Reading Device in Wired Communication With a Probe Having an Embedded Memory Device

• US 20130257465A1
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Integra LifeSciences Switzerland Sàrl
• Original Assignee: Codman Neuro Sciences Sarl (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Kassem, Salim, Balli, Didier, Baruch, Nicholas D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,050,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/706
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0271 using a remote monitoring unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/166 the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/222 Electrical cables or leads therefor, e.g. coaxial cables or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/03 Detecting, measuring or recording fluid pressure within the body other than blood pressure, e.g. cerebral pressure; Measuring pressure in body tissues or organs A61B5/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/031 Intracranial pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/04 of resistance-strain gauges

Abstract

A monitoring system including a reading device electrically connected to a probe via a wired interface. The probe has a physiological sensor/transducer configured as a Wheatstone resistive bridge balancing circuit. Integrated within the housing of the probe to prohibit separation during use by a user is a memory device arranged in parallel with the sensor. Communication between the reading device and the probe occurs via a wired interface utilizing a same number of electrical wires between the reading device and the Wheatstone as would be required without the memory device. Control circuitry selects between one of two modes for accessing either data detected by the sensor or the memory device.

Claims

1. A monitoring system comprising:

a reading device; and

a probe having a housing, the probe is electrically connected to the reading device via a wired interface;

the probe comprising;

a physiological sensor configured as a Wheatstone resistive bridge balancing circuit;

a memory device integrated within the housing of the probe such that the sensor and memory device are prohibited from being separated from one another during use by a user;

the memory device is arranged in parallel with the sensor;

wherein communication between the reading device and the probe occurs via the wired interface utilizing a same number of electrical connections between the reading device and the Wheatstone resistive bridge balancing circuit as would be required if the memory device was eliminated.

2. The monitoring system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the memory device is a one-wire memory device or a single input/output non-volatile memory device.

3. The monitoring system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the memory device is a non-volatile memory device.

4. The monitoring system in accordance with claim 1, wherein four electrical wires represent the wired interface between the reading unit and the probe'"'"'s Wheatstone resistive bridge, not including a shield connection.

5. The monitoring system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the reading device further comprises electronic control circuitry for reading of data from and/or writing data to the memory device embedded in the probe.

6. The monitoring system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the reading device or the probe further comprises at least one switch for switching between one of two modes:

(i) a first mode for reading data from and/or writing data to the memory device; and

(ii) a second mode for accessing data detected by the sensor.

7. The monitoring system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the monitoring system has three switches.

8. The monitoring system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the at least one switch is disposed in the reading device.

9. The monitoring system in accordance with claim 6, further comprising control circuitry controlling orientation of the at least one switch so as to select between the two modes.

10. The monitoring system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the monitoring system has three switches and the control circuitry controls the orientation of each of the three switches so as to select between the two modes.

11. The monitoring system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the control circuitry includes a one-wire interface and a processor.

12. A method for operating the monitoring system in accordance with claim 9, comprising the step of:

configuring, via a control signal generated by the control circuitry, the orientation of the at least one switch so as to select between the two modes.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the monitoring system has three switches and the control signal generated by the control circuitry configures the orientation of each of the three switches to select between the two modes.

14. The system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the resistive bridge balancing circuit provides all necessary pull-up resistance to access the memory device.

15. The system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the reading device has a single switch to select between the two modes and the reading device further comprises a pull-up resistor.

16. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the probe further comprises a device with a one-wire interface.

17. The system in accordance with claim 16, wherein the device with a one-wire interface is a temperature sensor or a digital I/O port.

18. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the reading device and the probe share common wire-line connections.