Method and apparatus for detecting misapplied sensors
AssigneeNellcor Puritan Bennett LLC
InventorsLutz Andersohn, Pete Andriola
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system are provided for determining whether a spectrophotometric sensor is misapplied. In one embodiment, a spectrophotometric sensor is provided with a strain sensor configures to provide a signal related to the curvature of the spectrophotometric sensor. In such an embodiment, the signal may be compared, such as by an associated monitor, with an expected signal value. Based upon this comparison, a determination may be made whether or not the spectrophotometric sensor is misapplied.
Claims23
A spectrophotometric sensor comprising:
- a sensor body;
- an emitter and a detector disposed on the sensor body;
- and
- a strain sensor disposed on the sensor body and positioned entirely between the emitter and the detector, wherein the strain sensor is capable of providing a signal indicative of sensor misapplication on a patient.
A system comprising:
- a spectrophotometric sensor comprising:
- a sensor body;
- an emitter and a detector disposed on the sensor body;
- and
- a strain sensor disposed on the sensor body, wherein the strain sensor is configured to provide a signal related to a curvature of the spectrophotometric sensor;
- and
- a monitor adapted to be operatively coupled to the sensor, the monitor being capable of determining whether the spectrophotometric sensor is applied to a sensor site for which it is designed based on the signal from the strain sensor.
A method of manufacturing a sensor, comprising:
- providing an optical package in which an emitter and a detector are disposed;
- combining the optical package and a strain sensor such that a signal related to a curvature of the optical package can be measured, wherein the strain sensor is positioned entirely between the emitter and the detector;
- and
- disposing the strain sensor and the optical package on a sensor body.
A method for detecting a misapplied sensor, comprising:
- receiving a signal related to a curvature of a spectrophotometric sensor at a monitor;
- comparing the signal with a threshold signal value;
- and
- providing a notification at or from the monitor if the comparison indicates that the spectrophotometric sensor is misapplied.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.