Apparatus and method for measuring current flow in an animal or human body

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring contact current includes data acquisition circuitry with at least two sensor contacts to measure the voltage drop across an animal or human body. A portable data processing unit is connected to the data acquisition circuitry to process the voltage data to produce current flow data.

In the claims:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for measuring current flow through a living body, comprising: 
 data acquisition circuitry consisting of a first contact and a second contact to generate voltage data; and    a portable data processing unit connected to said data acquisition circuitry to process said voltage data to produce current flow data.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said portable data processing unit includes acquired data conditioning circuitry to condition a data signal from said first contact and said second contact.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said acquired data conditioning circuitry includes an amplifier.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said portable data processing unit includes data input interface circuitry.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising a keypad connected with said data input interface circuitry.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising an autonomous power source.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said portable data processing unit includes data output interface circuitry.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  further comprising a visual display connected to said data output interface circuitry.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7  further comprising a compact removable flash memory card connected to said data output interface circuitry.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said portable data processing unit includes a central processing unit and a memory storing a set of executable programs.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said memory stores body impedance data comprised of known body impedances.  
     
     
         12 . The memory of  claim 11  wherein said known body impedances include estimated impedances.  
     
     
         13 . The memory of  claim 11  wherein said known body impedances include calculated impedance measurements.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said memory stores a parameter calculator that compares conditioned data with known body impedances to generate data on said current flow through said living body.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said memory stores an output module that controls data storage to a removable flash memory.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said memory stores an output module that controls the menu of an LCD display.