TH62313B - Light power modulation - Google Patents

Abstract

The DC60 vital signs monitoring instrument includes a sensor mount, a sensor frame with the sensor mount, a 104 photoelectric system mounted to the sensor frame, and a display unit. The sensor mount is adjusted to be positioned at the anatomical location of the patient, namely the artery. The 104 photoelectric system includes a light guide, a light source that energizes the light guide, and a photometer to measure the amount of light energy emitted from the light guide. The 104 photoelectric system is adjusted to receive arterial pulses from compression or bending of at least a portion of the light guide, which reduces the amount of light emitted from the light guide. The display unit is assembled to receive an indicator of the amount of light emitted from the light guide and to generate a measurement of vital signs based on at least a portion of the received signal. The optical oscillator system 104 includes a light guide, a light source that provides light energy to the light guide, and a photodetector to measure the amount of light energy emitted from the light guide. The optical oscillator system 104 is optimized to take into account the pulse rate of the arteries from compression or bending of at least part of the light guide, which results in a reduction in the amount of light emitted from the light guide. An indicator unit is incorporated to receive an indicator signal of the amount of light emitted from the light guide and to measure the pulse signal based on at least the received portion.

Claims (35)

Revised 5/10/58 1. The optical motion monitoring instrument comprises: a) A sensor frame (200) is defined as an opening (118); a sensor pad (232) is placed in the opening (118); an optical monitoring system is applied to measure the amount of movement of the sensor pad within the sensor frame. The optical monitoring system comprises: a) A optical guide tube with an axis (215) enclosed by a covering material (217) is positioned within the sensor frame (200) until movement of the sensor pad (232) results in bending and/or compression of the optical guide tube (212), where compression and/or bending of the optical guide tube (212) results in the increase of the optical wave to the interface. Between the axis (215) and the cladding material (217) is less than the critical angle ((formula) c) due to the optical energy lost from the waveguide; b) the instrument provides a light source to supply optical energy to the first end of the optical waveguide (212); and c) a photodetector (240) to measure the amount of optical energy emitted from the second end of the optical waveguide (212); and d) an output unit (106) is assembled to receive a signal indicator of the amount of optical energy emitted from the waveguide (212) and to make a measurement of the amount of movement of the sensor pad (232) from the received signal; there are specific features that the instrument comprises. It consists of a spring load (234) fixed to at least a portion of the sensor frame (200) and supporting the sensor pad (232). It is assembled with at least some counterweights of pressure that resist the sensor pad (232), and is adjusted to allow the desired movement of the sensor pad (232) at maximum pressure. 2. The optical displacement monitoring instrument of claim 1, in which the spring load (234) is adjusted to allow the maximum movement of the sensor pad (232) between 0.5 and 3 mm at maximum pressure. 3. The displacement monitoring instrument within the defined limits of claim 1, in which the optical waveguide (212) is assembled with an elastomer selected from the group consisting of polysiloxane, polyurethane, polybutadiene rubber, and a combination thereof. 4. The displacement monitoring instrument within the defined limits of claim 1, in which the optical waveguide (212) is assembled to accommodate a numerically sized aperture between 0.2 and 0.4. 5. The instrument is capable of detecting motion within the limits specified in Requisition 1, where the optical waveguide (212) is fitted with a core and a sheath, the core having a refractive index between 1.43 and 1.50, the sheath having a refractive index between 1.39 and 1.48, the core, the sheath, or both the core and sheath have a Shore A hardness between 25 and 75. 1. The vital signs measurement instrument comprises: a sensor mounting device designed for anatomical placement on the patient's artery; a sensor frame secured by the sensor mounting device; an optical monitoring system secured by the sensor frame and incorporating a light source to energize one end of the optical waveguide; and a photodetector to measure the amount of light energy emitted from the second end of the optical waveguide. The optical monitoring system is adjusted to detect compression or bending of at least a portion of the optical waveguide, resulting in a reduction of the amount of light energy emitted from the second end of the optical waveguide; and an output unit is assembled to indicate the amount of light emitted from the second end of the optical waveguide and to generate vital signs measurements based on at least a portion of the received signal. 2. The vital signs monitoring instrument for claim 1, where the instrument center is mounted, is a cuff which incorporates an inflatable bladder to apply pressure to the arm or leg when inflated and in that way compress the arteries within the arm or leg. 3. A vital signs monitoring device of claim 1 or 2, which includes, in addition, sensor pads within the sensor pads located within the anatomical positional range, where movement of the sensor pads results in compression or flexion of the compressible optical waveguide, and adjustment of the sensor pad movement results in adjustment of the compression or flexion of the optical waveguide. 4. The vital signs monitoring device of claim 3, which is further incorporated with a load spring, is attached to at least part of the sensor frame and supports the sensor pad, and is assembled with at least part of the counter pressure that exerts force against the sensor pad at the anatomical position of the recipient. 5. Vital signs monitoring device for claim 4, where the spring load is adjusted to allow maximum movement of the centerpad between 0.5 and . mm at maximum pressure. 6. Vital signs monitoring device for claim 3, where compression and bending of the optical waveguide at the point of greatest contact pressure results in a 50–70 percent reduction in the total amount of light emitted from the optical waveguide. 7. The vital signs monitoring device of claim 1, which incorporates a pressure sensor to measure pressure applied to an anatomical position, where the display unit receives an input pressure signal indicating the pressure applied to the anatomical position from the pressure sensor, and where the display unit generates vital signs by using indicator signals of the received light signals and the input pressure signals. 8. Vital signs monitoring device of claim 1, where the optical waveguide is incorporated with an elastomer selected from a group consisting of polysiloxane, polyurethane, polybutadiene rubber, and a combination thereof. 9. The vital signs monitoring instrument of claim 1, which includes an additional waveguide-supporting structure comprising a rigid surface, a waveguide-supporting structure supporting the optical waveguide portion, in which the optical monitoring system is adjusted to cause deformation in the unsupported portion of the optical waveguide in response to arterial pulse. 10. The vital signs monitoring instrument of claim 1, which is further incorporated with a flexible, non-compressive supporting skin that accommodates the optical waveguide along its entire length. 11. Vital signs monitoring equipment of claim 10, where the photoelectric generator and photocopier are mounted on the surface of the waveguide support. 12. The vital signs monitoring device for claim 10, which incorporates additional support components assembled within the support skin and adjusted to resist the bending of the support skin. 13. Vital signs monitoring instrument of claim 1, where an optical monitoring system is assembled to measure the optical representative signals of an arterial pulse series and the optical output unit is adjusted to monitor the pulse waveform for each arterial pulse series. 14. Vital signs measurement instruments of claim 1, where the vital signs are at least one heart rate, arterial pulse waveform, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial blood pressure, pulse rate, and arterial elongation. 15. The method of measuring vital signs in a patient using the instrument of claim 1, which consists of; the placement of the instrument in relation to the patient's anatomical position; the transmission of light energy to the first end of the optical waveguide by a light source; the measurement of the amount of light energy emitted from the second end of the optical waveguide using a photodetector mounted on a sensor frame, and the generation of an indicator signal of the received light energy; and the generation of vital sign measurements using the indicator signal generated of the light energy emitted from the second end of the optical waveguide. 16. The method of claim 15, which includes the following: application of pressure to the anatomical position of the patient with the instrument fitted with a sensor; changes in the pressure applied to the anatomical position with the instrument fitted with a sensor over time; and serial verification of pulse characteristics for arterial pulse over time from changes in the amount of light energy emitted from the second end of the optical waveguide over time, in which the measurements established of vital signs are based on a series of pulse characteristics over time. 17. The method of claim 16, which continues, comprises; obtaining the measured blood pressure; obtaining the characteristics of the initial pulse, at the start time, and the characteristics of the subsequent pulse, at a later time, using an input signal indicator of the amount of light energy emitted from the second end of the optical waveguide, where the measured blood pressure is obtained at the time closer to the start time than later, where the constructed measurements of vital signs are based on the measured blood pressure, the characteristics of the initial pulse, and the characteristics of the subsequent pulse. 18. The method of measuring the blood pressure of the patient using the instrument of claim 1, which includes: positioning the instrument to the anatomical position of the patient; applying differential pressure to the anatomical position of the patient with the sensor-equipped instrument; measuring the arterial pulse waveform using an optical sensing system; and measuring systolic and diastolic blood pressure based on the measured arterial pulse waveform as a function of the applied pressure and differential pressure. 19. The optical sensing instrument comprises: a sensor frame, defined as an opening; an optical sensing system, applied to measure the amount of movement of the sensor pad within the sensor frame; the optical sensing system comprises: (a) an optical waveguide positioned within the sensor frame until the movement of the sensor pad results in bending or compression of the optical waveguide; (b) an instrument providing a light source to energize one end of the optical waveguide; and (c) a photodetector to measure the amount of light energy emitted from the second end of the optical waveguide; and an output unit is assembled to receive an indicator signal of the amount of light energy emitted from the waveguide and to generate a measurement of the amount of movement of the sensor pad from the received signal. 20. The optical motion monitoring device of claim 19, which is further incorporated with a spring load attached to at least the minimum portion of the sensor femur and supports the sensor pad, and is assembled with the minimum rubber portion of the pressure-resistant sensor pad, and is adjusted to allow the desired movement of the sensor pad at maximum pressure. 21. The optical motion monitoring instrument of claim 20, where the spring load is adjusted to provide a maximum movement of the sensor pad between 0.5 and 3 millimeters at maximum pressure. 22. A device for monitoring motion within the defined limits of claim 19, where an optical waveguide is assembled with an elastomer selected from a group consisting of polysiloxane, polyurethane, polybutadiene rubber, and a combination thereof. 23. An instrument for monitoring motion within the defined limits of claim 19, where the optical waveguide is fitted with a numerical aperture between 0.2 and 0.4. 24. A device for monitoring motion within the defined limits of claim 19, where the optical waveguide is assembled with a core and a sheath, the core having a refractive index between 1.43 and 1.50, the sheath having a refractive index between 1.39 and 1.48, the core, the sheath, or both the core and the sheath have a shore A hardness between 25 and 75. 25. The motion monitoring instrument within the defined scope of claim 19, in which an additional structure is incorporated that supports the waveguide, which incorporates deformation, supports at least the minimum portion of the optical waveguide, in which the optical monitoring system is further adjusted for the movement of the sensor pad causing deformation in the unsupported portion of the optical waveguide in response to the arterial pulse. 26. An instrument for monitoring motion within the defined boundaries of claim 19, in which an additional component is included, consisting of a flexible and non-compressive supporting surface that supports the optical waveguide along its entire length. 27. An instrument for monitoring movement within the defined limits of claim 26, which is further incorporated with a support component assembled within the support surface for the waveguide and adjusted to resist the bending of the support surface. 28. A device for monitoring movement within the defined limits of claim 19, where compression and bending of the optical waveguide at the point of greatest contact pressure of the optical waveguide cause a 50–70 percent reduction in the total amount of light emitted from the optical waveguide. 29. A method for measuring the amount of movement within a defined boundary using a boundary motion detection instrument of claim 19, which comprises: the transmission of light energy to the first end of a light waveguide; the measurement of the amount of light emitted from the second end of the light waveguide using a photodetector; and the generation of a measurement of the amount of downward movement of the sensor pad using a signal indicator generated of the light energy emitted from the second end of the light waveguide. 30. A flexible waveguide for pulse detection up to the arterial level, comprising: a sheath with a flat side directed toward the channel, a sheath composed of elastomer with a Shore A hardness between 25 and 75; and a core placed inside the channel, a core composed of elastomer with a Shore A hardness between 25 and 75 and a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the sheath. 31. The bendable waveguide of claim 30, where the shell material has a shore A durometer between 45 and 55 and the axis has a shore A hardness between 30 and 45. 32. A bendable waveguide of claim 30, whereby the waveguide can have at least 10,000 navigation modes. 33. A bendable waveguide of claim 32, in which the axis has a refractive index between 1.43 and 1.50 and the cladding has a refractive index between 1.39 and 1.48. 34. A bendable waveguide of claim 30, in which the axis has a radius of at least 45 micrometers. 35. A bendable waveguide of claim 30, where the core is composed of an elastomer selected from a group comprising polysiloxane, polyurethane, polybutadiene rubber, and a combination thereof, has a shore A hardness between 30 and 45, a refractive index between 1.45 and 1.47, and a radius between 150 and 200 micrometers; where the shell material has a shore A durometer between 45 and 55 and a refractive index between 1.39 and 1.41; and where the waveguide has a NA between 0.35 and 0.4 and can have at least 50,000 navigation modes.