Apparatus for light reflection measurements

Claim 1

An apparatus for light transport measurements on a test object for generating medical analysis data on a concentration of an analyte in the test object, said apparatus comprising: a measuring head, said measuring head including a contact surface for contacting an interface of the test object; at least one light irradiation means connected to the measuring head for irradiating primary light into the test object through the contact surface and the interface, said irradiation means comprising a light transmitter; at least one detection means connected to the measuring head for detecting secondary light emerging from the test object through the interface and the contact surface, said detection means comprising a light receiver; and a signal processing unit connected to the detection means for processing a signal which is output by the detection means to yield an analytical result, wherein said analytical result corresponds to the concentration of the analyte in the test object, wherein said contact surface includes at least one optically transparent primary light passage means for conducting light therethrough from said light transmitter to which it is optically connected, and at least one optically transparent secondary light passage means for conducting light therethrough to said light receiver to which it is optically connected, wherein a size and position of a site on the interface at which the light is irradiated into the test object and a site on the interface at which the light emerging from the test object is detected are determined by a position and size of the at least one primary light passage means and the at least one secondary light passage means, wherein at least one of said primary light passage means and said secondary light passage means comprises at least 100 rigid light-conducting elements which together conduct the light from the light transmitter or to the light receiver to which the light passage means is connected, and wherein light from the secondary light passage means is used to provide input to the signal processing unit to generate medical analysis data regarding said concentration of the analyte in the test object.

Claim 2

An apparatus for light transport measurements on a test object for generating medical analysis data on a concentration of an analyte in the test object, said apparatus comprising: a measuring head, said measuring head including a contact surface for contacting an interface of the test object; at least one light irradiation means connected to the measuring head for irradiating primary light into the test object through the contact surface and the interface, said irradiation means comprising a light transmitter; at least one detection means connected to the measuring head for detecting secondary light emerging from the test object through the interface and the contact surface, said detection means comprising a light receiver; and a signal processing unit connected to the detection means for processing a signal which is output by the detection means to yield an analytical result, wherein said analytical result corresponds to the concentration of the analyte in the test object, wherein said contact surface includes at least one optically transparent primary light passage means for conducting light therethrough from said light transmitter to which it is optically connected, and at least one optically transparent secondary light passage means for conducting light therethrough to said light receiver to which it is optically connected, wherein a size and position of a site on the interface at which the light is irradiated into the test object and a site on the interface at which the light emerging from the test object is detected are determined by a position and size of the at least one primary light passage means and the at least one secondary light passage means, wherein at least one of said primary light passage means and said secondary light passage means comprises at least 100 rigid light-conducting elements which together conduct the light from the light transmitter or to the light receiver to which the light passage means is connected, and wherein light from the secondary light passage means is used to provide input to the signal processing unit to generate medical analysis data regarding said concentration of the analyte in the test object.

Claim 9

An apparatus for light transport measurements on a test object, said apparatus comprising: a measuring head, said measuring head including a contact surface for contacting an interface of the test object; at least one light irradiation means connected to the measuring head for irradiating primary light into the test object through the contact surface and the interface, said irradiation means comprising a light transmitter; at least one detection means connected to the measuring head for detecting secondary light emerging from the test object through the interface and the contact surface, said detection means comprising a light receiver; wherein said contact surface includes at least one optically transparent light passage means, said at least one optically transparent light passage means for conducting light therethrough from said at least one light irradiation means or to said at least one detection means, to which it is optically connected, said at least one light passage means comprising a plurality of rigid light-conducting elements which together conduct the light of the light irradiation means or light detection means to which the light passage means is connected, and wherein the plurality of light-conducting elements comprise a plurality of optical fibers disposed in parallel, and connected with each other to form a plate, said plate being disposed adjacent the contact surface.

Claim 10

An apparatus for light transport measurements on a test object, said apparatus comprising: a measuring head, said measuring head including a contact surface for contacting an interface of the test object; at least one light irradiation means connected to the measuring head for irradiating primary light into the test object through the contact surface and the interface, said irradiation means comprising a light transmitter; at least one detection means connected to the measuring head for detecting secondary light emerging from the test object through the interface and the contact surface, said detection means comprising a light receiver; wherein said contact surface includes at least one optically transparent light passage means, said at least one optically transparent light passage means for conducting light therethrough from said at least one light irradiation means or to said at least one detection means, to which it is optically connected, said at least one light passage means comprising a plurality of rigid light-conducting elements which together conduct the light of the light irradiation means or light detection means to which the light passage means is connected, and wherein the plurality of light-conducting elements comprise a plurality of optical fibers disposed in parallel, and connected with each other to form a plate, said plate being disposed adjacent the contact surface.

Claim 26

An apparatus for light transport measurements on a test object, said apparatus comprising: a measuring head, said measuring head including a contact surface for contacting an interface of the test object; at least one light irradiation means connected to the measuring head for irradiating primary light into the test object through the contact surface and the interface, said irradiation means comprising a light transmitter; at least one detection means connected to the measuring head for detecting secondary light emerging from the test object through the interface and the contact surface, said detection means comprising a light receiver; wherein said contact surface includes at least one optically transparent light passage means, said at least one optically transparent light passage means for conducting light therethrough from said at least one light irradiation means to which it is optically connected, said at least one light passage means comprising a plurality of rigid light-conducting elements which together conduct input light to the light irradiation means to which the light passage means is connected, wherein said at least one light irradiation means comprises a plurality of light transmitters, said plurality of light transmitters radiating light having different wavelengths, wherein the primary light from the light transmitters is combined by a beam-combiner element operatively connected to said light transmitters to irradiate said at least one light passage means.

Claim 27

An apparatus for light transport measurements on a test object, said apparatus comprising: a measuring head, said measuring head including a contact surface for contacting an interface of the test object; at least one light irradiation means connected to the measuring head for irradiating primary light into the test object through the contact surface and the interface, said irradiation means comprising a light transmitter; at least one detection means connected to the measuring head for detecting secondary light emerging from the test object through the interface and the contact surface, said detection means comprising a light receiver; wherein said contact surface includes at least one optically transparent light passage means, said at least one optically transparent light passage means for conducting light therethrough from said at least one light irradiation means to which it is optically connected, said at least one light passage means comprising a plurality of rigid light-conducting elements which together conduct input light to the light irradiation means to which the light passage means is connected, wherein said at least one light irradiation means comprises a plurality of light transmitters, said plurality of light transmitters radiating light having different wavelengths, wherein the primary light from the light transmitters is combined by a beam-combiner element operatively connected to said light transmitters to irradiate said at least one light passage means.