Photonic Crystal LED for Medical Sensor Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical sensors, such as pulse oximeters, face challenges with high power consumption and heat generation due to low emission efficiencies and complex spatial profiles of light emitting diodes (LEDs), which complicates their design and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
The use of photonic crystal (PhC) LEDs, which offer improved surface brightness and spatial emission profiles, reducing power consumption and heat generation, and allowing for simpler sensor designs by omitting additional components like lenses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional LEDs are used as light sources, then the sensor can provide emitted light for tissue scattering and detection, but the emission efficiency is low resulting in high power consumption and heat generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the LED structure to include a photonic crystal layer, which changes the optical properties and emission characteristics of the LED. This structural parameter change enables more efficient light extraction and directional control, directly addressing the low emission efficiency and high power consumption issue
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by integrating a photonic crystal layer with the conventional LED structure. This composite structure combines the light-emitting properties of the LED with the light-manipulating properties of the photonic crystal, achieving improved emission efficiency and reduced power consumption
2Device complexity
If conventional LEDs are used as light sources, then the sensor can provide emitted light, but the spatial profiles are difficult to control increasing sensor complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The photonic crystal layer modifies the spatial emission profile of the LED by changing the refractive index distribution and creating specific optical pathways. This parameter change enables better control over light direction and distribution, reducing the need for additional optical components and simplifying the overall sensor design
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
PhC LEDs enable more efficient light emission with lower power usage, resulting in less heat generation and reduced complexity, leading to more accurate measurements and improved patient comfort with reduced sensor size and cost.
Implementation Method 1
The use of photonic crystal (PhC) LEDs, which offer improved surface brightness and spatial emission profiles
Implementation Method 2
conventional light emitting diodes (LEDs) as light sources
Implementation Method 3
photoelectrically senses the absorption of light in such tissue
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for spectrophometric measurement of a physiological property of a patient. For example, an embodiment of a patient monitoring system may include a monitor operatively coupled to a spectrophotometric sensor, which may include an emitter configured to transmit light into tissue of the patient and a detector configured to receive the light from the tissue. The emitter may use a photonic crystal light emitting diode to generate the light.