REFLECTANCE AND/OR TRANSMISSIVE PULSE OXIMETER

• US 20100331638A1
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Besko, David P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,311,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/323
• 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: A61B 5/7207 of noise induced by motion artifacts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence

Abstract

According to various embodiments, a medical sensor assembly may be configured to switch between transmission and reflectance mode. Such sensors may include multiple optical sensing components that may be activated or silent, depending on the mode in use. A practitioner may switch between modes based on the particular situation of the patient or based on the signal quality.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

a sensor body adapted to be applied to a patient'"'"'s tissue;

a first emitter and a second emitter disposed on the sensor body; and

a detector disposed on the sensor body, wherein the first emitter and the detector are capable of operating in transmission mode and the second emitter and the detector are capable of operating in reflectance mode, and wherein the sensor is capable of alternating between transmission mode and reflectance mode.

2. The sensor, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a pulse oximetry sensor or a sensor for measuring a water fraction.

3. The sensor, as set forth in claim 1, wherein first emitter or the second emitter comprises at least one light emitting diode and wherein the detector comprises at least one photodetector.

4. The sensor, as set forth in claim 1, comprising a default mode, wherein the default mode is one of transmission mode or reflectance mode.

5. The sensor, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first emitter and the detector are spaced apart about 20 mm to about 25 mm or wherein the second emitter and the detector are spaced apart about 8 mm to about 14 mm.

6. The sensor, as set forth in claim 1, comprising a controller for controlling activation of the first emitter and the second emitter.

7. The sensor, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to alternate between the first emitter and the second emitter.

8. The sensor, as set forth in claim 1, comprising an encoder, wherein the encoder comprises stored data related to the sensor.

9. A sensor comprising:

a sensor body adapted to be applied to a patient'"'"'s tissue;

a first detector and a second detector disposed on the sensor body; and

an emitter disposed on the sensor body, wherein the emitter and the first detector are capable of operating in transmission mode and the emitter and the first detector are capable of operating in reflectance mode, and wherein the sensor is capable of alternating between transmission mode and reflectance mode.

10. The sensor, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a pulse oximetry sensor or a sensor for measuring a water fraction.

11. The sensor, as set forth in claim 9, wherein emitter comprises at least one light emitting diode and wherein the first detector or the second detector comprises at least one photodetector.

12. The sensor, as set forth in claim 9, comprising a default mode, wherein the default mode is one of transmission mode or reflectance mode.

13. The sensor, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the sensor is capable of operating in transmission mode and reflectance mode simultaneously.

14. The sensor, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the emitter and the first detector are spaced apart about 20 mm to about 25 mm or wherein the emitter and the second detector are spaced apart about 8 mm to about 14 mm.

15. The sensor, as set forth in claim 9, comprising an encoder, wherein the encoder comprises stored data related to the sensor.

16. A method comprising:

receiving a signal from a detector disposed on a sensor body;

determining a quality of the signal; and

switching between a first mode and a second mode if the signal quality is below a certain threshold, wherein the first mode comprises a transmission mode and wherein the second mode comprises a reflectance mode.

17. The method, as set forth in claim 16, wherein switching from the first mode to the second mode comprises switching from a first emitter to a second emitter.

18. The method, as set forth in claim 16, wherein switching from the first mode to the second mode comprises switching from a first detector to a second detector.

19. The method, as set forth in claim 16, wherein determining a quality of the signal comprises determining if the signal comprises qualified pulses.

20. The method, as set forth in claim 16, wherein determining a quality of the signal comprises determining a ratio-of-ratios for the signal and determining if the ratio-of-ratios is characteristic of a high quality signal.