Patient temperature repeating system and method
First Claim
1. A system for repeating a resistance level from a patient temperature sensor that varies its resistance level in accordance with patient temperature, said system comprising:
- input means for connecting the patient temperature sensor thereto;
output means for connecting at least one medical instrument thereto;
variable resistance means for providing a variable resistance level to said output means, said variable resistance means comprising a coarse potentiometer in parallel with a fine potentiometer; and
control means for obtaining the resistance level provided by a patient temperature sensor connected to said input means and establishing the resistance level provided by said variable resistance means to said output means in accordance with the resistance level obtained from the patient temperature sensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A patient temperature repeating system and a method of repeating patient temperature information from a resistive-type patient temperature sensor allow one or more medical instruments to utilize a single patient temperature sensor. In one embodiment, the patient temperature repeating system (10) includes input and output connectors (12, 14), a microprocessor (20), optical isolators (22), a coarse digital potentiometer (24) in parallel with a fine digital potentiometer (26), a current sense resistor (28), amplifiers (30A, 30B), analog-to-digital converters (32A, 32B), a filter (34), fuses (36), a non-volatile memory device (38), and a relay (40). In operation, the microprocessor (20) reads the resistance level of a resistive-type patient temperature sensor (16) connected to the input connector (12) and provides the appropriate control signals through the optical isolators (22) to the coarse and fine digital potentiometers (24, 26) in order to set the resistance seen by a medical device (18) connected to the output connector (14) to match that of the patient temperature sensor (16).
94 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for repeating a resistance level from a patient temperature sensor that varies its resistance level in accordance with patient temperature, said system comprising:
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input means for connecting the patient temperature sensor thereto;
output means for connecting at least one medical instrument thereto;
variable resistance means for providing a variable resistance level to said output means, said variable resistance means comprising a coarse potentiometer in parallel with a fine potentiometer; and
control means for obtaining the resistance level provided by a patient temperature sensor connected to said input means and establishing the resistance level provided by said variable resistance means to said output means in accordance with the resistance level obtained from the patient temperature sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A patient temperature repeating system for repeating a resistance level from a patient temperature sensor that varies its resistance level in accordance with patient temperature, said system comprising:
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an input connector configured for connection of the patient temperature sensor thereto;
an output connector configured for connection of at least one medical instrument thereto;
a variable resistance device controllable to provide a variable resistance level to said output connector, said variable resistance device comprising at least one coarse digital potentiometer in parallel with at least one fine digital potentiometer; and
a controller operable to obtain the resistance level provided by a patient temperature sensor connected to said input connector, said controller being further operable to control said variable resistance device to establish the resistance level provided by said variable resistance device to said output connector in accordance with the resistance level obtained from the patient temperature sensor. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A patient temperature repeating system for repeating a resistance level from a patient temperature sensor that varies its resistance level in accordance with patient temperature, said system comprising:
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an input connector configured for connection of the patient temperature sensor thereto;
an output connector configured for connection of at least one medical instrument thereto;
a variable resistance device controllable to provide a variable resistance level to said output connector, wherein said variable resistance device comprises at least one coarse digital potentiometer in parallel with at least one fine digital potentiometer; and
a controller operable to monitor the resistance level provided by a patient temperature sensor connected to said input connector, said controller being further operable to generate a control signal based on the monitored resistance level and to transmit the control signal to said variable resistance device to establish the resistance level provided by said variable resistance device to said output connector in accordance with the resistance level of the patient temperature sensor. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A patient temperature repeating system for repeating a resistance level from a patient temperature sensor that varies its resistance level in accordance with patient temperature, said system comprising:
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an input connector configured for connection of the patient temperature sensor thereto;
an output connector configured for connection of at least one medical instrument thereto;
a variable resistance device controllable to provide a variable resistance level to said output connector;
a controller operable to monitor the resistance level provided by a patient temperature sensor connected to said input connector, said controller being further operable to generate a control signal based on the monitored resistance level and to transmit the control signal to said variable resistance device to establish the resistance level provided by said variable resistance device to said output connector in accordance with the resistance level of the patient temperature sensor; and
at least one device operable to disconnect said variable resistance device from said output connector. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A patient temperature repeating system for repeating a resistance level from a patient temperature sensor that varies its resistance level in accordance with patient temperature, said system comprising:
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an input connector configured for connection of the patient temperature sensor thereto;
an output connector configured for connection of at least one medical instrument thereto;
a variable resistance device controllable to provide a variable resistance level to said output connector;
a controller comprising a microprocessor, said controller being operable to obtain the resistance level provided by a patient temperature sensor connected to said input connector, said controller being further operable to control said variable resistance device to establish the resistance level provided by said variable resistance device to said output connector in accordance with the resistance level obtained from the patient temperature sensor;
a memory configurable to store information retrievable by said microprocessor for use in controlling said variable resistance device; and
at least one feedback loop providing information to said microprocessor relating to the resistance level provided by said variable resistance device;
said input connector and said microprocessor being electrically isolated from said variable resistance device, said output connector, and said feedback loop. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification