Infrared cholesterol sensor

Claim 2

A blood-cholesterol detection apparatus comprising: illumination means for non-invasively illuminating an in vivo blood sample in a patient at a plurality of infrared wavelengths for generating a background reference signal and a cholesterol data signal; detector means for non-invasively detecting light effected by said sample at least one data wavelength and at one reference wavelength for each data wavelength of said plurality of wavelengths and for converting said detected light into electrical signals, said electrical signals being indicative of the intensity of said effected light at said data and reference wavelengths, said data and reference wavelengths being separated by no more than about 100 nm; and analyzing means for receiving and comparing said electrical signals to derive a ratio for at least said data and reference wavelengths, such that said ratio can be compared with predetermined values associated with known blood-cholesterol concentrations so as to detect the cholesterol level in said sample.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said illumination means further comprises at least two light sources, each producing light at a distinct wavelength within a window at about 1620-1820 nm.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a first one of said sources is operable at about 1720 nm.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said illumination means further comprises at least two light sources, each producing light at a distinct wavelength within a window at about 2200-2400 nm.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein a first one of said sources is operable at about 2300 nm.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said illumination means further comprises at least two light sources, each of said light sources producing light at a distinct data wavelength, one of which being at about 1720 nm and the other at about 2300 nm, for making separate measurements of cholesterol absorption data.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said illumination means further comprises at least two light sources, each producing light at a distinct wavelength with a first one of said sources operable at about 100 nm away from a second one of said sources.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said analyzing means further comprises means for quantifying the concentration of cholesterol in said sample.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detector means detects light reflected by said sample at said plurality of wavelengths.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detector means detects light transmitted by said sample at said plurality of wavelengths.

Claim 14

The method of claim 11 wherein the step of comparing includes detecting the concentration of cholesterol in said blood.

Claim 15

The method of claim 12 wherein said step of illuminating further comprises illuminating said blood source with at least two light sources, each producing light at a distinct cholesterol data wavelength, one of said at least two light sources being at about 1720 nm and the other at about 2300 nm.

Claim 16

The method of claim 11 wherein said step of illuminating further comprises the step of illuminating the blood source at a wavelength at about 1720 nm.

Claim 17

The method of claim 11 wherein said step of illuminating further comprises the step of illuminating the blood at a wavelength at about 2300 nm.

Claim 18

The method of claim 11 wherein said step of analyzing further comprises the step of quantifying the concentration of cholesterol in said sample.

Claim 19

The method of claim 11 wherein said step of detecting further comprises the step of detecting light reflected by said sample at said plurality of wavelengths.

Claim 20

The method of claim 11 wherein said step of detecting further comprises the step of detecting light transmitted by said sample at said plurality of wavelengths.

Claim 21

A blood-cholesterol detection apparatus comprising: illumination means for non-invasively illuminating an in vivo blood sample in a patient at a plurality of infrared wavelengths, said illumination means further comprising at least two light sources, with a first one of said sources being operable at a first one of said wavelengths and a second one of said sources being operable at a second one of said wavelengths about 100 nm away from said first wavelength, for generating a background reference signal and a cholesterol data signal within a narrow measurement window; detector means for non-invasively detecting light effected by said sample at said reference and data wavelengths and for converting said detected light into electrical reference and data signals, said electrical signals being indicative of the intensity of said effected light at said first and second wavelengths; and analyzing means for receiving and comparing said electrical signals to derive a ratio for said first and second wavelengths, such that said ratio can be compared with predetermined values associated with known blood-cholesterol concentrations so as to detect the cholesterol level in said blood sample.

Claim 22

A blood-cholesterol detection apparatus comprising: illumination means for non-invasively illuminating an in vivo blood sample in a patient at a plurality of infrared wavelengths, said illumination means further comprising at least two light sources, with a first one of said sources being operable at a first one of said wavelengths and a second one of said sources being operable at a second one of said wavelengths about 100 nm away from said first wavelength, for generating a background reference signal and a cholesterol data signal within a narrow measurement window; detector means for non-invasively detecting light effected by said sample at said reference and data wavelengths and for converting said detected light into electrical reference and data signals, said electrical signals being indicative of the intensity of said effected light at said first and second wavelengths; and analyzing means for receiving and comparing said electrical signals to derive a ratio for said first and second wavelengths, such that said ratio can be compared with predetermined values associated with known blood-cholesterol concentrations so as to detect the cholesterol level in said blood sample.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said sources each produce light at a distinct wavelength within said window at about 1620-1820 nm.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein one of said sources is operable at about 1720 nm.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said sources each produce light at a distinct wavelength within said window at about 2200-2400 nm.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein one of said sources is operable at about 2300 nm.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein one of said light sources operates at about 1720 nm, further comprising at least two additional light sources one of which operating at about 2300 nm, for making separate measurements of cholesterol absorption data at 1720 and 2300 nm.

Claim 30

The method of claim 25 wherein said step of illuminating further comprises the step of illuminating the blood at a wavelength at about 1720 nm.

Claim 31

The method of claim 25 wherein said step of illuminating further comprises the step of illuminating the blood at a wavelength at about 2300 nm.