Modulated physiological sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12357181-B2
Application number	US-202318537615-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2023
Priority date	Aug 17, 2011
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

A modulated physiological sensor is a noninvasive device responsive to a physiological reaction of a living being to an internal or external perturbation that propagates to a skin surface area. The modulated physiological sensor has a detector configured to generate a signal responsive to the physiological reaction. A modulator varies the coupling of the detector to the skin so as to at least intermittently maximize the detector signal. A monitor controls the modulator and receives an effectively amplified detector signal, which is processed to calculate a physiological parameter indicative of the physiological reaction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modulated physiological sensor comprising:
an accelerometer configured to generate a physiological signal responsive to a physiological process corresponding to a user, wherein the accelerometer is configured to be coupled to a skin surface of the user; and
a modulator including a vibrator configured to generate an external acoustic wave separate from the physiological signal to modulate the physiological signal, wherein the modulated physiological signal improves a measurement of a physiological parameter compared to the physiological signal.

2. The modulated physiological sensor according to claim 1 wherein the modulator is a vibration element that mechanically accentuates the coupling of the accelerometer to the skin surface.

3. The modulated physiological sensor according to claim 2 further comprising a substrate that co-mounts the accelerometer and the vibration element.

4. The modulated physiological sensor according to claim 3 further comprising an attachment that releasably affixes the substrate, accelerometer and vibration element to the skin surface.

5. The modulated physiological sensor according to claim 4 , further comprising an optical sensor.

6. The modulated physiological sensor according to claim 5 wherein the vibration element is a coin motor.

7. The modulated physiological sensor according to claim 6 wherein the substrate is a circuit board that mechanically mounts and electrically interconnects the accelerometer and the coin motor.

8. The modulated physiological sensor according to claim 7 wherein the attachment is a tape having a sticky side that attaches to the skin surface and a housing side that encloses the circuit board.

Assignees

• Masimo Corp
• Masimo Coporation

Inventors

• Lamego Marcelo
• Dalvi Cristiano
• Vo Hung

Classifications

• A61B2562/0219

  Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches · CPC title

• A61B5/4884

  inducing physiological or psychological stress, e.g. applications for stress testing · CPC title

• A61B5/6843

  Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure · CPC title

• A61B5/6801

  specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface · CPC title

• A61B5/0051 Primary

  by applying vibrations · CPC title