Patent ID: 7222624

Claim:
An apparatus with dual sensing means for automatically controlling and conserving the delivery of oxygen to a patient comprising: an oxygen supply generator; oximeter means having a first non-invasive sensor to measure blood hemoglobin saturation (SpO 2 ) of a patient and a second non-invasive sensor to measure the pulse rate of the patient; means for providing a setpoint level of a desired blood saturation for the patient; first control means adapted for identifying a pulse rate and providing a pulse signal; second control means adapted for identifying a first error signal representing the difference between the setpoint level and a signal representing the measurement of the blood saturation; means for responding to the pulse signal and the first error signal to provide an oxygen flow setpoint signal; means for identifying a flow from the oxygen supply generator to provide an oxygen flow signal; means adapted for identifying a second error signal representing the difference between the oxygen flow signal and the oxygen flow setpoint signal; and means for responding to the second error signal to modulate variables of the oxygen generator to a desired level.