Apparatus and Methods for Monitoring Hypoxia

• US 20190328294A1
• Filed: 04/24/2019
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph Foresto
• Original Assignee: Joseph Foresto
• Inventors: Foresto, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 11,266,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0247 for compensation or correction of the measured physiological value
• 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 5/02433 for infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6816 Ear lobe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick

Abstract

An oximetry device for monitoring blood oxygen saturation of a user includes a main body and a wrist strap coupled with the main body and adapted to removably secure the main body on a wrist of the user during operation of the device. The main body includes an oximeter sensor adapted to generate an output signal indicative of measured blood oxygen saturation, a controller in operative communication with the oximeter sensor and configured to determine a percentage blood oxygen saturation of the user as a function of the output signal generated by the oximeter sensor, and a display for presenting visual information generated by the controller to the user. The display includes a changeable backlighting color, the controller being configured to adjust a color of the display backlighting as a function of a measured blood oxygen saturation of the user.

Claims

1. An oximetry device for monitoring blood oxygen saturation of a user, the oximetry device comprising:

a main body; and

a wrist strap coupled with the main body and adapted to removably secure the main body on a wrist of the user during operation of the device;

wherein the main body includes an oximeter sensor adapted to generate an output signal indicative of measured blood oxygen saturation, a controller in operative communication with the oximeter sensor and configured to determine a percentage blood oxygen saturation of the user as a function of the output signal generated by the oximeter sensor, and a display for presenting visual information generated by the controller to the user, the display including a changeable backlighting color, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a color of the display backlighting as a function of a measured blood oxygen saturation of the user.

2. The oximetry device according to claim 1, wherein the main body further comprises an interface in operative communication with the controller, the interface being configured to at least one of transmit signals from the controller and receive signals to be presented to the controller for subsequent processing.

3. The oximetry device according to claim 2, wherein the oximetry device is operable in a group protection mode, and wherein the interface comprises a wireless interface configured to communicate with at least a second oximetry device, also configured in a group protection mode, using a wireless communication protocol, a controller in the second oximetry device being adapted to receive an alert signal from the oximetry device when the blood oxygen saturation of the user of the oximetry device falls below a prescribed threshold level and to present an alert indication to a user of the second oximetry device.

4. The oximetry device according to claim 1, wherein the main body further comprises a position module in operative communication with the controller and configured to obtain location information relating to the oximetry device, the location information including at least one of terrestrial coordinates and altitude.

5. The oximetry device of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to determine a state of hypoxia of the user as a function of at least one of the measured blood oxygen saturation of the user and the location information of the user.

6. The oximetry device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to present an alert indication to the user when the blood oxygen saturation of the user falls below a prescribed threshold level.

7. The oximetry device of claim 6, wherein the alert indication comprises at least one of a visual indication, an audible indication and a tactile indication.

8. The oximetry device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured:

to set the display backlighting to a first color when the measured blood oxygen saturation level of the user is within a first range;

to set the display backlighting to a second color when the measured blood oxygen saturation level of the user is within a second range; and

to set the display backlighting to a third color when the measured blood oxygen saturation level of the user is within a third range.

9. The oximetry device of claim 8, wherein the first color is green, the second color is orange and the third color is red, and wherein the first range is about 93 percent to 100 percent, the second range is about 80 percent to 92 percent, and the third range is less than 80 percent.

10. The oximetry device of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to cause the device to vibrate intermittently when the measured blood oxygen saturation level of the user is within the second range, and to cause the device to vibrate continuously when the measured blood oxygen saturation level of the user is within the third range.

11. The oximetry device of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to cause the device to emit an intermittent audible alert when the measured blood oxygen saturation level of the user is within the second range, and to cause the device to emit a continuous audible alert when the measured blood oxygen saturation level of the user is within the third range.

12. The oximetry device of claim 1, wherein the main body further comprises memory in operative communication with the controller, the memory storing at least one of historical physiological information of the user, historical environmental information, and one or more user preferences affecting an operation of the device.

13. The oximetry device of claim 1, wherein the main body further comprises signal conditioning circuitry configured to at least one of amplify a voltage level of an output signal generated by the oximeter sensor and to remove noise components present in the output signal generated by the oximeter sensor.