3m Innovative Properties Company

Thomas E Drummond

Hatim M Carim

Joel R Dufresne

Craig D Oster

Douglas W Voegeli

Power management circuitry of a portable electronic biosensor implements conditional power management logic to control biosensor power usage and to discriminate between intended use and nonuse of the biosensor by a clinician. The biosensor is configured to sense a property of the human body, such as a manifestation of acoustic energy produced by matter of biological origin or an action potential of the human body. An output signal is produced that is representative of the sensed property. A sensor of the biosensor produces a signal having a plurality of sensor signal features that are received by a detector of the power management circuitry. The power management circuitry or a processor of the biosensor discriminates between intended use and nonuse of the biosensor by the clinician using the sensor signal features. Power supplied to biosensor components is controlled based on the sensor signal features.

Power management for medical sensing devices employing multiple sensor signal feature detection

A modular electronic biosensor includes a housing configured for hand-held manipulation and a base module comprising a module interface configured to receive one of a multiplicity of disparate detachable modules, such as a transducer module and an output module. A transducer of the transducer module is configured to sense a property of the human body and the output module is configured to output a signal comprising transducer signal information. The module interface includes a module connector for receiving a connector of the detachable module to facilitate signal transmission therebetween, a mechanical retention mechanism configured to retentively engage the detachable module, and a sealing arrangement disposed to provide sealing between the base module and the detachable module when attached to the base module. A processor is coupled to the module connector and configured to communicatively couple with each of the detachable and interchangeable modules when attached to the base module.

Modular electronic biosensor with interface for receiving disparate modules

A stethoscope is provided, comprising: a sound receiving member () for receiving sounds, the sound receiving member capable of transmitting sound received thereby; a head set coupled to the sound receiving member to receive sound transmitted by the sound receiving member; means for reducing frictional noise, said means associated with the sound receiving member to reduce noise caused by relative movement between a surface and the sound receiving member of the chestpiece in contact with the surface.

Stethoscope with frictional noise reduction

A chestpiece for a stethoscope, the chestpiece having a novel mix of desirable properties through being fabricated from the group of materials known as &ldquo;high gravity compounds.&rdquo; These compounds are prepared by loading various plastic resins with high density metal powders. In spite of the metallic content, appropriate compounds can be injection molded, providing economic and aesthetic advantages.

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Stillwater, MN, United States of America

Thomas E Drummond