Apparatus and method for interfacing time-variant signals
First Claim
1. A circuit adapted for use with a digital pressure sensing apparatus and a monitoring device, and further adapted to generate an emulation of the output of an analog pressure sensing apparatus compatible with said monitoring device, said emulation being based at least on (i) digital inputs received from said digital sensing apparatus and (ii) an excitation signal produced by said monitoring device, the circuit comprising:
- a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to receive digital inputs generated by said digital sensing apparatus, said DAC adapted to produce an analog output signal using at least said digital inputs; and
at least one amplifier operatively coupled to the output of said DAC;
wherein said at least one amplifier is configured to produce an output voltage which is substantially ratio-metric with said excitation voltage; and
wherein said circuit is adapted to generate said emulation by using said excitation signal as a reference input to said DAC.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved apparatus and method for interfacing a time variant waveform between two hardware environments. In one aspect, the invention comprises a circuit for accurately simulating the output of one or more types of sensing device (e.g., passive bridge pressure transducer) for use with a plurality of different monitoring and/or analysis devices, thereby obviating the need for specialized interface circuitry adapted to each different monitor/analyzer. In one exemplary embodiment, the sensing device comprises a non-invasive blood pressure monitor (NIBPM), which universally interfaces with prior art patient monitors via the interface circuit of the invention. In a second aspect of the invention, an improved NIBPM device incorporating the interface circuit is disclosed. An improved disconnect circuit adapted to sense the status of the electrical connection between the sensing device and monitor is also described.
-
Citations
54 Claims
-
1. A circuit adapted for use with a digital pressure sensing apparatus and a monitoring device, and further adapted to generate an emulation of the output of an analog pressure sensing apparatus compatible with said monitoring device, said emulation being based at least on (i) digital inputs received from said digital sensing apparatus and (ii) an excitation signal produced by said monitoring device, the circuit comprising:
-
a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to receive digital inputs generated by said digital sensing apparatus, said DAC adapted to produce an analog output signal using at least said digital inputs; and at least one amplifier operatively coupled to the output of said DAC; wherein said at least one amplifier is configured to produce an output voltage which is substantially ratio-metric with said excitation voltage; and wherein said circuit is adapted to generate said emulation by using said excitation signal as a reference input to said DAC. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 49)
-
-
4. A circuit adapted for use with a non-invasive digital pressure sensing apparatus and a monitoring device, and further adapted to generate an emulation of the output of an analog bridge-type pressure sensing apparatus compatible with said monitoring device, said emulation being based at least on (i) digital inputs received from said non-invasive digital sensing apparatus and (ii) an excitation signal produced by said monitoring device, the circuit comprising:
-
a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to receive digital inputs generated by said non-invasive digital sensing apparatus, said DAC adapted to produce an analog output signal using at least said digital inputs; and at least one amplifier operatively coupled to the output of said DAC and disposed in a feedback loop therewith; wherein said at least one amplifier is configured to produce an output voltage which is substantially ratio-metric with said excitation voltage; wherein said circuit is adapted to generate said emulation by using said excitation signal as a reference input to said DAC; and wherein said non-invasive digital sensing apparatus is adapted to generate said digital inputs without utilizing said excitation signal.
-
-
5. A circuit adapted for use with a non-invasive digital pressure sensing apparatus and a monitoring device comprising at least one analog input, the circuit comprising:
-
at least one digital input adapted to receive digital signal data from said non-invasive digital sensing apparatus; a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to directly receive said digital signal data generated by said non-invasive digital sensing apparatus, and adapted to produce an analog output signal using at least said digital signal data in response; and at least one amplifier operatively coupled to the output of said DAC and disposed in a feedback loop therewith; wherein said at least one amplifier is configured to produce an output voltage which is substantially ratio-metric with an excitation voltage produced by said monitoring device; wherein said circuit is further adapted to generate said analog output signal by using said excitation signal as a reference input to said DAC; and wherein said non-invasive digital sensing apparatus is adapted to generate said digital signal data without utilizing said excitation signal. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A circuit adapted for use with a non-invasive digital pressure sensing apparatus and a monitoring device comprising at least one analog input, the circuit comprising:
-
at least one digital input adapted to receive digital signal data from said non-invasive digital sensing apparatus; a digital-to-analog converter configured to directly receive said digital signal data generated by said non-invasive digital sensing apparatus, and adapted to produce an analog output signal based at least in part on said digital signal data; and at least one amplifier operatively coupled to the output of said digital-to-analog converter and disposed in a feedback loop therewith, said at least one amplifier configured to produce an output voltage which is substantially ratio-metric with an excitation voltage produced by said monitoring device; wherein said circuit is further adapted to generate said analog output signal by using said excitation signal as a reference input to said digital-to-analog converter; and wherein said non-invasive digital sensing apparatus is adapted to generate said digital signal data without utilizing said excitation signal. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A circuit adapted for use with a digital pressure sensing apparatus and a monitoring device comprising at least one analog input, the circuit comprising:
-
at least one digital input adapted to receive digital signal data from said digital pressure sensing means; data conversion means configured to directly receive said digital signal data generated by said digital pressure sensing apparatus, and adapted to produce an analog output signal using at least said digital signal data in response; and means for amplifying operatively coupled to the output of said data conversion means and disposed in a feedback loop therewith; wherein said means for amplifying is configured to produce an output voltage which is substantially ratio-metric with an excitation voltage produced by said monitoring device; wherein said circuit is further adapted to generate said analog output signal by using said excitation signal as a reference input to said data conversion means; and wherein said digital pressure sensing apparatus is adapted to generate said digital signal data without utilizing said excitation signal.
-
-
34. A circuit adapted for use with a digital pressure sensing means and a means for monitoring comprising at least one analog input, the circuit comprising:
-
at least one digital input adapted to receive digital signal data from said digital pressure sensing means; a means for data conversion configured to directly receive said digital signal data generated by said digital pressure sensing means, and adapted to produce an analog output signal using at least said digital signal data in response; and means for amplifying operatively coupled to the output of said means for data conversion and disposed in a feedback loop therewith, said means for amplifying is configured to produce an output voltage which is substantially ratio-metric with an excitation voltage produced by said means for monitoring; wherein said circuit is further adapted to generate said analog output signal by using said excitation signal as a reference input to said means for data conversion; and wherein said digital pressure sensing means is adapted to generate said digital signal data without utilizing said excitation signal.
-
-
35. A circuit adapted for use with a non-invasive digital pressure sensing apparatus and a monitoring device comprising at least one analog input, the circuit comprising:
-
at least one digital input adapted to receive digital signal data from said non-invasive digital sensing apparatus; a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to directly receive said digital signal data generated by said non-invasive digital sensing apparatus, and adapted to produce an analog output signal based at least in part on said digital signal data; and at least one amplifier operatively coupled to the output of said DAC and disposed in a feedback loop therewith, said at least one amplifier configured to produce an output voltage which is substantially ratio-metric with an excitation voltage produced by said monitoring device; wherein said circuit is further adapted to generate said analog output signal by using said excitation signal as a reference input to said DAC; and wherein said non-invasive digital sensing apparatus is adapted to generate said digital signal data without utilizing said excitation signal. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
-
-
50. A circuit adapted for use with a digital pressure sensing apparatus and a monitoring device, and further adapted to generate an emulation of the output of an analog pressure sensing apparatus compatible with said monitoring device, said emulation being based at least on (i) digital inputs received from said digital sensing apparatus and (ii) an excitation signal produced by said monitoring device, the circuit comprising:
-
a digital-to-analog converter configured to receive digital inputs generated by said digital sensing apparatus, said digital-to-analog converter adapted to produce an analog output signal using at least said digital inputs; and at least one amplifier operatively coupled to the output of said digital-to-analog converter; wherein said at least one amplifier is configured to produce an output voltage which is substantially ratio-metric with said excitation voltage; and wherein said circuit is adapted to generate said emulation by using said excitation signal as a reference input to said digital-to-analog converter. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54)
-
Specification