Pulse oximeter probe-off detection system
First Claim
1. A method for verifying attachment of an optical probe to a patient, the method comprising:
- providing an optical probe, the optical probe having at least two contacts configured to contact a patient'"'"'s skin when the optical probe is properly attached;
applying a voltage across the at least two contacts; and
determining, based upon a measured resistance of a coding resistor, whether the at least two contacts are in contact with the patient'"'"'s skin.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a number of improvements that can be incorporated into a pulse oximeter probe to detect when a probe has become dislodged from a patient and/or to prevent a probe-off condition. A probe-off condition occurs when the optical probe becomes partially or completely dislodged from the patient, but continues to detect an AC signal within the operating region of the pulse oximeter. In one aspect, the present invention provides electrical contacts that contact the skin of a patient when the probe is properly attached. In another aspect, the present invention provides a number of louvers placed in front of the sensor'"'"'s photodetector to filter out oblique light rays that do not originate from a point in front of the detector. Accordingly, if the emitter and photodetector are not properly aligned, the photodetector will not produce a signal within the valid operating range of the pulse oximeter. In accordance with a method of the present invention the pulse oximeter can sound an alarm or display a warning if it determines that the probe is not properly attached to the patient.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method for verifying attachment of an optical probe to a patient, the method comprising:
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providing an optical probe, the optical probe having at least two contacts configured to contact a patient'"'"'s skin when the optical probe is properly attached;
applying a voltage across the at least two contacts; and
determining, based upon a measured resistance of a coding resistor, whether the at least two contacts are in contact with the patient'"'"'s skin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of detecting that a pulse oximetry probe may not be properly attached to a tissue site, the method comprising:
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providing a pulse oximetry probe having a light emitter, a light detector configured to detect light from the light emitter when the pulse oximetry probe is properly attached, and at least two contacts configured to make contact to a patient'"'"'s skin when the pulse oximetry probe is properly attached;
emitting light from the light emitter;
checking for continuity across the at least two contacts by measuring a resistance of a coding resistor;
checking for a valid signal from the light detector; and
determining whether the pulse oximetry probe is properly attached based upon the continuity check and the valid signal check. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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24. A pulse oximetry system comprising:
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a pulse oximeter base unit;
an optical probe configured to be affixed to a body member of a patient;
at least two electrical contacts located on the optical probe, the electrical contacts configured to make contact to the body member of the patient when the optical probe is properly affixed to the patient; and
a probe-off detector module configured to check for acceptable continuity across the electrical contacts by measuring a resistance of a coding resistor, thereby determining whether the optical probe is properly affixed to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A pulse oximeter system for determining proper attachment of a sensor, the pulse oximeter system comprising:
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an oximeter base unit; and
a probe-off detector module configured to verify proper attachment of a pulse oximetry sensor to a measurement site of a patient by measuring a resistance associated with a coding resistor and a probe-off circuit of the pulse oximetry sensor. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification