Duo connector patient cable

1. In a patient monitoring system having a sensor configured to transmit at least two wavelengths of optical radiation into a tissue site and detect the radiation after attenuation by pulsatile blood flowing within the tissue site, a patient monitor configured to process a signal responsive to the detected radiation and generate at least one parameter indicative of a patient physical condition, a patient cable for interconnecting the sensor and patient monitor comprising:

a monitor connector configured to mate with a corresponding connector in a patient monitor;

a sensor connector configured to mate with either of two different types of corresponding sensor connectors, the sensor connector including a first socket section configured to mate with only a first corresponding sensor connector type and a second socket section configured to mate with only a second corresponding sensor connector type, the first and second socket sections housed in the same housing,

wherein the first socket section is configured to mate with a first sensor and the second socket section is configured, along with the first socket section, to mate with a second sensor; and

a cable interconnecting the monitor connector and the sensor connector so as to transmit drive signals originating from the monitor to the sensor and to transmit sensor signals originating from the sensor to the monitor.

2. The patient cable according to claim 1 wherein:

the first sensor is a two-wavelength pulse oximeter sensor; and

the second sensor is a multiple wavelength sensor capable of transmitting more than two wavelengths of optical radiation into a tissue site.

3. The patient cable according to claim 2 further comprising a circuit for converting multiple wavelength sensor drive signals into two-wavelength sensor drive signals.

4. The patient cable according to claim 3 wherein the circuit comprises:

a circuit board housed in the sensor connector; and

a plurality of switches mounted to the circuit board,

wherein the switches route portions of array drive signals generated by the monitor to back-to-back drive signal pins in communications with the two-wavelength sensor.

5. The patient cable according to claim 4 :

wherein the back-to-back signal drive pins are housed in the first socket section, and

wherein the array drive signals for the multiple wavelength sensor are communicated to the second section.

6. The patient cable according to claim 5 further comprising:

detector signal pins housed in the first socket section in communications with either the two-wavelength sensor or the multiple wavelength sensor when attached,

wherein drive signal pins housed in the first section are grounded when the multiple wavelength sensor is attached so as to improve noise isolation of the detector signal.

7. A patient cable method comprising the steps of:

providing a duo sensor connector having a first socket section and a second socket section housed in the same housing and proximate to each other;

removably attaching a first sensor having a conventional connector to the first socket section for making pulse oximetry measurements; and

removably attaching a second sensor having a mating duo connector to the first and second socket sections for making blood parameter measurements in addition to pulse oximetry measurements, wherein the first and the second sensors are not attached at the same time.

8. The patient cable method according to claim 7 comprising the further steps of:

communicating first drive signals to the first socket section; and

communicating second drive signals to the second socket section,

wherein a portion of the second drive signals are routed to the first socket section as the first drive signals when the first sensor is attached to the duo sensor connector.

9. The patient cable method according to claim 8 comprising the further step of converting second drive signals from a multiple parameter patient monitor configured for an LED array to first drive signals configured for back-to-back LEDs when the first sensor is attached to the duo sensor connector.

10. The patient cable method according to claim 9 comprising the further step of switching signals between pins in the first socket section and the second socket section within the duo sensor connector.

11. The patient cable method according to claim 10 comprising the further step of grounding drive signal pins in the first socket section when the second sensor is attached to the duo sensor connector so as to provide noise isolation of detector signal pins in the first socket section.