Probe monitoring system for oximeter

Claim 1

In a monitor system for an oximeter wherein at least two light emitting devices of different wavelengths are alternately energized, the light therefrom being received by a light detector for application to a processing circuit for determining the constituents of a tissue between said light emitting device and light detector, the oximeter including timing means for controlling the light emitting devices, to have different on times and off times and to control the light detector and processing circuits; the improvement wherein said monitor system comprises means responsive to said timing means for separately sensing the voltages of said light emitting devices and the output of said light detector during the absence of energization of said light emitting devices and also during the energization of said light emitting devices to provide a plurality of test values, and data processor means responsive to said test values for indicating the occurrence of any of said test values outside of a determined range corresponding to the respective test value, means enabling the insertion of resistance means in series with one of said light emitting devices as a function of the type of tissue to be measured, and means responsive to the sensed value of said one light emitting devices during its energized time for enabling the setup of the system to make measurements in that type of tissue.

Claim 8

A method for monitoring an oximeter wherein at least two light emitting devices of different wavelengths are alternately energized, the light therefrom being received by a light detector for application to a processing circuit for determining the constituents of a tissue between said light emitting devices and light detector, the oximeter including timing means for controlling said light emitting devices, light detector and processing circuit; said method comprising sensing the voltages across said light emitting devices to provide a plurality of first test values at signal valid times, assigning integer values to said test values, in accordance with their amplitude, to provide a plurality of range values, combining said range values, and testing said combined range values to indicate the operability of said oximeter.

Claim 9

A method for monitoring an oximeter wherein at least two light emitting devices of different wavelengths are alternately energized, the light therefrom being received by a light detector for application to a processing circuit for determining the constituents of a tissue between said light emitting devices and light detector, the oximeter including timing means for controlling said light emitting devices, light detector and processing circuit; said method comprising sensing the voltages across said light emitting devices to provide a plurality of first test values at signal valid times, assigning integer values to said test values, in accordance with their amplitude, to provide a plurality of range values, combining said range values, and testing said combined range values to indicate the operability of said oximeter.