CONTINUOUS TRANSDERMAL MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20150094551A1
• Filed: 12/09/2014
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Andrew Johnson
• Inventors: FRIX, JAMES TYLER, JOHNSON, ANDREW, FRIX, JAMES MITCHELL, TAYLOR, ROBERT ANDREW
• Granted Patent: US 9,339,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/324
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• 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 5/02433 for infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/067 using accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1121 Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14517 for sweat
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/489 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 : Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/684 : Indicating the position of the sensor on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/721 : using a separate sensor to detect motion or using motion information derived from signals other than the physiological signal to be measured
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7214 : using signal cancellation, e.g. based on input of two identical physiological sensors spaced apart, or based on two signals derived from the same sensor, for different optical wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 : Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence

Abstract

Various embodiments of methods and systems for continuous transdermal monitoring (“CTM”) are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment of a continuous transdermal monitoring system comprises a sensor package. The sensor package may include a pulse oximetry sensor having a plurality of light detectors arranged as an array. One exemplary method for continuous transdermal monitoring begins by positioning a pulse oximetry sensor system, similar to the system described immediately above, adjacent to a target tissue segment. Then, the method continues by detecting a light reflected by the target tissue segment. Then, the method continues by transmitting a pulse oximetry reading(s), based at least in part on the light reflected by the target tissue segment, of the target tissue segment. Then, the method continues by analyzing the pulse oximetry reading(s). Then, the method continues by assessing the accuracy of the pulse oximetry reading from the first light detector relative to the pulse oximetry reading from the second light detector.

Claims

1. A system for continuous transdermal monitoring of a target tissue segment, the system comprising a sensor package comprising:

a pulse oximetry sensor comprising a plurality of light detectors arranged as an array, the plurality of light detectors comprising a first light detector and a second light detector, the first light detector and the second light detector each, respectively, configured to;

detect a light reflected by the target tissue segment; and

transmit a pulse oximetry reading of the target tissue segment, the pulse oximetry reading based, at least in part, on the light reflected by the target tissue segment;

wherein the sensor package is configured to;

analyze the pulse oximetry reading from the first light detector and the pulse oximetry reading from the second light detector;

assess the accuracy of the pulse oximetry reading from the first light detector relative to the pulse oximetry reading from the second light detector;

identify a preferred pulse oximetry reading;

designate a preferred light detector based, at least in part, on the preferred pulse oximetry reading; and

output the pulse oximetry reading from the preferred light detector.

2. The system of claim 1, the a pulse oximetry sensor additionally comprising a light source configured to emit light towards the target tissue segment.

3. The system of claim 1, the sensor package additionally configured to:

identify a relative weight for the pulse oximetry reading from the first light detector and a relative weight for the pulse oximetry reading from the second light detector;

compute a composite pulse oximetry reading based, at least in part, on the relative weight for the pulse oximetry reading from the first light detector and the relative weight for the pulse oximetry reading from the second light detector; and

output the composite pulse oximetry reading.

4. The system of claim 1, the sensor package additionally comprising an accelerometer, the sensor package additionally configured to monitor an output signal from the accelerometer, wherein assessing the accuracy of the pulse oximetry reading is based, at least in part, on the output signal from the accelerometer.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the accelerometer is one of a group consisting of a 3-axis accelerometer and a 6-axis accelerometer.

6. The system of claim 1, the sensor package additionally comprising a displacement sensor, the sensor package additionally configured to measure, via the displacement sensor, a displacement of the first light detector and the second light detector from the target tissue segment, wherein assessing the accuracy of the pulse oximetry reading is based, at least in part, on the displacement of the first light detector and the second light detector from the target tissue segment.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the displacement sensor comprises an infrared sensor configured to visualize the location of a target blood vessel of the target tissue segment, and wherein measuring, via the displacement sensor, the displacement of the first light detector and the second light detector from the target tissue segment is based, at least in part, on the location of the target blood vessel.

8. The system of claim 1, the sensor package additionally comprising at least one secondary sensor selected from a group consisting of a physiological parameter sensor and a non-physiological parameter sensor, the sensor package additionally configured to monitor an output signal from the secondary sensor, wherein assessing the accuracy of the pulse oximetry reading is based, at least in part, on the output signal from the secondary sensor.

9. A method of continuous transdermal monitoring of a target tissue segment, the method comprising:

positioning a pulse oximetry sensor adjacent to the target tissue segment, the pulse oximetry sensor having a plurality of light detectors arranged as an array, the plurality of light detectors comprising a first light detector and a second light detector;

detecting, by the first light detector and the second light detector, a light reflected by the target tissue segment;

transmitting, by the first light detector and the second light detector, a pulse oximetry reading of the target tissue segment, the pulse oximetry reading based, at least in part, on the light reflected by the target tissue segment;

analyzing the pulse oximetry reading from the first light detector and the pulse oximetry reading from the second light detector; and

assessing the accuracy of the pulse oximetry reading from the first light detector relative to the pulse oximetry reading from the second light detector;

identifying a preferred pulse oximetry reading;

designating a preferred light detector based, at least in part, on the preferred pulse oximetry reading; and

outputting the pulse oximetry reading from the preferred light detector.

10. The method of claim 9, the method additionally comprising emitting light from a light source towards the target tissue segment.

11. The method of claim 9, the method additionally comprising:

identifying a relative weight for the pulse oximetry reading from the first light detector and a relative weight for the pulse oximetry reading from the second light detector;

computing a composite pulse oximetry reading based, at least in part, on the relative weight for the pulse oximetry reading from the first light detector and the relative weight for the pulse oximetry reading from the second light detector; and

outputting the composite pulse oximetry reading.

12. The method of claim 9, the method additionally comprising:

monitoring an output signal from an accelerometer; and

determining, by at least the output signal, that the pulse oximetry sensor has shifted its position adjacent to the target tissue segment;

wherein assessing the accuracy of the pulse oximetry reading is based, at least in part, on the pulse oximetry sensor having shifted its position adjacent to the target tissue segment.

13. The method of claim 9, the method additionally comprising measuring, by at least a displacement sensor, a displacement of the pulse oximetry sensor from the target tissue segment, wherein assessing the accuracy of the pulse oximetry reading is based, at least in part, on the displacement of the pulse oximetry sensor from the target tissue segment.

14. The method of claim 13, the method additionally comprising visualizing, by at least an infrared sensor, the location of a target blood vessel of the target tissue segment, wherein measuring the displacement of the pulse oximetry sensor from the target tissue segment is based, at least in part, on the location of the target blood vessel.

15. The method of claim 9, the method additionally comprising monitoring an output signal from at least one secondary sensor, the at least one secondary sensor selected from a group consisting of a physiological parameter sensor and a non-physiological parameter sensor, wherein assessing the accuracy of the pulse oximetry reading is based, at least in part, on the output signal from the secondary sensor.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for continuous transdermal monitoring, the method comprising:

positioning a pulse oximetry sensor adjacent to the target tissue segment, the pulse oximetry sensor having a plurality of light detectors arranged as an array, the plurality of light detectors comprising a first light detector and a second light detector;

detecting, by the first light detector and the second light detector, a light reflected by the target tissue segment

transmitting, by the first light detector and the second light detector, a pulse oximetry reading of the target tissue segment, the pulse oximetry reading based, at least in part, on the light reflected by the target tissue segment;

analyzing the pulse oximetry reading from the first light detector and the pulse oximetry reading from the second light detector;

assessing the accuracy of the pulse oximetry reading from the first light detector relative to the pulse oximetry reading from the second light detector identifying a preferred pulse oximetry reading;

designating a preferred light detector based, at least in part, on the preferred pulse oximetry reading; and

outputting the pulse oximetry reading from the preferred light detector.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, the method further comprising operating a light source to omit light towards a target tissue segment.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, the method further comprising:

identifying a relative weight for the pulse oximetry reading from the first light detector and a relative weight for the pulse oximetry reading from the second light detector;

computing a composite pulse oximetry reading based, at least in part, on the relative weight for the pulse oximetry reading from the first light detector and the relative weight for the pulse oximetry reading from the second light detector; and

outputting the composite pulse oximetry reading.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, the method further comprising:

monitoring an output signal from an accelerometer; and

determining, by at least the output signal, that the pulse oximetry sensor has shifted its position adjacent to the target tissue segment;

wherein assessing the accuracy of the pulse oximetry reading is based, at least in part, on the pulse oximetry sensor having shifted its position adjacent to the target tissue segment.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, the method further comprising measuring, by at least a displacement sensor, a displacement of the pulse oximetry sensor from the target tissue segment, wherein assessing the accuracy of the pulse oximetry reading is based, at least in part, on the displacement of the pulse oximetry sensor from the target tissue segment.