SIGNAL MEASURING SYSTEM, METHOD FOR ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING SIGNALS AND A SIGNAL CABLE

• US 20130027058A1
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Dubielczyk, Alexander, Schwenk, Marcus
• Granted Patent: US 9,746,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/613
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/18 Screening arrangements against electric or magnetic fields, e.g. against earth's field
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/24 Transmission-line, e.g. waveguide, measuring sections, e.g. slotted section

Abstract

The present invention relates to a signal measurement system (100, 200, 300) for measuring a signal, the system comprising a signal detection unit (41) for detecting a raw signal, a signal processing unit (42) and a signal cable (10) electrically connecting the signal detection unit (41) with the signal processing unit (42). The signal cable (10) comprises a signal conductor (1, 2) for electrically conducting a first signal from the signal detection unit (41) to the signal processing unit (42), which first signal comprises at least the raw signal, a reference conductor (11, 12) for detecting and electrically conducting to the signal processing unit (42) only a noise signal induced by a movement of the signal cable (10) or by electromagnetic interference. In this way the effect of noise on the signal quality is reduced caused by movement of the signal cable (10) or other sources of noise that induce a noise signal in the signal cable (10), such as electromagnetic interference, while at the same time not increasing the power usage or power loss.

Claims

1. A signal measurement system for measuring a signal, the system comprising:

a signal detection unit for detecting a raw signal, a signal processing unit,

a signal cable electrically connecting the signal detection unit with the signal processing unit, the signal cable comprising;

a signal conductor for electrically conducting a first signal from the signal detection unit to the signal processing unit, which first signal comprises at least the raw signal; and

a reference conductor for detecting and electrically conducting to the signal processing unit only a noise signal induced by a movement of the signal cable or by electromagnetic interference.

2. The signal measurement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit is adapted to extract the raw signal from the first signal conducted by the signal conductor and the noise signal conducted by the reference conductor.

3. The signal measurement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the raw signal is a physiological signal of a patient.

4. The signal measurement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical and geometrical properties of the reference conductor are similar to the electrical and geometrical properties of the signal conductor.

5. The signal measurement system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the signal conductor comprises a first and a second signal wire surrounded by a first shielding and wherein the reference conductor comprises a first and a second reference wire surrounded by a second shielding and wherein at one end of the reference conductor the first reference wire is connected to the second reference wire via a terminator.

6. The signal measurement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal measurement system further comprises a controller unit for controlling a measurement of the raw signal based on the noise signal of the reference conductor.

7. A method for electrically conducting signals via a signal cable comprising a signal conductor and a reference conductor, the method comprising the steps of:

electrically conducting via the signal conductor a first signal comprising at least a raw signal; and

detecting and electrically conducting via the reference conductor a noise signal induced by a movement of the signal cable or by electromagnetic interference.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the step of extracting the raw signal from the first signal by subtracting the noise signal detected by the reference conductor from the first signal.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the step of controlling a measurement of the raw signal based on the noise signal.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of controlling comprises a step of initiating the measurement of the raw signal if the detected noise signal is below a selected threshold.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of controlling comprises a step of shutting down an ongoing measurement of the raw signal, if the detected noise signal is above or equal to a selected threshold.

12. A signal cable for electrically conducting signals, the signal cable comprising:

a signal conductor for electrically conducting a first signal comprising a raw signal; and

a reference conductor for detecting and electrically conducting only a noise signal induced by a movement of the signal cable or by electromagnetic interference.

13. The signal cable as claimed in claim 12, wherein the electrical and geometrical properties of the reference conductor are similar to the electrical and geometrical properties of the signal conductor.

14. The signal cable as claimed in claim 13, wherein the signal conductor comprises a first and a second signal wire surrounded by a first shielding and wherein the reference conductor comprises a first and a second reference wire surrounded by a second shielding and wherein at one end of the reference conductor the first reference wire is connected to the second reference wire via a terminator.

15. The signal cable as claimed in claim 12, wherein the reference conductor also conducts a second signal.