US 11,690,574 B2
Pulse oximeter access apparatus and method
Ammar Al-Ali, San Juan Capistrano, CA (US); Ronald Coverston, Portola Hills, CA (US); and Massi E. Kiani, Laguna Niguel, CA (US)
Assigned to MASIMO CORPORATION, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed by MASIMO CORPORATION, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 13, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/713,675.
Application 16/713,675 is a continuation of application No. 15/686,756, filed on Aug. 25, 2017, granted, now 10,531,835.
Application 15/686,756 is a continuation of application No. 14/790,454, filed on Jul. 2, 2015, granted, now 9,743,887, issued on Aug. 29, 2017.
Application 14/790,454 is a continuation of application No. 12/360,830, filed on Jan. 27, 2009, granted, now 9,072,474, issued on Jul. 7, 2015.
Application 12/360,830 is a continuation of application No. 10/981,186, filed on Nov. 4, 2004, granted, now 7,483,729, issued on Jan. 27, 2009.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/517,954, filed on Nov. 5, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2020/0222009 A1, Jul. 16, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/1455 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 5/7221 (2013.01) [A61B 5/14551 (2013.01); A61B 5/7271 (2013.01); A61B 2560/0266 (2013.01); A61B 2560/0475 (2013.01); A61B 2562/08 (2013.01); A61B 2562/221 (2013.01); A61B 2562/222 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of utilizing a memory device, the memory device storing access information usable to unlock otherwise unavailable processing by a patient monitor so that the patient monitor processes a signal output by a noninvasive optical sensor to determine a physiological parameter of a patient monitored by the noninvasive optical sensor, the method comprising:
acquiring a first sensor apparatus comprising a first noninvasive optical sensor and a first memory device, the first noninvasive optical sensor comprising a first detector configured to output a first signal responsive to attenuation of light by a first tissue, the first memory device storing first access information usable to indicate to a patient monitor that the first noninvasive optical sensor is connected and to unlock otherwise unavailable processing of the first signal by the patient monitor;
obtaining a second memory device and programming the second memory device to store second access information compatible with the first memory device so that the second memory device is equivalent to the first memory device; and
attaching the second memory device to an assembly configured to support the second memory device and couple to a second sensor apparatus comprising a second noninvasive optical sensor, the second noninvasive optical sensor comprising a second detector configured to output a second signal responsive to attenuation of light by a second tissue, the assembly being configured to communicate the second access information from the second memory device to the patient monitor to indicate to the patient monitor to unlock otherwise unavailable processing of the second signal by the patient monitor.