SENSOR THAT COMPENSATES FOR DETERIORATION OF A LUMINESCABLE MEDIUM

• US 20110293480A1
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Respironics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Respironics Incorporated)
• Inventors: MUELLER, CORD
• Granted Patent: US 8,329,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/83
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0833 Measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 2/64 Addition to a carbon atom of a six-membered aromatic ring
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 6/12 of exclusively hydrocarbons containing a six-membered aromatic ring
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/643 non-biological material

Abstract

A sensor that generates an output signal in response to a stimulus, wherein the output signal is generated with a predetermined relationship to one or more properties of the stimulus such that the one or more properties of the stimulus can be determined as a function of the output signal. In one embodiment the sensor comprises a component, a sensor processor, and a transmitter. The component deteriorates, thereby causing predictable fluctuations in the predetermined relationship between the output signal and the one or more properties of the stimulus. The sensor processor provides information related to the deterioration of the component. The transmitter wirelessly transmits the information provided by the processor.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A sensor that generates an output signal in response to a stimulus, wherein the output signal is generated with a predetermined relationship to one or more properties of the stimulus such that the one or more properties of the stimulus can be determined as a function of the output signal, the sensor comprising:

a component that deteriorates, wherein the deterioration of the component causes predictable fluctuations in the predetermined relationship between the output signal and the one or more properties of the stimulus;

a sensor processor that provides information related to the deterioration of the component; and

a transmitter that wirelessly transmits the information provided by the processor.

20. The sensor of claim 19, wherein the component deteriorates at a rate that is substantially proportional to an amount of time, and wherein the sensor processor provides information related to the amount of time.

21. The sensor of claim 20, wherein the amount of time is a total amount of time that has elapsed since the sensor was last calibrated, and wherein calibrating the sensor includes determining the predetermined relationship between the output signal and the one or more properties of the stimulus that enables the one or more properties of the stimulus to be determined as a function of the output signal.

22. The sensor of claim 21, wherein the information related to the amount of time that is provided by the sensor processor includes the total amount of time that has elapsed since the sensor was last calibrated.

23. The sensor of claim 21, wherein the information related to the amount of time that is provided by the sensor processor includes a compensation factor that is determined by the sensor processor as a function of the total amount of time that has elapsed since the sensor was last calibrated.

24. The sensor of claim 20, wherein the amount of time is an amount of time the sensor has been in use since sensor was last calibrated, and wherein calibrating the sensor includes determining the predetermined relationship between the output signal and the one or more properties of the stimulus that enables the one or more properties of the stimulus to be determined as a function of the output signal

25. The sensor of claim 24, wherein the information related to the amount of time that is provided by the sensor processor includes the amount of time the sensor has been in use since the sensor was last calibrated.

26. The sensor of claim 24, wherein the information related to the related to the amount of time that is provided by the sensor processor includes a compensation factor that is determined by the sensor processor as a function of the time the sensor has been in use since the sensor was last calibrated.

27. The sensor of claim 19, further comprising an RFID transponder that provides the storage module and the transmitter.

28. The sensor of claim 19, further comprising:

a receiver that receives the information transmitted by the transmitter;

a first sensor section that carries the receiver, the first sensor section being in operative communication with a system processor such that the information received by the receiver is transferred to the system processor; and

a second sensor section that carries the component, the sensor processor, and the transmitter, wherein the second sensor section is configured to removably couple to the first sensor section, and wherein the system processor implements the information that is transferred from the receiver to adjust a determination of information related to one or more analytes being monitored by the sensor.