Tracking Contact Quality to Vital Signs Measurement Sensors

• US 20170273560A1
• Filed: 03/24/2016
• Published: 09/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips Healthcare Informatics Incorporated (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ballam, Robert Scott, Ganton, Robert Bruce, Dickey, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 10,085,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence

Abstract

Various embodiments include a variety of sensors, such as a pulse oximeter, configured to track a dynamic component of a sensor and take an action based on a characteristic of the dynamic component. Some embodiments may include determining a gain applied to a signal of the sensor, determining whether the gain is discontinuous, and indicating that a sensor measurement associated with the signal is low quality in response to determining that the gain applied is discontinuous. Some embodiments may include determining a peak-to-peak voltage of an output of a sensor, determining whether the peak-to-peak voltage is within an acceptable peak-to-peak voltage range, and indicating that a measurement associated with the received signal is low quality in response to determining that the peak-to-peak voltage is outside the acceptable peak-to-peak voltage range.

Claims

1. A method for determining measurement quality of one or more measurements from one or more sensors, comprising:

obtaining, at a processor, an amplification gain of a first signal generated by the one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are positioned on a subject'"'"'s body;

determining, at the processor, an amplification gain of a second signal generated by the one or more sensors; and

generating, at the processor, a contact quality value of a contact between the one or more sensors and the subject'"'"'s body based on a comparison of the first signal'"'"'s amplification gain and the second signal'"'"'s amplification gain.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the contact quality value based on the comparison of the first signal'"'"'s amplification gain and the second signal'"'"'s amplification gain further comprises comparing the first signal'"'"'s amplification gain, the second signal'"'"'s amplification gain, and one or more thresholds.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting one or more sensing modalities of the one or more sensors based on the contact quality value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a contact quality value less than a predetermined threshold indicates improper placement of the one or more sensors, movement of the subject, or any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

filtering one or more measurements from the one or more sensors based on a comparison of the contact quality value and at least one of a second threshold, wherein the one or more measurements are associated with the second signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining the amplification gain of the first signal generated by the one or more sensors, determining the amplification gain of the second signal generated by the one or more sensors, and generating the contact quality value based on the comparison of the first signal'"'"'s amplification gain and the second signal'"'"'s amplification gain are performed after changes in amplification gain applied have stabilized to account for the subject'"'"'s body skin type and color.

7-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A device, comprising:

one or more sensors; and

a processor coupled to the one or more sensors, wherein the processor is configured to;

obtain an amplification gain of a first signal generated by the one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are positioned on a subject'"'"'s body;

determine an amplification gain of a second signal generated by the one or more sensors; and

generate a contact quality value of a contact between the one or more sensors and the subject'"'"'s body based on a comparison of the first signal'"'"'s amplification gain and the second signal'"'"'s amplification gain.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured such that generating a contact quality value based on the comparison of the first signal'"'"'s amplification gain and the second signal'"'"'s amplification gain further comprises comparing the first signal'"'"'s amplification gain, the second signal'"'"'s amplification gain, and one or more thresholds.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to adjust one or more sensing modalities of the one or more sensors based on the contact quality value.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein a low contact quality value less than a predetermined threshold indicates improper placement of the one or more sensors, movement of the subject, or any combination thereof.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to filter one or more measurements from the one or more sensors based on a comparison of the contact quality value and at least one of a second threshold, wherein the one or more measurements are associated with the second signal.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured such that the obtaining the amplification gain of the first signal generated by the one or more sensors, determining the amplification gain of the second signal generated by the one or more sensors, and generating the contact quality value based on the comparison of the first signal'"'"'s amplification gain and the second signal'"'"'s amplification gain are performed after changes in amplification gain applied have stabilized to account for the subject'"'"'s body skin type and color.

19. The device of claim 10, wherein:

the amplification gain of the first signal is a gain applied to amplify or reduce an amplitude of the first signal; and

the amplification gain of the second signal is a gain applied to amplify or reduce an amplitude of the second signal.

16. A device, comprising:

one or more sensors; and

a processor coupled to the one or more sensors, wherein the processor is configured to;

determine a peak-to-peak voltage of a received signal from the one or more sensors on a subject'"'"'s body; and

generate a contact quality value of a contact between the one or more sensors and the subject'"'"'s body based on the peak-to-peak voltage and one or more thresholds.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to filter one or more measurements from the one or more sensors associated with the received signal based on a comparison of the contact quality value and one or more thresholds.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein a contact quality value less than a predetermined threshold indicates improper placement of the one or more sensors, movement of the subject, or any combination thereof.

20. A device, comprising:

one or more sensors configured to be coupled to a subject'"'"'s body and, when coupled to the subject'"'"'s body, output a signal indicative of a physiological property of the subject, wherein the one or more sensors include;

a generator configured to generate a respective stimulus to the subject'"'"'s body; and

a transducer configured to receive the stimulus subsequent to the stimulus being modified by the subject'"'"'s body and output a signal indicative of the modified stimulus;

and

a processor coupled to the one or more sensors, wherein the processor is configured to;

obtain a first amplification gain value indicative of an amplification gain applied to;

a signal transmitted to the generator corresponding to generating of the stimulus;

or

a signal received from the transducer corresponding to the transducer receiving the modified stimulus;

determine a second amplification gain value of an amplification gain applied to;

a signal transmitted to the generator corresponding to generating of the stimulus;

or

a signal received from the transducer corresponding to the transducer receiving the modified stimulus; and

generate a contact quality value of a contact between the one or more sensors and the subject'"'"'s body based on a comparison of the first amplification gain value and the second amplification gain value.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the level of contact is indicative of:

a proximity of at least one of the one or more sensors to at least a portion of the subject'"'"'s body;

an amount of movement of the subject;

or an accuracy of a placement of at least one of the one or more sensors on the subject'"'"'s body.

22. The device of claim 20, further comprising an automatic amplification gain control loop circuit, and wherein the signal transmitted to the generator corresponding to generating of the stimulus and the signal received from the transducer corresponding to the transducer receiving the modified stimulus of the first amplification gain value and the second amplification gain value are:

applied by the automatic amplification gain control loop circuit.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the automatic gain control loop circuit is configured to amplify or reduce the stimulus generated by the generator to mitigate a corresponding signal from exceeding a range, the corresponding signal generated by the transducer in response to receiving the stimulus.