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US4246907A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for identifying an ovulation phase within a menstrual cycle of a woman

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1979-01-29
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Granted: 1981-01-27
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Expires: 1999-01-29
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Abstract

Abstract At least the polarity of a potential difference between two spaced apart portions of the body of a woman is repeatedly measured on each day throughout at least a substantial portion of the days of a menstrual cycle of the woman. The days in which the measurements indicate at least two readings of oppposite polarity are identified as days immediately preceding the time of ovulation of the woman.

Inventors

  • 👤 Russel F. Bullock

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 19:36
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B10/00; A61B10/0012; A61B5/00; A61B5/24; A61B5/30; A61B2010/0016; A61B2562/00; A61B2562/02; A61B2562/0209; A61B2562/0215; A61B2562/0217

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 128 words
A process for monitoring the state of a menstrual cycle of a woman comprising the steps of: measuring at least the polarity of a direct current potential between at least two spaced apart portions of the woman's body, said spaced apart portions being located respectively on the right and left side of the woman's body, the step of measuring including applying a pair of suitable electrodes to said portions of the woman's body, observing a readout of said potential on a display and successively repeating said applying and observing steps at least three times; repeating said measuring step every day throughout at least a substantial portion of the days of the woman's menstrual cycle, and identifying from said measurements a phase of ovulation within the woman's menstrual cycle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 128 words
A process for monitoring the state of a menstrual cycle of a woman comprising the steps of: measuring at least the polarity of a direct current potential between at least two spaced apart portions of the woman's body, said spaced apart portions being located respectively on the right and left side of the woman's body, the step of measuring including applying a pair of suitable electrodes to said portions of the woman's body, observing a readout of said potential on a display and successively repeating said applying and observing steps at least three times; repeating said measuring step every day throughout at least a substantial portion of the days of the woman's menstrual cycle, and identifying from said measurements a phase of ovulation within the woman's menstrual cycle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 30 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the observing step includes a step of waiting for a substantially stable value of the potential, said stable value being considered as the read-out.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the time period elapsed between an applying and an observing step and a subsequent applying and observing step is less than 5 minutes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
The process of claim 3 including the additional step of recording each observed value of the potential.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 29 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the spaced apart portions of the woman's body each comprise a portion of the outer skin surface of each hand of the woman.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the spaced apart portions each comprise one of the fingers of each hand of the woman.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 151 words
A process for monitoring a menstrual cycle of a human female for identifying an ovulation phase within the cycle, the process comprising the steps of: measuring with a suitable voltage meter at least the polarity of a true direct current potential between two spaced apart points of the outer surface of the female's body, the spaced apart points being located respectively on the right and left hand side of the woman's body, said measuring being performed on substantially every day throughout at least a substantial portion of the menstrual cycle and comprising the steps of repeatedly and within short time intervals observing at least the polarity reading of the voltage meter; selecting each of those days of the menstrual cycle wherein the repeated polarity readings include at least two readings of opposite polarity, and identifying the selected days of the menstrual cycle as days immediately preceding a probable time of ovulation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 151 words
A process for monitoring a menstrual cycle of a human female for identifying an ovulation phase within the cycle, the process comprising the steps of: measuring with a suitable voltage meter at least the polarity of a true direct current potential between two spaced apart points of the outer surface of the female's body, the spaced apart points being located respectively on the right and left hand side of the woman's body, said measuring being performed on substantially every day throughout at least a substantial portion of the menstrual cycle and comprising the steps of repeatedly and within short time intervals observing at least the polarity reading of the voltage meter; selecting each of those days of the menstrual cycle wherein the repeated polarity readings include at least two readings of opposite polarity, and identifying the selected days of the menstrual cycle as days immediately preceding a probable time of ovulation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process of claim 7 wherein the spaced apart portions of the female's body comprise two hands of the female.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 16 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the spaced apart portions comprise a finger of each hand.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 23 words
The process of claim 7 wherein the steps of repeatedly observing at least a polarity reading are completed in less than 30 minutes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 15 words
The process of claim 10 wherein the observing step is performed at least three times.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 23 words
The process of claim 7 wherein the voltage meter also supplies a numerical value of the potential and said numerical value is observed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 41 words
The process of claim 7 wherein the measuring step further includes the steps of repeatedly and within short time intervals applying suitable electrodes to the spaced apart points and wherein each step of observing is performed after a step of applying.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 56 words
The process of claim 13 wherein the voltage meter also supplies a numerical value of the potential, and wherein the measuring step further includes after each step of applying the electrodes a step of waiting until a numerical value of the potential is substantially stable, said substantially stable numerical value being observed in the observing step.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 160 words
In a process for monitoring the menstrual cycle of a human female including the steps of applying a pair of suitable electrodes connected to a suitable voltage meter to two spaced apart portions of the body of the female, the two spaced apart portions being located respectively on the right and left side of the female's body, measuring at least the polarity of a true direct current potential between the two portions, repeating the applying and measuring steps for at least a substantial portion of the days of the menstrual cycle of the female and identifying from the measurements a probable ovulation phase of the menstrual cycle, the improvement comprising: successively performing the applying step and measuring steps several times on each day; selecting those days wherein the measuring steps resulted in at least two readings having opposite polarity, and designating in the identifying step said selected days as days immediately preceding a probable time of ovulation of the female.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 160 words
In a process for monitoring the menstrual cycle of a human female including the steps of applying a pair of suitable electrodes connected to a suitable voltage meter to two spaced apart portions of the body of the female, the two spaced apart portions being located respectively on the right and left side of the female's body, measuring at least the polarity of a true direct current potential between the two portions, repeating the applying and measuring steps for at least a substantial portion of the days of the menstrual cycle of the female and identifying from the measurements a probable ovulation phase of the menstrual cycle, the improvement comprising: successively performing the applying step and measuring steps several times on each day; selecting those days wherein the measuring steps resulted in at least two readings having opposite polarity, and designating in the identifying step said selected days as days immediately preceding a probable time of ovulation of the female.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 28 words
The improvement of claim 15 wherein a time period elapsing between an applying and measuring step and a subsequent applying and measuring step is less than five minutes.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 22 words
The improvement of claim 16 wherein the spaced apart portions of the body of the female comprise a finger of each hand.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3064641A Cited
US3920003A Cited
US3924609A Cited
US4148304A Cited
DE2655716A1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-01-27 1984-07-28 1985-01-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-01-27 1988-07-28 1989-01-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-01-27 1992-07-28 1993-01-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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