Low power pulse oximeter
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A method of managing power consumption in a pulse oximeter, the method comprising:
- operating a pulse oximeter at a first approximate power consumption during a first signal condition representative of a condition of a signal received from a sensor capable of detecting energy attenuated by tissue of a measurement site of a patient;
determining a second signal condition of the signal; and
operating the pulse oximeter at a second approximate power consumption different than the first approximate power consumption based on the second signal condition, wherein the step of operating the pulse oximeter at the first approximate power consumption comprises generating a drive signal for the sensor at a first duty cycle, and wherein the step of operating the pulse oximeter at the second approximate power consumption comprises generating the drive signal for the sensor at a second duty cycle different from the first duty cycle.
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Abstract
A pulse oximeter adaptively samples an input signal from a sensor in order to reduce power consumption in the absence of overriding conditions. Various sampling mechanisms may be used individually or in combination, including reducing the duty cycle of a drive current to a sensor emitter, intermittently powering-down a front-end interface to a sensor detector, or increasing the time shift between processed data blocks. Both internal parameters and output parameters may be monitored to trigger or override a reduced power consumption state. In this manner, a pulse oximeter can lower power consumption without sacrificing performance during, for example, high noise conditions or oxygen desaturations.
956 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of managing power consumption in a pulse oximeter, the method comprising:
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operating a pulse oximeter at a first approximate power consumption during a first signal condition representative of a condition of a signal received from a sensor capable of detecting energy attenuated by tissue of a measurement site of a patient; determining a second signal condition of the signal; and operating the pulse oximeter at a second approximate power consumption different than the first approximate power consumption based on the second signal condition, wherein the step of operating the pulse oximeter at the first approximate power consumption comprises generating a drive signal for the sensor at a first duty cycle, and wherein the step of operating the pulse oximeter at the second approximate power consumption comprises generating the drive signal for the sensor at a second duty cycle different from the first duty cycle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A pulse oximeter capable of varying its power consumption, comprising:
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an emitter driver which outputs a drive signal capable of driving at least one emitter of a sensor that detects energy attenuated by tissue of a measurement site of a patient; and a controller which selects between at least a first duty cycle of the drive signal corresponding to a first power consumption and a second duty cycle of the drive signal corresponding to a second power consumption different than the first power consumption. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of modifying power consumption of an oximeter, the method comprising:
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operating said oximeter at a lower power consumption by at least one of activating emitters of a noninvasive optical sensor at a decreased duty cycle or reducing overlap in data blocks being processed; determining a transition event should occur; and operating said oximeter at a higher power consumption based at least in part on said determination of said transition event by at least one of activating said emitters of said sensor at an increased duty cycle or increasing overlap in said data blocks being processed. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification