Secondary-emitter sensor position indicator
First Claim
1. An optical sensor which is attachable to a tissue site so as to transmit light into the tissue site and detect the light after attenuation by pulsatile blood flow within the tissue site, the optical sensor comprising:
- primary emitters generating light generally centered around each of a plurality of primary wavelengths;
a detector outputting a sensor signal responsive to the detected light; and
a secondary emitter that generates light generally centered around a secondary wavelength;
the secondary emitter transmitted light configured to be at least substantially attenuated by tissue;
wherein the detector, in a sensor-on condition, is at least substantially blocked by the tissue site from the secondary emitter; and
wherein the detector, in a sensor out-of-position condition, is at least partially exposed to the secondary emitter so that the sensor signal is responsive to the secondary wavelength light.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A secondary-emitter sensor position indicator has primary emitters that transmit light having primary wavelengths and at least one secondary emitter that transmits light having at least one secondary wavelength. A detector outputs a sensor signal in response to received light. An attachment assembly, in a sensor-on condition, positions the emitters and detector relative to a tissue site so that the sensor signal is substantially responsive to the primary wavelength light after attenuation by pulsatile blood flow within the tissue site and is negligibly responsive to the secondary wavelength light. The attachment assembly, in a sensor out-of-position condition, positions the secondary emitter relative to the tissue site so that the sensor signal is at least partially responsive to the secondary wavelength.
786 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An optical sensor which is attachable to a tissue site so as to transmit light into the tissue site and detect the light after attenuation by pulsatile blood flow within the tissue site, the optical sensor comprising:
-
primary emitters generating light generally centered around each of a plurality of primary wavelengths; a detector outputting a sensor signal responsive to the detected light; and a secondary emitter that generates light generally centered around a secondary wavelength; the secondary emitter transmitted light configured to be at least substantially attenuated by tissue; wherein the detector, in a sensor-on condition, is at least substantially blocked by the tissue site from the secondary emitter; and wherein the detector, in a sensor out-of-position condition, is at least partially exposed to the secondary emitter so that the sensor signal is responsive to the secondary wavelength light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A sensor position indicator having an optical sensor with a sensor-on condition in which the optical sensor is attached to and aligned with a tissue site so as to transmit light into the tissue site and detect the light after attenuation by pulsatile blood flow within the tissue site and a sensor out-of-position condition in which the sensor is unattached to or misaligned with the tissue site, the sensor position indicator comprising:
-
an optical sensor having a plurality of primary emitters and a detector; the primary emitters generating light generally centered around each of a plurality of primary wavelengths; the primary emitters configured to transmit light into a tissue site; the detector configured to output a sensor signal responsive to detected light; a secondary emitter that generates light generally centered around a secondary wavelength; the secondary emitter transmitted light chosen to be at least substantially attenuated by the tissue site; the detector, in the sensor-on condition, is at least substantially blocked by the tissue site from the secondary emitter; the detector, in a sensor out-of-position condition, is at least partially exposed to the secondary emitter so that the sensor signal is responsive to the secondary wavelength light; and a processor responsive to the sensor signal so as to calculate a blood-related physiological parameter in the sensor-on condition and so as to indicate the sensor is unattached to or misaligned with the tissue site in the sensor out-of-position condition. - View Dependent Claims (7)
-
-
8. An optical sensing method comprising:
-
providing an optical sensor having a primary emitter and a detector; activating the primary emitter with a primary drive signal so as to transmit light having a primary wavelength into a fleshy tissue site; activating a secondary emitter with a secondary drive signal so as to transmit light having a secondary wavelength proximate the fleshy tissue site; detecting the primary wavelength light after attenuation by pulsatile blood flow within the tissue site; detecting the secondary wavelength light; calculating a physiological parameter according to detected primary wavelength light; and determining a sensor position of the primary emitter and the detector relative to the fleshy tissue site according to the detection of secondary wavelength light. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A physiological measurement system comprising:
-
an optical sensor having a plurality of primary emitters, at least one secondary emitter, a detector and an attachment assembly; a physiological monitor in communications with the optical sensor; the primary emitters transmit light having a plurality of primary wavelengths; the at least one secondary emitter transmits light having at least one secondary wavelength; the detector outputs a sensor signal in response to received light; the attachment assembly positions the emitters and detector relative to a tissue site, and the physiological monitor indicates a sensor out-of-position condition when the sensor signal is at least partially responsive to the at least one secondary wavelength; wherein the secondary emitter is driven synchronously relative to the primary emitters. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification