PROXIMITY SENSOR IN PULSE OXIMETER

• US 20150366507A1
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• Published: 12/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cercacor Laboratories
• Inventors: Blank, Thomas B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,231,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0257 Proximity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/684 Indicating the position of the sensor on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6844 Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for proximity sensing in physiological sensors, and more specifically to using one or more proximity sensors located on or within a physiological sensor to determine the positioning of the physiological sensor on a patient measurement site. Accurate placement of a physiological sensor on the patient measurement site is a key factor in obtaining reliable measurement of physiological parameters of the patient. Proper alignment between a measurement site and a sensor optical assembly provides more accurate physiological measurement data. This alignment can be determined based on data from a proximity sensor or sensors placed on or within the physiological sensor.

Claims

1. A physiological monitoring system comprising:

a sensor housing configured to at least accept a measurement site of a patient, the sensor housing comprising;

a first housing component including an emitter configured to at least emit light at one or more wavelengths when in use,

a second housing component including a detector aligned with the emitter to detect at least a portion of the light, the detector configured to at least generate intensity signals representing detected light when in use, and

a proximity sensor positioned on one or both of the first housing and the second housing; and

a processor configured to at least;

receive data from the proximity sensor representing positioning of the measurement site relative to the proximity sensor, and

based at least partly on the data from the proximity sensor, determine positioning of the measurement site relative to the emitter and the detector.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor comprises a capacitor.

3. The system of claim 1, the second housing component comprising a physical stop positioned to contact the measurement site when inserted into the sensor housing and configured to assist in positioning the measurement site relative to the detector.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the proximity sensor is located along a surface of the physical stop.

5. The system of claim 1, the second housing component comprising a finger bed including a generally curved surface shaped generally to receive the measurement site, the finger bed including an aperture over the detector.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of proximity sensors positioned in an array along a longitudinal axis of the finger bed.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor comprises one or more of an optical, mechanical, or electrical sensor configured to interface with skin of a measurement site.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to:

determine improper alignment of the measurement site and detector based at least partly on the data from the proximity sensor; and

generate a repositioning signal indicating that the measurement site should be repositioned within the sensor housing.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a positioning feedback indicator configured to receive the repositioning indication and output positioning feedback to a user of the system.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a repositioning module configured to receive the repositioning signal and to reposition one or both of the emitter and detector based at least partly on the repositioning signal.

11. A physiological monitoring method comprising:

providing a physiological sensor housing configured to accept a measurement site of a patient, the sensor housing including an optical assembly and a proximity sensor;

detecting a location of the measurement site relative to the proximity sensor; and

based at least partly on the location of the measurement site, determining positioning of the measurement site relative to the optical assembly.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating capacitive sensor data representing a distance between the measurement site and the proximity sensor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining positioning of the measurement site relative to the optical assembly is based at least partly on the distance between the measurement site and the proximity sensor.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating a repositioning indication based at least partly on the positioning of the measurement site relative to the optical assembly.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising mechanically repositioning the optical assembly relative to the measurement site based at least partly on the repositioning feedback.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating repositioning feedback based at least partly on the positioning of the measurement site relative to the optical assembly and the repositioning indication.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising outputting the repositioning feedback to a user of the physiological sensor housing for assistance in manually repositioning of the measurement site within the physiological sensor.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising mechanically repositioning the optical assembly relative to the measurement site based at least partly on the repositioning feedback.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising comparing the positioning of the measurement site relative to the optical assembly to a preferred positioning.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining improper alignment based at least partly on comparing the positioning of the measurement site relative to the optical assembly to the preferred positioning.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising determining a probe off condition based on the improper alignment.