Method and apparatus for simultaneously determining a patient's identification and blood oxygen saturation

• US 20020125991A1
• Filed: 01/31/2002
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palco Laboratories
• Original Assignee: Palco Laboratories
• Inventors: Levin, Paul D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,618,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A method and apparatus for simultaneously determining a patient'"'"'s identification and blood oxygen saturation are provided. An pulse oximeter probe carries a light source such as LEDs or lasers which is used to read patient identification information carried on the patient'"'"'s wristband by a bar code. Alternately, the patient'"'"'s wristband incorporates a radio frequency reader chip which contains the patient'"'"'s identification information and the pulse oximeter probe carries an antenna adjacent its cable so that, when the pulse oximeter is turned on, it reads the chip in the wristband during the same motion with which the patient'"'"'s oxygen blood saturation is measured with the pulse oximeter.

Claims

1. An apparatus for simultaneously determining a patient'"'"'s identification and blood oxygen saturation comprising:

a pulse oximeter probe for placement onto a patient'"'"'s finger,

a wristband with a bar code, said bar code containing the patient'"'"'s identification, and

light means on said oximeter probe which can be directed onto said wristband to read said bar code.

2. An apparatus for simultaneously determining a patient'"'"'s identification and blood oxygen saturation comprising:

a pulse oximeter probe adapted to be placed on a patient'"'"'s finger,

a wristband with a radio frequency reader chip, said chip containing the patient'"'"'s identification,

a coaxial cable within or adjacent to the cable to the pulse oximeter probe with an antenna from the coaxial cable located proximal to the probe, and

means for causing an RF signal to be sent from said antenna to said chip when said pulse oximeter is turned on.

3. A method of simultaneously determining a patient'"'"'s identification and blood oxygen saturation comprising the steps:

placing a pulse oximeter probe on the patient'"'"'s finger to determine blood oxygen saturation,

shining a laser or LED light beam onto a bar code located on a patient'"'"'s wrist, and

reading the bar code and entering the patient'"'"'s identification in a vital signs monitor.

4. A method of simultaneously determining a patient'"'"'s identification and blood oxygen saturation comprising the steps:

placing a pulse oximeter probe on the patient'"'"'s finger to determine blood oxygen saturation,

causing an RF signal to be sent from an antenna on or adjacent said pulse oximeter probe to an RF chip on the patient'"'"'s wristband, said chip containing the patient'"'"'s identification, and

reading the chip and entering the patient'"'"'s identification in a vital signs monitor.