HEART RATE AND RESPIRATORY MONITOR

• US 3,704,706 A
• Filed: 10/23/1969
• Issued: 12/05/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bonita Falkner Herczfeld, Peter R. Herczfeld, Richard D. Klafter
• Original Assignee: Bonita Falkner Herczfeld, Peter R. Herczfeld, Richard D. Klafter
• Inventors: Herczfeld, Peter R., Herczfeld, Bonita Falkner, Klafter, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaudet, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Application Number:
  US04/868,823
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2,2.5T,2.5V,2.5P,2.5F 356/39-42
• US Class Current: 600/324
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters

Abstract

Apparatus for detection of pulse repetition rate and oxygenation of blood flow, comprising a solid state probe having a narrow bandwidth light source housed to direct light upon a patient'"'"''"'"'s finger and a photodetector housed for receiving reflected light from such finger, the output of the detector being connected to electronic circuitry for detecting pulse repetition rate of blood flow and for detecting signal level representative of the degree of oxygenation of the patient'"'"''"'"'s blood. The use of a low power narrow bandwidth light source with a red emission characteristic permits precise detection of the degree of oxygenation of the blood.

Claims

1. Heart rate and respiratory monitor apparatus for detecting pulse repetition rate and oxygenation of blood flow in a patient, comprising:

a. a probe housing having first and second light transmitting faces;

b. a low power solid state laser red light source, having narrow bandwidth emission characteristics, positioned in said probe housing to emit red light through said first face;

c. semiconductor photodetector means for detecting red light reflected thereon, said photodetector means positioned in said housing to receive light through said second face of said housing, such that when said faces of said probe housing aRe positioned contiguous to a periphery of a patient, incident light from said red light source is reflected from such periphery and received by said photodetector means;

d. electronic processing means connected to said photodetector means having pulse repetition rate circuitry and first output means coupled thereto for monitoring said patient'"'"''"'"'s pulse repetition rate, and signal level detection circuitry and second output means coupled thereto for monitoring the degree of oxygenation of said patient'"'"''"'"'s blood; and

e. a power source connected to and supplying energy to said red light source, said photodetector means, and said electronic processing means.

2. Heart rate and respiratory apparatus for detecting the pulse repetition rate and degree of oxygenation of blood flowing in a peripheral portion of a patient, comprising:

a. narrow bandwidth red light means for transmitting incident red light upon said peripheral portion and detecting red light reflected therefrom;

b. a probe housing means for housing said red light means such that, when positioned contiguous to said periphery, some of said incident light is reflected from the blood flowing in said periphery and received by said reflecting means; and

c. electronic processing means connected to said detecting means for transforming said reflected red light into an electrical signal representing said reflected red light, and including pulse repetition rate circuitry for monitoring said patient'"'"''"'"'s pulse repetition rate, and signal level detection circuitry for monitoring the degree of oxygenation of said patient'"'"''"'"'s blood, said red light means including a narrow bandwidth solid state laser mounted within said probe housing means to direct incident red light to said periphery, and a semiconductor photodetector mounted in said probe housing means to receive red light reflected from said periphery.