Physiological monitoring devices, systems, and methods

• US 10,646,146 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2019
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Inventors: Al-Ali, Ammar
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fardanesh, Marjan
• Application Number:
  US16/532,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20190350506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/04 Arrangements of multiple sensors of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4875 Hydration status, fluid retention of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

A non-invasive, optical-based physiological monitoring system is disclosed. One embodiment includes an emitter configured to emit light. A diffuser is configured to receive and spread the emitted light, and to emit the spread light at a tissue measurement site. The system further includes a concentrator configured to receive the spread light after it has been attenuated by or reflected from the tissue measurement site. The concentrator is also configured to collect and concentrate the received light and to emit the concentrated light to a detector. The detector is configured to detect the concentrated light and to transmit a signal representative of the detected light. A processor is configured to receive the transmitted signal and to determine a physiological parameter, such as, for example, arterial oxygen saturation, in the tissue measurement site.

Claims

1. A physiological monitoring device comprising:

a plurality of emitters configured to emit light in a first shape;

a material positioned between the plurality of emitters and a tissue measurement site on a wrist of a user, the material configured to alter the first shape into a second shape by which the light emitted from one or more of the plurality of emitters is distributed onto a surface of the tissue measurement site;

a plurality of detectors configured to detect the light after attenuation by tissue, the plurality of detectors further configured to output at least one signal responsive to the detected light;

a surface comprising a dark-colored coating, the surface positioned between the plurality of detectors and the tissue, wherein an opening defined in the dark-colored coating is configured to allow at least a portion of light reflected from the tissue to pass through the surface;

a light block configured to prevent at least a portion of the light emitted from the plurality of emitters from reaching the plurality of detectors without first reaching the tissue; and

a processor configured to receive and process one or more signals responsive to the at least one outputted signal and determine a physiological parameter of the user responsive to the one or more signals.

2. The physiological monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to present visual feedback responsive to the determined physiological parameter.

3. The physiological monitoring device of claim 2, wherein the display is a touch-screen display.

4. The physiological monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of emitters and the plurality of detectors are arranged in a reflectance measurement configuration.

5. The physiological monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the light block comprises an at least partially circular shape, and wherein the plurality of emitters are positioned outside the light block and the plurality of detectors are positioned inside the light block.

6. The physiological monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the physiological parameter comprises pulse rate.

7. The physiological monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the material comprises plastic.

8. The physiological monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the material comprises glass.

9. The physiological monitoring device of claim 1, wherein an amount of light transmitted by the material to the tissue measurement site is greater than 90% of the light emitted by the plurality of emitters.

10. The physiological monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the light emitted from the one or more of the plurality of emitters comprises a Gausian intensity profile after interaction with the material.

11. The physiological monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the second shape comprises a circular geometry.

12. The physiological monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the opening defined in the dark-colored coating comprises a width and a length, and wherein the width is larger than the length.

13. The physiological monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the dark-colored coating comprises black.

14. A method of measuring a physiological parameter, the method comprising:

emitting, from a plurality of emitters, light proximate a wrist of a user in an initial emitted pattern;

shaping at least a portion of the light emitted from the plurality of emitters before the light reaches a tissue measurement site to define an altered pattern relative to the initial emitted pattern on the tissue measurement site;

permitting light reflected from tissue of the user to pass through an opening in a dark-colored coating on a surface and detecting, with a detector, at least a portion of the reflected light passing through the opening, wherein the surface is positioned between the detector and the tissue;

preventing at least a portion of the light emitted from the plurality of emitters from reaching the detector without first reaching the tissue with a light block;

outputting, from the detector, at least one signal responsive to the detected light; and

electronically processing one or more signals responsive to the outputted at least one signal to determine a physiological parameter.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the light block comprises an at least partially circular shape, and wherein the plurality of emitters are positioned outside the light block and the detector is positioned inside the light block.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising presenting, with a display, visual feedback responsive to the determined physiological parameter.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the dark-colored coating comprises black.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of shaping the at least the portion of the light emitted from the plurality of emitters is performed with a material comprising at least one of glass and plastic.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the opening in the dark-colored coating comprises a width and a length, and wherein the width is larger than the length.

20. A physiological monitoring device comprising:

a plurality of optical sources configured to emit light proximate a wrist of a user;

a material positioned between the plurality of optical sources and a tissue measurement site, wherein the material is configured to alter a shape by which at least a portion of the light emitted from one or more of the plurality of emitters is distributed on the tissue measurement site;

a light block having a circular shape;

a plurality of detectors configured to detect the light after the light passes through a portion of the tissue measurement site bounded by the light block, wherein the plurality of detectors are arranged in an array having a spatial configuration corresponding to a shape of the portion of the tissue measurement site bounded by the circular shaped light block, wherein the plurality of detectors are further configured to output at least one signal responsive to the detected light, and wherein the plurality of optical sources and the plurality of detectors are arranged in a reflectance measurement configuration;

wherein the light block is configured to prevent at least a portion of light emitted from the plurality of optical sources from reaching the plurality of detectors without first reaching the tissue;

a processor configured to receive and process one or more signals responsive to the at least one outputted signal and determine a physiological parameter of the user responsive to the one or more signals; and

wherein the physiological monitoring device is configured to transmit physiological parameter data to a separate processor.

21. The physiological monitoring device of claim 20, wherein the material comprises at least one of glass and plastic.

22. The physiological monitoring device of claim 20, wherein the altered shape comprises a width and a length, and wherein the width is different from the length.

23. A system configured to measure one or more physiological parameters of a user, the system comprising:

a physiological monitoring device comprising;

a plurality of emitters configured to emit light proximate a wrist of a user in a first shape;

a material positioned between the plurality of emitters and a tissue measurement site, the material configured to alter the first shape into a second shape by which the light emitted from one or more of the plurality of emitters is distributed on the tissue measurement site;

a plurality of detectors configured to detect the light after attenuation by tissue, the plurality of detectors further configured to output at least one signal responsive to the detected light;

a surface comprising a dark-colored coating, the surface positioned between the plurality of detectors and the tissue, wherein an opening defined in the dark-colored coating is configured to allow at least a portion of light reflected from the tissue to pass through the surface;

a light block configured to prevent at least a portion of light from the plurality of emitters from reaching the plurality of detectors without first reaching the tissue; and

a processor configured to receive and process one or more signals responsive to the outputted at least one signal and determine a physiological parameter of the user responsive to the one or more signals; and

a processing device configured to wirelessly receive physiological parameter data from the physiological monitoring device, wherein the processing device comprises a user interface, a storage device, and a network interface configured to wirelessly communicate with the physiological monitoring device, and wherein the user interface includes a touch-screen display configured to present visual feedback responsive to the physiological parameter data.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the system is configured to determine a state of wellness of the user based on the determined physiological parameter.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the system is configured to determine a trend of wellness of the user based on the determined physiological parameter.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the visual feedback presented by the touch-screen display is responsive to a pulse rate of the user.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the material comprises at least one of glass and plastic.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the second shape comprises a width and a length, and wherein the width is different from the length.