Patent · US Expired

Patient cable sensor switch

US5997343A · kind A · utility

1,161Cited by
8References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 19, 1998
Grant dateDec 7, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 19, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/49117
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A sensor switch located in a patient cable adapts an incompatible sensor to a monitor in a pulse oximetry system. The sensor switch is particularly suited to adapting sensors to a monitor that utilizes an open-circuit detector to determine a no-sensor condition. A compatible sensor short-circuits the inputs to the open-circuit detector to indicate sensor presence. An incompatible sensor has such no short-circuit feature and fails to work on such a monitor. An incompatible sensor attached to a sensor connector at one end of the patient cable, however, actuates the sensor switch. The sensor switch, in turn, short-circuits the open-circuit detector inputs when the monitor is attached to a monitor connector at the opposite end of the patient cable. Thus, the sensor switch simulates the presence of a compatible sensor to the monitor.

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