Sensor adapter cable
AssigneeMasimo Corporation
InventorsRonald Coverston, Michael Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sensor adapter cable provides medical personnel with the convenience of utilizing otherwise incompatible optical sensors with multiple blood parameter plug-ins to a physiological monitor, where the plug-ins each have keyed connectors that mechanically lock-out incompatible sensors in addition readers that poll sensor identification components in each sensor so as to electrically lock-out incompatible sensors.
Claims16
A sensor adapter cable provides medical personnel with the convenience of utilizing otherwise incompatible optical sensors with multiple blood parameter plug-ins to a physiological monitor, where the plug-ins each have keyed connectors that mechanically lock-out incompatible sensors in addition to readers that poll sensor identification components in each sensor so as to electrically lockout incompatible sensors, the sensor adapter cable comprising:
- a sensor connector that mechanically connects to a predetermined sensor and electrically communicates with a plurality of sensor electrical elements within the predetermined sensor;
- a plug-in connector that mechanically connects to a predetermined plug-in and electrically communicates with a plurality of plug-in electrical elements within the predetermined plug-in;
- an interconnection cable that mechanically attaches between and provides electrical communications between the sensor connector and the plug-in connector;
- and
- a pod, including a circuit board, incorporated within the interconnecting cable that electrically interfaces the sensor connector to the plug-in connector;
- wherein the pod includes both active and passive identification elements;
- wherein the circuit board comprises a first switch that, when closed, connects a resistor ID on the circuit board to the plug-in connector so as to enable a first plug-in attached to the plug-in connector to communicate with a sensor attached to the sensor connector, wherein the first switch is one of an n-channel or p-channel MOSFET;
- wherein the circuit board comprises a second switch that, when closed, connects an EEPROM ID on the circuit board to the plug-in connector so as to enable a second plug-in attached to the plug-in connector to communicate with a sensor attached to the sensor connector, wherein the second switch is the other of an n-channel or p-channel MOSFET.
A method of using a sensor adapter cable for interfacing any of multiple physiological monitor plug-ins to any of multiple optical sensors comprising:
- providing an interface cable having a sensor connector on a first end and a plug-in connector on a second end, and incorporating a plurality of passive and active memory identifications (IDs) within the cable, wherein the passive ID is at least one resistive ID and the active ID is a memory ID;
- asserting a sensor ID read signal at the plug-in connector;
- and
- selecting a particular one of the IDs to present to the plug-in connector in response to the read signal using one of an n-type MOSFET or a p-type MOSFET for the resistive ID and using the other of an n-type MOSFET or a p-type MOSFET for the memory ID.
A sensor adapter cable comprising:
- a plug-in connector means for connecting to a plug-in module for a physiological monitor;
- a sensor connector means for connecting to an optical sensor;
- an interface cable that mechanically and electrically interconnects the plug-in connector means and the sensor connector means;
- and
- a pod means integrated with the interface cable for allowing a plurality of sensors to connect to and be recognized by the plug-in module, the pod means including at least passive and active memory identifications (IDs);
- a switching means for selectively activating and isolating the IDs so that only a single ID is presented to the plug-in connector, wherein the switching means comprises one of an n-type MOSFET or a p-type MOSFET for the at least one of the IDs and the other of an n-type MOSFET or a p-type MOSFET for the at least another of the IDs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.