Patent ID: 9050044
Filing Date: 2015-06-09
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method of measuring a physiological parameter of blood in a patient, the method comprising: emitting at least two optical signals for propagation through tissue of the patient using a tissue interface positioned at an emission location of the tissue, the at least two optical signals carried over a common optical fiber and emitted by the tissue interface at the emission location; detecting the optical signals after propagation at two or more different detection locations of the tissue separate from the emission location, each different detection location corresponding to one of the at least two optical signals; identifying propagation pathlengths of the optical signals based at least on propagation differences among the optical signals between the emission location and the detection locations; detecting presence of a gap between the tissue interface and the tissue based at least on a propagation pathlength of one of the optical signals; identifying detected intensities of the optical signals; and when the presence of the gap is not detected, processing at least the propagation pathlengths to scale the detected intensities in determination of a value of the physiological parameter.