Fingertip oximeter and a method for observing a measurement result thereon

• US 8,185,179 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Choice Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. (Tianjin Chase Sun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Beijing Choice Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. (Tianjin Chase Sun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Xu, Feng, Liu, Shuhai
• Primary Examiner(s): WINAKUR, ERIC FRANK
• Application Number:
  US12/065,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20080242959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,898 Days
• Field of Search: 600/310, 600/322, 600/323, 600/300, 345/418, 345/168
• US Class Current: 600/323
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• 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: A61B 5/72 Signal processing specially adapted for physiological signals or for diagnostic purposes character recognition, recognising digital ink, document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/00; recognition or understanding of postal images G06V30/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

There is provided a fingertip oximeter that has a plurality of display modes which are presented sequentially in a circulating way, allowing users to easily observe a measurement result from any of surrounding directions. The present invention makes users to be able to observe a measurement result of the fingertip oximeter from any of surrounding directions, without the need of bending his/her finger. Thus, any partial occlusion of the arterial blood capillary can be avoided, so that strength of the pulse will not decrease, and strength of the signal will not be affected. As a result, the precision of the measurement is improved.

Claims

1. A fingertip oximeter, comprising:

a display update unit and display for displaying a measurement result to a user using a plurality of display modes which are configured to be presented one by one in a circulating way, headings and parameters of the measurement result being displayed in different directions for the user to observe from any of surrounding directions without changing the direction of the fingertip oximeter relative to the user; and

a manually pressing button for updating the display mode in use,

wherein each display mode divides a screen of the display into a heading area and a parameter area, in which characters in the heading area are presented in an upright standing way or in an upside-down standing way, while the parameter area is provided to show a measurement parameter, or a measurement parameter and a pulse column, or a measurement parameter and a waveform in an upright standing way, in a right laying way, in an upside-down standing way, or in a left laying way,

wherein the display update unit is configured to generate at least six display modes (Mode 0-Mode

     5), wherein;

in Mode 0, the heading is displayed in a landscape upright standing way, measurement parameters are displayed in a landscape upright standing way, and a pulse column for indicating the strength of pulse is displayed in a landscape left standing way;

in Mode 1, the heading, measurement parameters, and the pulse column are respectively displayed in a portrait upright standing way, a portrait right laying way, and a centered standing way;

in Mode 2, the heading, measurement parameters, and the pulse column are respectively displayed in a landscape upside-down standing way, a landscape upside-down standing way, and a right standing way;

in Mode 3, the heading is displayed in a landscape upright standing way, measurement parameters are displayed in a portrait left laying way, and the pulse column is displayed in a centered standing way;

in Mode 4, the heading is displayed in a landscape upright standing way, measurement parameters are displayed in a landscape upright standing way, and a landscape solid waveform is displayed; and

in Mode 5, the heading is displayed in a landscape upright standing way, measurement parameters are displayed in a landscape upright standing way, and a landscape outlined waveform is displayed.

2. A fingertip oximeter according to claim 1, wherein the manually pressing button is configured to receive an instruction for updating the display mode of the fingertip oximeter in use, the fingertip oximeter further comprising:

a central processing unit which is adapted to determine whether any button is pressed down, upon such an operation being detected, set a new display mode and update the display mode in use with the new one, and transmit a signal regarding the new display mode to the display;

a signal drive unit which is adapted to make a light emitter emit a beam of light under control of the central processing unit;

a signal acquisition and amplification unit which is adapted to receive the light passing through the measured tissue, convert it to an electric signal, and transmit the electric signal to the central processing unit; and

a power supply unit, for supplying power to the fingertip oximeter, which includes a power input unit and a power output and management unit, and the button and the power input unit are connected with the power output and management unit respectively.

3. A fingertip oximeter according to claim 2, wherein the central processing unit at least comprises a press scan unit, a switching and setting unit, and the display update unit, in which the press scan unit is adapted to determine whether any button is pressed down, and upon such an operation is detected, transmit a first signal regarding the operation to the switching and setting unit;

and

wherein the switching and setting unit is adapted to receive the first signal from the press scan unit, set a new display mode in consideration of the display mode in use, and transmit a second signal regarding the new display mode to which the display mode in use is to be switched to the display update unit, and the display update unit is adapted to receive the second signal from the switching and setting unit, update the display mode in use, and transmit a third signal regarding the new display mode to the display.

4. A method for observing a measurement result on a fingertip oximeter from any of surrounding directions, the fingertip oximeter comprising a central processing unit, a display, a press scan unit, a switching and setting unit, a button, and a display update unit, the method comprising the following steps:

step

     1) the user inputs an instruction for updating a display mode of the fingertip oximeter in use by pressing the button down;

step

     2) the central processing unit sets a new display mode to which the display mode in use is to be switched, updates the display mode in use with the new display mode, and transmits a signal regarding the new display mode to the display after detecting pressing-down of the button; and

step

     3) the display receives the signal regarding the new display mode to be presented from the central processing unit, and presents a measurement result in an updated new mode,

wherein step

     2) further comprises such substeps that the press scan unit determines whether the button is pressed down, and transmits a first signal regarding pressing-down of the button to the switching and setting unit if it detects that the button is pressed down;

the switching and setting unit receives the first signal from the press scan unit, and sets a new display mode to which the display mode in use is to be switched, and transmits a second signal regarding the new display mode to the display update unit; and

the display update unit receives the second signal from the switching and setting unit, updates the display mode in use, and transmits a third signal regarding the new display mode to the display,

wherein the display update unit is configured to generate at least six display modes (Mode 0-Mode

     5), wherein;

in Mode 0, the heading is displayed in a landscape upright standing way, measurement parameters are displayed in a landscape upright standing way, and a pulse column for indicating the strength of pulse is displayed in a landscape left standing way;

in Mode 1, the heading, measurement parameters, and the pulse column are respectively displayed in a portrait upright standing way, a portrait right laying way, and a centered standing way;

in Mode 2, the heading, measurement parameters, and the pulse column are respectively displayed in a landscape upside-down standing way, a landscape upside-down standing way, and a right standing way;

in Mode 3, the heading is displayed in a landscape upright standing way, measurement parameters are displayed in a portrait left laying way, and the pulse column is displayed in a centered standing way;

in Mode 4, the heading is displayed in a landscape upright standing way, measurement parameters are displayed in a landscape upright standing way, and a landscape solid waveform is displayed; and

in Mode 5, the heading is displayed in a landscape upright standing way, measurement parameters are displayed in a landscape upright standing way, and a landscape outlined waveform is displayed.