Detects Constituents While Excluding Components (e.g., Noise) Patents (Class 600/336)
  • Publication number: 20080171926
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an optical based pulse oximetry device comprising: first, second and third light emitting means, for placement on the skin surface of a body part to inject light in a tissue of said part, the wavelengths of the light emitted by said second and third means being different from each other light detecting means located at a relatively short distance from said first light emitting means and at relatively long distance from said second light emitting means and said third light emitting means, for collecting at the skin surface light of said emitting means having travelled through said tissue, first computing means for denoising the output signals of said long distance light detecting means from the output signals of said short distance light detecting means, and second computing means for deriving oximetry measurements from the denoised output signals of said long distance light detecting means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Inventors: Josep SOLA I CAROS, Christophe Verjus, Jens Krauss, Olivier Chetelat, Victor Neuman
  • Patent number: 7392075
    Abstract: A method for determining a physiological parameter in the presence of correlated artifact, including obtaining two digital waveforms, x and y, the waveforms being representative of the absorption of two wavelengths of electromagnetic energy received from a blood-perfused tissue, and where each of the waveforms has a component corresponding to a plethysmographic waveform and a component corresponding to the correlated artifact; calculating several weighted difference waveforms of the form x?R*y, where R is a multiplier, by varying R over a range; evaluating the several weighted difference waveforms using a shape characteristic of the weighted difference waveform; identifying a weighted difference waveform most closely representative of and one most different from the plethysmographic waveform; determining a pleth-based physiological parameter using the waveform most closely representative of the plethysmographic waveform; determining at least one artifact-based physiological parameter using the waveform most d
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated
    Inventor: Clark R. Baker, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7383070
    Abstract: The present invention involves a method and an apparatus for analyzing measured signals, including the determination of a measurement of correlation in the measured signals during a calculation of a physiological parameter of a monitored patient. Use of this invention is described in particular detail with respect to blood oximetry measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventors: Mohamed K. Diab, Esmaiel Kiani-Azarbayjany, Ibrahim M. Elfadel, Rex J. McCarthy, Walter M. Weber, Robert A. Smith
  • Patent number: 7376453
    Abstract: The present invention involves method and apparatus for analyzing two measured signals that are modeled as containing primary and secondary portions. Coefficients relate the two signals according to a model defined in accordance with the present invention. In one embodiment, the present invention involves utilizing a transformation which evaluates a plurality of possible signal coefficients in order to find appropriate coefficients. Alternatively, the present invention involves using statistical functions or Fourier transform and windowing techniques to determine the coefficients relating to two measured signals. Use of this invention is described in particular detail with respect to blood oximetry measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventors: Mohamed K. Diab, Esmaiel Kiani-Azarbayjany, Ibrahim M. Elfadel, Rex J. McCarthy, Walter M. Weber, Robert A. Smith
  • Patent number: 7369886
    Abstract: A pulse oximeter sensor comprising an emitter and a detector disposed on a substrate layer with a thinned portion between the emitter and the detector. A partially transparent covering layer covers the substrate layer and comprises a corresponding thinned portion. The thinned portions attenuate light shunted via the substrate layer and the partially transparent covering layer from the emitter to the detector, and may be configured such that less than 10% of the light detectable by the detector is shunted light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Inc.
    Inventors: Russ DeLonzor, Paul D. Mannheimer, Michael E. Fein, Don Hannula
  • Publication number: 20080081974
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pulse oximeter configured to classify patient data is disclosed. The method includes collecting a set of sample data and classifying the sample data as either pathological or normal using human expertise. The method also includes generating statistics representative of the saturation traces. A linear discriminator is composed having a non-linear transform that accepts the statistics as input and a pulse oximeter is programmed to compute the linear discriminator using a kernel function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventor: Steven E. Pav
  • Publication number: 20080081973
    Abstract: A pulse oximetry sensor adapted to emit light from an emitter proximate to a patient's tissue and detect a portion of the emitted light on a detector proximate to the tissue. The pulse oximetry system is adapted to acquire position data for the emitter and for the detector with one or more position indicators. The pulse oximetry system is adapted to process the position data to obtain a change in position of the emitter and the detector; and to process pulse oximetry measurements using the change in position to obtain a motion-corrected pulse oximetry data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventor: Carine Hoarau
  • Patent number: 7343187
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the application of Blind Source Separation (BSS), specifically independent Component Analysis (ICA) to mixture signals obtained by a pulse oximeter sensor. In pulse oximetry, the signals measured at different wavelengths represent the mixture signals, while the plethysmographic signal, motion artifact, respiratory artifact and instrumental noise represent the source components. The BSS is carried out by a two-step method including an ICA. In the first step, the method uses Principal Component Analysis (PCA) as a preprocessing step, and the Principal Components are then used to derive sat and the Independent Components, where the Independent Components are determined in a second step. In one embodiment, the independent components are obtained by high-order decorrelation of the principal components, achieved by maximizing the sum of the squares of the higher-order cumulants of the plurality of mixture signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC
    Inventor: Paul F. Stetson
  • Patent number: 7343186
    Abstract: A physiological monitor for determining blood oxygen saturation of a medical patient includes a sensor, a signal processor and a display. The sensor includes at least three light emitting diodes. Each light emitting diode is adapted to emit light of a different wavelength. The sensor also includes a detector, where the detector is adapted to receive light from the three light emitting diodes after being attenuated by tissue. The detector generates an output signal based at least in part upon the received light. The signal processor determines blood oxygen saturation based at least upon the output signal, and the display provides an indication of the blood oxygen saturation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Masimo Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Marcelo M. Lamego, Mohamed Diab, Walter M. Weber, Ammar Al-Ali, Joe Kiani
  • Patent number: 7333842
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for the spectrometric determination of the oxygen saturation of blood in the presence of optical disturbance variables in which transmission measurements and reflection measurements are carried out in at least two wavelengths that are isosbestic for hemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin, and at least one other wavelength at which the extinction of hemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin differ. Corresponding auxiliary functions are defined in the measurement spectrum (M) and in the reference spectra of hemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin, at least two of the measurement values or two of the reference values for the isosbestic wavelengths lying on this auxiliary function. A corrected measurement spectrum (M?) is generated by the two auxiliary functions. The oxygen saturation is determined by comparing the changed data of this corrected measurement spectrum (M?) with the data of the reference spectra at the other wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Carl Ziess Mesitec AG
    Inventors: Dietrich Schweitzer, Martin Hammer, Eike Thamm
  • Patent number: 7328053
    Abstract: The present invention involves method and apparatus for analyzing two measured signals that are modeled as containing primary and secondary portions. Coefficients relate the two signals according to a model defined in accordance with the present invention. In one embodiment, the present invention involves utilizing a transformation which evaluates a plurality of possible signal coefficients in order to find appropriate coefficients. Alternatively, the present invention involves using statistical functions or Fourier transform and windowing techniques to determine the coefficients relating to two measured signals. Use of this invention is described in particular detail with respect to blood oximetry measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventors: Mohamed K. Diab, Esmaiel Kiani-Azarbayjany, Ibrahim M. Elfadel, Rex J. McCarthy, Walter M. Weber, Robert A. Smith
  • Publication number: 20070244376
    Abstract: A digital vital sign apparatus with real time calibration is provided which comprises a tissue adaptor, several physiological signal measurement devices with an ability of movement detection, and a physiological analyzer. The present invention provides wrapping a tissue like finger for testing, palm or wrist with elastic membrane to buffer the noise. Electro-optical, pressure, electrical sensor, motion sensor and so on are sued to detect the physiological signals as parameters. These parameters can be personal and time-dependent. The detectors for the physiological signals work at time when there is no movement to give stable signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Inventor: Wei-Kung Wang
  • Patent number: 7277741
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for measuring a physiological parameter, functioning based on obtaining a first signal derived from electromagnetic energy transmitted through a tissue portion at a first wavelength, the first signal including a signal portion corresponding with motion-related events and a signal portion corresponding with arterial pulsation events, where at the first wavelength water is a dominant absorber of electromagnetic energy in the tissue portion; obtaining a second signal derived from electromagnetic energy transmitted through a tissue portion at a second wavelength, the second signal including a signal portion corresponding with motion-related events and a signal portion corresponding with arterial pulsation events, where at the second wavelength hemoglobin is a dominant absorber of electromagnetic energy in the tissue portion; and combining the first signal and the second signal to generate a combined plethysmograph signal, such that the combined signal has a signal portion corresponding w
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated
    Inventors: Martin Debreczeny, Clark R. Baker, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7254425
    Abstract: A method for identifying artifacts occurring during a measurement of the concentration of an analyte in a biological sample by means of an apparatus that employs temperature-controlled optical probes, introduces electromagnetic radiation into tissue, and collects and detects radiation emitted at a distance from the point at which the electromagnetic radiation is introduced. The values of intensity of radiation emitted at different wavelengths, at different distances between the light introduction site(s) and the light collection site(s), and at different temperatures are collected and used in the method to generate a relationship between these values and the concentration of an analyte in the tissue or the disease state of a patient. The method involves the use of an algorithm that identifies artifacts in the data resulting from motion of the patient and allows the rejection of data sets that contain these artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
    Inventors: Michael G. Lowery, Eric B. Shain, Omar S. Khalil
  • Patent number: 7254433
    Abstract: The present invention involves a method and an apparatus for analyzing measured signals, including the determination of a measurement of correlation in the measured signals during a calculation of a physiological parameter of a monitored patient. Use of this invention is described in particular detail with respect to blood oximetry measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventors: Mohamed K. Diab, Esmaiel Kiani-Azarbayjany, Ibrahim M. Elfadel, Rex J. McCarthy, Walter M. Weber, Robert A. Smith
  • Patent number: 7252639
    Abstract: In an apparatus for measuring a biological condition of a living body, a light emitting unit emits individually first and second lights to a measurement portion of the living body. The first and second lights have first and second wavelengths, respectively. The first and second wavelengths are different from each other. A light receiving unit receives first and second reflection lights to generate first and second detection signals based on the first and second reflection lights, respectively. The first and second reflection lights are based on the first light reflected from the measurement portion and the second light reflected therefrom, respectively. The first and second detection signals have different characteristics from each other due to the difference between the first and second wavelengths. A measuring unit measures the biological condition based on the different characteristics of the first and second detection signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Teiyuu Kimura, Taiji Kawachi, Kazuhiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20070149872
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for eliminating interference in pulse oxygen measurement. The method comprises the steps of: collecting a first wavelength light and a second wavelength light transmitting through the object to be measured and converting collected optic signals into electric signals to form a plethysmogram; processing the plethysmogram so as to normalize it, in order to decompose the normalized plethysmogram into a combination of an ideal plethysmogram and noise, and expand the ideal plethysmogram by using functions that can make up a complete orthonormal system; eliminating the noise in the plethysmogram through differential operation; and restoring the plethysmogram free of noise through integral operation for calculating oxygen saturation. The apparatus comprises a collecting module, a processing module, a noise eliminating module, and a restoring module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Applicant: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xu Zhang, Xu Li, Shunan Li
  • Patent number: 7236813
    Abstract: A method for monitoring blood oxygen saturation (SO2) includes the steps of calculating an estimate of SO2 in the blood and correcting the estimate by a scaling factor. A preferred embodiment of the method includes the steps of transmitting light containing a plurality of wavelengths into the blood; measuring a remitted spectrum over the plurality of wavelengths; calculating a measured blood absorption spectrum from the remitted spectrum; estimating local rates of change in the measured blood absorption spectrum at a plurality of the wavelengths; and calculating the estimate of SO2 as a function of absolute values of the local rates of change of the measured blood absorption spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
    Inventor: Dawood Parker
  • Patent number: 7230687
    Abstract: A blood leak detector is disclosed having a light source projecting a beam along an optical path, wherein the beam has a wavelength in a range of about 800 to 930 nm; a light detector receiving the beam through an aperture having a diameter in a range of 30 to 60 thousands of an inch; and a housing to receive a tubular liquid passage between the light source and light detector, the housing having a slot transverse to the optical path to receive the tubular liquid passage and the slot has a width narrower than the tubular liquid passage when uncompressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: CHF Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: John J. O'Mahony, Edwin B. Merrick, Sonny Behan
  • Patent number: 7221970
    Abstract: A method for monitoring oxygenation of blood includes the steps of transmitting light containing a plurality of wavelengths into blood and measuring a remitted spectrum over the plurality of-wavelengths. A measured blood absorption spectrum is then calculated from the remitted spectrum and local rates of change in the measured blood absorption spectrum are estimated at a plurality of the wavelengths, including at least one isobestic wavelength. An estimate of blood oxygen saturation (SO2) is calculated as a function of absolute values of the local rates of change of the measured blood absorption spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
    Inventor: Dawood Parker
  • Patent number: 7221971
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus measure blood oxygenation in a subject. A first signal source applies a first input signal during a first time interval. A second signal source applies a second input signal during a second time interval. A detector detects a first parametric signal responsive to the first input signal passing through a portion of the subject having blood therein. The detector also detects a second parametric signal responsive to the second input signal passing through the portion of the subject. The detector generates a detector output signal responsive to the first and second parametric signals. A signal processor receives the detector output signal and demodulates the detector output signal by applying a first demodulation signal to a signal responsive to the detector output signal to generate a first output signal responsive to the first parametric signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventors: Mohamed K. Diab, Walter M. Weber, Ammar Al-Ali
  • Patent number: 7215986
    Abstract: The present invention involves a method and an apparatus for analyzing measured signals, including the determination of a measurement of correlation in the measured signals during a calculation of a physiological parameter of a monitored patient. Use of this invention is described in particular detail with respect to blood oximetry measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventors: Mohamed K. Diab, Esmaiel Kiani-Azarbayjany, Ibrahim M. Elfadel, Rex J. McCarthy, Walter M. Weber, Robert A. Smith
  • Patent number: 7215987
    Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for processing signals reflecting a physiological characteristic by detecting the intensity of light following tissue absorption at two wavelengths and subtracting the best estimate of the desired signal from the difference between the signals. Corrected first and second intensity signals are determined by applying a residual derived from a combination of the first and second intensity signals as multiplied by a residual factor and subtracted from a difference between the first and second intensity signals to the first and second intensity signals. In one embodiment, the method and apparatus are used to determine arterial oxygen saturation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Woolsthorpe Technologies
    Inventors: Bernhard B. Sterling, Alexander K. Mills
  • Patent number: 7215985
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing cross-talk in an oximeter. The oximeter includes a band pass filter. The amount of cross-talk through the band pass filter is estimated. Based on this estimate, the corner frequencies of the band pass filter are adjusted when it is designed to minimize the cross-talk. In one embodiment, a calibration mode is performed when a sensor is attached to the oximeter. In the calibration mode, the signals are measured with first only the red LED on and then with only the IR LED on. Any signal measured in the off channel is assumed to be a result of cross-talk from the other channel. The magnitude of the cross-talk is determined as a percentage, and subsequently the percentage is multiplied by the actual signal and subtracted from the other LED signal as cross-talk compensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritain Bennett Inc.
    Inventors: Ethan Petersen, Bradford B. Chew, William Shea
  • 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: 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: 7195596
    Abstract: A pulse wave detecting apparatus is provided which is capable of measuring a pulse rate more accurately even with a calculation unit having low calculating capability. An A-D conversion circuit samples a pulse wave detected by a pulse wave sensor at 16 Hz to perform A-D conversion of the same and sequentially outputs resultant signals to a modified moving average process circuit. The modified moving average process circuit sequentially averages every two of the signals from the A-D conversion circuit without duplication and outputs signals at 8 Hz, and an FFT circuit performs Fourier transform on signals obtained through the averaging. Another A-D conversion circuit samples kinetic noises detected by an acceleration sensor at 8 Hz to perform A-D conversion of the same and sequentially outputs resultant signals to another FFT circuit, and the FFT circuit performs Fourier transform on the input signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Keisuke Tsubata
  • 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: 7194293
    Abstract: A method and a system for ensemble averaging signals in a pulse oximeter, including receiving first and second electromagnetic radiation signals from a blood perfused tissue portion corresponding to two different wavelengths of light, obtaining an assessment of the signal quality of the electromagnetic signals, selecting weights for an ensemble averager using the assessment of signal quality, and ensemble averaging the electromagnetic signals using the ensemble averager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated
    Inventor: Clark R. Baker, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7190984
    Abstract: A pulse oximeter sensor having an emitter(s) and a detector, with a layer having a first portion of the emitter and a second portion of layer over the detector is provided. A barrier is included between the first and second portions of the overlying layer to substantially block radiation of the wavelengths emitted by the emitter(s). Preferably, the barrier reduces the radiation shunted to less than 10% of the radiation detected, and more preferably to less than 1% of the radiation detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated
    Inventors: Russ DeLonzor, Paul D. Mannheimer, Fletcher Yoder, legal representative, Don Hannula, Michael E. Fein, deceased
  • Patent number: 7190985
    Abstract: A pulse oximeter method and apparatus which provides (1) a notch filter at a distance between a modulation frequency and a common multiple of commonly used power line frequencies (50, 60, 100 and 120) and also (2) a demodulation frequency greater than a highest pulse rate of a person and lower than any harmonic of 50, 60, 100 or 120 Hz, to filter ambient light interference, while choosing an optimum demodulation frequency that avoids interference from the notch filter or from harmonics of the line interference. Also, ambient light for any low frequency interference, such as power line interference, is measured both before and after each of the light emitter wavelengths and the average of the ambient light is then subtracted from the detected signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Inc.
    Inventors: Ethan Petersen, William Shea, Bradford B. Chew
  • 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: 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
  • Patent number: 7139599
    Abstract: Processing of plethysmographic signals via the cepstral domain is provided. In one embodiment, a cepstral domain plethysmographic signal processing method (200) includes the steps of obtaining (210) time domain plethysmographic signals, smoothing (220) the time domain plethysmographic signals, performing (230) a first-stage Fourier transformation of the time domain plethysmographic signals to frequency domain plethysmographic signals, computing (240) power spectrums from the frequency domain plethysmographic signals, scaling (250) the power spectrums with a logarithmic function, performing (260) a second-stage Fourier transformation on log-scaled spectrums to transform the power spectrums into cepstrums, and examining (270) the cepstrums to obtain information therefrom relating to a physiological condition of the patient such as the patient's pulse rate or SPO2 level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Datex-Ohmeda, Inc.
    Inventor: Alvin Mark Terry
  • Patent number: 7079880
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the application of Blind Source Separation (BSS), specifically independent Component Analysis (ICA) to mixture signals obtained by a pulse oximeter sensor. In pulse oximetry, the signals measured at different wavelengths represent the mixture signals, while the plethysmographic signal, motion artifact, respiratory artifact and instrumental noise represent the source components. The BSS is carried out by a two-step method including an ICA. In the first step, the method uses Principal Component Analysis (PCA) as a preprocessing step, and the Principal Components are then used to derive sat and the Independent Components, where the Independent Components are determined in a second step. In one embodiment, the independent components are obtained by high-order decorrelation of the principal components, achieved by maximizing the sum of the squares of the higher-order cumulants of the plurality of mixture signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated
    Inventor: Paul F. Stetson
  • Patent number: 7072702
    Abstract: A method for removing motion artifacts from devices for sensing bodily parameters and apparatus and system for effecting same. The method includes analyzing segments of measured data representing bodily parameters and possibly noise from motion artifacts. Each segment of measured data may correspond to a single light signal transmitted and detected after transmission or reflection through bodily tissue. Each data segment is frequency analyzed to determine up to three candidate peaks for further analysis. Each of the up to three candidate frequencies may be filtered and various parameters associated with each of the up to three candidate frequencies are calculated. The best frequency, if one exists, is determined by arbitrating the candidate frequencies using the calculated parameters according to predefined criteria. If a best frequency is found, a pulse rate and SPO2 may be output. If a best frequency is not found, other, conventional techniques for calculating pulse rate and SpO2 may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: RIC Investments, LLC
    Inventors: Reuben W. Edgar, Jr., August J. Allo, Jr., Paul B. Gunneson, Jesus D. Martin, John R. DelFavero, Michael B. Jaffe
  • Patent number: 7062307
    Abstract: An oversampling pulse oximeter includes an analog to digital converter with a sampling rate sufficient to take multiple samples per source cycle. In one embodiment, a pulse oximeter (100) includes two or more light sources (102) driven by light source drives (104) in response to drive signals from a digital signal processing unit (116). The source drives (104) may drive the sources (102) to produce a frequency division multiplex signal. The optical signals transmitted by the light sources (102) are transmitted through a patient's appendage (103) and impinge on a detector (106). The detector (106) provides an analog current signal representative of the received optical signals. An amplifier circuit (110) converts the analog current signal to an analog voltage signal in addition to performing a number of other functions. The amplifier circuit (110) outputs an analog voltage signal which is representative of the optical signals from the sources (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Datex - Ohmeda, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Norris, D. Alan Hanna
  • Patent number: 7044918
    Abstract: A time domain rule-based processor provides recognition of individual pulses in a pulse oximeter-derived photo-plethysmograph waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventor: Mohamed K. Diab
  • Patent number: 7025728
    Abstract: A living body is irradiated with a first light beam having a first wavelength and a second light beam having a second wavelength which is different from the first wavelength. The first light beam and the second light beam, which have been reflected or transmitted from the living body, are converted into a first electric signal corresponding to the first wavelength and a second electric signal corresponding to the second wavelength, as the observed pulse data. A light absorbance ratio obtained from the first electric signal and the second electric signal is computed, for each one of frequency ranges dividing an observed frequency band. It is determined that noise is not mixed into the observed pulse wave data in a case where a substantial match exists among light absorbance ratios computed for the respective frequency ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
    Inventors: Kazumasa Ito, Masaru Yarita, Tetsuya Shibasaki
  • Patent number: 7024233
    Abstract: According to some embodiments of the present invention, a display is used to show a signal from a physiological sensor as well as an indication of the signal's quality. While this indication of the signal's quality may be provided in a number of ways, it is preferably provided by changing a color on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventors: Ammar Al Ali, Divya S. Breed, Jerome J. Novak, Massi E. Kiani
  • Patent number: 7022083
    Abstract: A satisfactory averaged signal can be obtained with only a small number of repetitions of measurement in the measurement of responses to a stimulus given to a living body. A low-frequency biological fluctuation is extracted and a stimulus is presented to the living body in synchronism with the phase of the extracted fluctuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Tanaka, Atsushi Maki, Masashi Kiguchi
  • Patent number: 7020507
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a pulse oximetry system for the determination of a physiological parameter capable of removing motion artifacts from physiological signals comprises a hardware subsystem and a software subsystem. The software subsystem is used in conjunction with the hardware subsystem to perform a method for removing a plurality of motion artifacts from the photo-plethysmographic data and for obtaining a measure of at least one physiological parameter from the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Dolphin Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Scharf, Bhavin Shah
  • Patent number: 7016715
    Abstract: Methods and devices for reducing noise effects in a system for measuring a physiological parameter, including receiving an input signal; obtaining an assessment of the signal quality of the input signal; selecting coefficients for a digital filter using the assessment of signal quality; and filtering the input signal using the digital filter, without comparing the filter's output signal with the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: NellcorPuritan Bennett Incorporated
    Inventor: Paul F. Stetson
  • Patent number: 7003339
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus measure blood oxygenation in a subject. A first signal source applies a first input signal during a first time interval. A second signal source applies a second input signal during a second time interval. A detector detects a first parametric signal responsive to the first input signal passing through a portion of the subject having blood therein. The detector also detects a second parametric signal responsive to the second input signal passing through the portion of the subject. The detector generates a detector output signal responsive to the first and second parametric signals. A signal processor receives the detector output signal and demodulates the detector output signal by applying a first demodulation signal to a signal responsive to the detector output signal to generate a first output signal responsive to the first parametric signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventors: Mohamed K. Diab, Walter M. Weber, Ammar Al-Ali
  • Patent number: 7003338
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for separating a composite signal into a plurality of signals is described. A signal processor receives a composite signal and separates a composite signal in to separate output signals. Feedback from one or more of the output signals is provided to a configuration module that configures the signal processor to improve a quality of the output signals. In one embodiment, the signal processor separates the composite signal by applying a first demodulation signal to the composite signal to generate a first output signal. In one embodiment, the signal processor also applies a second demodulation signal to the composite signal to generate a second output signal. In one embodiment, a phase and/or amplitude of the first demodulation signal and a phase and/or amplitude of the second demodulation signal are selected to reduce crosstalk. In one embodiment, the composite signal is obtained from a detector in a system for measuring one or more blood constituents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventors: Walter M. Weber, Ammar Al-Ali
  • Patent number: 6999904
    Abstract: A variable indication estimator which determines an output value representative of a set of input data. For example, the estimator can reduce input data to estimates of a desired signal, select a time, and determine an output value from the estimates and the time. In one embodiment, the time is selected using one or more adjustable signal confidence parameters determine where along the estimates the output value will be computed. By varying the parameters, the characteristics of the output value are variable. For example, when input signal confidence is low, the parameters are adjusted so that the output value is a smoothed representation of the input signal. When input signal confidence is high, the parameters are adjusted so that the output value has a faster and more accurate response to the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventors: Walter M. Weber, Ammar Al-Ali, Lorenzo Cazzoll
  • Patent number: 6997879
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for reducing motion artifacts when monitoring volume changes in blood vessels. Light having a first wavelength and light having a second wavelength are transmitted through a human appendage, toward the epidermis of a patient, or through tissue within the body of a patient. A portion of the light having the first wavelength and a portion of the light having the second wavelength is received. A first signal is produced based on the received portion of light having the first wavelength. A second signal is produced based on the received portion of light having the second wavelength. One of the first and second signals is subtracted from the other to produce a plethysmography signal that is representative of volume changes in blood vessels of patient tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert G. Turcott
  • Patent number: 6987994
    Abstract: The improved pulse oximeter preprocesses the sets of red and infrared signals received from the probe to remove ambient light, to remove noise, and to de-exponeniate the signals. The linearity of the processed red and infrared signals allows the use of statistical techniques such as linear regression and linear correlation to fit a best fit straight line to the set of pairs of processed red and infrared data points and to measure the goodness of the straight line fit to these data points. The result of this analysis is a linear regression slope and a goodness of fit correlation coefficient. The correlation coefficient is a measure of the linearity of the input data points and, if less than a predetermined threshold, it indicates that a distorted signal has been received from the probe. This permits the pulse oximeter to detect probe off conditions and/or motion in the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Datex-Ohmeda, Inc.
    Inventor: Margaret S. Mortz
  • Patent number: 6963767
    Abstract: The invention relates to pulse oximeters used to measure blood oxygenation. The current trend towards lower power consumption has brought a problem of erroneous readings caused by intrachannel crosstalk, i.e. errors due to the coupling of undesired capacitive, inductive, or conductive (resistive) pulse power from the emitting side of the pulse oximeter directly to the detecting side of the oximeter. The pulse oximeter of the invention is therefore provided with means for detecting whether intrachannel crosstalk is present and whether it will cause erroneous results in the oxygenation measurements. The pulse oximeter is preferably further provided with means for eliminating intrachannel crosstalk which are adapted to control the measurement so that measurement signals can be obtained which are substantially void of crosstalk components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: GE Healthcare Finland Oy
    Inventors: Borje Rantala, Erno Muuranta, Markku Spoof, Matti Huiku
  • Patent number: RE40316
    Abstract: The concentration of glucose in the anterior chamber of an eye is non-invasively measured by guiding a beam through a polarizer (4), a quarter wave plate (6), a polarization modulator (20), and an analyzer (7). After initializing the polarizer and the analyzer to extinguish the beam, it is guided parallel to the iris (56) of the eye (50) and introduced into the anterior chamber (57), wherein it is refracted, impinges on and is reflected from the iris, and exits the anterior chamber approximately collinear with the portion (55A) of the beam incident on the anterior chamber. The beam then is guided onto a detector (10), and a sufficient signal is applied to the polarization modulator to extinguish the beam. The signal represents the glucose concentration in the patient's blood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Inventors: Garth W. Gobeli, Alan J. Leszinske