Patent · US Expired

Method for reducing ambient noise effects in electronic monitoring instruments

US5368224A · kind A · utility

573Cited by
7References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 23, 1992
Grant dateNov 29, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 23, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B5/7203
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for adapting to noise sources affecting a pulse oximeter. Various available frequencies are evaluated to determine their respective noise levels and one is selected to act as the operating demultiplexer frequency. During normal operation of the pulse oximeter, the various available demultiplexer frequencies are periodically scanned to determine which has the lowest associated noise. The noise level associated with the operating frequency is used to determine the signal-to-noise ratio of the pulse oximeter signals and thereby qualify certain signals from the pulse oximeter. Those pulses associated with a signal-to-noise ratio below a predetermined threshold are rejected and excluded from use in calculating blood oxygen saturation.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.