Enhanced Patient Monitor with Advanced Probe and Accessory Quality Control

An improved patient monitoring system capable of verifying the authenticity and quality of attached probes and accessories, ensuring accurate and reliable patient physiological parameter measurements.

The original patent disclosed a patient monitor capable of monitoring the quality of attached probes and accessories. However, it had limitations in ensuring the authenticity and quality of these components. The new inventive concept addresses these limitations by introducing advanced quality control measures, including self-diagnostic testing, encryption, and decryption of quality control information, and correlating quality control information from multiple accessories.

The enhanced patient monitor features a sensor information element storing a sensor authentication code, which is compared with a corresponding code stored in a sensor requirement table to verify the authenticity of the sensor. The patient monitor also performs a self-diagnostic test to detect any faulty or malfunctioning components and alerts the user when a faulty component is detected. Furthermore, the system correlates quality control information from multiple accessories to ensure their authenticity. The cable device includes a cable information element storing a cable authentication code, which is read and verified by the patient monitor. The system also employs encryption and decryption of quality control information to enhance security.

The new inventive concept introduces several novel features, including the self-diagnostic testing capability, correlation of quality control information from multiple accessories, and encryption and decryption of quality control information. These features provide an inventive step over the original patent by ensuring a higher level of accuracy, reliability, and security in patient monitoring.

Alternative embodiments of the inventive concept could include the use of different authentication codes, such as biometric or cryptographic codes, or the integration of additional sensors or accessories. Variations could also include the use of different encryption and decryption methods or the implementation of the inventive concept in different patient monitoring systems, such as portable or wearable devices.

The enhanced patient monitor with advanced probe and accessory quality control has significant commercial potential in the healthcare industry, particularly in hospitals, clinics, and medical research institutions. The inventive concept's ability to ensure accurate and reliable patient physiological parameter measurements can improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and enhance the overall quality of care.