Transducer for converting floating ground potential signals to non-floating signals and method of use
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorMartin Schraag
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transducer for medical monitoring comprises a box (73) which contains a floating section, a non-floating section and a transformer or optical coupler for converting a floating signal into a non-floating signal. The box (73) provides a non-floating signal to an associated monitor. The common-mode rejection ratio is drastically improved, so that electrode gel between the reference electrode and the patient, and possibly even the reference electrode itself, may be omitted.
Claims18
A transducer, comprising:
- a box and cable means for electrically coupling said box to a medical monitor, said box containing:
- (a) a first section having a non-floating ground potential, said first section electrically coupled to said cable means;
- (b) a second section having a floating ground potential, said second section comprising means for electrically coupling said floating ground potential to a sensor which produces floating signals;
- and
- (c) conversion means coupled to said first and second sections for converting floating signals provided to said second section into non-floating signals, said conversion means comprising a transformer having a primary winding coupled to said first section and a secondary winding coupled to said second section, the connection between said primary winding and cable means consisting essentially of a direct electrical connection without further electronic components between said primary winding and cable means, whereby floating signals are convertible to non-floating signals at or near a patient.
A transducer in combination with a medical monitor having a non-floating ground potential and at least one sensor having a floating ground potential, the transducer comprising the box interfacing said sensor to said monitor, said box containing:
- (a) a non-floating section;
- (b) a floating section electrically coupled to said sensor;
- (c) conversion means for converting floating signals generated by said sensor into non-floating signals;
- and
- (d) a cable connected between said non-floating section and said monitor, said conversion means comprising a transformer having a primary winding coupled to said first section and a secondary winding coupled to said second section, the connection between said primary winding and said cable consisting essentially of a direct electrical connection without further electronic components between said primary winding and said cable, whereby floating signals are convertible to non-floating signals at or near a patient.
A method for providing signals to a medical monitor, comprising the steps of:
- (a) generating a floating signal indicative of a condition of a patient being monitored;
- (b) converting said floating signal, at or near the patient and remote from the monitor, into a non-floating signal;
- and
- (c) providing said non-floating signal to the monitor directly, without further processing of said non-floating signal outside of said monitor and without passing said non-floating signal through any electronic components.
A transducer, consisting essentially of:
- a box and cable means for electrically coupling said box to a medical monitor, said box containing:
- (a) a first section having a non-floating ground potential, said first section electrically coupled to said cable means;
- (b) a second section having a floating ground potential, said second section comprising means for electrically coupling said floating round potential to a sensor which produces floating signals;
- and
- (c) conversion means coupled to said first and second sections for converting floating signals provided to said second section into non-floating signals, said conversion means comprising a transformer having a primary winding coupled to said first section and a secondary winding coupled to said second section, the connection between said primary winding and cable means consisting essentially of a direct electrical connection without further electronic components between said primary winding and cable means, whereby floating signals are convertible to non-floating signals at or near a patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.