Combination fingerprint and oximetry device

• US 6,643,531 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2002
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc. (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: BCI, Inc.
• Inventors: Katarow, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): WINAKUR, ERIC FRANK
• Application Number:
  US10/225,171
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 600/310, 600/322, 600/323, 600/340, 600/344, 340/5.8, 340/5.82, 340/5.83, 382/115, 382/124
• US Class Current: 600/344
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1172 using fingerprinting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1382 Detecting the live character of the finger, i.e. distinguishing from a fake or cadaver finger

Abstract

Incorporated to a finger grip device are an oximeter that measures the SpO₂ of the patient and a fingerprint sensor for sensing the fingerprint of the finger from which the SpO₂ is measured. The sensed fingerprint is used to identify the patient. By thus establishing the identity of the patient, the measured SpO₂ could readily be associated with the patient and appropriately displayed and stored, either at the patient site or remotely. The monitored data could also be readily associated with records of the patient and other physiological could data of the patient that may have been prestored in the controller to which the finger grip device is connected, or in a memory at a remote location. Mistakes in patient identification and the correspondence of wrong patient data to patients are thereby substantially reduced if not eliminated.

Claims

1. In combination, a first finger portion and a second finger portion movable relative to each other, the respective surfaces of the finger portions configured to conform to a finger placed therebetween by a user, a light source provided at one of the finger portions and a light detector provided at the other of the finger portions for forming a finger pulse oximeter, the oxygen saturation of the arterial blood of the user being monitored by said finger pulse oximeter, and a fingerprint sensor provided at one of said finger portions for sensing the fingerprint of the finger placed between said finger portions.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said light detector of said pulse oximeter and said fingerprint sensor are mounted to the same finger portion.

3. The combination of claim 2, further comprising:

a window provided on the finger portion where said fingerprint sensor and said light detector of said pulse oximeter are mounted, said window being of a sufficient size to enable the sensing of the fingerprint of the finger placed between said finger portions.

4. The combination of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller connected to said finger portions via an electrical connection, said controller including switch means for selectively activating said finger pulse oximeter and/or said fingerprint sensor.

5. The combination of claim 1, wherein said pulse oximeter and said fingerprint sensor may be activated simultaneously, individually, or with different on/off periods.

6. The combination of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint of the user is prestored in a memory remote from said finger portions;

and

wherein the fingerprint sensed from the user is associated with the blood oxygen saturation monitored by said pulse oximeter and compared with the prestored fingerprint of the user to ensure that the blood oxygen saturation level being monitored is that of the user.

7. Apparatus, comprising:

a housing wherein to a finger of a user is positioned, said housing having an upper portion and a lower portion;

a light source and a sensor for detecting light from said light source mounted to said upper and lower portions, respectively, for effecting a pulse oximeter; and

a fingerprint sensor mounted to said lower portion in cooperation with said pulse oximeter.

8. Apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a controller separate from but electrically connected to said housing for receiving the respective signals output from said pulse oximeter and said fingerprint sensor.

9. Apparatus of claim 8, wherein said controller comprises:

at least one signal processor for processing the respective signals received from said pulse oximeter and said fingerprint sensor; and

a transceiver for routing the received signals to a remote station whereat the sensed fingerprint is compared with a prestored fingerprint of the user to confirm that the sensed fingerprint is from the same user, and to associate the monitored blood oxygen saturation with the confirmed user.

10. Apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a monitor remote from said housing for displaying the monitored blood oxygen saturation level of the confirmed user.

11. Apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a controller connected to said finger portions via an electrical connection, said controller including switch means for selectively activating said finger pulse oximeter and/or said fingerprint sensor.

12. Apparatus of claim 7, wherein one of said upper and lower portions is spring biased vertically relative to the other.

13. Apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a window provided on said lower portion, said window being of a sufficient size to enable the sensing of the fingerprint of the finger placed between said upper and lower portions.

14. Apparatus of claim 7, wherein said pulse oximeter and said fingerprint sensor may be activated simultaneously, individually, or with different on/off periods.

15. A combination finger oximeter and fingerprint device, comprising:

a first finger grip portion;

a second finger grip portion in opposed relationship to said first finger grip portion;

a light source mounted to said first finger grip portion;

a light detector mounted to said second finger grip portion;

a sensor mounted to said second finger grip portion in cooperation with said light detector;

wherein said light detector and light source in combination form an oximeter for monitoring the oxygen saturation of the blood of a user whose finger is gripped by said first and second finger portions; and

wherein said sensor senses the fingerprint of the finger gripped by said first and second finger grip portions so that the sensed fingerprint can be used to identify the user whose blood oxygen saturation is being monitored.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

an electrical connection connecting said device to a controller, said controller including switch means for selectively activating said finger oximeter and/or said fingerprint sensor.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein said oximeter and said fingerprint sensor may be activated simultaneously, individually, or with different on/off periods.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the fingerprint of the user is prestored in a memory remote from said device;

and

wherein the fingerprint sensed from the user is associated with the blood oxygen saturation being monitored by said oximeter and compared with the prestored fingerprint of the user to confirm the being monitored blood oxygen saturation is from the user.

19. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

a window provided on said second finger grip portion, said window being of a sufficient size to enable the sensing of the fingerprint of the finger placed between said first and second finger grip portions.

20. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

an electrical connection to a controller remote from said device for receiving the respective signals output from said oximeter and said fingerprint sensor, said controller including at least one signal processor for processing the respective signals received from said oximeter and said fingerprint sensor and displaying the processed signals on a display.