How Medical Monitors Adapt Oxygen Alarms to Reduce False Alerts
This patent describes an adaptive alarm system for medical patient monitors that dynamically adjusts oxygen saturation thresholds based on recent patient data, aiming to reduce unnecessary alerts.
Original patent title: “USRE47218E1 - Adaptive alarm system”
This patent describes an adaptive alarm system for medical patient monitors that dynamically adjusts oxygen saturation thresholds based on recent patient data, aiming to reduce unnecessary alerts. Granted to Masimo Corp in 2019 with 21 claims and 251 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This system reduces false alarms in medical patient monitoring by intelligently adjusting oxygen saturation (SpO2) thresholds. It uses an optical sensor to measure a patient's SpO2 values over a first period of time. If these values exceed a first alarm threshold, the system then calculates a new, second alarm threshold for a subsequent period. This second threshold is determined by comparing the patient's current SpO2 to a predefined lower limit. Crucially, the system computes this second threshold with an "offset" from the measured SpO2 value, and this offset shrinks as the patient's SpO2 gets closer to the dangerous lower limit (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). This means the alarm becomes more sensitive when oxygen levels are already low. For example, if a patient's SpO2 is stable at 95%, the system might set a new, slightly lower alarm threshold of 90%. If the SpO2 then drops to 88%, an alarm would trigger.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover alarm systems that use fixed, unchanging thresholds for oxygen saturation, regardless of the patient's current stable levels.
- Does not cover adaptive alarm systems for other vital signs, such as heart rate or blood pressure, if they do not use the specific SpO2 threshold adaptation method described.
- Does not cover systems where the alarm threshold is adjusted based on a patient's long-term historical data or general population statistics, rather than recent, specific measurements.
- Does not cover alarm systems where the 'offset' for the new threshold does not diminish as the patient's oxygen level gets closer to a dangerous lower limit (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover systems that adapt thresholds based solely on trends or rates of change in oxygen saturation, without the specific comparison to a lower limit and diminishing offset.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The clever part is how the system dynamically adjusts the alarm threshold based on recent patient data and a diminishing offset. As a patient's oxygen saturation approaches a critical lower limit, the alarm threshold becomes tighter, making the system more sensitive when it matters most, without triggering false alarms during stable periods.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Masimo pulse oximeters
Hospital patient monitoring systems
Wearable medical sensors for continuous SpO2 tracking
Home health monitoring devices for respiratory conditions
Why it matters
The bigger picture
In hospitals, too many false alarms can lead to "alarm fatigue," where medical staff become desensitized to alerts, potentially missing real emergencies. This patent addresses this critical issue by making patient monitoring systems smarter and more responsive to individual patient conditions. By reducing unnecessary alarms, it helps ensure that healthcare providers focus on truly critical events, improving patient safety and staff efficiency.
Filed
January 26, 2018
Granted
February 5, 2019
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Masimo Corp, the original assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is a leading company in noninvasive patient monitoring, particularly known for its pulse oximetry technology. They continue to develop and integrate advanced alarm management into their patient monitoring platforms. Other major medical device manufacturers in the patient monitoring space, such as Philips and GE Healthcare, also invest heavily in smart alarm technologies to combat alarm fatigue.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the ongoing effort to combat alarm fatigue in healthcare settings, a significant problem that can compromise patient safety and staff well-being. By enabling more intelligent and context-aware alarm systems, it helps differentiate patient monitoring products. The technology allows for more personalized patient care by tailoring alarm thresholds to individual patient baselines, which can lead to better clinical outcomes and more efficient use of medical resources.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This system reduces false alarms in medical patient monitoring by intelligently adjusting oxygen saturation (SpO2) thresholds. It uses an optical sensor to measure a patient's SpO2 values over a first period of time. If these values exceed a first alarm threshold, the system then calculates a new, second alarm threshold for a subsequent period. This second threshold is determined by comparing the patient's current SpO2 to a predefined lower limit. Crucially, the system computes this second threshold with an "offset" from the measured SpO2 value, and this offset shrinks as the patient's SpO2 gets closer to the dangerous lower limit (Claim 1). This means the alarm becomes more sensitive when oxygen levels are already low. For example, if a patient's SpO2 is stable at 95%, the system might set a new, slightly lower alarm threshold of 90%. If the SpO2 then drops to 88%, an alarm would trigger.
The clever bit
The clever part is how the system dynamically adjusts the alarm threshold based on recent patient data and a diminishing offset. As a patient's oxygen saturation approaches a critical lower limit, the alarm threshold becomes tighter, making the system more sensitive when it matters most, without triggering false alarms during stable periods.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover alarm systems that use fixed, unchanging thresholds for oxygen saturation, regardless of the patient's current stable levels.
- Does not cover adaptive alarm systems for other vital signs, such as heart rate or blood pressure, if they do not use the specific SpO2 threshold adaptation method described.
- Does not cover systems where the alarm threshold is adjusted based on a patient's long-term historical data or general population statistics, rather than recent, specific measurements.
- Does not cover alarm systems where the 'offset' for the new threshold does not diminish as the patient's oxygen level gets closer to a dangerous lower limit (Claim 1).
- Does not cover systems that adapt thresholds based solely on trends or rates of change in oxygen saturation, without the specific comparison to a lower limit and diminishing offset.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
40/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
14/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$1.1M – $3.4M
Midpoint $2.1M · 11.6 yr remaining · industry ×2.2
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
21 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Al-Ali, A. (2019). How Medical Monitors Adapt Oxygen Alarms to Reduce False Alerts (U.S. Patent No. RE47,218). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/RE47218/tysabri-dosing
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Medical Monitors Adapt Oxygen Alarms to Reduce False Alerts cover?
This patent describes an adaptive alarm system for medical patient monitors that dynamically adjusts oxygen saturation thresholds based on recent patient data, aiming to reduce unnecessary alerts.
Who owns patent US RE47218?
Masimo Corp owns this patent, granted in 2019.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on February 5, 2039, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US RE47218 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 251 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
In hospitals, too many false alarms can lead to "alarm fatigue," where medical staff become desensitized to alerts, potentially missing real emergencies. This patent addresses this critical issue by making patient monitoring systems smarter and more responsive to individual patient conditions. By reducing unnecessary alarms, it helps ensure that healthcare providers focus on truly critical events, improving patient safety and staff efficiency.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover alarm systems that use fixed, unchanging thresholds for oxygen saturation, regardless of the patient's current stable levels.
Patent monitoring