Electronic clinical thermometer

Claim 1

An electronic clinical thermometer comprising: a temperature sensing unit for sensing a body temperature and generating a signal corresponding to the sensed body temperature; arithmetic means for calculating a current body temperature in response to the signal generated by said temperature sensing unit; memory means for sequentially updating and storing a most recently measured body temperature in response to said arithmetic means calculating the current body temperature; display means for displaying either of said current body temperature calculated by said arithmetic means or said most recently measured body temperature stored in said memory means; means for enabling the display of said most recently measured and memorized body temperature for a predetermined period of time by initially turning a power switch to an "ON" position after said power switch has been set in an "OFF" position after completing the measurement of said most recently measured and memorized body temperature; the display of said most recently memorized body temperature being replaced after said predetermined length of time by a display of an ambient temperature; and means for initiating and displaying said calculated current body temperature subsequent to display of said ambient temperature, whereby the most recently memorized body temperature is updated.