Patent · US Expired

Signal processing apparatus and method

US6036642A · kind A · utility

1,127Cited by
33References
32Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 22, 1998
Grant dateMar 14, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 22, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F2218/04
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A signal processor which acquires a first signal, including a first desired signal portion and a first undesired signal portion, and a second signal, including a second desired signal portion and a second undesired signal portion, wherein the first and second desired signal portions are correlated. The signals may be acquired by propagating energy through a medium and measuring an attenuated signal after transmission or reflection. Alternatively, the signals may be acquired by measuring energy generated by the medium. A processor generates a noise reference signal which is a combination of only the undesired signal portions and is correlated to both the first and second undesired signal portions. The noise reference signal is then used to remove the undesired portion of each of the first and second measured signals via an adaptive noise canceler, preferably of the joint process estimator type. The processor may be employed in conjunction with an adaptive noise canceler in physiological monitors wherein the know properties of energy attenuation through a medium are used to determine physiological characteristics of the medium. Many physiological conditions, such as the pulse of a pa…

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