SENSOR VALIDATION METHOD, PATIENT MONITOR, PHYSIOLOGICAL SENSOR, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR A PATIENT MONITOR

• US 20130325388A1
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Joensuu, Heikki
• Granted Patent: US 9,157,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 18/008 with calibration coefficients stored in memory
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades

Abstract

In order to increase sensor manufacturing yield without compromising patient safety, at least one first value is determined respectively for at least one sensor feature parameter indicative of characteristics of a physiological sensor and the determined value(s) is/are stored in a predefined memory location prior to use of a physiological sensor. In response to the physiological sensor being connected to a patient monitor, at least one second value is defined respectively for the at least one sensor feature parameter and the at least one first value of each of the at least one sensor feature parameter is retrieved from the predefined memory location. Each of the at least one second value is compared with respective at least one first value and a decision is made, based on the comparison, on the acceptance of the physiological sensor.

Claims

1. A method for validating a physiological sensor connected to a patient monitor, the method comprising:

determining at least one first value respectively for at least one sensor feature parameter indicative of characteristics of a physiological sensor;

storing the at least one first value of each of the at least one sensor feature parameter in a predefined memory location, wherein the determining and storing are performed prior to use of the physiological sensor;

defining, in response to the physiological sensor being connected to a patient monitor, at least one second value respectively for the at least one sensor feature parameter;

retrieving the at least one first value of each of the at least one sensor feature parameter from the predefined memory location;

comparing each of the at least one second value with respective at least one first value; and

deciding, based on the comparing, on acceptance of the physiological sensor.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the storing comprises storing the at least one first value of each of the at least one sensor feature parameter in a predefined memory location, in which the predefined memory location is in a memory of the physiological sensor.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining and storing are performed in manufacturing phase of the physiological sensor.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the deciding comprises:

allowing use of the connected physiological sensor in the patient monitor when the comparing indicates that the at least one second value fulfills predetermined criteria in relation to the at least one first value; and

rejecting the use of the connected physiological sensor otherwise.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the rejecting includes modifying content of the memory of the physiological sensor, thereby to make the content indicative of a defective sensor.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining comprises determining the at least one first value respectively for the at least one sensor feature parameter, wherein the at least one sensor feature parameter represents at least one parameter in a group including a first parameter indicative of ratio of current transfer ratios of two light sources of the physiological sensor, a second parameter indicative of forward voltage of a light source of the physiological sensor, and a third parameter indicative of a temperature change determined through a thermistor of the physiological sensor.

7. A patient monitor for monitoring a subject, the patient monitor comprising:

data retrieval unit configured to retrieve at least one first value respectively for at least one sensor feature parameter from a predefined memory location, wherein the at least one sensor feature parameter is indicative of characteristics of a physiological sensor connected to the patient monitor;

a sensor feature determination unit configured to determine at least one second value respectively for the at least one sensor feature parameter from the physiological sensor connected to the patient monitor;

a comparison unit configured to compare the at least one second value with respective at least one first value; and

a decision-making unit configured to make a decision on acceptance of the sensor, wherein the decision-making unit is responsive to the comparison unit.

8. The patient monitor according to claim 7, wherein the decision-making unit is configured to

allow use of the connected physiological sensor in the patient monitor when the at least one second value fulfills predetermined criteria in relation to the at least one first value;

and

reject the use of the connected physiological sensor in the patient monitor otherwise.

9. The patient monitor according to claim 8, wherein the decision-making unit is further configured to modify content of a memory of the physiological sensor, thereby to make the content indicative of a defective sensor.

10. The patient monitor according to claim 8, wherein the patient monitor is configured to retrieve the predetermined criteria from a predetermined memory location.

11. The patient monitor according to claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor feature parameter represents at least one parameter in a group including a first parameter indicative of ratio of current transfer ratios of two light sources of the physiological sensor, a second parameter indicative of forward voltage of a light source of the physiological sensor, and a third parameter indicative of a temperature change determined through a thermistor of the physiological sensor.

12. A physiological sensor attachable to a subject for acquiring a physiological measurement signal from the subject, the sensor comprising:

a sensor element unit configured to output an electrophysiological signal;

a sensor memory storing at least one first value for a sensor feature parameter indicative of characteristics of the sensor; and

a memory access interface for enabling a patient monitor operably connected to the sensor to retrieve the at least one first value for comparison with at least one second value of the sensor feature parameter, wherein the at least one second value of the sensor feature parameter is determined by the patient monitor from the sensor when the sensor is connected to the patient monitor.

13. The sensor according to claim 12, wherein the sensor memory further stores predetermined acceptance criteria associated with the sensor feature parameter.

14. A computer program product for validating a physiological sensor connected to a patient monitor, the computer program product comprising:

a first program product portion configured to retrieve at least one first value respectively for at least one sensor feature parameter from a predefined memory location, wherein the at least one sensor feature parameter is indicative of characteristics of a physiological sensor connected to the patient monitor;

a second program product portion configured to determine at least one second value respectively for the at least one sensor feature parameter from the physiological sensor connected to the patient monitor;

a third program product portion configured to compare the at least one second value with respective at least one first value; and

a fourth program product portion configured to make a decision on acceptance of the sensor, wherein the fourth program product portion is responsive to the third program product portion.