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Body-worn pulse oximeter

  • US 8,554,297 B2
  • Filed: 09/14/2009
  • Issued: 10/08/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for monitoring a patient, comprising:

  • (a) positioning a pulse oximetry sensor on a base of the patient'"'"'s thumb, the pulse oximetry sensor comprising a first radiation source configured to emit a first optical radiation at a first wavelength;

    a second radiation source configured to emit a second optical radiation at a second wavelength;

    a photodetector configured to detect the first optical radiation emitted by the first radiation source after the first optical radiation passes through a portion of the patient to generate a first signal, and the second optical radiation emitted by the second radiation source after the second optical radiation passes through a portion of the patient to generate a second signal; and

    a finger-ring housing comprising the first and second radiation sources and the photodetector, wherein the pulse oximetry sensor is positioned such that the first optical radiation emitted by the first radiation source and the second optical radiation emitted by the second radiation source pass through the thumb tissue and are received by the princeps pollicis artery before reaching the photodetector;

    (b) causing the first radiation source to emit the first optical radiation and measuring a first time-dependent signal by detecting the first optical radiation with the photodetector;

    (c) causing the second radiation source to emit the second optical radiation and measuring a second time-dependent signal by detecting the second optical radiation with the photodetector;

    (d) measuring a time-dependent motion signal with at least one motion sensor;

    (e) transmitting the first time-dependent signal, the second time-dependent signal, and the time-dependent motion signal at a processing component;

    (f) processing the time-dependent motion signal with the processing component to determine the patient'"'"'s posture and activity state;

    (g) processing both the first and second time-dependent signals with the processing component to determine an oxygen saturation value for the patient; and

    ,(h) suppressing generation of an alarm based on the oxygen saturation value when the patient'"'"'s posture and activity state meet a predetermined criteria.

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