Heart monitoring system

Claim 2

A heart monitoring system comprising: A. means for providing a beat signal indicative of the occurrence of each heartbeat, whereby a normal or an abnormal time interval exists between successive heartbeats; B. control means responsive to said beat signal for determining the interval between beat signals and for providing a first interval signal manifesting the time of said last occurring interval and for comparing said signal manifesting said last occurring interval with a stored signal manifesting the last occurring normal interval to determine whether the duration of said last occurring interval is at lease a certain percentage of the duration of said last occurring normal interval, said control means further providing a compared signal manifesting whether said last occurring interval is at least said certain percentage of said stored last occurring normal interval; and C. storing means responsive to said compared signal for storing a signal manifesting the duration of the time interval of said last occurring interval as said last occurring normal interval only in the event said last occurring interval is at least said certain percentage.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said system further includes inhibiting means responsive to the provision of said compare signal for providing an inhibit signal to said storing means which inhibits the signal manifesting said last occurring interval from being stored as the signal manifesting the duration of said last occurring normal interval for the interval then occurring and for the immediate following interval.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said control means and storing means includes digital circuitry.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 1: whereiN said system means includes A. signal providing means for providing a first timing signal in response to said beat signal, a second timing signal after said first timing signal, a first frequency signal having a first frequency and a second frequency signal having a second frequency, said second frequency being said certain percentage of said first frequency; B. first and second counter means responsive to said first and second frequency signals respectively; C. memory means, which on command of said second timing signal and a store signal, stores the then-existing count of said second counter; D. count comparing means, which on command of said first timing signal, provides a signal whenever the count stored by said memory exceeds the count of said first counter; and E. control signal means for providing said store signal as long as said count comparing means signal is not provided.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 4 wherein said signal providing means further provides a third timing signal to each of said first and second counter means to reset said first and second counter means to an initial count, said third timing signal occurring subsequent to the occurrence of said second timing signal.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 4 wherein said control signal means includes means responsive to the provision of said count comparing means signal for inhibiting the provision of said store signal following both the second timing signal which caused said count comparing means signal to be provided and the next occurring second timing signal.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 4 wherein said second frequency is less than said first frequency.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 4 wherein said system further includes second and third count comparing means, each being responsive to the count of said first counter and said first timing signal, for providing signals indicating whether the count of said first counter is respectively either above a high count or below a low count.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 8 further including third and fourth counters wherein each of said provided second and third count comparing means signals are applied to a respective one of the third and fourth counters which respectively provide signals after a certain number of second and third count comparing means signals are applied thereto, said certain number being unique to each of said third and fourth counters.

Claim 11

A portable heart monitoring system for monitoring the occurrence of an arrhythmia, including an extrasystole, in the heartbeat of a subject comprising: A. means for providing a heartbeat pulse each time a heartbeat R wave occurs; B. means for providing a first periodic signal at a first frequency and a second periodic signal at a second frequency which is a preselected percent of said first frequency, said preselected percent being related to the ratio of the longest interval between a normal heartbeat and an extrasystole and the interval between two successive normal heartbeats; C. first and second resettable counter means which are reset to an initial count following the provision of each heartbeat pulse on command of a reset signal and which are respectively responsive to said first and second periodic signals, each counter means incrementing the count therein once for each cycle of the periodic signal applied thereto; D. memory means which, on command, of a store control signal, stores the then-existing count of said second counter means; E. comparing means responsive to the command of a compare control signal, which occurs prior to said store control signal, and further responsive to the counts of said first counter means and said memory means for providing an extrasystole signal whenever the count of said memory means exceeds the count of said first counter means; and F. control means for providing said compared control signal after the provision of each heartbeat pulse, for providing saId store control signal after the provision of said compare control signal as long as said extrasystole signal has not occurred, and for providing said reset signal after the expected time of provision of said compare control signal, whether provided or not.

Claim 12

A portable heart monitoring system for monitoring the occurrence of an arrhythmia, including an extrasystole, in the heartbeat of a subject comprising: A. means for providing a heartbeat pulse each time a heartbeat R wave occurs; B. means for providing a first periodic signal at a first frequency and a second periodic signal at a second frequency which is a preselected percent of said first frequency, said preselected percent being related to the ratio of the longest interval between a normal heartbeat and an extrasystole and the interval between two successive normal heartbeats; C. first and second resettable counter means which are reset to an initial count following the provision of each heartbeat pulse on command of a reset signal and which are respectively responsive to said first and second periodic signals, each counter means incrementing the count therein once for each cycle of the periodic signal applied thereto; D. memory means which, on command, of a store control signal, stores the then-existing count of said second counter means; E. comparing means responsive to the command of a compare control signal, which occurs prior to said store control signal, and further responsive to the counts of said first counter means and said memory means for providing an extrasystole signal whenever the count of said memory means exceeds the count of said first counter means; and F. control means for providing said compared control signal after the provision of each heartbeat pulse, for providing saId store control signal after the provision of said compare control signal as long as said extrasystole signal has not occurred, and for providing said reset signal after the expected time of provision of said compare control signal, whether provided or not.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 10 wherein said control means includes means responsive to said extrasystole signal for preventing said store control signal from being provided until after the provision of the heartbeat pulse subsequent to the one which caused said extrasystole signal to be provided.

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 11 wherein said system further includes means for determining the rate of extrasystoles and when said rate exceeds a given rate and display and alarm means responsive to said determining means for displaying the rate of extrasystoles and for sounding an audible alarm whenever said rate exceeds said given rate.

Claim 15

The invention according to claim 12 wherein said system further includes means for determining whether said heartbeat rate is greater than a first given rate or less than a second given rate and for providing signals to be said display and alarm means to cause a display indication and alarm indication whenever said heartbeat rate is greater than said first given rate or less than said second given rate.

Claim 20

The method according to claim 15 further including the step of inhibiting the storage of the second value related to the count between the next pair of heartbeats detected in the event said first value is determined to not be greater than said stored second value.