A SYSTEM FOR INDICATING THE EXPIRATION OF THE USEFUL OPERATING LIFE OF A PULSE OXIMETRY SENSOR

• US 20010045509A1
• Filed: 02/10/2000
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Inventors: Al-Ali, Ammar
• Granted Patent: US 6,515,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/028 Arrangements to prevent overuse, e.g. by counting the number of uses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles

Abstract

A system and a method monitor the useful and safe life of a pulse oximetry sensor. According to one embodiment, the system includes a sensor having a timer and a sensor life indicator. The sensor life indicator may advantageously include a visual alarm, an audio alarm, a vibrational alarm, a power down function, or the like. According to another embodiment, the system includes a sensor having a memory device storing a unique identifier. According to another embodiment, the system employs the oximeter for aspects of the timer or sensor life indicator.

Claims

1. A pulse oximetry sensor comprising:

a drive connection carrying a drive signal, wherein the drive signal has pulses;

a timer connected to the drive connection and configured to generate a timer output signal after a predetermined number of pulses are generated in the drive signal;

a sensor life indicator connected to the timer output signal and configured to provide an indication when the timer output signal is generated;

an LED network connected to the drive connection and configured to project light through a measurement site when pulsed by the drive signal; and

a photodetector configured to detect the projected light and output a signal representative of constituents or characteristics of the measurement site.

2. A sensor life monitoring system comprising:

a timer connected to a sensor drive signal; and

a sensor life indicator connected to the timer such that the sensor life indicator is configured to indicate the expiration of the useful or safe life of a pulse oximetry sensor.

3. The sensor according to

claim 2

, wherein the drive signal is a pulsed drive signal.

4. The sensor according to

claim 2

, wherein the sensor life indicator is one of a visual indicator, an audio indicator, a vibrational indicator, or a power down of the pulse oximetry sensor.

5. The sensor according to

claim 4

, wherein the visual indicator comprises at least one LED.

6. A pulse oximetry system, comprising:

a pulse oximeter;

a sensor connected to the pulse oximeter; and

a sensor life monitor, connected to the sensor and configured to monitor the useful and safe life of the sensor.

7. The pulse oximetry system according to

claim 6

, wherein the sensor life monitor further comprises a counter connected to a memory, wherein the memory is connected to at least one LED.

8. The pulse oximetry system according to

claim 6

, wherein the sensor life monitor further comprises a memory device.

9. The pulse oximetry system according to

claim 8

, wherein the memory device provides a unique identifier identifying the sensor, and wherein the pulse oximetry system further comprises a database communicating with the pulse oximeter for storing a longevity indication corresponding to the unique identifier.

10. The pulse oximetry system according to

claim 8

, wherein the pulse oximeter communicates with the memory device so as to store a longevity indication on the memory device.

11. A method of manufacturing a sensor, the method comprising:

connecting a timer to one of a sensor input and a sensor output; and

connecting an indicator to the timer such that when the timer expires, the indicator is activated.

12. A method for monitoring the life of an oximetry sensor, the method comprising:

monitoring a parameter responsive to repeated use of a sensor; and

when the parameter indicates that the sensor has expired, generating an expiration indication.

13. The method according to

claim 12

, wherein the step of monitoring the parameter comprises monitoring pulses of a drive signal.

14. An oximetry sensor life indicator, comprising:

a non-volatile counter connected to receive a drive signal having a plurality of transitions, the counter changing a count value in response to the transitions; and

a sensible indicia connected to the counter, the sensible indicia having a first state and a second state, the sensible indicia changing from the first state to the second state to indicate the end of life of the oximetry sensor when the count value in the counter reaches a predetermined value.

15. An oximetry system comprising:

an oximeter;

a sensor attached to the oximeter through a cable;

a timer connected to at least one of a sensor drive signal and a sensor return signal; and

a sensor life indicator connected to the timer.

16. An oximetry system comprising:

a sensor having a timer, wherein the timer produces a sensor expiration signal; and

an oximeter connected to the sensor and configured to receive the sensor expiration signal from the timer.

17. The oximetry system according to

claim 16

,

wherein the oximeter further comprises a microprocessor and at least one of a display and a speaker;

and

wherein the microprocessor activates at least one of the display and the speaker when the oximeter receives the sensor expiration signal.

18. An oximetry system comprising:

a sensor having a reset indicator; and

an oximeter connected to the sensor and configured to monitor whether the reset indicator has been set.

19. The oximetry system according to

claim 18

,

wherein the oximeter further comprises a microprocessor and at least one of a display and a speaker;

and

wherein the microprocessor activates at least one of the display and the speaker when the oximeter determines the life of the sensor has expired.

20. The oximetry system according to

claim 18

,

wherein the sensor further comprises a sensor life indicator;

wherein the oximeter further comprises a microprocessor; and

wherein the microprocessor activates the sensor life indicator when the oximeter determines the life of the sensor has expired.

21. A pulse oximetry system comprising:

a pulse oximeter;

a sensor connected to the pulse oximeter and adapted to measure a physiological parameter; and

a memory device connected to the sensor and adapted to measure the useful life of the sensor.

22. A pulse oximetry system comprising:

a sensor having

an emitter,

a detector, and

a memory device storing a characteristic of the sensor;

a pulse oximeter connected to the sensor and adapted to read the characteristic of the sensor and the output of the detector; and

a database connected to the pulse oximeter and adapted to store the characteristic along with a longevity measurement corresponding to the sensor.

23. The pulse oximetry system according to

claim 22

, wherein the characteristic comprises a unique identifier.

24. The pulse oximetry system according to

claim 22

,

wherein the database connects to the pulse oximeter through a communications medium,

wherein the database stores a plurality of characteristics corresponding to a plurality of sensors, and

wherein each characteristic uniquely corresponds to one of the plurality of sensors.