Fertility probe

Claim 1

A device for detecting the fertile period in a woman's menstrual cycle, said device comprising: a probe having an elongated probe body for insertion into the woman's vagina and mucus contained therein, a fist ring-shaped electrode circumferentially surrounding said probe body, a second ring-shaped electrode also circumferentially surrounding said probe body but displaced longitudinally down the probe body from said first ring-shaped electrode, and a distally located temperature sensor for sensing mucus temperature; a current generating means electrically connected to said probe, for generating an electrical alternating current not exceeding 50 micro-amperes between said first ring-shaped electrode and said second ring-shaped electrode, and passing through said mucus to thereby effect a voltage indicative of the electrode-to-mucus polarization impedance; means for amplifying said voltage indicative of the electrode-to-mucus polarization impedance, said amplifying means having first and second inputs electrically connected to the first and second ring-shaped electrodes, respectively; means electrically connected to the output from said amplifying means, for rectifying the output from said amplifying means; signal conditioning means electrically connected to said temperature sensor for conditioning the output form said temperature sensor; analog-to-digital converting means electrically connected and responsive to the output form said rectifying means to output a signal indicative of the electrode-to-mucus polarization impedance, and also electrically connected and responsive to the output from said signal conditioning means to output a signal indicative of mucus temperature; a microprocessor connected and responsive to the signals output by said analog-to-digital converting means, said microprocessor being programmed with an algorithm relating to the woman's menstrual cycle for detecting the approach of ovulation based upon a 10 to 15 percent drop from baseline in the magnitude of said signal indicative of the electrode-to-mucus polarization impedance, for detecting the most fertile day of ovulation and for detecting when ovulation has recently elapsed, the signal indicative of mucus temperature being used to confirm at least one of the detections, said microprocessor including means for outputting a resulting signal indicative of whether ovulation is approaching, is present, or has recently elapsed; and a display responsive to the resulting signal form said microprocessor for indicating when ovulation is approaching, when ovulation is present, and when ovulation has recently elapsed.

Claim 2

A device for detecting the fertile period in a woman's menstrual cycle, said device comprising: a probe having an elongated probe body for insertion into the woman's vagina and mucus contained therein, a fist ring-shaped electrode circumferentially surrounding said probe body, a second ring-shaped electrode also circumferentially surrounding said probe body but displaced longitudinally down the probe body from said first ring-shaped electrode, and a distally located temperature sensor for sensing mucus temperature; a current generating means electrically connected to said probe, for generating an electrical alternating current not exceeding 50 micro-amperes between said first ring-shaped electrode and said second ring-shaped electrode, and passing through said mucus to thereby effect a voltage indicative of the electrode-to-mucus polarization impedance; means for amplifying said voltage indicative of the electrode-to-mucus polarization impedance, said amplifying means having first and second inputs electrically connected to the first and second ring-shaped electrodes, respectively; means electrically connected to the output from said amplifying means, for rectifying the output from said amplifying means; signal conditioning means electrically connected to said temperature sensor for conditioning the output form said temperature sensor; analog-to-digital converting means electrically connected and responsive to the output form said rectifying means to output a signal indicative of the electrode-to-mucus polarization impedance, and also electrically connected and responsive to the output from said signal conditioning means to output a signal indicative of mucus temperature; a microprocessor connected and responsive to the signals output by said analog-to-digital converting means, said microprocessor being programmed with an algorithm relating to the woman's menstrual cycle for detecting the approach of ovulation based upon a 10 to 15 percent drop from baseline in the magnitude of said signal indicative of the electrode-to-mucus polarization impedance, for detecting the most fertile day of ovulation and for detecting when ovulation has recently elapsed, the signal indicative of mucus temperature being used to confirm at least one of the detections, said microprocessor including means for outputting a resulting signal indicative of whether ovulation is approaching, is present, or has recently elapsed; and a display responsive to the resulting signal form said microprocessor for indicating when ovulation is approaching, when ovulation is present, and when ovulation has recently elapsed.