Pulse oximeter and sensor optimized for low saturation

• US 20060195027A1
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1994
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James R. Casciani, Paul Mannheimer, Stephen J. Ruskewicz, Steve L. Nierlich
• Original Assignee: James R. Casciani, Paul Mannheimer, Stephen J. Ruskewicz, Steve L. Nierlich
• Inventors: Mannheimer, Paul D., Nierlich, Steve L., Ruskewicz, Stephen J., Casciani, James R.
• Application Number:
  US11/408,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195027A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/338
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0242 for varying or adjusting the optical path length in the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1464 specially adapted for foetal tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7207 of noise induced by motion artifacts

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a pulse oximeter sensor comprising a light source configured to emit light, a detector configured to detect light after the light has been scattered by tissue, and a limiting component configured to limit light signals received at the detector from the light source to three or less spectra, wherein the three or less spectra include a first spectrum having a mean wavelength in an infrared range of 805 nanometers to 940 nanometers, and a second spectrum having a mean wavelength of 700 nanometers to 790 nanometers used in conjunction with the first spectrum for measuring oxygen saturation in a patient.

Claims

1. A pulse oximeter sensor, comprising:

a light source configured to emit light;

a detector configured to detect the light after the light has been scattered by tissue; and

a limiting component configured to limit light signals received at the detector from the light source to three or less spectra, wherein the three or less spectra include a first spectrum having a mean wavelength in an infrared range of 805 nanometers to 940 nanometers, and a second spectrum having a mean wavelength of 700 nanometers to 790 nanometers used in conjunction with the first spectrum for measuring oxygen saturation in a patient.

2. The pulse oximeter sensor of claim 1, comprising a connector configured to communicatively couple with a pulse oximeter for calculating arterial oxygen saturation using the first and second spectra.

3. The pulse oximeter sensor of claim 1, wherein the three or less spectra include a third spectrum having a mean wavelength of about or near 660 nanometers.

4. The pulse oximeter sensor of claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to detect the light after the light is scattered by fetal tissue.

5. The pulse oximeter sensor of claim 1, wherein the limiting component is configured to limit light signals received at the detector to the first and second spectra.

6. The pulse oximeter sensor of claim 1, wherein the limiting component comprises a filter disposed between the light source and detector.

7. The pulse oximeter sensor of claim 1, wherein the limiting component comprises a wavelength sensitive component of the detector.

8. The pulse oximeter sensor of claim 1, wherein the light source and the detector are disposed in a housing and spaced apart by at least 10 millimeters.

9. The pulse oximeter sensor of claim 1, wherein the light source and the detector are disposed in a housing and spaced apart by at least 14 millimeters.

10. A method, comprising:

emitting light from a light source;

detecting the light with a detector after the light has been scattered by tissue; and

limiting light signals received at the detector from the light source to three or less spectra, wherein the three or less spectra include a first spectrum having a mean wavelength in an infrared range of 805 nanometers to 940 nanometers, and a second spectrum having a mean wavelength of 700 nanometers to 790 nanometers used in conjunction with the first spectrum for measuring oxygen saturation in a patient.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising communicatively coupling with a pulse oximeter for calculating arterial oxygen saturation using the first and second spectra.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the three or less spectra include a third spectrum having a mean wavelength of about or near 660 nanometers.

13. The method of claim 10, comprising detecting the light after the light is scattered by fetal tissue.

14. The method of claim 10, comprising filtering the light with a filter disposed between the light source and detector.

15. A method of manufacturing a pulse oximeter sensor, comprising:

providing a light source configured to emit light;

providing a detector coupled to the light source, the detector configured to detect the light after the light has been scattered by tissue; and

disposing a limiting component within the pulse oximeter sensor, the limiting component configured to limit light signals received at the detector from the light source to three or less spectra, wherein the three or less spectra include a first spectrum having a mean wavelength in an infrared range of 805 nanometers to 940 nanometers, and a second spectrum having a mean wavelength of 700 nanometers to 790 nanometers used in conjunction with the first spectrum for measuring oxygen saturation in a patient.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising coupling the pulse oximeter sensor with a connector configured to communicatively couple with a pulse oximeter for calculating arterial oxygen saturation using the first and second spectra.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising configuring the limiting component to limit light signals received at the detector to the first and second spectra.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising disposing a filter between the light source and detector to operate as the limiting component.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising disposing the light source and the detector in a housing and spaced apart by at least 10 millimeters.

20. A system, comprising:

a pulse oximeter configured to read signal data and derive patient data from the signal data; and

a pulse oximeter sensor, comprising;

a light source configured to emit light;

a detector configured to detect the light after the light has been scattered by tissue, to derive the signal data from the detected light, and to transmit the signal data to the pulse oximeter; and

a limiting component configured to limit light signals received at the detector from the light source to three or less spectra, wherein the three or less spectra include a first spectrum having a mean wavelength in an infrared range of 805 nanometers to 940 nanometers, and a second spectrum having a mean wavelength of 700 nanometers to 790 nanometers used in conjunction with the first spectrum for measuring oxygen saturation in a patient.