Glucose measuring apparatus and method

Abstract

Disclosed is a glucose measuring apparatus including a pressure measurer hat measures a pressure applied to an object, a near infrared ray (NIR) irradiator that irradiates an NIR to the object if the measured pressure is greater than or equal to a preset value, an NIR receiver that receives at least one of an NIR reflected from the object, a scattered NIR, and an NIR that penetrated the object, and an analyzer that measures the blood glucose level based on the received NIR.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A glucose measuring apparatus comprising:
 a pressure measurer that measures a pressure applied to an object;   a near infrared ray (NIR) irradiator that irradiates an NIR to the object if the measured pressure is greater than or equal to a preset value;   an NIR receiver that receives at least one of an NIR reflected from the object, a scattered NIR, and an NIR that penetrated the object; and   an analyzer that measures a blood glucose level based on the received NIR.   
     
     
         2 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a wavelength of the NIR is between about 0.8 microns (μm) and about 1.8 μm. 
     
     
         3 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure measurer comprises:
 an elastic part that receives the pressure applied to the object,   wherein the pressure measurer further measures the pressure received by the elastic part.   
     
     
         4 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure measurer comprises a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pressurizer that applies the pressure to the object.   
     
     
         6 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the glucose measuring apparatus has an identical shape to a shape of a mouthpiece that is adjacent to or contacts the object. 
     
     
         7 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the mouthpiece comprises an exhalation duct through which exhaled breath of the object passes,
 wherein the analyzer further measures the blood glucose level based on the received NIR and the exhaled breath of the object.   
     
     
         8 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the NIR receiver comprises an integrating sphere that collects the received NIR. 
     
     
         9 . A glucose measuring apparatus comprising:
 a pressure measurer that measures a pressure applied to an object;   a first optical waveguide configured to be close to the object;   a near infrared ray (NIR) irradiator that irradiates an NIR to the first optical waveguide if the measured pressure is greater than or equal to a preset value;   an NIR receiver that receives an attenuated total reflection NIR (ATR-NIR) from the first optical waveguide; and   an analyzer that measures a blood glucose level based on the ATR-NIR.   
     
     
         10 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first optical waveguide comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         11 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the polymer comprises at least one of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), poly styrene (PS), and polycarbonate (PC). 
     
     
         12 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first optical waveguide is replaceable in the glucose measuring apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first optical waveguide comprises a tapered waveguide. 
     
     
         14 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a second optical waveguide configured to be separated from the object,   wherein the NIR irradiator further irradiates a portion of the NIR to the first optical waveguide and another portion of the NIR to the second optical waveguide, the NIR receiver further receives a control NIR from the second optical waveguide, and the analyzer further measures the blood glucose level based on the ATR-NIR and the control NIR.   
     
     
         15 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the glucose measuring apparatus an identical shape to a shape of a mouthpiece that is adjacent to or contacts the object. 
     
     
         16 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the mouthpiece comprises an exhalation duct through which exhaled breath of the object passes,
 wherein the analyzer further measures the blood glucose level based on the ATR-NIR and the exhaled breath of the object.   
     
     
         17 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein a wavelength of the NIR is between about 0.8 microns (μm) and about 1.8 μm. 
     
     
         18 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the pressure measurer comprises an elastic part that receives the pressure applied to the object,
 wherein the pressure measurer measures the pressure applied to the elastic part.   
     
     
         19 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the pressure measurer comprises a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a pressurizer that applies the pressure to the object.   
     
     
         21 . The glucose measuring apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the NIR receiver comprises an integrating sphere that collects the received NIR. 
     
     
         22 . A method of measuring a blood glucose level, the method comprising:
 measuring a pressure applied to an object;   if the pressure is greater than or equal to a preset value, irradiating a near infrared ray (NIR) to the object;   receiving at least one of an NIR reflected from the object, a scattered NIR, and an NIR that penetrated the object; and   measuring the blood glucose level based on the received NIR.   
     
     
         23 . A method of measuring a blood glucose level, the method comprising:
 measuring a pressure applied to an object;   if the pressure is greater than or equal to a preset value, irradiating a near infrared ray (NIR) to a first optical waveguide that is close to the object;   receiving an attenuated total reflection NIR (ATR-NIR) from the first optical waveguide; and   measuring a blood glucose level based on the ATR-NIR.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first optical waveguide comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein irradiating the NIR comprises irradiating a portion of the NIR to the first optical waveguide and another portion of the NIR to a second optical waveguide which is separated from the object,
 wherein receiving the NIR comprises further receiving a control NIR from the second optical waveguide, and   wherein the blood glucose level is measured based on the ATR-NIR and the control NIR.   
     
     
         26 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for embodying a method of measuring a blood glucose level, the method comprising:
 measuring a pressure applied to an object;   if the pressure is greater than or equal to a preset value, irradiating a near infrared ray (NIR) to the object;   receiving at least one of an NIR reflected from the object, a scattered NIR, and an NIR that penetrated the object; and   measuring the blood glucose level based on the received NIR.