Apparatus and method for interfacing time-variant signals
First Claim
1. A method of determining a status of an electrical connection between a monitoring device and a sensing device utilizing an interface circuit, said interface circuit configured for signal communication with each of said monitoring device and said sensing device, said method comprising:
- detecting, via said interface circuit, an excitation signal, said excitation signal provided by said monitoring device to said sensing device during operation of said sensing device and said monitoring device;
buffering, via said interface circuit, said excitation signal to produce a buffered excitation signal;
analyzing, via said interface circuit, said buffered excitation signal to identify variations therein indicative of said status of said electrical connection;
generating, via said sensing device, a binary digital signal representative of a time variant waveform; and
based at least in part on said status of said electrical connection indicating an established electrical connection between said monitoring device and said sensing device, generating an output signal derived at least in part from said binary digital signal, said output signal being compatible with and configured for delivery to said monitoring device;
wherein said derivation of said output signal is independent of said excitation signal.
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Abstract
An improved apparatus and method for interfacing a time variant waveform between two hardware environments. In one aspect, the invention comprises a circuit for accurately simulating the output of one or more types of sensing device (e.g., passive bridge pressure transducer) for use with a plurality of different monitoring and/or analysis devices, thereby obviating the need for specialized interface circuitry adapted to each different monitor/analyzer. In one exemplary embodiment, the sensing device comprises a non-invasive blood pressure monitor (NIBPM), which universally interfaces with prior art patient monitors via the interface circuit of the invention. In a second aspect of the invention, an improved NIBPM device incorporating the interface circuit is disclosed. An improved disconnect circuit adapted to sense the status of the electrical connection between the sensing device and monitor is also described.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method of determining a status of an electrical connection between a monitoring device and a sensing device utilizing an interface circuit, said interface circuit configured for signal communication with each of said monitoring device and said sensing device, said method comprising:
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detecting, via said interface circuit, an excitation signal, said excitation signal provided by said monitoring device to said sensing device during operation of said sensing device and said monitoring device; buffering, via said interface circuit, said excitation signal to produce a buffered excitation signal; analyzing, via said interface circuit, said buffered excitation signal to identify variations therein indicative of said status of said electrical connection; generating, via said sensing device, a binary digital signal representative of a time variant waveform; and based at least in part on said status of said electrical connection indicating an established electrical connection between said monitoring device and said sensing device, generating an output signal derived at least in part from said binary digital signal, said output signal being compatible with and configured for delivery to said monitoring device; wherein said derivation of said output signal is independent of said excitation signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of automatically identifying disconnection of an electrical connection between a monitoring device and a non-invasive hemodynamic parameter sensing device via an interface circuit, the method comprising:
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buffering, via said interface circuit, at least a portion of an excitation signal provided by said monitoring device to the non-invasive hemodynamic parameter sensing device during operation of said monitoring device and said non-invasive hemodynamic parameter sensing device, said buffering configured to produce a buffered excitation signal; and analyzing, via said interface circuit, said buffered excitation signal to identify variations therein indicative of a disconnection of said electrical connection, said analyzing comprising applying a window comparator function configured to detect excitation signals of a plurality of heterogeneous types; wherein said analyzing further comprises utilizing a time constant of a prescribed length, said prescribed length selected to at least avoid at least one of (i) zero-crossing waveforms, and (ii) voltage transients, from causing said window comparator function to indicate said disconnection. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification