IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,358,213
Granted Patent B2
US 8,358,213 · App. 12/497,824 · Granted Jan 22, 2013

Systems and methods for evaluating a physiological condition using a wavelet transform and identifying a band within a generated scalogram

Inventors: James Nicholas Watson (Dunfermline, GB); Paul Stanley Addison (Edinburgh, GB); Edward M. McKenna (Boulder, CO); James P. Ochs (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: Covidien LP
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,358,213
App. No.
12/497,824
Granted
Jan 22, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and system are provided for evaluating in patient monitoring whether a signal is sensed optimally by receiving a signal, transforming the signal using a wavelet transform, generating a scalogram based at least in part on the transformed signal, identifying a pulse band in the scalogram, identifying a characteristic of the pulse band, determining, based on the characteristic of the pulse band, whether the signal is sensed optimally; and triggering an event. The characteristics of the pulse band and scalogram may be used to provide an indication of monitoring conditions.

Claims (36)

1. A method comprising:

using a processor for:

receiving a signal;

transforming the signal using a wavelet transform;

generating a scalogram based at least in part on the transformed signal;

identifying a band in the scalogram;

identifying a characteristic of the band;

determining, based at least in part on the characteristic of the band, whether the signal is sensed generally optimally; and

triggering an event.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a characteristic of the band comprises obtaining an incremental slice of the pulse band.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the characteristic of the band comprises a height of the band, a width of the band, an amplitude of the band, a strength of the band, and/or a shape of the band, and/or combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising using a processor for comparing the characteristic to a threshold value.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the event is triggered if the characteristic does not correspond to the threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the event comprises sending a control signal to a light associated with the signal, an alert, and/or moving a sensor, and/or combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the alert comprises an indication of use of increased light intensity, an indication of use of decreased light intensity, an indication to move the sensor, an indication to move the sensor closer to an artery, an indication to move the sensor away from an artery, an indication that the sensor is not optimally located, an indication to examine a patient, and/or an indication of use of a second sensor.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

using a processor for:

generating at least a second scalogram based at least in part on the signal; and

comparing the scalogram, the second scalogram, and/or the threshold value.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising using a processor for identifying a feature of a marker region in the scalogram.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the feature of the marker region comprises a characteristic feature positioned at one or more scales above or below the band.

11. A system comprising:

a signal generator for generating a signal;

a processor coupled to the signal generator, wherein the processor is capable of receiving the signal, transforming the signal using a wavelet transform, generating a scalogram based at least in part on the transformed signal, identifying a pulse band in the scalogram, identifying a characteristic of the pulse band; determining, based at least in part on the characteristic of the pulse band, whether the signal is sensed generally optimally; and triggering an event; and

a display for viewing information based at least in part on the signal.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the signal generator comprises a pulse oximeter coupled to a sensor.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the characteristic of the pulse band comprises one of the group of: a height of the pulse band, a width of the pulse band, an amplitude of the pulse band, a strength of the pulse band, and a shape of pulse band.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor is capable of comparing the characteristic to a threshold value.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor triggers the event if the characteristic does not correspond to the threshold value.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the event comprises sending a control signal to a light associated with the signal, an alert, and/or moving a sensor.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the alert comprises an indication of use of increased light intensity, an indication of use of decreased light intensity, an indication to move the sensor, an indication to move the sensor closer to an artery, an indication to move the sensor away from an artery, an indication that the sensor is not optimally located, an indication to examine a patient, and/or an indication of use of a second sensor.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the processor is capable of:

generating at least a second scalogram based at least in part on the signal; and

comparing at least two of: the scalogram, the second scalogram, and the threshold value.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor is capable of identifying a feature of a marker region in the scalogram.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the feature of the marker region comprises at least one characteristic feature positioned at one or more scales above or below the pulse band.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2014
From: NELLCOR PURITAN BENNETT LLC
To: NELLCOR PURITAN BENNETT IRELAND
Reel/Frame 032907/0274 →
CORRECTION TO THE NAME OF THE RECEIVING PARTY IN A COVER SHEET PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 022987/0007. Recorded Nov 5, 2013
From: WATSON, JAMES NICHOLAS; ADDISON, PAUL STANLEY; MCKENNA, EDWARD M.; OCHS, JAMES P.
To: NELLCOR PURITAN BENNETT LLC
Reel/Frame 031580/0481 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2009
From: WATSON, JAMES NICHOLAS; ADDISON, PAUL STANLEY; MCKENNA, EDWARD M.; OCHS, JAMES P.
To: NELLCOR PURITAN BENNETT IRELAND
Reel/Frame 022987/0007 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61080982 · Jul 15, 2008
Related Publication 20100013642A1 · Jan 21, 2010