Pulse oximetry data capture system

• US 20050101849A1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Sponsoring Entity: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Muhsin, Bilal, Lee, Michael, Al-Ali, Ammar
• GRANTED PATENT: US 7,373,193 B2
• Time in USPTO: 0 Days
• US Class Current: 600/323
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 : Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0475 : Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 : Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 : for measuring blood gases

Abstract

A data capture system utilizes a sensor with emitters adapted to transmit light into a fleshy medium and a detector adapted to generate intensity signals in response to receiving light after absorption by the fleshy medium. A monitor is configured to input the intensity signals, generate digitized signals from the intensity signals at a sampling rate and compute at least one physiological parameter responsive to magnitudes of the digitized signals. A data storage device is integrated with the monitor and is adapted to record data derived from the digitized signals on a removable storage media at the sampling rate.

Claims

1. . A data capture system comprising:

a sensor having emitters adapted to transmit light of at least first and second wavelengths into a fleshy medium and a detector adapted to generate at least first and second intensity signals in response to receiving light after absorption by constituents of pulsatile blood flowing within the fleshy medium;

a monitor configured to input said intensity signals, generate digitized signals from said intensity signals at a sampling rate and compute at least one physiological parameter responsive to magnitudes of said digitized signals; and

a data storage device integrated with said monitor,

said data storage device being adapted to record data derived from said digitized signals on a removable storage media at said sampling rate.

2. . The data capture system according to claim 1 wherein said monitor comprises:

a portable instrument that functions as a stand-along pulse oximeter; and

a docking station configured to receive and expand the functionality of said portable instrument,

said data storage device being mounted internally to, and drawing power from, said docking station.

3. . The data capture system according to claim 2 further comprising a data path within said docking station so as to provide communications with an external device, said data storage device installed along said data path so as to capture and transparently pass-through said communications.

4. . The data capture system according to claim 3 further comprising:

a slot defined in a bottom wall of said docking station,

said data storage device mounted inside said docking station proximate said wall,

said slot providing removable storage media access to said storage device.

5. . The data capture system according to claim 1 wherein said data comprises at least one of a raw, a filtered and a scaled plethysmograph.

6. . The data capture system according to claim 5 wherein said data comprises oxygen saturation and pulse rate.

7. . The data capture system according to claim 6 wherein said data comprises signal quality.

8. . The data capture system according to claim 6 wherein said data comprises at least one of sensor status, monitor status, monitor settings and alarm data.

9. . A data capture method comprising the steps of:

emitting light of at least first and second wavelengths;

detecting said light after absorption by a fleshy medium site so as to generate a corresponding sensor signal;

digitizing at a sampling rate;

demodulating said sensor signal so as to generate a plethysmograph;

calculating at least oxygen saturation and pulse rate from said plethysmograph; and

writing data to a removable storage media, said data comprising said plethysmograph at said sampling frequency along with said oxygen saturation and said pulse rate at a sub-sampling frequency.

10. . The data capture method according to claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

creating a plurality of files on said removable storage media;

recording said data in each of said files;

checking capacity of said removable storage media; and

deleting an oldest one of said files if said removable storage media is over capacity.

11. . The data capture method according to claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

removing said removable storage media from a patient site after said recording step;

reading said removable storage media at an off-site so as to process said data and remotely evaluate at least one of a patient, a monitor of said patient and an algorithm executing on said monitor.

12. . A data capture system comprising:

a sensor adapted to generate an intensity signal responsive to light absorption by constituents of pulsatile blood flowing within a fleshy medium;

a digitizer inputting said intensity signal and generating a digital plethysmograph signal at a sampling rate;

a signal processor inputting said plethysmograph and calculating an oxygen saturation and pulse rate;

a data storage device inputting said plethysmograph, oxygen saturation and pulse rate;

a storage media configured to removably load into said data storage device,

said data storage device writing said plethymograph to said storage media at said sampling rate, along with said oxygen saturation and said pulse rate at a sub-sampling rate.

13. . The data capture system according to claim 12 further comprising:

a data port adapted to communicate with an external device; and

a communications path between said signal processor and said data port configured to output said plethysmograph, oxygen saturation and pulse rate to said external device;

wherein said data storage device is installed along said communications path and configured to transparently capture and write said plethysmograph to said removable storage media.

14. . The data capture system according to claim 13 further comprising:

a portable instrument having said digitizer;

a docking station configured to accept said portable instrument and housing said data storage device; and

a plurality of UART signals provided between said docking station and said data storage device along said communications path.