Patents Assigned to Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
  • Patent number: 10376157
    Abstract: A patient monitoring system may receive a physiological signal such as a photoplethysmograph (PPG) signal that exhibits frequency and amplitude modulation based on respiration. A phase locked loop may generate a frequency demodulated signal and an amplitude demodulated signal from the PPG signal. An autocorrelation sequence may be generated for each of the frequency demodulated signal and the amplitude demodulated signal. The autocorrelation sequences may be combined and respiration information may be determined based on the combined autocorrelation sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: NELLCOR PURITAN BENNETT IRELAND
    Inventors: James Dripps, James Ochs, Paul S. Addison
  • Patent number: 10265005
    Abstract: According to embodiments, techniques for using continuous wavelet transforms and spectral transforms to determine oxygen saturation from photoplethysmographic (PPG) signals are disclosed. According to embodiments, a first and a second PPG signals may be received. A spectral transform of the first and the second PPG signals may be performed to produce a first and a second spectral transformed signals. A frequency region associated with a pulse rate of the PPG signals may be identified from the first and the second spectral transformed signals. According to embodiments, a continuous wavelet transform of the first and the second PPG signals may be performed at a scale corresponding to the identified frequency region to produce a first and a second wavelet transformed signals. The oxygen saturation may be determined based at least in part upon the wavelet transformed signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: NELLCOR PURITAN BENNETT IRELAND
    Inventors: James Nicholas Watson, Paul Stanley Addison
  • Patent number: 10182764
    Abstract: According to embodiments, a system for processing a physiological signals is disclosed. The system may comprise a sensor for generating the physiological signal. The system may comprise a processor configured to receive and process the physiological signal in order to improve interpretation and subsequent analysis of the physiological signal. The processor may be configured to generate a wavelet transform based on the physiological signal. The processor may be configured to determine phase values corresponding to the subject's respiration based on the wavelet transform. The processor may be configured to generate a sinusoidal waveform that is representative of the subject's breathing based on the phase values. The system may also comprise a display device configured to display the sinusoidal waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: NELLCOR PURITAN BENNETT IRELAND
    Inventors: Paul Stanley Addison, James Nicholas Watson
  • Patent number: 10165953
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for storing and recalling metrics associated with physiological signals. It may be determined that the value of a monitored physiological metric corresponds to a stored value. In such cases, a patient monitor may determine that a calibration is not desired. In some cases, a patient monitor may recall calibration parameters associated with the stored value if it determined that the stored value corresponds to the monitored metric value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: Paul Stanley Addison, James N. Watson
  • Patent number: 9949648
    Abstract: A blood pressure measurement system is configured to perform a calibration automatically when a calibration condition is satisfied. The calibration condition is based upon one or more parameters of pulse waves of a subject. The parameters may include pulse wave area; a time difference between systolic peak and reflected wave peak or dichrotic notch in the pulse wave and a shape of at least a portion of the pulse wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: Luya Li, Rakesh Kumar Sethi, Ming Sun, Alexander Yuk Sit, Yong Liu
  • Patent number: 9826905
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a sensor with color-coded indications that various patient physiological parameters are being monitored, such as blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, respiration rate, and respiration effort. The sensor may sense a physical characteristic used to monitor the physiological parameter, and a visible light emitter emits visible light of a first color that is color-coded to the physiological parameter, but is not used to sense the physical characteristic. The visible light emitter may emit visibly flashing light in response to the sensor sensing a threshold value of the physical characteristic. The sensor may include a second light emitter that may sense the physical characteristic, and may emit light of a second color that is color-coded to a first or second physiological parameter. In some embodiments, the first and second colors may visibly mix. The first and second visible light emitters may emit light independently, including visibly flashing light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: Paul Stanley Addison, James Watson, Rakesh Sethi
  • Patent number: 9770210
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to patient monitoring systems and, more particularly, to signal analysis for patient monitoring systems. In one embodiment, a method of analyzing a detector signal of a physiological patient sensor includes obtaining the detector signal from the physiological patient sensor, wherein the detector signal crosses a horizontal boundary more than once. The method also includes determining the relative time and the slope of the detector signal at each boundary crossing. The method further includes estimating the amplitude of the detector signal based, at least in part, on the determined relative time and slope of the detector signal at each boundary crossing. The method also includes determining a physiological parameter of a patient based, at least in part, on the estimate of the amplitude of the detector signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: NELLCOR PURITAN BENNETT IRELAND
    Inventors: Paul S. Addison, James Watson
  • Patent number: 9737266
    Abstract: A signal representing physiological information may include information related to respiration. A patient monitoring system may generate a plurality of autocorrelation sequences from the signal and combine the autocorrelation sequences to generate a combined autocorrelation sequence. The combined autocorrelation sequence may be analyzed to identify one or more peaks that may correspond to respiration information. Respiration information such as respiration rate may be determined based on the one or more peaks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: James Dripps, James Ochs, Paul S. Addison, James Watson
  • Patent number: 9693736
    Abstract: A patient monitoring system may generate an autocorrelation sequence for a physiological signal such as a photoplethysmograph signal. A series of peak values may be identified for the autocorrelation sequence. The peak values may be modified based on a historical distribution of a physiological parameter. A physiological parameter such as respiration rate may be determined based on the modified peak values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: Clark R. Baker, Jr., James Ochs, James H. Dripps, Paul S. Addison
  • Patent number: 9687161
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for maintaining the calibration of non-invasive blood pressure monitoring devices. Phase components of pulse signals detected by the blood pressure monitoring device are compared to stored baseline phase component values. If the difference exceeds a threshold, the blood pressure monitoring device is recalibrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: Rakesh Sethi, Shannon Campbell
  • Patent number: 9675274
    Abstract: A patient monitoring system may receive a photoplethysmograph (PPG) signal including samples of a pulse waveform. The PPG signal may demonstrate morphology changes based on respiration. The system may calculate morphology metrics from the PPG signal, the first derivative of the PPG signal, the second derivative of the PPG signal, or any combination thereof. The morphology metrics may demonstrate amplitude modulation, baseline modulation, and frequency modulation of the PPG signal that is related to respiration. Morphology metric signals generated from the morphology metrics may be used to determine respiration information such as respiration rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: Scott McGonigle, Paul S. Addison, James Ochs, James Watson
  • Patent number: 9649071
    Abstract: According to embodiments, systems and methods for high-pass filtering a plethysmograph or photoplethysmograph (PPG) signal are disclosed. A sensor or probe may be used to obtain a plethysmograph or PPG signal from a subject. The sensor may be placed at any suitable location on the body, e.g., the forehead, finger, or toe. The PPG signal generated by the sensor may be high-pass filtered to disambiguate certain features of the PPG signal, including one or more characteristic points. The cut-off frequency for the high-pass filter may be greater than 0.75 Hz and less than 15 Hz. The cut-off frequency for the high-pass filter may be selected to be greater than the subject's computed pulse rate. These characteristic points on the filtered PPG signal may be used to compute non-invasive blood pressure measurements continuously or on a periodic basis. For example, the time difference between two or more characteristic points in a high-pass filtered version of the generated PPG signal may be computed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: James N. Watson, Paul Stanley Addison
  • Patent number: 9597022
    Abstract: Methods and systems are discussed for determining venous oxygen saturation by calculating a ratio of ratios from respiration-induced baseline modulations. A calculated venous ratio of ratios may be compared with a look-up table value to estimate venous oxygen saturation. A calculated venous ratio of ratios is compared with an arterial ratio of ratios to determine whether baseline modulations are the result of a subject's respiration or movement. Such a determination is also made by deriving a venous ratio of ratios using a transform technique, such as a continuous wavelet transform. Derived venous and arterial saturation values are used to non-invasively determine a cardiac output of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: Paul Addison, James Watson, James Ochs, Scott McGonigle
  • Patent number: 9451887
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for measuring the electromechanical delay of the heart of a patient. An electrocardiogram (EKG) signal may be used to detect heart electrical activity. Photoplethysmograph (PPG) signals may be used to detect heart mechanical activity. The electromechanical delay may be calculated based at least in part on the timing of an EKG signal and at least two PPG signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: James N. Watson, Paul Stanley Addison, Robert Stoughton
  • Patent number: 9402554
    Abstract: A signal representing physiological information may include information related to respiration. A patient monitoring system may utilize a wavelet transform to generate a scalogram from the signal. A threshold for the scalogram may be calculated, and scalogram values may be compared to the threshold. One of the scales meeting the threshold may be selected as representing respiration information such as respiration rate. The respiration information may be determined based on the selected scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: James Ochs, James Watson, Binwel Weng, Paul S. Addison, Scott McGonigle
  • Patent number: 9392975
    Abstract: According to embodiments, techniques for selecting a consistent part of a signal, including a photoplethysmograph (PPG) signal, are disclosed. A pulse oximetry system including a sensor or probe may be used to obtain a PPG signal from a subject. Signal peaks may be identified in the PPG signal. Characteristics of the signal peaks, including the amplitude levels of the signal peaks and/or the time-distance between the signal peaks may be used to determine if the PPG signal is consistent. In an embodiment, signal peaks are processed based on a consistency metric, and the processed signal peaks are compared to the consistency metric to determine if the PPG signal is consistent. If the PPG signal is determined to be consistent, the PPG signal may be further analyzed to determine an underlying signal parameter, including, for example, a patient respiration rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: Scott McGonigle, Paul S. Addison, James N. Watson
  • Patent number: 9378332
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting the occurrence of events from a signal are provided. A signal processing system may analyze baseline changes and changes in signal characteristics to detect events from a signal. The system may also detect events by analyzing energy parameters and artifacts in a scalogram of the signal. Further, the system may detect events by analyzing both the signal and its corresponding scalogram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: James Nicholas Watson, Paul Stanley Addison
  • Patent number: 9370308
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to patient monitoring systems and, more particularly, to signal analysis for patient monitoring systems. In one embodiment, a method of analyzing a detector signal of a physiological patient sensor includes obtaining the detector signal from the physiological patient sensor, and determining a ratio of the signal between two or more channels. A distribution of the angles between the points of the ratio over time may be used to determine a true ratio or a ratio of ratios for use in the determination of a physiological parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: Paul Addison, James Ochs, James Watson
  • Patent number: 9357934
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for storing event markers. The value of a monitored physiological metric may be monitored and compared to a reference value. A patient monitoring system may compute a difference between a monitored metric and a reference value, and compare the difference to a threshold value to determine whether a physiological event has occurred. Based on the determination, a patient monitoring system may store an event marker, trigger a response, update a metric value, or perform any other suitable function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: James N. Watson, Paul Stanley Addison, Rakesh Sethi, Keith Manning
  • Patent number: 9314168
    Abstract: Techniques for detecting sleep events are disclosed. In some embodiments, a continuous non-invasive blood pressure (“CNIBP”) monitoring system may be used to obtain blood pressure values from a subject during a sleep study. Changes in the blood pressure over time may be determined and analyzed in order to identify a sleep event. The localized blood pressure changes may be interpreted in isolation or in combination with other signals collected from the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: James Nicholas Watson, Rakesh Sethi, Paul Stanley Addison