Pulse oximeter
US6912413B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 12, 2003 |
| Grant date | Jun 28, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 12, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2560/0209
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention relates to pulsed oximeters used to measure blood oxygenation. The current trend towards mobile oximeters has brought the problem of how to minimize power consumption without compromising on the performance of the device. To tackle this problem, the present invention provides a method for controlling optical power in a pulse oximeter. The signal-to-noise ratio of the received baseband signal is monitored, and the duty cycle of the driving pulses is controlled in dependence on the monitored signal-to-noise ratio, preferably so that the optical power is minimized within the confines of a predetermined lower threshold set for the signal-to-noise ratio. In this way the optical power is made dependent on the perfusion level of the subject, whereby the power can be controlled to a level which does not exceed that needed for the subject.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.