Multi-channel non-invasive tissue oximeter
First Claim
1. A method for comparative spectrophotometric in vivo monitoring and display of selected blood metabolites present in a plurality of different internal regions of the same test subject on a continuing and substantially concurrent basis, comprising the steps of:
- applying separate spectrophotometric sensors to a test subject at each of a plurality of separate testing sites and coupling each of said sensors to a control and processing station;
operating a selected number of said sensors on a substantially concurrent basis to spectrophotometrically irradiate at least two separate internal regions of the test subject during a common time interval, each of said regions being associated with a different of said testing sites;
separately detecting and receiving light energy resulting from said spectrophotometric irradiation for each of said at least two separate internal regions, and conveying separate sets of signals to said control and processing station which correspond to the separately detected light energy from said at least two separate internal regions;
separately and concurrently analyzing said conveyed separate sets of signals to separately determine quantified data representative of a blood metabolite in each of said at least two separate internal regions; and
concurrently visually displaying said separately determined quantified data for each of said at least two separate internal regions for direct concurrent mutual comparison, wherein said sensors are applied to a head of the test subject and are used to monitor two mutually separate regions within a brain of the test subject.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for spectrophotometric in vivo monitoring of blood metabolites such as hemoglobin oxygen concentration at a plurality of different areas or regions on the same organ or test site on an ongoing basis, by applying a plurality of spectrophotometric sensors to a test subject at each of a corresponding plurality of testing sites and coupling each such sensor to a control and processing station, operating each of said sensors to spectrophotometrically irradiate a particular region within the test subject; detecting and receiving the light energy resulting from said spectrophotometric irradiation for each such region and conveying corresponding signals to said control and processing station, analyzing said conveyed signals to determine preselected blood metabolite data, and visually displaying the data so determined for each of a plurality of said areas or regions in a comparative manner.
REEXAMINATION RESULTS
The questions raised in reexamination proceeding No. 90/010,128, filed Mar. 31, 2008, have been considered, and the results thereof are reflected in this reissue patent which constitutes the reexamination certificate required by 35 U.S.C. 307 as provided in 37 CFR 1.570(e) for ex parte reexaminations, or the reexamination certificate required by 35 U.S.C. 316 as provided in 37 CFR 1.997(e) for inter partes reexaminations.
36 Citations
174 Claims
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1. A method for comparative spectrophotometric in vivo monitoring and display of selected blood metabolites present in a plurality of different internal regions of the same test subject on a continuing and substantially concurrent basis, comprising the steps of:
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applying separate spectrophotometric sensors to a test subject at each of a plurality of separate testing sites and coupling each of said sensors to a control and processing station; operating a selected number of said sensors on a substantially concurrent basis to spectrophotometrically irradiate at least two separate internal regions of the test subject during a common time interval, each of said regions being associated with a different of said testing sites; separately detecting and receiving light energy resulting from said spectrophotometric irradiation for each of said at least two separate internal regions, and conveying separate sets of signals to said control and processing station which correspond to the separately detected light energy from said at least two separate internal regions; separately and concurrently analyzing said conveyed separate sets of signals to separately determine quantified data representative of a blood metabolite in each of said at least two separate internal regions; and concurrently visually displaying said separately determined quantified data for each of said at least two separate internal regions for direct concurrent mutual comparison, wherein said sensors are applied to a head of the test subject and are used to monitor two mutually separate regions within a brain of the test subject. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for concurrent comparative spectrophotometric in vivo monitoring of selected blood metabolites present in each of a plurality of different internal regions on a continuing basis, comprising:
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a plurality of spectrophotometric sensors, each attachable to a test subject at different test locations and adapted to separately but concurrently spectrophotometrically irradiate at least two different internal regions within the test subject associated with each of said test locations; a controller and circuitry coupling each of said sensors to said controller for separately and individually but concurrently operating certain of said sensors to spectrophotometrically irradiate each of said different internal regions within the test subject associated with each of said test locations; said sensors each further adapted to receive light energy resulting from the separate spectrophotometric irradiation of said sensors'"'"' associated one of said at least two different internal regions on a substantially concurrent basis with other said sensors, and to produce separate signals corresponding to the light energy received, said circuitry acting to convey said separate signals to said controller for separate analytic processing; said controller adapted to analytically process said conveyed signals separately and determine separate quantified blood metabolite data therefrom for each of said sensors and said sensors'"'"' associated one of said at least two different internal regions; and a visual display coupled to said controller and adapted to separately but concurrently display the quantified blood metabolite data determined for each of said sensors in a mutually-comparative manner, wherein said sensors are adapted to be applied to a head of the test subject and to monitor a brain of the test subject. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for concurrent comparative in vivo monitoring of blood metabolites in each of a plurality of different internal regions in a selected test subject, comprising the steps of:
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spectrophotometrically irradiating each of a plurality of different testing sites on said test subject; detecting light energy resulting from said spectrophotometric irradiation of said testing sites, and providing separate sets of signals to a control and processing station which are representative of the light energy received by each of said testing sites and which cooperatively define blood metabolite data for an individual one of at least two different internal regions; analyzing said separate signals to determine quantified blood metabolite data representative of at least one defined region within said at least one test subject associated with each of at least two different of said testing sites, each said defined region being different from the other; and concurrently displaying data sets for each of said at least two different internal regions at substantially the same time for direct mutual comparison, wherein said at least two different internal regions are located within different brain hemispheres of said test subject. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. Apparatus for spectrophotometric in vivo monitoring of a selected metabolic condition in each of a plurality of different test subject regions on a substantially concurrent basis, comprising:
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a plurality of spectrophotometric emitters, each adapted to separately spectrophotometrically irradiate a designated region within a test subject from a test location on said test subject; a controller and circuitry coupling each of said emitters to said controller for individually operating selected ones of said emitters to spectrophotometrically irradiate at least two particular regions within the test subject; a plurality of detectors, each adapted to separately receive light energy resulting from the spectrophotometric irradiation of said at least two particular regions, and to produce at least one separate set of signals for each one of said at least two particular regions; and
circuitry acting to convey said at least one separate set of signals to said controller for analytic processing;said controller adapted to analytically process said at least one separate set of signals to determine separate sets of quantified data representative of a metabolic condition in said at least two particular regions; and a visual display coupled to said controller and adapted to display separate representations of said separate sets of quantified data for each of said at least two particular regions in a mutually-comparative manner and on a substantially concurrent basis, wherein at least two of said at least two particular regions are located in mutually separate regions of a brain of said test subject. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for comparative spectrophotometric in vivo monitoring and display of selected blood metabolites present in a plurality of different internal regions of the same test subject on a continuing and substantially simultaneous basis, comprising the steps of:
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applying separate spectrophotometric sensors to a test subject at each of a plurality of separate testing sites on a head of said test subject and coupling each of said sensors to a control and processing station; electronically controlling a selected number of said sensors in sequence on a substantially simultaneous basis to spectrophotometrically irradiate at least two separate internal regions within a brain of the test subject during a common time interval in a manner that reduces cross-talk between said sensors, each of said regions being associated with different ones of said testing sites; separately detecting and receiving light energy resulting from said spectrophotometric irradiation for each of said at least two separate internal regions, and conveying separate sets of signals to said control and processing station which correspond to the separately detected light energy from said at least two separate internal regions; separately and simultaneously analyzing said conveyed separate sets of signals to separately determine data representative of a blood metabolite level in each of said at least two separate internal regions; and substantially simultaneously visually displaying said separately determined data for each of said at least two separate internal regions for direct simultaneous mutual comparison. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. An apparatus for substantially simultaneous comparative spectrophotometric in vivo monitoring of selected blood metabolites present in each of a plurality of different internal regions on a continuing basis, comprising:
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a plurality of spectrophotometric sensors, each attachable to a test subject at different test locations on a head of said subject and configured to separately but substantially simultaneously spectrophotometrically irradiate at least two different internal regions within a brain of the test subject associated with each of said test locations; a controller and circuitry coupling each of said sensors to said controller configured for separately and individually but substantially simultaneously operating certain of said sensors in sequence to spectrophotometrically irradiate each of said different internal regions within the test subject associated with each of said test locations in a manner that reduces cross-talk between said sensors; said sensors each further configured to receive light energy resulting from the separate spectrophotometric irradiation of said sensors'"'"' associated one of said at least two different internal regions on a substantially simultaneous basis with other said sensors, and to produce separate signals corresponding to the light energy received, said circuitry acting to convey said separate signals to said controller for separate analytic processing; said controller configured to analytically process said conveyed signals separately and determine separate blood metabolite levels therefrom for each of said sensors and said sensors'"'"' associated one of said at least two different internal regions; and a visual display coupled to said controller and configured to separately but substantially simultaneously display the blood metabolite levels determined for each of said sensors in a mutually-comparative manner. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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85. A method for substantially simultaneous comparative in vivo monitoring of blood metabolites in each of a plurality of different internal regions in a selected test subject, comprising the steps of:
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spectrophotometrically irradiating, in sequence on a substantially simultaneous basis, each of a plurality of different testing sites on said test subject via electronic control in a manner that reduces cross-talk between said spectrophotometric irradiation of said testing sites; detecting light energy resulting from said spectrophotometric irradiation of said testing sites, and providing separate sets of signals to a control and processing station which are representative of the light energy received by each of said testing sites and which cooperatively define blood metabolite data for an individual one of at least two different internal regions located within different brain hemispheres of said test subject; analyzing said separate signals to determine a blood metabolite level representative of at least one defined region within said at least one test subject for each of at least two different of said testing sites, each said defined region being different from the other; and substantially simultaneously displaying data sets for each of said at least two different internal regions at substantially the same time for direct mutual comparison. - View Dependent Claims (86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98)
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99. Apparatus for spectrophotometric in vivo monitoring of a selected metabolic condition in each of a plurality of different test subject regions on a substantially simultaneous basis, comprising:
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a plurality of spectrophotometric emitters, each configured to separately spectrophotometrically irradiate a designated region within a test subject from a test location on said test subject; a controller and circuitry coupling each of said emitters to said controller configured for individually operating selected ones of said emitters in sequence on a substantially simultaneous basis to separately spectrophotometrically irradiate at least two particular regions within the test subject in a manner that reduces cross-talk between said spectrophotometric irradiation of said at least two particular regions; a plurality of detectors, each configured to separately receive light energy resulting from the spectrophotometric irradiation of an associated one of said at least two particular regions, and to produce at least one separate set of signals for said associated one of said at least two particular regions; and
circuitry acting to convey said at least one separate set of signals to said controller for analytic processing;said controller configured to analytically process said at least one separate set of signals to determine separate sets of data representative of a blood metabolite level in said at least two particular regions; and a visual display coupled to said controller and configured to display separate representations of said separate sets of data for each of said at least two particular regions in a mutually-comparative manner and on a substantially simultaneous basis, wherein at least two of said at least two particular regions are located in mutually separate regions of a brain of said test subject. - View Dependent Claims (100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117)
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118. A method for comparative spectrophotometric in vivo monitoring and display of selected blood metabolites present in a plurality of different internal regions of the same test subject on a continuing and substantially simultaneous basis, comprising the steps of:
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applying separate spectrophotometric sensors to a test subject at each of a plurality of separate testing sites on the body at which blood metabolite measurements may be made and coupling each of said sensors to a control and processing station; electronically controlling a selected number of said sensors in sequence on a substantially simultaneous basis to spectrophotometrically irradiate at least two separate internal regions of the test subject during a common time interval in a manner that reduces cross-talk between said sensors, each of said regions being associated with different ones of said testing sites; separately detecting and receiving light energy resulting from said spectrophotometric irradiation for each of said at least two separate internal regions, and conveying separate sets of signals to said control and processing station which correspond to the separately detected light energy from said at least two separate internal regions; separately and simultaneously analyzing said conveyed separate sets of signals to separately determine data representative of a blood metabolite level in each of said at least two separate internal regions; and substantially simultaneously visually displaying said separately determined data for each of said at least two separate internal regions for direct simultaneous mutual comparison and observation of relative changes. - View Dependent Claims (119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126)
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127. An apparatus for substantially simultaneous comparative spectrophotometric in vivo monitoring of selected blood metabolites present in each of a plurality of different internal regions on a continuing basis, comprising:
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a plurality of spectrophotometric sensors, each attachable to a test subject at different test locations on the body at which blood metabolite measurements may be made and configured to separately but substantially simultaneously spectrophotometrically irradiate at least two different internal regions within the test subject associated with each of said test locations; a controller and circuitry coupling each of said sensors to said controller configured for separately and individually but substantially simultaneously operating certain of said sensors in sequence to spectrophotometrically irradiate each of said different internal regions within the test subject associated with each of said test locations in a manner that reduces cross-talk between said sensors; said sensors each further configured to receive light energy resulting from the separate spectrophotometric irradiation of said sensors'"'"' associated one of said at least two different internal regions on a substantially simultaneous basis with other said sensors, and to produce separate signals corresponding to the light energy received, said circuitry acting to convey said separate signals to said controller for separate analytic processing; said controller configured to analytically process said conveyed signals separately and determine separate blood metabolite levels therefrom for each of said sensors and said sensors'"'"' associated one of said at least two different internal regions; and a visual display coupled to said controller and configured to separately but substantially simultaneously display the blood metabolite levels determined for each of said sensors in a mutually-comparative manner through direct simultaneous mutual comparison and observation of relative changes. - View Dependent Claims (128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134)
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135. A method for substantially simultaneous comparative in vivo monitoring of blood metabolites in each of a plurality of different internal regions in a selected test subject, comprising the steps of:
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spectrophotometrically irradiating each of a plurality of different testing sites on said test subject via electronic control, in sequence on a substantially simultaneous basis, in a manner that reduces cross-talk between said spectrophotometric irradiation of said testing sites, said sites being locations on the body at which blood metabolite measurements are made; detecting light energy resulting from said spectrophotometric irradiation of said testing sites, and providing separate sets of signals to a control and processing station which are representative of the light energy received by each of said testing sites and which cooperatively define blood metabolite data for an individual one of at least two different internal regions; analyzing said separate signals to determine a blood metabolite level representative of at least one defined region within said at least one test subject for each of at least two different of said testing sites, each said defined region being different from the other; and substantially simultaneously displaying data sets for each of said at least two different internal regions at substantially the same time for direct mutual comparison and observation of relative changes. - View Dependent Claims (136, 137, 138)
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139. Apparatus for spectrophotometric in vivo monitoring of a selected metabolic condition in each of a plurality of different test subject regions on a substantially simultaneous basis, comprising:
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a plurality of spectrophotometric emitters, each configured to separately spectrophotometrically irradiate a designated region within a test subject from a test location on said test subject, said test location being a site on the body at which a blood metabolite measurement may be made; a controller and circuitry coupling each of said emitters to said controller configured for individually operating, in sequence on a substantially simultaneous basis, selected ones of said emitters to separately spectrophotometrically irradiate at least two particular regions within the test subject in a manner that reduces cross-talk between said spectrophotometric irradiation of said at least two particular regions; a plurality of detectors, each configured to separately receive light energy resulting from the spectrophotometric irradiation of an associated one of said at least two particular regions, and to produce at least one separate set of signals for said associated one of said at least two particular regions; and
circuitry acting to convey said at least one separate set of signals to said controller for analytic processing;said controller configured to analytically process said at least one separate set of signals to determine separate sets of data representative of a blood metabolite level in said at least two particular regions; and a visual display coupled to said controller and configured to display separate representations of said separate sets of data for each of said at least two particular regions in a mutually-comparative manner and on substantially simultaneous basis through direct simultaneous mutual comparison and observation of relative changes. - View Dependent Claims (140, 141)
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142. A method for comparative spectrophotometric in vivo monitoring and display of selected blood metabolites present in a plurality of different internal regions of the same test subject on a continuing and substantially simultaneous basis, comprising the steps of:
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applying separate spectrophotometric sensors to a test subject at each of a plurality of separate testing sites and coupling each of said sensors to a control and processing station; electronically controlling a selected number of said sensors in sequence on a substantially simultaneous basis to spectrophotometrically irradiate at least two separate internal regions of the test subject during a common time interval in a manner that reduces cross-talk between said sensors, each of said regions being associated with different ones of said testing sites; separately detecting and receiving light energy resulting from said spectrophotometric irradiation for each of said at least two separate internal regions, and conveying separate sets of signals to said control and processing station which correspond to the separately detected light energy from said at least two separate internal regions; separately and simultaneously analyzing said conveyed separate sets of signals to separately determine data representative of a blood metabolite level in each of said at least two separate internal regions; and substantially simultaneously visually displaying information reflecting said separately determined data for each of said at least two separate internal regions for direct simultaneous mutual comparison. - View Dependent Claims (143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150)
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151. An apparatus for substantially simultaneous comparative spectrophotometric in vivo monitoring of selected blood metabolites present in each of a plurality of different internal regions on a continuing basis, comprising:
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a plurality of spectrophotometric sensors, each attachable to a test subject at different test locations in the body and configured to separately but substantially simultaneously spectrophotometrically irradiate at least two different internal regions within the test subject associated with each of said test locations; a controller and circuitry coupling each of said sensors to said controller configured for separately and individually but substantially simultaneously operating certain of said sensors in sequence to spectrophotometrically irradiate each of said different internal regions within the test subject associated with each of said test locations in a manner that reduces cross-talk between said sensors; said sensors each further configured to receive light energy resulting from the separate spectrophotometric irradiation of said sensors'"'"' associated one of said at least two different internal regions on a substantially simultaneous basis with other said sensors, and to produce separate signals corresponding to the light energy received, said circuitry acting to convey said separate signals to said controller for separate analytic processing; said controller configured to analytically process said conveyed signals separately and determine separate blood metabolite levels therefrom for each of said sensors and said sensors'"'"' associated one of said at least two different internal regions; and a visual display coupled to said controller and configured to separately but substantially simultaneously display information reflecting the blood metabolite levels determined for each of said sensors in a mutually-comparative manner. - View Dependent Claims (152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158)
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159. A method for substantially simultaneous comparative in vivo monitoring of blood metabolites in each of a plurality of different internal regions in a selected test subject, comprising the steps of:
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spectrophotometrically irradiating each of a plurality of different testing sites on said test subject via electronic control, in sequence on a substantially simultaneous basis, in a manner that reduces cross-talk between said spectrophotometric irradiation of said testing sites; detecting light energy resulting from said spectrophotometric irradiation of said testing sites, and providing separate sets of signals to a control and processing station which are representative of the light energy received by each of said testing sites and which cooperatively define blood metabolite data for an individual one of at least two different internal regions; analyzing said separate signals to determine a blood metabolite level representative of at least one defined region within said at least one test subject for each of at least two different of said testing sites, each said defined region being different from the other; and substantially simultaneously displaying information determined from data sets for each of said at least two different internal regions at substantially the same time for direct mutual comparison. - View Dependent Claims (160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165)
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166. Apparatus for spectrophotometric in vivo monitoring of a selected metabolic condition in each of a plurality of different test subject regions on a substantially simultaneous basis, comprising:
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a plurality of spectrophotometric emitters, each configured to separately spectrophotometrically irradiate a designated region within a test subject from a test location on said test subject; a controller and circuitry coupling each of said emitters to said controller configured for individually operating selected ones of said emitters in sequence on a substantially simultaneous basis to separately spectrophotometrically irradiate at least two particular regions within the test subject in a manner that reduces cross-talk between said spectrophotometric irradiation of said at least two particular regions; a plurality of detectors, each configured to separately receive light energy resulting from the spectrophotometric irradiation of an associated one of said at least two particular regions, and to produce at least one separate set of signals for said associated one of said at least two particular regions; and
circuitry acting to convey said at least one separate set of signals to said controller for analytic processing;said controller configured to analytically process said at least one separate set of signals to determine separate sets of data representative of a blood metabolite level in said at least two particular regions; and a visual display coupled to said controller and configured to display separate representations of said separate sets of data for each of said at least two particular regions in a mutually-comparative manner and on a substantially simultaneous basis. - View Dependent Claims (167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174)
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Specification