PARAMETER UPGRADE SYSTEM

• US 20070282478A1
• Filed: 06/04/2007
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Inventors: Al-Ali, Ammar, Trinh, Phillip
• Granted Patent: US 10,188,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23308 Transfer program from ram to eprom, flash, card
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23339 Update diskette, cassette initiates bootstrap program to load eeprom, flash
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A physiological monitor has a sensor port configured to attach and communicate with a sensor. A processor board is in communications with the sensor port and has a board digital signal processor (DSP). Firmware residing on the processor board is executable by the board DSP so as to calculate physiological parameters in response to a sensor signal received from the sensor. Upgrade tools are individually attachable to the sensor port in lieu of the sensor so as to designate to the processor board which of the physiological parameters, if any, to calculate when the sensor is attached to the sensor port.

Claims

1. A parameter upgrade system comprising:

a physiological monitor having a sensor port configured to attach and communicate with a sensor;

a processor board in communications with the sensor port having a board digital signal processor (DSP);

a plurality of firmware instructions residing on the processor board and executable by the board DSP so as to calculate a plurality of physiological parameters in response to a sensor signal received from the sensor; and

an plurality of upgrade tools individually attachable to the sensor port in lieu of the sensor so as to designate to the processor board which of the physiological parameters, if any, to calculate when the sensor is attached to the sensor port.

2. The parameter upgrade system according to claim 2 wherein the upgrade tools each comprise:

a tool digital signal processor (DSP);

a sensor port connector that mates with the sensor port and provides a communications path between the tool DSP and the board DSP;

an I/O port connector that provides communications between the tool DSP and an external digital device; and

an information element that identifies each of the upgrades tools to the board DSP.

3. The parameter upgrade system according to claim 2 wherein at least one of the upgrade tools comprise a factory upgrade tool having the tool DSP programmed to communicate to the board DSP to make a specific physiological parameter available to the physiological monitor.

4. The parameter upgrade system according to claim 3 wherein at least one of the upgrade tools comprise a board enable tool having the tool DSP programmed to enable the board DSP to calculate available physiological parameters to be displayed by physiological monitor.

5. The parameter upgrade system according to claim 4 wherein at least one of the upgrade tools comprise an end-user tool having the tool DSP programmed to communicate to the board DSP to add available physiological parameters after the board DSP has been enabled.

6. The parameter upgrade system according to claim 5 wherein at least one of the upgrade tools comprise a demo tool to indicate to the board DSP to verify available parameters.

7. The parameter upgrade system according to claim 6 further comprising a manufacturer application executing on the PC and in communications with the tool DSP via the I/O port connector, wherein the manufacturer application programs the tool DSP with at least one of a tool parameter and a number of parameter updates that can be made with the tool.

8. The parameter upgrade system according to claim 7 further comprising a field application executing on a PC and in communications with the tool DSP via the I/O port connector, wherein the field application displays on the PC at least one of the tool parameter and the number of parameter updates that can be made with the tool.

9. A parameter upgrade method comprising:

providing a physiological monitor having a sensor port configured to communicate with a sensor so as to calculate a plurality of parameters associated with a physiological state of a living being;

configuring the sensor port so as to communicate with any of a plurality of upgrade tools in lieu of the sensor; and

attaching a first upgrade tool to the sensor port so as to communicate to the monitor which of the parameters should be made available for output by the monitor.

10. The parameter upgrade method according to claim 9 further comprising attaching a demo tool to the sensor port so as to communicate to the monitor to verify available parameters.

11. The parameter upgrade method according to claim 10 further comprising attaching an enable tool to the sensor port so as to communicate to the monitor to enable output measurement data for the available parameters.

12. The parameter upgrade method according to claim 11 further comprising attaching a second upgrade tool to the sensor port so as to communicate to the monitor additional ones of the parameters that should be made available for output by the monitor.

13. The parameter upgrade method according to claim 12 further comprising disabling the use of the first upgrade tool with the monitor after the enable tool has been attached to the monitor.

14. The parameter upgrade method according to claim 13 further comprising configuring an I/O ports on at least one of upgrade tools to provide communications between the at least one upgrade tool and an external digital device.

15. The parameter upgrade method according to claim 14 further comprising:

interfacing a PC to the I/O port; and

executing a manufacturing application on the PC so as to program the at least one upgrade tool with one of the parameters that can be made available to the monitor.

16. The parameter upgrade method according to claim 14 further comprising executing a field application on the PC so as to read from the at least one upgrade tool the one of the parameters that an be made available to the monitor.

17. A parameter upgrade method comprising:

providing a processor board having a sensor port that is adapted to communicate with a physiological sensor, the processor board capable of calculating a plurality of physiological parameters in response to a sensor signal received from the sensor;

making a first set of the parameters available to the processor board via a first upgrading set of sensor port communications so that the processor board is configured to calculate the first set of parameters in response to the sensor signal; and

enabling the available first set of parameters via an enable sensor port communications so that the processor board will calculate and output the available first set of parameters in response to the sensor signal.

18. The parameter upgrade method according to claim 17 further comprising making available a second set of the parameters to the processor board via a second upgrading sensor port communications so that the processor board will calculate and output the second set of the parameters in response to the sensor signal.

19. The parameter upgrade method according to claim 18 further comprising verifying the available first set of parameters by a processor board simulation that generates simulated outputs of available parameters.

20. The parameter upgrade method according to claim 19 wherein the making a first set of the parameter available comprises:

programming a first tool with a specific parameter of the first set of parameters and an upgrade count;

connecting the first tool to the sensor port so as to communicate to the processor board to indicate that the specific parameter is available; and

decrementing the upgrade count.

21. The parameter upgrade method according to claim 20 wherein the enabling comprises connecting a second tool to the sensor port that is recognized by the processor board as authorizing the output of the available parameters.

22. The parameter upgrade method according to claim 21 wherein the verifying comprises connecting a third tool to the sensor port that triggers the simulation.