Patents Examined by Jack Lin
  • Patent number: 7315752
    Abstract: A method for the selective determination of the scattering index ?s of a scattering biological matrix, in particular for the purpose of non-invasive determination of the concentration of glucose in the skin, by means of detection measurements, in each of which light in the form of primary light (9) is irradiated into the biological matrix (5) and an intensity measurement value of secondary light (12) exiting at a detection site (33-40) that is located at different measuring distances (?) from the respective light irradiation site (10) during the detection measurements is measured. In order to improve the quality and selectivity of the determination of ?s, the primary light is irradiated obliquely at an angle between 5° and 85° using a contacting light-guiding element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Kraemer, Heinz-Michael Hein, Marcus Hermann
  • Patent number: 7209774
    Abstract: The use of two separate ensemble averagers for processing a detected waveform for use in calculating oxygen saturation and a pulse rate. The ensemble averager used for calculating oxygen saturation operates on a signal which has been normalized, while the ensemble averager for the pulse rate calculation operates on a signal which has not been normalized. The metrics chosen for the two paths through the two ensemble averagers can be varied to optimize the ensemble averaging for oxygen saturation or pulse rate calculations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated
    Inventor: Clark R. Baker, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7209773
    Abstract: An in-vivo blood composition analyzing apparatus and method generates a laser beam at the blood vessels of the patient's eye. The Raman scattered photons from the blood vessels are collected and used to generate a Raman spectrum indicative of the blood composition. In one embodiment, a laser beam is generated with two streams of photons, the photons of one beam being entangled with the photons of the other beam. One stream is then directed at the eye and only the other beam is analyzed to obtain said Raman spectrum. Alternatively, the scattered photons from the second beam are also analyzed and the results are correlated for greater efficiency and accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: In Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventor: Michael J. Iuliano
  • Patent number: 7206621
    Abstract: In a pulse oximeter for obtaining an oxygen saturation in a blood, a light emitter irradiates a living tissue with light beams having five different wavelengths. A light receiver receives respective light beams reflected from or transmitted through the living tissue, and converts the received light beams to electric signals. A first calculator calculates five attenuation changes of the living tissue based on fluctuations of the respective electric signals. A second calculator calculates at least four attenuation change ratios from the five attenuation changes. Each of the attenuation change ratios is defined by a ratio between any two of the five attenuation changes. A third calculator calculates the oxygen saturation based on the attenuation change ratios, while taking an oxygen saturation of arterial blood, an oxygen saturation of venous blood, a ratio between changes in arterial blood and venous blood, and a tissue term as four unknown values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
    Inventors: Takuo Aoyagi, Masayoshi Fuse, Naoki Kobayashi, Teiji Ukawa
  • Patent number: 7194292
    Abstract: A method for use in operating a signal attenuation measurement device used to obtain a physiological parameter of a patient and an apparatus for use in determining at least one physiological parameter relating to a patient from at least first and second signals transmitted to a patient tissue site and attenuated thereby are provided. In accordance with the method and apparatus of the present invention, the first and second signals are multiplexed using frequency orthogonal code division multiplexed excitation waveforms. This allows for both relatively good source separation of the signals and whitening of external noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Mark A. Norris
  • Patent number: 7187962
    Abstract: In a biological optical measuring instrument, when displaying a biological variation in a predetermined region of a subject through irradiating light to the subject and processing light signals obtained by detecting the transmitting light, the light signals of a plurality of sections having a predetermined time interval are extracted, section data are prepared from the respective extracted light signals, the plurality of the prepared section data are added and averaged, prior to preparing averaged section data for the predetermined time interval a light signal section containing noise components is specified from differential values of the extracted light signals and the section data of the light signal containing the noise components is excluded from the averaging operation, thereby, a biological optical measuring instrument is provided which permits to remove the section data containing noise components are automatically removed through computation without relying upon visual observation, to obtain highly r
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventor: Kawasaki Shingo
  • Patent number: 7181260
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pulmonary artery catheter (“PAC”) that is used in determining myocardial oxygen consumption. Myocardial oxygen consumption is of critical importance because decreased myocardial energy utilization during acute illness may lead to tissue hypoperfusion, multiple organ failure, and eventually death. The inventor has discovered that myocardial oxygen consumption is a function of the difference in oxygen levels in atrial and mixed venous blood. The invention has further discovered that differences in lactate, glucose or any other measurable blood concentration metabolite in atrial or superior vena cava and mixed venous blood can also be used in determining myocardial oxygen consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Inventor: Guillermo Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 7171250
    Abstract: An image generating methodology for displaying brain activation areas with improved accuracy in a living body light measurement system for generating an image of the changes in blood volume of the brain. A spatial intensity distribution of changes in blood volume can be generated by detecting brain activation in many sampling points, and a spatial interpolation process is executed on this data. A threshold process is executed on the distribution to extract the distribution of coordinates having a signal intensity of at least the predetermined threshold. The displacement between the brain activation area and the maximal location of the distribution is stored in a recording unit of the system in order to compensate for the distribution extracted by the threshold process. Accordingly, brain activation areas can be estimated with greater location accuracy, and the diagnosis and medial treatment for brain diseases can likewise be executed with greater accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, Atsushi Maki, Takusige Katura, Hideo Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 7167735
    Abstract: To provide a measuring method which enables a highly accurate measurement of concentrations of specific components in subjects of measurement even when the concentration measuring contact of a concentration measuring instrument is contaminated with drinks or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Uchida, Kiyoko Ooshima
  • Patent number: 7155268
    Abstract: A non-invasive device for measuring blood glucose levels comprises an enclosure with a cover and dual openings, wherein the enclosure is covered with a transparent material (e.g., glass or plastic); at least two test cards arranged at specified distances and positioned within the enclosure; an illuminator and a conical light reflecting surface for casting a beam on the test cards. Light from one test card is reflected through one of the dual openings to sensing receptors of one eye. In order to enable the part of a diffuse beam reflected from the second test card made parallel within 10° to fall on the sensing receptors of the second eye, the enclosure is provided with a tubular prism covered with a closing plate having an opening at a first end while having an opening covered preferably with transparent material at a second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Iris Medical Technologies International Ltd.
    Inventor: Gyula Subotics
  • Patent number: 7139597
    Abstract: There has been no device for measuring changes in Hb concentrations associated with activities of the cerebral function of an infant or subject prone to movement during measurement. Removing and reducing any influences of body movement is needed. In the present invention, light is irradiated on the subject's head, and changes in Hb concentrations associated with activities of the cerebral function are measured from scattered light which has passed through the head. From this blood circulation movement, a parameter is inputted arbitrarily to judge the body movement component, and feed-back is applied to a stimulus device for giving a stimulus to the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Maki, Tsuyoshi Yamamoto