Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
55 words
An ECG monitor comprising: a switch controlled ECG signal preprocessor coupled to a patient through a plurality of ECG leads and associated electrodes for providing an ECG signal from one of a plurality of ECG lead configurations; and detection means coupled to said ECG leads for detecting and identifying one or more ECG lead failures.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
55 words
An ECG monitor comprising: a switch controlled ECG signal preprocessor coupled to a patient through a plurality of ECG leads and associated electrodes for providing an ECG signal from one of a plurality of ECG lead configurations; and detection means coupled to said ECG leads for detecting and identifying one or more ECG lead failures.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein a processor means is coupled to said switch controlled ECG signal preprocessor for automatically switching said leads to change said ECG lead configuration in response to the output of said detector means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of Claim 1 and 2 wherein said detector means further comprises means for measuring the impedances of the electrodes attached to the patient and comparing said impedances with a predetermined threshold impedance level in order to determine lead failures.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
4 . The apparatus of Claim 3 wherein said impedance measuring means further comprises means for passing a dc current through each electrode for return through a preselected reference electrode coupled to ground.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The ECG monitor of Claim 4 wherein said plurality of lead configurations comprises both three lead and five lead configurations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
The ECG monitor of Claim 2 wherein said processor means further comprises automatic lead switching means for automatically determining which leads are to be switched to obtain an improved ECG signal in response to the present lead configuration and the identification of failed leads from said detection means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The ECG monitor of Claim 6 wherein said plurality of lead configurations comprises both three lead and five lead configurations and said automatic lead switching means operates to switch from five lead configurations to three lead configurations depending on the output of said detection means.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
40 words
A method of monitoring a patient's ECG signal formed from a plurality of ECG electrodes and leads combined in one of a plurality of possible lead configurations comprising the step of: automatically detecting and identifying one or more electrode failures.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
40 words
A method of monitoring a patient's ECG signal formed from a plurality of ECG electrodes and leads combined in one of a plurality of possible lead configurations comprising the step of: automatically detecting and identifying one or more electrode failures.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of Claim 8 wherein said lead configurations are automatically changed in response to said detection and identification.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of Claim 8 wherein said method further comprises the step of measuring the impedance offset between each of the active elec- . trodes and a predetermined threshold impedance to determine which electrodes have failed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of Claim 10 wherein said step of measuring the offset impedance comprises: passing a small dc current through each active electrode and the patient to ground through a preselected reference electrode; and comparing the dc voltage produced by said dc current with a preselected reference voltage.