Patent ID: 6763256
Filing Date: 2004-07-13
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method of determining hemoglobin oxygen saturation at a measurement site on a patient, comprising:noninvasively detecting a first pulsatile characteristic of the patient proximate the measurement site; making hemoglobin oxygen saturation measurements at the measurement site; and analyzing the hemoglobin oxygen saturation measurements made at the measurement site; wherein at least one of i) making the hemoglobin oxygen saturation measurements and ii) analyzing the hemoglobin oxygen saturation measurements and iii) any combination thereof is performed in response to the detected first pulsatile characteristic regardless of whether the first pulsatile characteristic is stable or unstable; and wherein making the hemoglobin saturation measurements includes triggering the hemoglobin oxygen saturation measurements at a predetermined time relative to the first pulsatile characteristic.