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US5779630A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Medical sensor with modulated encoding scheme

Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC
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Filing: 1995-05-26
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Granted: 1998-07-14
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Expires: 2015-05-26
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Abstract

Abstract The present invention provides an encoding mechanism for a medical sensor which uses a modulated signal to provide the coded data to a remote analyzer. The modulated signal could be, for instance, a pulse width modulated signal or a frequency modulated signal. This signal is amplitude independent and thus provides a significant amount of noise immunity.

Inventors

  • 👤 Michael E. Fein
  • 👤 David C. Jenkins
  • 👤 Michael J. Bernstein
  • 👤 K. L. Venkatachalam
  • 👤 Adnan I. Merchant
  • 👤 Charles H. Bowden

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 20:56
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/145; A61B5/1455; A61B5/14551; A61B5/0002; A61B5/72; A61B5/7228; A61B2562/00; A61B2562/08

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 92 words
A pulse oximeter sensor comprising: a first emitter which emits light of a first known wavelength; a photosensor for sensing the light emitted by the first emitter; a transmitter for coupling said sensor to a remote oximeter; an encoder for encoding a value indicative of said first known wavelength as a coded value; a modulator, coupled to said transmitter, for providing said coded value as a modulated signal to said transmitter, wherein said transmitter is adapted to transmit said modulated signal to said remote oximeter for use in an oxygen saturation measurement.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 92 words
A pulse oximeter sensor comprising: a first emitter which emits light of a first known wavelength; a photosensor for sensing the light emitted by the first emitter; a transmitter for coupling said sensor to a remote oximeter; an encoder for encoding a value indicative of said first known wavelength as a coded value; a modulator, coupled to said transmitter, for providing said coded value as a modulated signal to said transmitter, wherein said transmitter is adapted to transmit said modulated signal to said remote oximeter for use in an oxygen saturation measurement.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 28 words
The sensor of claim 1 wherein said encoder includes a memory having a multiple bit output and means, coupled to said memory, for generating a repeating pulse pattern.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 14 words
The sensor of claim 2 wherein said memory comprises a series of fusible links.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 19 words
The sensor of claim 2 wherein said means for generating a repeating pulse pattern comprises at least one counter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 18 words
The sensor of claim 2 wherein said means for generating a repeating pulse pattern comprises a shift register.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 17 words
The sensor of claim 2 wherein said means for generating a repeating pulse pattern includes an oscillator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 27 words
The sensor of claim 1 wherein said transmitter includes an output circuit for sinking a current received on an input of said sensor from said remote oximeter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 30 words
The sensor of claim 7 further comprising a voltage supply, coupled to said output circuit, for generating, from said current from said remote oximeter, a supply voltage for said encoder.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 18 words
The sensor of claim 8 wherein said voltage supply means includes a filter coupled to said output circuit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 27 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for switching an output of said sensor between first and second resistances to generate a pulse width modulated signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 11 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transmitter is a cable.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 55 words
A method for supplying a wavelength of a light emitter in a pulse oximeter transducer with a light emitter and photosensor to a pulse oximeter monitor, comprising the steps of: encoding a value indicative of a wavelength of said light emitter as a modulated signal; and transmitting said modulated signal to said pulse oximeter monitor.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 55 words
A method for supplying a wavelength of a light emitter in a pulse oximeter transducer with a light emitter and photosensor to a pulse oximeter monitor, comprising the steps of: encoding a value indicative of a wavelength of said light emitter as a modulated signal; and transmitting said modulated signal to said pulse oximeter monitor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said modulated signal is a pulse width modulated signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said encoding step includes storing in a memory an indication of a characteristic of said transducer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said step of storing includes storing multiple digital bits in said memory.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2001-07-13 2002-01-12 2002-07-14 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-07-13 2006-01-12 2006-07-14 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-07-13 2010-01-12 2010-07-14 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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