Photoplethysmography device with thermal trapping and/or warming capability and associated methods

1. A photoplethysmography (PPG) device comprising:

an equipment module which includes:

a first light emitting diode (LED) adapted to emit light of a first wavelength from a patient facing extremity of the equipment module;

a second LED adapted to emit light of a second wavelength from the patient facing extremity of the equipment module; and

a photodetector; and

a mask covering the patient facing extremity of the equipment module so that when the PPG device is applied to a patient the mask is situated between the patient and the patient facing extremity, wherein the mask comprises a plate-like member having a first window that registers with both the first LED and the second LED and having a second window spaced from the first window that registers with the photodetector, wherein the plate-like member comprises a unitary aluminum foil layer through which the first and second windows extend.

2. The PPG device of claim 1 , wherein the mask comprises a reflective mask.

3. The PPG device of claim 1 , wherein the PPG device is non-enveloping when applied to the patient.

4. The PPG device of claim 1 , wherein the photodetector comprises a photodiode.

5. The PPG device of claim 1 , wherein the photodetector comprises an array of two or more photodetectors.

6. The PPG device of claim 5 , wherein the photodetector comprises a ring of photodetectors circumscribing the first and second LED's.

7. The PPG device of claim 1 , further comprising a processor adapted to control a drive current and an operating time of the second LED to achieve an elevated body tissue temperature of a patient to which the PPG device is applied.

8. The PPG device of claim 7 , further comprising a temperature sensor adapted to detect the elevated body tissue temperature.

9. The PPG device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is adapted to control the drive current and the operating time of the second LED to achieve and maintain the detected elevated body tissue temperature at a specified value.

10. The PPG device of claim 7 , wherein the first wavelength is from a visible portion of an electromagnetic spectrum and the second wavelength is from an infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

11. A photoplethysmography (PPG) device comprising:

a first light emitting diode (LED) adapted to emit light of a first wavelength;

a second LED adapted to emit light of a second wavelength;

a photodetector;

a processor adapted to control a drive current and/or an operating time of the second LED to achieve an elevated localized body tissue temperature of a patient to which the PPG device is applied, and

a mask, wherein the mask comprises a plate-like member having a first window that registers with both the first LED and the second LED without receiving the first and second LED's therein and having a second window spaced from the first window that registers with the photodetector without receiving the photodetector therein, wherein the plate-like member comprises a unitary aluminum foil layer through which the first and second windows extend.

12. The PPG device of claim 11 , further comprising a temperature sensor adapted to detect the elevated localized body tissue temperature.

13. The PPG device of claim 12 , wherein the processor is adapted to control the drive current and/or the operating time of the second LED to achieve and maintain the elevated localized body tissue temperature at a specified value.

14. The PPG device of claim 11 , wherein the first wavelength is from a visible portion of an electromagnetic spectrum and the second wavelength is from an infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

15. A method for conducting a photoplethsymographic (PPG) procedure on a person, the method comprising:

illuminating, through a first window of a plate-like mask, a tissue sample of the person with radiation of a first wavelength emitted from a first light emitting diode (LED) and radiation of a second wavelength emitted from a second LED;

trapping radiation in the tissue sample;

detecting, through a second window of the plate-like mask, at least a portion of tissue-reflected first wavelength radiation and tissue-reflected second wavelength radiation, wherein the second window is spaced from the first window, wherein the plate-like mask comprises a unitary aluminum foil layer, wherein the first and second windows comprise respective openings extending through the unitary aluminum foil layer, and wherein the mask further comprises a transparent material that fills the openings; and

analyzing the tissue-reflected first wavelength radiation and a detected non-reintroduced second wavelength radiation to determine a parameter of interest, wherein the parameter of interest includes one or more of the following: blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, and arterial compliance of the person.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising warming the tissue sample with radiation of the second wavelength prior to detecting the at least a portion of tissue-reflected first wavelength radiation and the tissue-reflected second wavelength radiation.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising warming the tissue sample with radiation of the second wavelength prior to illuminating the tissue sample with radiation of the first wavelength and radiation of the second wavelength.

18. A method for conducting a photoplethsymographic (PPG) procedure on a person, the method comprising:

warming a tissue sample of the person with radiation of a second wavelength emitted from a second light emitting diode (LED);

illuminating the tissue sample with radiation of a first wavelength emitted from a first LED and radiation of the second wavelength emitted from the second LED, wherein the first LED and the second LED are in registry with a first window of a plate-like mask;

detecting, through a second window of the plate-like mask, tissue-reflected first wavelength radiation and tissue-reflected second wavelength radiation, wherein the second window is spaced from the first window, wherein the plate-like mask comprises a unitary aluminum foil layer through which the first and second windows extend, wherein the first and second windows comprise respective openings extending through the unitary aluminum foil layer, and wherein the mask further comprises a transparent material that fills the openings; and

analyzing the tissue-reflected first wavelength radiation and the tissue-reflected second wavelength radiation to determine a parameter of interest, wherein the parameter of interest includes one or more of the following: blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, and arterial compliance of the person.