COMBINED PHYSIOLOGICAL SENSOR SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20110190600A1
• Filed: 02/03/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Addison, Paul Stanley, McKenna, Edward M., Li, Youzhi, Chen, Bo
• Granted Patent: US 9,138,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02433 for infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/726 using Wavelet transforms

Abstract

A combined physiological sensor and methods for detecting one or more physiological characteristics of a subject are provided. The combined sensor (e.g., a forehead sensor) may be used to detect and/or calculate at least one of a pulse blood oxygen saturation level, a regional blood oxygen saturation level, a respiration rate, blood pressure, an electrical physiological signal (EPS), a pulse transit time (PTT), body temperature associated with the subject, a depth of consciousness (DOC) measurement, any other suitable physiological parameter, and any suitable combination thereof. The combined sensor may include a variety of individual sensors, such as electrodes, optical detectors, optical emitters, temperature sensors, and/or other suitable sensors. The sensors may be advantageously positioned in accordance with a number of different geometries. The combined sensor may also be coupled to a monitoring device, which may receive and/or process one or more output signals from the individual sensors to display information about the medical condition of the subject. In addition, several techniques may be employed to prevent or limit interference between the individual sensors and their associated input and/or output signals.

Claims

1. A physiological sensor device, comprising:

a flexible substrate capable of being applied to a subject;

a first electrode disposed on the substrate for receiving a first electrical signal associated with the subject;

a second electrode disposed on the substrate for receiving a second electrical signal associated with the subject; and

an optical detector disposed on the substrate at a location between the first electrode and the second electrode for receiving an optical signal transmitted into the subject.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising an optical emitter disposed on the substrate for transmitting the optical signal into the subject.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the optical detector is a first optical detector, the optical emitter is a first optical emitter, and the optical signal is a first optical signal, the device further comprising:

a structure capable of being applied to the subject, wherein the structure is coupled to the substrate;

a second optical emitter disposed on the structure for transmitting a second optical signal into the subject; and

a second optical detector disposed on the structure for receiving the second optical signal transmitted into the subject.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the optical detector is a first optical detector disposed near the optical emitter, the device further comprising a second optical detector disposed on the substrate at a distance from the emitter for receiving the optical signal transmitted into the subject.

5. The device of claim 4 further comprising a temperature sensor disposed on the substrate for detecting a temperature of the subject.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the first optical detector is disposed in a location between the optical emitter and the second optical detector, and wherein the temperature sensor is disposed in a location between the first optical detector and the second optical detector in order to substantially isolate the temperature sensor from any heat generated by the optical emitter.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, and the optical detector are disposed on the substrate in a geometry that positions the first electrode over the center of the subject'"'"'s forehead, the second electrode over the subject'"'"'s temple, and the optical sensor over highly perfused tissue of the subject, when the substrate is applied to the subject.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a third electrode disposed on the substrate for receiving a third electrical signal associated with the subject; and

a fourth electrode disposed on the substrate for receiving a fourth electrical signal associated with the subject;

wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, the third electrode, and the fourth electrode are disposed on the substrate at substantially equally spaced intervals.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein output signals from the first electrode, the second electrode, and the optical detector are routed via interconnects to a shared cable connected to monitoring circuitry.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising processing circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

receive the first electrical signal, the second electrical signal, and the optical signal; and

calculate at least one of a pulse blood oxygen saturation level, a regional blood oxygen saturation level, a respiration rate, blood pressure, an electrical physiological signal, a pulse transit time, body temperature, and a depth of consciousness measurement.

11. A method for processing physiological signals, comprising:

receiving a first electrical signal associated with a subject from a first electrode disposed on a flexible substrate;

receiving a second electrical signal associated with the subject from a second electrode disposed on the substrate; and

receiving an optical signal transmitted into the subject from an optical detector disposed on the substrate at a location between the first electrode and the second electrode.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising causing the optical signal to be transmitted into the subject through an optical emitter disposed on the substrate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the optical detector is a first optical detector, the optical emitter is a first optical emitter, and the optical signal is a first optical signal, the method further comprising:

causing a second optical signal to be transmitted into the subject through a second optical emitter disposed on a structure, wherein the structure is coupled to the substrate; and

receiving the second optical signal transmitted into the subject from a second optical detector disposed on the structure.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the optical detector is a first optical detector disposed near the optical emitter, the method further comprising receiving the optical signal transmitted into the subject from a second optical detector disposed on the substrate at a distance from the emitter.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising detecting a temperature of the subject using a temperature sensor disposed on the substrate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first optical detector is disposed in a location between the optical emitter and the second optical detector, and wherein the temperature sensor is disposed in a location between the first optical detector and the second optical detector in order to substantially isolate the temperature sensor from any heat generated by the optical emitter,

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, and the optical detector are disposed on the substrate in a geometry that positions the first electrode over the center of the subject'"'"'s forehead, the second electrode over the subject'"'"'s temple, and the optical sensor over highly perfused tissue of the subject, when the substrate is applied to the subject.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving a third electrical signal associated with the subject from a third electrode disposed on the substrate; and

receiving a fourth electrical signal associated with the subject from a fourth electrode disposed on the substrate;

wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, the third electrode, and the fourth electrode are disposed on the substrate at substantially equally spaced intervals.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein output signals from the first electrode, the second electrode, and the optical detector are routed via interconnects to a shared cable connected to monitoring circuitry, the method further comprising receiving the first electrical signal, the second electrical signal, and the optical signal from the shared cable at the monitoring circuitry.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving the first electrical signal, the second electrical signal, and the optical signal; and

calculating at least one of a pulse blood oxygen saturation level, a regional blood oxygen saturation level, a respiration rate, blood pressure, an electrical physiological signal, a pulse transit time, body temperature, and a depth of consciousness measurement.