures necessary to safeguard the health of the sick and prevent contagions, since the diagnoses are made only in certain contexts, effectively excluding a punctual and continuous monitoring of the state of health of the people, and only after the potentially infected people have already ? could move freely.

These drawbacks could be greatly mitigated if each person were able to measure their vital parameters independently, for example more? times a day both when he is at home and when carrying out his normal activities.

Exhibition of the invention

In the light of the foregoing, one purpose of the present invention is that of achieving the aforementioned objective, in the context of a simple, rational and relatively low-cost solution.

This and other objects are achieved thanks to the characteristics of the invention set forth in the independent claim 1. The dependent claims outline preferred and/or particularly advantageous aspects of the invention, without however being essential for its implementation.

In particular, an embodiment of the present invention provides a portable diagnostic device comprising a plurality of diagnostic devices. of measuring instruments integrated into a single object, of which at least one instrument for measuring a quantity? oxygen meter and a medical thermometer.

Thanks to this solution, through the use of a single diagnostic device, ? advantageously possible to measure two of the main vital parameters of a person, from which you can? obtain a rather precise and reliable picture of his state of health.

Being a single device that integrates in itself? various measuring instruments, the same pu? be advantageously provided to an indefinitely large number of people, each of whom will be able keep your health under control in a completely autonomous, simple way and at any time of the day.

For example, the device in question pu? be used in the context of a large-scale monitoring program of people's health, through which the authorities? health services can keep the evolution of an epidemic under control, for example through the punctual recognition of suspected cases and/or the punctual monitoring of the pathological conditions of the sick.

In this context, the measurements made using the device can be evaluated directly by the monitored persons who, for example on the basis of guidelines provided by the health system, they will be able to establish whether they are ill or at least whether they represent suspicious cases, and then autonomously comply with precise behavioral provisions, for example by refraining from going to shops and/or the workplace and/or informing the health system and/or test pi? go deeper.

Similarly, each sick or suspicious person will be able to continue to monitor one's state of health and possibly the aggravation of the disease, so that healthcare operators (eg doctors and nurses) can be informed in a timely manner and can therefore take the most appropriate measures. suitable to deal with the current clinical picture, for example by prescribing the use of the most effective drugs? eligible and resorting to hospitalization only when necessary.

Alternatively or in addition to the above, could the measurements made with the diagnostic device be transmitted to the authorities? health automatically and not exclusively voluntary, in order to make more? effective monitoring of the epidemiological situation in the population and to be able to take collective countermeasures, for example the limitation of activities? and the free movement of persons.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the instrument for measuring the quantity of oxygen in the blood can? include a pulse oximeter, also known as a pulse oximeter.

The pulse oximeter has the advantage of being an extremely safe, reliable and economical instrument for the non-invasive measurement of hemoglobin saturation in the blood, i.e. for measuring the percentage ratio between the average number of oxygen molecules actually bound to the hemoglobin molecules and the maximum number of oxygen molecules that could be bound to the same hemoglobin molecules.

A typical pulse oximeter generally comprises a photodiode and a pair of small light emitting diodes (LEDs) facing the photodiode but separated from it by a gap where You can insert a translucent part of a person's body, usually a fingertip or earlobe. One of the LEDs can emit red light, with a wavelength for example of about 660 nm, while the other LED can? emit infrared, with a wavelength of for example 940 nm. The absorption of light at these wavelengths differs significantly between oxygen-laden blood and oxygen-deprived blood. Does oxygenated hemoglobin absorb more? infrared light and allows the passage of more? Red light. Deoxygenated hemoglobin allows the passage of more? infrared light and absorbs more? Red light.

The two LEDs can alternately and intermittently turn on and off with high frequency, for example about thirty times per second, allowing the photodiode to respond separately to red and infrared light and also match the ambient light baseline.

The photodiode measures the quantity? of light that is transmitted (in other words, not absorbed) and produces separate normalized signals for each wavelength.

By subtracting the minimal transmitted light from the transmitted light in each wavelength, the effects of other tissues are corrected, generating a continuous signal for pulsating arterial blood. The ratio between the red light measurement and the infrared light measurement (which represents the ratio between oxygenated hemoglobin and deoxygenated hemoglobin) is then calculated by an electronic processor, which also takes care of converting said ratio into a saturation value, for example example via a correlation table based on the Beer law? Lambert.

because the quantity? of arterial blood present in the analyzed part of the body (e.g. finger tip) increases with each heart beat, the signals produced by the photodiode fluctuate over time in a pulsed manner, allowing the pulse oximeter to also provide a measurement of the heart rate.

Although a transmissive pulse oximeter has been outlined above, where what? light is transmitted through a translucent part of the body, ? It is also possible to use a reflection pulse oximeter, whose photodiode ? able to receive the fraction of light that is reflected (rather than? transmitted) inside a part of the body, resulting therefore? suitable to be used for example on the forehead or on the chest.

As an alternative or in addition to the pulse oximeter, the instrument for measuring the quantity of oxygen in the blood can? include a breath rate and/or amplitude sensor.

The frequency and/or the amplitude of the breath represent in fact an indirect measure of the oxygenation of the blood.

For example, rapid breathing (tachypnea) ? an indication of a low hemoglobin saturation in the blood.

Taking advantage of this correlation ? therefore it is effectively possible to acquire an indicative measurement of the saturation of hemoglobin in the blood by means of a particularly simple and inexpensive sensor.

In particular, said sensor pu? be chosen from the group consisting of: a microphone, an accelerometer and a flowmeter.

According to a different aspect of the invention, the thermometer for medical use integrated in the device can be an electronic thermometer.

Compared to other types of thermometer, an electronic thermometer is in fact more? easy to integrate into a single diagnostic device together with the blood oxygen measuring instrument.

In some embodiments the thermometer can be a non-contact thermometer (remote thermometer or contactless thermometer), i.e. a thermometer capable of measuring body temperature without any of its components having to physically touch the person's body.

Thanks to this solution, the thermometer integrated in the diagnostic device ? advantageously suitable for measuring the body temperature of people at a distance, in an extremely comfortable and hygienic way.

The thermometer can being, for example, an infrared thermometer, which has the advantage of guaranteeing rapid measurements, with high levels of precision and relatively low costs.

However, it is not excluded that, in other embodiments, the thermometer can implement any other non-contact measurement technology.

Alternatively, ? It is possible that the thermometer integrated in the diagnostic device is a contact thermometer, i.e. a thermometer that works by being in direct contact with the person's body.

For example, the thermometer could be a thermocouple thermometer, a resistance thermometer, a thermistor thermometer or any other type of thermometer which, to detect a person's body temperature, is equipped with one or more temperature sensitive elements that must be in direct contact with a portion of that person's body.

This solution, generally pi? cheaper than a non-contact thermometer, it is particularly advantageous if the diagnostic device is able to be brought into contact with the user, for example if it is defined by a wearable object such as a wrist watch, a pendant, a necklace, a bracelet or other, as there? would allow simple and continuous monitoring of body temperature.

Another aspect of the invention provides that the measuring instruments of the diagnostic device can also include an instrument for measuring the heart rate, ie the frequency of the heartbeat.

In this way, the diagnostic device ? advantageously able to measure another important vital parameter of people, allowing you to perform a more accurate monitoring? accurate and reliable information on their state of health.

In some embodiments, the heart rate measuring instrument may be integrated or coincide with the instrument for measuring the quantity? of oxygen in the blood.

For example, as explained above, if the instrument for measuring the quantity? of oxygen in the blood is a pulse oximeter, the latter? can effectively measure heart rate as well.

Alternatively, the heart rate monitor can include any other type of device suitable for the purpose, such as an ECG device and/or a microphone and/or an accelerometer.

If a microphone and/or an accelerometer is used, the latter can possibly also be used to measure the frequency and/or amplitude of the breath.

According to another aspect of the invention, the diagnostic device can include an interface system for displaying the measurements made by the measuring instruments.

In this way ? effectively possible for users to read the measurement values directly on the diagnostic device.

The interface system can? including for example a digital display, which has the advantage of directly displaying the value of the quantities measured, providing complete and precise information.

Another aspect of the invention provides that the diagnostic device can comprise a wireless transmitter for the transmission of signals representative of the measurements made by the measuring instruments, for example a Bluetooth transmitter, a Wi-Fi transmitter or a telephone transmitter (e.g. UMTS, 3G, 4G, 5G, etc.).

Thanks to this wireless transmitter, the measurements made by the various measuring instruments can be advantageously transmitted to any external electronic device and separate from the diagnostic device, possibly so as to exploit the interface systems of the latter for displaying the measured temperature.

If, for example, the diagnostic device is connected to a smartphone or tablet computer, the signals coming from the wireless transmitter could be processed by a special software application installed on these devices, which could be configured to analyze the signals, manage them and display the value of temperature, of the quantity? of oxygen or any other type of signal, directly on the device screen.

Through the smartphone, the measurements made by the measuring instruments of the diagnostic device could be transmitted to remote electronic devices, for example to a control center within a large system for monitoring and controlling people's health.

Additionally or alternatively, the wireless transmitter of the diagnostic device could be able to transmit the signals coming from the measuring instruments directly to the aforementioned remote electronic devices.

In this way, during an epidemic, the authorities? health services could, for example, monitor the population, identify people with symptoms, and then possibly activate selectively and / or targeted activities? more diagnostics insights and/or other activities? aimed at the containment of the disease.

According to another aspect of the invention, the diagnostic device could also comprise a geolocation apparatus, for example but not necessarily based on GPS technology or on triangulation of a GSM signal. Thanks to this solution ? it is advantageously possible to know the position of the diagnostic device and therefore of its user, allowing for example to trace its movements if it is necessary to monitor it (e.g. to guarantee a quarantine) and/or to be able to trace the people with whom it has had contact .

Another aspect of the invention provides that the object in which the measuring instruments of the diagnostic device are integrated can be a wearable object, for example selected from the group consisting of: a watch, a bracelet, a necklace, a wrist band and a pendant .

In this way, the diagnostic device can be constantly and comfortably worn by its user, avoiding oversights and above all allowing constant monitoring of his health conditions.

In this and other contexts, the diagnostic device could be equipped with a unit? control electronics configured to emit an alarm signal, for example towards a remote control center of the health system, if the user does not have the diagnostic device.

To detect that the? user is ? deprived of the diagnostic device, the unit? control can? For example, use a microphone or an accelerometer that detects breathing or a heart rate measuring instrument, in order to emit the alarm signal when one of these instruments no longer detects the heart rate. the respective parameter.

If the diagnostic device is connected to a smartphone, the latter could also be configured to generate an alarm signal, and possibly transmit said alarm signal to the remote sanitary control center or other remote electronic devices, if the diagnostic device goes away from them by a distance greater than a predefined maximum value.

According to an alternative embodiment, the object in which the measuring instruments of the diagnostic device are integrated can be a smartphone itself.

Thanks to this solution ? it is advantageously possible to recreate a powerful and effective diagnostic device simply by integrating a thermometer for medical use in a substantially conventional smartphone, since the latter ? generally already equipped with a microphone and / or an accelerometer that can be used to detect the breath and therefore, indirectly, the quantity? of oxygen in the blood.

The smartphone ? moreover, it is an object that is used by millions of people all over the world, so integrating the aforementioned measuring instruments inside an object like this has the potential to disseminate the diagnostic device according to the invention in a capillary manner and without requiring the population to obtain an additional device.

For essentially the same reasons, but ensuring better portability? and comfort? of use, the object in which the measuring instruments of the diagnostic device are integrated could be a smartwatch.

Another embodiment provides that the object in which the measuring instruments of the diagnostic device are integrated can be a power bank.

A power bank? a portable electric power supply, generally of small dimensions, which essentially comprises an electric accumulator, preferably rechargeable, for example a lithium battery or of any other type, and a transmission apparatus able to transmit electric energy accumulated in the electric accumulator to a device to power/recharge, such as a smartphone, laptop computer, tablet computer or any other electrical/electronic device.

In this way, the electrical / electronic device can? be effectively powered / recharged even in situations of mobility? and, in general, in any situation in which a connection point to the electricity grid is not available, also making the power bank a tool that is currently very widespread and used in most countries of the world.

Precisely thanks to its wide diffusion, the power bank is therefore also a privileged tool for conveying functionality? additional different from those for which ? was originally designed.

In particular, a power bank according to the present invention, in which what? ? integrated at least one thermometer for medical use (medical thermometer) and an instrument for detecting a quantity? of oxygen in the blood, effectively allows its owners to measure often these two important vital parameters, in complete autonomy and without the need to? to bring with you? another additional device.

In this context, the electricity transmission apparatus of the power bank can include a wireless transmitter.

Thanks to this solution, the device to be powered does not have to be physically connected to the power bank but can be powered/recharged by simply bringing it close to it.

For example, the wireless transmitter of electricity can be of the inductive type, or can? comprising at least one inductor (e.g. an antenna or an inductive coil) suitable for inductive coupling with a corresponding inductor (e.g. a corresponding antenna or an inductive coil) present in the device to be powered.

Alternatively or in addition, the wireless transmitter of electricity could be of the capacitive type, i.e. it could comprise at least two plates capable of coupling capacitively with at least two corresponding plates placed in the device to be powered, so as to globally realize a pair of capacitances through which can pass the electricity.

However, it is not excluded that, in other embodiments, the electrical energy transmission apparatus may comprise a cable, or possibly a connection port for a cable, capable of physically connecting the power bank with the device to be powered/recharged .

Brief description of the figures

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from reading the following description provided by way of non-limiting example, with the aid of the figures illustrated in the attached tables.

Figure 1 ? a front view of a diagnostic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 ? a side view of the diagnostic device of figure 1.

Figure 3 ? section III-III indicated in figure 1.

Figure 4 ? a front view of a diagnostic device integrated in a power bank according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 ? section V-V of figure 4.

Figure 6 ? a side view of the diagnostic device of figure 4 shown during a phase of use as a power bank.

Detailed description

The figures show a diagnostic device 100 of the portable type, ie sufficiently light and not bulky to be easily transported from one place to another.

The diagnostic device 100 generally comprises a plurality of of measuring instruments, each of which pu? be configured to measure a respective physiological or vital parameter of a person.

These measuring instruments are preferably integrated into a single object, which can? be prepared ad hoc.

For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the diagnostic device 100 is a ?stand alone? object specifically dedicated only the functionality? diagnostics which will be described below.

According to this embodiment, the diagnostic device 100 can therefore comprising an external casing 105, i.e. a casing able to define its external shape.

The 105 casing can? have small enough dimensions to be easily carried inside backpacks, pockets, bags or other similar containers.

The external shape of the casing 105 can? obviously vary significantly for aesthetic reasons or for other reasons and does not constitute a relevant aspect of the present discussion.

To power the measuring instruments and other electrical/electronic devices, the diagnostic device 100 can include an electric battery 110, for example a lithium battery or any other type, which can be received inside the casing 105.

The 110 battery can? be of the rechargeable type, so as to allow for prolonged use.

The measuring instruments of the diagnostic device 100 can comprise an instrument 115 for measuring a quantity of oxygen in the blood, a medical thermometer 120, i.e. a thermometer for measuring the body temperature of persons, and optionally also an instrument 125 for detecting the heart rate.

Entering more in detail, the instrument 115 for measuring the quantity? of oxygen in the blood can? include (or consist of) a pulse oximeter, also known as an oximeter.

A pulse oximeter generally measures the percentage ratio between the average number of oxygen molecules actually bound to the hemoglobin molecules and the maximum number of oxygen molecules that could be bound to the same hemoglobin molecules.

As shown in Figure 3, the pulse oximeter can comprise a photodiode 130 and a pair of light emitting diodes (LEDs) 135 and 140 which face the photodiode 130 but are separated from the latter by a gap 145 in which ? You can insert a translucent part of a person's body, such as a fingertip.

For example, the? interspace 145 pu? be defined by a cavity? delimited between two opposite appendages or walls of the outer casing 105, of which a first appendage which carries the photodiode 130 and a second appendage which carries the pair of diodes 135 and 140.

The diode 135 pu? emit red light, with a wavelength for example of about 660 nm, while the diode 140 can? emit infrared light, with a wavelength of for example 940 nm.

The absorption of light at these wavelengths differs significantly between oxygen-laden blood and oxygen-deprived blood. Does oxygenated hemoglobin absorb more? infrared light and allows the passage of more? Red light. Deoxygenated hemoglobin allows the passage of more? infrared light and absorbs pi? Red light.

Therefore the? intensity? of the red light and the infrared light received by the photodiode 130 depends on the saturation of the hemoglobin in the blood which circulates in the portion of the patient's body placed in the interspace 145.

The two diodes 135 and 140 can turn on and off intermittently and alternately at a high frequency, for example about thirty times per second, allowing the photodiode 130 to respond separately to red and infrared light and also to match the baseline of the light environmental.

The photodiode 130 therefore measures the quantity? of light which is transmitted (in other words, which is not absorbed by the body part inserted in the gap 145) and produces separate normalized signals for each wavelength.

By subtracting the minimal transmitted light from the transmitted light in each wavelength, the effects of other tissues are corrected and a continuous signal is generated for arterial blood.

These elaborations can be performed and/or acquired by an electronic processor 160, which ? connected with the photodiode 130 and with the pair of diodes 135 and 140 and pu? be contained within the casing 105.

The electronic processor 160 can? then be configured to calculate the ratio of the red light measurement to the infrared light measurement (which represents the ratio of oxygenated hemoglobin to deoxygenated hemoglobin) and to convert that ratio into a saturation value, for example via a correlation table based on the Beer Law? Lambert.

because the quantity? of arterial blood present in the part of the body being analyzed (e.g. finger tip) increases with each heart beat, the signals produced by the photodiode 130 fluctuate over time in a pulsed manner, allowing the electronic processor 160 to also provide a measurement of the heart rate.

In this way, the pulse oximeter can advantageously perform, not only the function of the instrument 115 for measuring the quantity? of oxygen in the blood, but also the function of the instrument 125 for measuring the person's heart rate.

However, it is not excluded that, in other embodiments, these two measuring instruments can be made independently.

For example, the heart rate monitor 125 can include any other device suitable for the purpose, such as an ECG device and/or a microphone and/or an accelerometer.

It should be noted that, although a transmissive type pulse oximeter has been outlined above, where what? light is transmitted through a translucent part of the body, ? can also use a reflection pulse oximeter, in which the photodiode? able to receive the fraction of light that is reflected (rather than? transmitted) inside a part of the body, resulting therefore? suitable to be used for example on the forehead or on the chest.

As an alternative or in addition to the pulse oximeter, the instrument 115 for measuring the quantity of oxygen in the blood can? including a sensor 165 of the person's breathing rate and/or amplitude.

The frequency and/or the amplitude of the breath represent in fact an indirect measure of the oxygenation of the blood.

For example, rapid breathing (tachypnea) ? an indication of a low hemoglobin saturation in the blood.

To measure breathing, the 165 sensor can be for example a flowmeter or possibly a microphone or an accelerometer, for example but not necessarily the same which can also be used to measure the frequency of the heartbeat.

In fact, a microphone or even an accelerometer placed on a person's chest or abdomen can be able to correctly measure the amplitude and frequency of breathing.

Moving on to the 120 thermometer, it ? preferably an electronic thermometer that can? be powered directly by the 110 battery.

For example, the 120 thermometer can? be an infrared thermometer or any other type capable of measuring body temperature without contact (remote or contactless thermometer).

In case you implement an infrared technology, the 120 thermometer? generally capable of measuring body temperature by analyzing the infrared radiation emitted by a portion of the human body, such as the forehead.

The 120 thermometer can? therefore comprising a sensor 170 able to pick up the infrared radiation and to generate electrical signals representative of (for example proportional to) a characteristic quantity of said radiation, for example of its intensity.

The electrical signals generated by the sensor 170 can then be transmitted to a unit? processing electronics 175, which pu? be configured to process said electrical signals and to derive from them the temperature of the area of the body which emitted the initial infrared radiation.

The sensor 170 and the relative unit? processing electronics 175 can be contained within the casing 105 of the diagnostic device 100, possibly forming a single component.

In other embodiments, the unit? processing electronics 175 pu? be constituted by the same electronic processor 160 of the pulse oximeter or pu? be separate and independent.

The 120 thermometer can? also include one or more lenses 180, which are positioned outside the casing 105 and are able to focus the infrared radiation towards the sensor 170.

so that the thermometer 120 provides a reliable detection pu? be necessary that the same is correctly ?pointed? towards the area of the body whose temperature is to be measured, i.e. that the sensor 170 and/or the lenses 180 are in a given orientation and at a given distance with respect to said area of the body.

To facilitate these aiming operations, the 120 thermometer can further comprise at least one light pointer 185, typically a laser pointer, which is adapted to emit a beam of light which, striking the surface of the body, projects a luminous spot onto it which indicates the portion towards which the thermometer 120 is directed. ?pointed?.

To define the correct distance, at least two of these light pointers 185 can be present, which are capable of emitting mutually incident light beams, so that the correct distance is reached at the point of incidence, i.e. when the light patches generated by these two light beams are mutually superimposed.

Instead? an infrared or in any case non-contact thermometer, other embodiments could envisage that the thermometer 120 installed in the diagnostic device 100 is a contact thermometer, i.e. a thermometer which works by being in contact with the person's body.

For example, the thermometer 120 could be a thermocouple thermometer, a resistance thermometer, a thermistor thermometer or any other type of thermometer which, in order to detect the body temperature of a person, is equipped with one or more temperature sensitive elements that must be in direct contact with a portion of that person's body.

Whether it is a contact thermometer or a non-contact thermometer, ? preferable that it includes a? unit? processing electronics, such as the one indicated with 175 previously, which pu? be configured to calculate the person's body temperature, not only on the basis of the directly measured temperature, but also on the basis of any correction factors.

In fact, the temperature directly measured by the thermometer represents the surface temperature of the portion of the body which is in contact with the sensitive elements or towards which it is directed. aimed at the optical sensor.

Therefore, this temperature does not depend exclusively on the body temperature but also on the portion of the body on which it is measured? been made (for example if it is the forehead, an arm, etc.) and often also from the ambient temperature.

For these reasons, the unit? processing electronics of the thermometer 120 potr? be configured to calculate the real body temperature by compensating the measured temperature according to the position in which said temperature? been measured and possibly the ambient temperature at the instant of measurement.

The diagnostic device 100 can? further comprise an interface system 190, through which the measurements performed by the measuring instruments can be displayed, i.e. by the instrument 115 for measuring oxygen in the blood, by the thermometer 120 and possibly (if present) by the instrument 125 for measuring of the heart rate.

In the embodiment illustrated here, the interface system 190 can include a digital display 195, for example a liquid crystal display, which can? be fixed on the external side of the casing 105 and on which the values of the measured quantities are displayed.

Additionally or alternatively, as regards for example the display of the body temperature, the interface system 145 could comprise a plurality of of 200 light spots, typically but not necessarily consisting of LED diodes.

These 200 light spots can have different colors and be configured to illuminate selectively based on the entity? of the measured temperature.

For example, if the measured temperature were lower than 37?C, a green luminous spot 200 could light up, if the measured temperature were between 37?C and 37.5?C, a yellow luminous spot 200 could light up, and if the measured temperature is higher than 37.5?C, a red luminous spot 200 could light up.

In other embodiments, the light spots 200 could have the same color and/or light up in sequence and remain lit in a number proportional to the entity? of the measured temperature.

For example, if the measured temperature were lower than 37?C, only one luminous spot 200 could light up, if the measured temperature were between 37?C and 37.5?C, two luminous spots 200 could light up, and if the measured temperature was comprised above 37.5?C, three luminous spots could light up 200.

Of course, other embodiments could provide interface systems 190 that are completely different from those described above, without thereby departing from the scope of the present discussion.

Regardless of the presence of these interface systems 190, which could also be absent, the diagnostic device 100 can comprising a wireless transmitter 205 for transmitting signals representative of the measurements made by the measuring instruments.

In other words, the oxygen values in the blood, the temperature values and possibly the heart rate values can be encoded in suitable electrical signals which are transmitted outside the diagnostic device 100 in mode wireless from the aforementioned transmitter 205.

This 205 wireless transmitter can? be, for example but not exclusively, chosen from the group consisting of: a Bluetooth transmitter, a Wi-Fi transmitter or a telephone transmitter (e.g. UMTS, 3G, 4G, 5G, etc.).

In this way, the measurements made by the measuring instruments can be transmitted to other electronic devices, separate and possibly placed at a distance from the diagnostic device 100.

For example, these measurements can be transmitted to an electronic device equipped with a screen, such as a smartphone, a laptop computer or a tablet computer which, possibly as part of the execution of a dedicated software application, is configured to display the measured values directly on your screen and/or memorize, analyze and possibly reprocess them.

Via the smartphone, the measurements performed by the measuring instruments of the diagnostic device 100 can also be transmitted to remote electronic devices.

Additionally or alternatively, the wireless transmitter 205 of the diagnostic device 100 could be able to transmit the measurements performed by the measuring instruments directly to said remote electronic devices.

These remote electronic devices could include a remote data acquisition and analysis center as part of a people health monitoring and control system.

For example, by distributing among the population a multitude of 100 diagnostic devices such as the one described above, ? it is advantageously possible to carry out a large-scale monitoring program of people's health status, through which the authorities? health services can, for example, keep the evolution of an epidemic under control.

In particular, each diagnostic device 100 can allow to establish if c?? the suspicion that the person using it has been infected and/or to keep his clinical picture monitored.

To recognize a suspected infection ? It is possible to use the diagnostic device 100 according to pre-established guidelines.

For example ? Is it possible to provide periodic measures of body temperature, of the quantity? of oxygen in the blood (by measuring the saturation of hemoglobin or the frequency/amplitude of breathing) and possibly the heart rate.

In some cases, it may be envisaged to carry out these measures, or some of them, immediately after the person has performed a predetermined activity. physics, such as going up and down a flight of stairs.

The data what? collected can therefore be managed by an appropriate algorithm for recognizing suspicious cases, based for example on the analysis of big data collected from the monitoring of the entire population, through which ? possible to establish what are the characteristic values of the parameters measured in sick and healthy people.

Through the comparison with these characteristic values, the algorithm pu? therefore be able to recognize if the person who is using the diagnostic device 100 ? healthy or affected by disease.

This algorithm can be implemented in the form of a firmware resident locally on the diagnostic device 100 (for example in the electronic processor 160) and/or on the basis of a software executed by another connected device, for example in the smartphone and/or in the remote control unit.

AND? it should be noted that the classic analysis techniques of big data and artificial intelligence can also use each new measurement as additional learning data useful for refining the analysis algorithm.

In addition to the aforementioned big data analysis techniques and artificial intelligence techniques, ? It is also possible to use signal analysis techniques, such as for example spectral analysis (harmonic content), cepstral analysis (cepstrum alanysis), signal energy and others.

The diagnostic device 100 can? also be effectively used to promptly recognize the? aggravation of the disease in people already? infected but kept in isolation at home.

In this case, a daily measurement of the vital parameters mentioned above makes it possible to automatically communicate to the healthcare system (and/or directly to the user via the interface system 190) the state of severity? of the disease. In this way, healthcare professionals (e.g. doctors and nurses) can be promptly informed of the patient's clinical picture, even if the latter is not? hospitalized, and will therefore be able to take the most appropriate measures? suitable to address the problems, for example by prescribing the use of the most? eligible and resorting to hospitalization only when necessary.

In addition to the systems outlined above, the diagnostic device 100 could also comprise a geolocation apparatus 210, for example but not necessarily based on GPS or GSM triangulation technology.

In this way, the diagnostic device 100 could also be used to trace the movements of the users if it is necessary to provide for their surveillance (eg to guarantee a quarantine) and/or to be able to trace the people with whom they have had contact.

It should be noted that, in the previous description, yes ? referred to a diagnostic device 100 realized as an object in itself? independent and expressly dedicated to the diagnostic function only.

In some embodiments, however, the measuring instruments and the other components of the diagnostic device 100 could be integrated in an object of common use, for example in a wearable object, such as a necklace, a pendant, a bracelet, a wrist, a wrist brace or something else.

This wearable item will be therefore equipped with at least one instrument 115 for measuring a quantity? of oxygen in the blood, a thermometer for medical use 120, and optionally also an instrument 125 for detecting the heart rate, each of which can have the characteristics described above. Since it is a wearable object, it can? be preferable in this case that the thermometer 120 is of the contact type.

A wearable item? in fact by definition suitable for being in contact with the body of the person wearing it (think in particular of a bracelet, a wrist band or a wrist watch).

Therefore, the use of a contact thermometer 120, in addition to being normally more? cheap, can allow continuous monitoring of the person's body temperature.

For the same reasons, pu? be preferable that the instrument 115 for measuring the quantity? of oxygen in the blood (e.g. saturation) and/or the instrument 125 for detecting the heart rate are based on devices such as a microphone and/or accelerometers.

In any case, this wearable object will be able to be further equipped with the wireless transmitter 205, through which potr? be connected to a separate electronic device, such as a smartphone (e.g. via Bluetooth) and/or with a home network (e.g. via Wi-Fi).

Thanks to this connection and/or to any local interface systems 190, this object will be able to transmit health data periodically and/or continuously to the user, for example to allow him to carry out a self-diagnosis, or to a remote monitoring system, which can be, for example, under the control of the authorities? sanitary.

In the event that the wearable object is connected to a smartphone, the latter can it can also be configured to generate and possibly send an alarm signal to the remote monitoring system if the wearable object moves too far from the smartphone itself.

The distance between the wearable object and the smartphone may be stable for example using the? entity? of the Bluetooth signal or using the geolocation system.

The wearable object and/or smartphone can also be configured to generate and possibly send an alarm signal to the remote monitoring system if the user takes off the wearable object and stops using it.

The fact that the user takes off the wearable object can possibly be established on the basis of the signals coming from the various measuring instruments, for example if the values measured by them suddenly fall below the corresponding threshold values.

In other embodiments? otherwise? Is it possible that the measuring instruments and other components of the diagnostic device 100 are integrated into a larger electronic device? complex and/or also having other specific functions, for example in a smartphone, a smartwatch or in a power bank.

What? for example a smartphone, a smartwatch or a power bank, in addition to performing the typical functions for which they were originally designed, can become real diagnostic devices.

In particular, a smartphone or a smartwatch can be particularly suitable for this purpose, since are they normally already? equipped with microphones and accelerometers which can be used as an instrument 115 for measuring oxygen in the blood (through indirect breath analysis), as well as of all the electronics necessary for data analysis and for the transmission/reception of the same.

To make a smartphone or smartwatch an effective and powerful diagnostic device 100, can? it will therefore generally be sufficient to equip it with a thermometer for medical use 120.

In the case of a smartwatch, which is worn on the wrist, this thermometer 120 can preferably be a contact thermometer, for example a thermocouple. In the case instead of a smartphone, the thermometer 120 could be a non-contact thermometer, for example infrared.

Figures 4 to 6, on the other hand, show the integration of the diagnostic device 100 in a power bank 300, i.e. in a device mainly intended to electrically power one or more power banks. electrical/electronic devices 500, for example to recharge their internal batteries and/or simply to allow their normal operation.

The devices 500 can be, for example , smartphones, laptop computers, tablet computers or any other mobile device, without however necessarily exclude devices that can be considered fixed, such as televisions, lamps and much more.

Inside a 305 power bank 300 casing? contained an electric energy accumulator 310, preferably of the rechargeable type, for example one or more? lithium or any other type of battery.

The power bank 300 further comprises a transmission apparatus capable of transferring the electrical energy accumulated in the accumulator 310 to the device 500 to be powered/recharged.

In some embodiments, this transmission apparatus can request a physical connection between the power bank 300 and the device 300.

For example, the transmission apparatus could include a cable having a plug adapted to be coupled to a power port of the device 500, or it could comprise an output port adapted to be connected with the power port of the device 500 via a separate cable with two plugs.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the figures, the transmission apparatus however comprises at least one wireless transmitter 315 of electric energy, which is contained within the casing 305 together with the accumulator 310 which ? connected.

In this way, the wireless transmitter 315 ? suitable for transmitting electricity outside in mode? wireless, i.e. in the form of electromagnetic waves conveyed wirelessly, which can be received by the device 500 and used for its power supply/recharge.

The 315 wireless transmitter can for example be of the inductive type and therefore understand? at least one inductor, such as an antenna or an inductive coil, which ? suitable for inductive coupling with a corresponding inductor, for example with a corresponding antenna or a corresponding inductive coil, present in the device 500 to be powered.

Alternatively or in addition, the 315 wireless transmitter can? be of the capacitive type and therefore understand? at least two plates capable of coupling capacitively with at least two corresponding plates placed in the device 500 to be powered, so as to globally realize a pair of capacitances? through which can take place the transfer of electricity.

As visible in the figures, the 300 power bank can? further comprise the instrument 115 for measuring oxygen in the blood (for example but not necessarily in the form of a microphone), and the thermometer 120 for medical use (medical thermometer).

the power bank 300 can? also possibly an instrument 125 for measuring the heart rate (not shown), as well as? all other possible accessory elements of the diagnostic device 100.

Each of these additional components pu? naturally present the same characteristics that have been described in relation to the first embodiment of the diagnostic device 100.

Obviously, to all of the above described, a technician in the sector could? make numerous modifications of a technical application nature, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as claimed below.

Claims (16)

1. A portable diagnostic device (100) comprising a plurality of of measuring instruments integrated into a single object, of which at least one instrument (115) for measuring a quantity? oxygen dispenser and a thermometer (120) for medical use. 2. A diagnostic device (100) according to claim 1, wherein said instrument (115) for measuring the quantity oxygen meter includes a pulse oximeter. A diagnostic device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said measuring instruments comprise an instrument (125) for detecting heart rate. 4. A diagnostic device (100) according to claim 1, wherein said instrument (115) for measuring the quantity oxygen sensor comprises a sensor (165) of the rate and/or amplitude of respiration. A diagnostic device (100) according to claim 4, wherein said breath rate sensor (165) is ? chosen from the group consisting of: a microphone, an accelerometer and a flowmeter. 6. A diagnostic device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said thermometer (120) is an electronic thermometer. 7. A diagnostic device (100) according to claim 5, wherein said thermometer (120) is a non-contact thermometer or a contact thermometer. 8. A diagnostic device (100) according to claim 6, wherein said thermometer (120) is chosen from the group consisting of: an infrared thermometer, a thermocouple thermometer, a resistance thermometer and a thermistor thermometer. 9. A diagnostic device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an interface system (190) for displaying the measurements performed by the measuring instruments. A diagnostic device (100) according to claim 9, wherein said interface system (190) comprises a digital display. A diagnostic device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a wireless transmitter (205) for transmitting signals representative of the measurements made by the measuring instruments. A diagnostic device (100) according to claim 11, wherein said wireless transmitter (205) is chosen from the group consisting of: a Bluetooth transmitter, a Wi-Fi transmitter and a telephone transmitter. A diagnostic device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a geolocation apparatus (210). 14. A diagnostic device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said object is a wearable item. A diagnostic device (100) according to claim 14, wherein said wearable object is chosen from the group consisting of: a watch, a bracelet, a necklace, a wristband and a pendant. 16. A diagnostic device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein said object is a smartphone, a smartwatch or a power bank (300).