Reactance sensing for improved sensor palcement

• US 20140135602A1
• Filed: 11/09/2012
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nonin Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nonin Medical Incorporated
• Inventors: Maser, Douglas R., Prior, Matthew, Lemke, David Lee, Little, Patrick David, Hartmann, Jordan Clifford Welch
• Granted Patent: US 10,624,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/324
• 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 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02156 Calibration means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6844 Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence

Abstract

A sensor assembly which includes a first physiological parameter sensor configured to sense a physiological parameter and a first reactance sensor connected to the first physiological parameter sensor. The first reactance sensor provides a signal corresponding to a position of a tissue relative to the first reactance sensor and corresponding to the first physiological parameter sensor.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly including:

a first physiological parameter sensor configured to sense a physiological parameter; and

a first reactance sensor connected to the first physiological parameter sensor wherein the first reactance sensor provides a signal corresponding to a position of a tissue relative to the first reactance sensor and corresponding to the first physiological parameter sensor.

2. The sensor assembly of claim 1 including:

a processor coupled to the first physiological parameter sensor and coupled to the first reactance sensor, the processor configured to generate an output based on the physiological parameter and the position; and

an output module coupled to the processor, the output module configured to provide a measure corresponding to the physiological parameter.

3. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the first physiological parameter sensor is configured to be controlled by signals generated by the reactance sensor.

4. The sensor assembly of claim 1 further including a second reactance sensor coupled to the first physiological parameter sensor.

5. The sensor assembly of claim 4, wherein the first reactance sensor and the second reactance sensor are in fixed positions relative to the first physiological parameter sensor.

6. The sensor assembly of claim 1 further including a second physiological parameter sensor coupled to the first reactance sensor.

7. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the first physiological parameter sensor includes at least one of a pulse oximetry sensor, a tissue oximetry sensor, a temperature sensor, a blood pressure sensor, a blood analyte sensor, a respiratory rate sensor, and a capnography sensor.

8. The sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein the first physiological parameter sensor includes a multifunction sensor configured to measure any combination of pulse, saturated oxygen content, blood pressure, body temperature, blood analyte concentration, respiratory gas concentration, and breathing rate.

9. The sensor assembly of claim 1 configured to receive at least one of a fingertip, a toe, an ear lobe, an arm, a wrist, and a foot.

10. The sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein the sensor assembly has a planar planform.

11. The sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein the first reactive sensor includes at least one of a capacitor and an inductor.

12. The sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein the sensor assembly includes an array of reactance elements.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising machine readable information for causing a machine to:

read physiological parameter sensor data and reactance sensor data; and

output physiological parameter data corresponding to a tissue wherein the physiological parameter data corresponds to a position of a reactance sensor in relation to a position of the tissue.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the computer readable medium is configured to:

compare the reactance sensor data to a threshold value; and

determine a position of a sensor assembly relative to the tissue based on the comparison.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the computer readable medium is configured to:

compare the reactance sensor data to a threshold lookup table;

compare the physiological parameter sensor data with a stored value; and

generate a result based on the comparison of the reactance sensor data and the comparison of the physiological parameter sensor data.

16. A method of using a sensor assembly comprising:

generating a reactance sensing signal, including determining at least one of a presence, a position, a movement, a size, or a proximity of a body part relative to a physiological parameter sensor;

determining a value of the reactance sensing signal;

comparing the reactance sensing signal to a threshold value; and

based upon the comparing, generating a physiological parameter sensor signal indicative of at least one of pulse, saturated oxygen content, blood pressure, body temperature, blood analyte concentration, respiratory gas concentration, and breathing rate.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining a quality of the physiological parameter sensor signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising setting a threshold value for the reactance sensing signal using information about the determined quality of the physiological parameter sensor signal.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising setting a mode of operation of the sensor assembly using information about the determined value of the reactance sensing signal.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising altering the physiological parameter sensor signal using information about the reactance sensing signal.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing a user-detectable indication of sensor assembly location relative to a body part of interest based upon the comparison between the reactance sensing signal and the threshold value.