Blood Pressure Analysis System for MRI-Compatible Sensor Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional patient care monitors (PCMs) are limited in their ability to interface with a wide variety of analog sensors, particularly fiber optic blood pressure sensors, due to their reliance on standardized Wheatstone Bridge interfaces, which restricts the use of high-performance, high-sensitivity, and multi-channel sensors, and are susceptible to noise, electromagnetic interference, and incompatible with MRI environments.
Innovation Solution
The system employs an analog-to-digital-to-analog conversion process that compensates digital data from fiber optic sensors to emulate a Wheatstone Bridge interface, allowing compatibility with conventional PCMs and providing a separate digital output for higher-level analysis, while supporting modern computer communications and accurate real-time blood pressure measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional PCMs use standardized Wheatstone Bridge interfaces, then compatibility with existing sensors is maintained, but the ability to interface with high-performance fiber optic sensors and other non-standard sensors is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device that converts non-Wheatstone Bridge sensor outputs (such as fiber optic sensors, strain gauge sensors, and other analog sensors) into Wheatstone Bridge-compatible signals. This mediator enables compatibility between diverse sensor types and conventional PCMs without modifying the PCMs themselves, thereby resolving the contradiction between adaptability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface conversion system is designed to support multiple sensor types (fiber optic, strain gauge, piezoelectric, capacitive, resistive) through a universal conversion architecture. This multi-functional approach allows a single device to interface with various sensor technologies while maintaining compatibility with standard PCM systems, addressing the versatility-complexity trade-off.
2Reliability
If conventional PCMs use electrical Wheatstone Bridge interfaces, then standard analog sensor connectivity is achieved, but susceptibility to noise and electromagnetic interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables replacement of electrical Wheatstone Bridge interfaces with fiber optic sensor interfaces that use optical signals instead of electrical signals. This substitution eliminates susceptibility to electromagnetic interference and noise, thereby improving signal accuracy and reliability in electrically noisy environments while maintaining compatibility with conventional PCMs through the interface conversion device.
3Ease of operation
If conventional PCMs use standardized electrical interfaces, then ease of connection is maintained, but compatibility with MRI environments is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent facilitates replacement of electrical connection interfaces with fiber optic connections that are inherently compatible with MRI environments. The interface conversion device enables fiber optic sensors to connect to conventional PCMs used in MRI settings, providing ease of operation while eliminating electromagnetic interference concerns during MRI procedures.
4Adaptability or versatility
If conventional PCMs are designed for standard analog sensors, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the ability to support high-performance and multi-channel sensors is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary interface conversion device that handles the complexity of supporting diverse high-performance sensors (multi-channel, high-sample-rate, various sensor types) while keeping the conventional PCM system design simple. This mediator absorbs the manufacturing and configuration complexity, allowing PCMs to be manufactured for standard applications while still supporting advanced sensors through the conversion interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A blood pressure analysis system/method allowing conversion from an analog sensor input to a standardized analog output interface is disclosed. In some preferred embodiments the system/method permits a fiber optic pressure sensor to be interfaced to a standard patient care monitor (PCM) system using standardized Wheatstone Bridge analog interface inputs. Within this context the Wheatstone Bridge sensed output is defined by stimulus from the PCM and modulation of bridge element values by the conditioned output of an analog pressure sensor. The use of analog-to-digital-to-analog conversion in this blood pressure analysis permits retrofitting of PCM devices having analog Wheatstone Bridge inputs with advanced patient monitoring sensors without the need for specialized modifications to the baseline PCM data collection framework. Methods disclosed herein include techniques to connect arbitrary types/numbers of analog sensors to traditional PCM systems without the need for PCM system hardware/software modifications.