Pulse oximetry system with electrical decoupling circuitry

A medical apparatus adapted to reduce the risk of electric shock to a medical patient when used with a physiological monitor, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of physiological sensors, at least one of the physiological sensors comprising:
• a light emitter configured to impinge light on body tissue of a living patient, the body tissue including pulsating blood, and
• a detector responsive to the light after attenuation by the body tissue, wherein the detector is configured to generate a signal indicative of a physiological characteristic of the living patient;
• a splitter cable operative to connect the plurality of physiological sensors to a physiological monitor, the splitter cable comprising a plurality of cable sections each comprising one or more electrical conductors configured to interface with one of the physiological sensors;
• one or more decoupling circuits disposed in the splitter cable, the one or more decoupling circuits being in communication with at least one electrical conductor, the one or more decoupling circuits configured to communicate physiological signals between one or more of the physiological sensors and the physiological monitor, the one or more decoupling circuits operative to electrically decouple the physiological sensors from each other;
• at least one information element configured to store cable management information, patient context information, or physiological information;
• and
• a digital decoupling circuit comprising digital decoupling logic;
• and
• wherein at least one physiological sensor comprises a second information element configured to store additional cable management information, additional patient context information, or additional physiological information, wherein the digital decoupling circuit is configured to electrically decouple the information element from the second information element.

A method of reducing the risk of electric shock to a medical patient as used with a pulse oximeter, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of physiological sensors, at least one of the physiological sensors comprising a light emitter configured to impinge light on body tissue of a medical patient and a detector configured to generate a signal indicative of a physiological characteristic of the living patient responsive to the light after attenuation by the body tissue;
• providing a medical cable assembly comprising:
• an information element configured to store cable management information, patient context information, or physiological information;
• and
• a digital decoupling circuit comprising digital decoupling logic;
• and
• one or more electrical conductors configured to allow communication between the plurality of physiological sensors and a physiological monitor, such that the medical cable assembly is operative to provide signals representing physiological information of a medical patient from the plurality of physiological sensors to the physiological monitor;
• electrically decoupling the plurality of physiological sensors from each other using one or more decoupling circuits disposed in the medical cable assembly, the one or more decoupling circuits being in communication with the plurality of physiological sensors and with the physiological monitor;
• electrically decoupling the information element from the physiological monitor with the digital decoupling circuit;
• wherein at least one physiological sensor comprises a second information element configured to store additional cable management information, additional patient context information, or additional physiological information;
• and
• electrically decoupling the information element from the second information element with the digital decoupling circuit.