Benjamin T Priest

US Patent:

49009338, Feb 13, 1990

Filed:

Mar 20, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/028198

Inventors:

James R. Nestor - Northboro MA
Jonathan D. Schiff - Billerica MA
Benjamin H. Priest - Bolton MA

Assignee:

C. R. Bard, Inc. - Murray Hill NJ

International Classification:

G01N 2164

US Classification:

2504581

Abstract:

Sensing apparatus for remote sensing of quantities such as blood oxygen concentration using a phosphorescent material located at one end of an optical fiber. The phosphorescent material emits a relatively long-lived luminescence when exposed to energy in a predetermined wavelength range. The sensing apparatus includes a light source for generating an incident pulsed energy signal within the predetermined wavelength range and a detector subsystem for selectively detecting the long-lived luminescence from the phosphorescent material. The light source and the detector subsystem are coupled to the other end of the optical fiber along a common optical path. The detector subsystem includes dual channels for detecting a measuring wavelength and a reference wavelength in the long-lived luminescence. The detector subsystem is inhibited during the incident pulsed energy signal to provide low noise operation. The detected signals are integrated and averaged to improve accuracy.