{
  "patent_number": "US RE47218",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Medical Monitors Adapt Oxygen Alarms to Reduce False Alerts",
  "original_title": "USRE47218E1 - Adaptive alarm system",
  "summary": "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.",
  "what_it_does": "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.",
  "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."
  ],
  "filed": "2018-01-26",
  "granted": "2019-02-05",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Masimo Corp",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/masimo-corp",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Ammar Al-Ali",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/ammar-al-ali"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 251,
  "tags": [
    "medical_devices",
    "consumer_electronics",
    "telecommunications",
    "software"
  ],
  "abstract": "Systems and electronic processes for reducing electronic alarms in a medical patient monitoring system. For example, a system for reducing electronic alarms can include an optical sensor and one or more hardware processors in electronic communication with the optical sensor. The one or more hardware processors can be programmed to measure oxygen saturation values of a patient over a first period of time, determine if at least one oxygen saturation value obtained over the first period of time exceeds a first alarm threshold, determine whether a first alarm should be triggered based on the determination that the at least one oxygen saturation value obtained over the first period of time exceeds the first alarm threshold, determine a second alarm threshold to be applied during a second period of time subsequent to the first period of time, the second alarm threshold replacing the first alarm threshold.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/RE47218/tysabri-dosing",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/RE47218/tysabri-dosing/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/USRE47218",
  "relatedPatents": []
}