US4784153A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of and apparatus for detecting cardiac rhythm disturbance
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1986-11-12
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Granted: 1988-11-15
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Expires: 2006-11-12
Abstract
Abstract A method for generating audio information to indicate the presence and nature of a cardiac rhythm disturbance is disclosed. More specifically, this method produces sounds which accompany atrial and ventricular ectopic rhythms, allowing the physician to appreciate the presence of such rhythms without having to visually inspect the morphology of the electrocardiogram signal. Furthermore, the sounds differ according to the type of ectopic rhythm present. This method provides such information in real time, allowing the physician to correlate the information with the current condition of the patient. The electrocardiogram signal is analyzed by a microprocessor or microcomputer which in turn controls a tone generator to produce the audio output.
Inventors
- 👤 Lloyd A. Marks
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 06:34
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/24; A61B5/316; A61B5/318; A61B5/346; A61B5/349; A61B5/364; A61B5/74; A61B5/7405; A61B5/7415; A61B5/72; A61B5/7235; A61B5/7239
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A cardiac diagnostic system for producing sounds from electrocardiogram signals comprising: an electrocardiogram (EKG) module transmitting a first signal proportional to the shape of the electrocardiogram; a means to receive said first signal and provide a second signal proportional to the first derivative of the first signal; a computing means responsive to at least one of said first and second signals identifying when a QRS complex deflection of a heartbeat has occurred, determining at least one mathematical parameter derived from the shape of said QRS complex deflection and transmitting an output signal proportional to said mathematical parameter; and a tone generating means responsive to the output signal of the computing means producing a tone whose characteristics are dependent upon said mathematical parameter of said QRS complex deflection and which tone is produced only for each QRS complex deflection.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A cardiac diagnostic system for producing sounds from electrocardiogram signals comprising: an electrocardiogram (EKG) module transmitting a first signal proportional to the shape of the electrocardiogram; a means to receive said first signal and provide a second signal proportional to the first derivative of the first signal; a computing means responsive to at least one of said first and second signals identifying when a QRS complex deflection of a heartbeat has occurred, determining at least one mathematical parameter derived from the shape of said QRS complex deflection and transmitting an output signal proportional to said mathematical parameter; and a tone generating means responsive to the output signal of the computing means producing a tone whose characteristics are dependent upon said mathematical parameter of said QRS complex deflection and which tone is produced only for each QRS complex deflection.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A cardiac diagnostic system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mathematical parameter is the mean EKG signal upstroke rate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A cardiac diagnostic system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mathematical parameter is a peak magnitude of said QRS complex deflection.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A cardiac diagnostic system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a signal sent from the computing means to the tone generating means to disable the tone when the QRS complex deflection has terminated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
91 words
A cardiac diagnostic system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: a means wherein a sensitivity range parameter distinguishing normal from abnormal heartbeats is provided within the computing means; and said computing means extracting parameters characterizing normal heartbeat signals and comparing the parameters extracted from the normal heartbeats with the same parameters extracted from ongoing heartbeats and generating a third signal preventing the tone generating means from generating a tone when the difference between the parameters from the normal heartbeat signals and the ongoing heartbeat signals exceeds the sensitivity range parameter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
A cardiac diagnostic system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a means to provide said tone generating means with a modulating signal proportional to a or a function of said first or second signals, which modulating signal controls the frequency of said tone produced by said tone generating means to modulate about a center frequency as a function of the amplitude of said first or second signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
A cardiac diagnostic system for producing sounds from electrocardiogram signals comprising: an electrocardiogram (EKG) module transmitting a first signal proportional to the shape of the electrocardiogram waveform; a tone generating means responsive to the output of the EKG module producing a tone whose characteristics are dependent upon a mathematical parameter of a QRS complex deflection and which tone is produced only for each QRS complex deflection.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
A cardiac diagnostic system for producing sounds from electrocardiogram signals comprising: an electrocardiogram (EKG) module transmitting a first signal proportional to the shape of the electrocardiogram waveform; a tone generating means responsive to the output of the EKG module producing a tone whose characteristics are dependent upon a mathematical parameter of a QRS complex deflection and which tone is produced only for each QRS complex deflection.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A cardiac diagnostic system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the tone generating means responsive to an output signal of the computing means produces a tone whose time duration is dependent upon said mathematical parameter of said QRS complex deflection.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
111 words
A cardiac diagnostic system for producing sounds from electrocardiogram signals comprising: an electrocardiogram (EKG) module transmitting a first signal proportional to the shape of the electrocardiogram waveform; a tone generating means responsive to the output of the EKG module for producing a tone whose characteristics are dependent upon a mathematical parameter of a QRS complex deflection and which tone is produced only for each QRS complex deflection; and means to provide said tone generating means with a second signal which causes the tone to modulate about a center frequency so that said tone produced by said tone generating means is modulated as a function of the amplitude of said first signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
111 words
A cardiac diagnostic system for producing sounds from electrocardiogram signals comprising: an electrocardiogram (EKG) module transmitting a first signal proportional to the shape of the electrocardiogram waveform; a tone generating means responsive to the output of the EKG module for producing a tone whose characteristics are dependent upon a mathematical parameter of a QRS complex deflection and which tone is produced only for each QRS complex deflection; and means to provide said tone generating means with a second signal which causes the tone to modulate about a center frequency so that said tone produced by said tone generating means is modulated as a function of the amplitude of said first signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
111 words
A cardiac diagnostic system for producing sounds from electrocardiogram signals comprising: an electrocardiogram (EKG) module transmitting a first signal proportional to the shape of the electrocardiogram waveform; a computing means responsive to said first signal identifying when a QRS complex deflection of a heartbeat has occurred, determining at least one mathematical parameter derived from the shape of said QRS complex deflection and transmitting an output signal proportional to said mathematical parameter; and a tone generating means responsive to the output of the computing means producing a tone whose characteristics are dependent upon a mathematical parameter of a QRS complex deflection and which tone is produced only for each QRS complex deflection.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
111 words
A cardiac diagnostic system for producing sounds from electrocardiogram signals comprising: an electrocardiogram (EKG) module transmitting a first signal proportional to the shape of the electrocardiogram waveform; a computing means responsive to said first signal identifying when a QRS complex deflection of a heartbeat has occurred, determining at least one mathematical parameter derived from the shape of said QRS complex deflection and transmitting an output signal proportional to said mathematical parameter; and a tone generating means responsive to the output of the computing means producing a tone whose characteristics are dependent upon a mathematical parameter of a QRS complex deflection and which tone is produced only for each QRS complex deflection.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A cardiac diagnostic system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said mathematical parameter is a mean EKG upstroke rate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A cardiac diagnostic system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said mathematical parameter is a peak magnitude of said QRS deflection.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
A cardiac diagnostic system in accordance with claim 10 further comprising a signal sent from the computing means to the tone generating means to disable the tone when the QRS complex deflection has terminated.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
91 words
A cardiac diagnostic system in accordance with claim 10 further comprising: a means wherein a sensitivity range parameter distinguishing normal from abnormal heartbeats is provided within the computing means; and said computing means extracting parameters characterizing normal heartbeat signals and comparing the parameters extracted from the normal heartbeats with the same parameters extracted from ongoing heartbeats and generating a second signal preventing the tone generating means from generating a tone when the difference between the parameters from the normal heartbeat signals and the ongoing heartbeat signals exceeds the sensitivity range parameter.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
55 words
A cardiac diagnostic system in accordance with claim 10 further comprising a means to provide said tone generating means with a modulating signal which causes the tone to modulate about a center frequency so that said tone produced by said tone generating means is modulated as a function of the amplitude of said first signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
A cardiac diagnostic system in accordance with claim 10 wherein the tone generating means responsive to an output signal of the computing means produces a tone whose time duration is dependent upon said mathematical parameter of said QRS complex deflection.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
54 words
A cardiac diagnostic system in accordance with claim 7 further comprising a means to receive said first signal and provide a second signal proportional to the first derivative of the first signal and wherein said tone generating means is responsive to the output of the EKG module and said means providing said second signal.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-11-15 | 1992-05-16 | 1992-11-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-11-15 | 1996-05-16 | 1996-11-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-11-15 | 2000-05-16 | 2000-11-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |