Method and system for analysis of long term physiological polygraphic recordings

Claim 1

A system for analyzing physiological signals obtained from physiological sensors n a subject to determine stages of sleep comprising: (a) means for receiving time varying physiological signals from the sensors on the subject and for digitizing the signals to provide digital physiological signal data; (b) means for storing the digitized physiological signal data in correlation with time and making such data available for later long term retrieval; (c) analysis means receiving the digital physiological signal data for initially analyzing the data on a real time basis to detect patterns therein indicating fluctuations in physiological function using criteria, wherein the analysis means analyses the data to determine the physiological function of sleep to produce an analysis result, and wherein the physiological sensor signals include time varying EEG signal data, and wherein the analysis means includes means for separating the time varying EEG signal data into a plurality of signals corresponding to frequency bands generally conforming to the frequencies of standard EEG waveform components, including frequencies for delta waves, the theta waves, beta waves and sleepspindles; (d) display means including a display screen for displaying to an operator on the display screen the results of the analysis from the analysis means on a real time basis, wherein the display means displays the results of the analysis as a hypnogram of the stages of sleep as a function of time; (e) input means receiving commands from the operator for providing new criteria specifications from the operator to the analysis means, wherein the analysis means includes means for reanalyzing the physiological data stored for long term retrieval utilizing the new criteria for determining fluctuations in physiological function, wherein the display means includes means for, during reanalysis, displaying to the operator a matrix of emulated classification rules having characterizing parameters listed on one axis of the matrix and classes on the other axis of the matrix, and for displaying reference levels and rules to the operator in matrix elements for the initial analysis, and wherein the input mans includes means for receiving input from the operator to change the reference level or rules indicated in the elements of the matrix to a level or rule desired by the operator, and the analysis means further includes means for analyzing the data utilizing the new reference levels and rules as modified by the operator to carry out the classification.

Claim 2

A system for analyzing physiological signals obtained from physiological sensors n a subject to determine stages of sleep comprising: (a) means for receiving time varying physiological signals from the sensors on the subject and for digitizing the signals to provide digital physiological signal data; (b) means for storing the digitized physiological signal data in correlation with time and making such data available for later long term retrieval; (c) analysis means receiving the digital physiological signal data for initially analyzing the data on a real time basis to detect patterns therein indicating fluctuations in physiological function using criteria, wherein the analysis means analyses the data to determine the physiological function of sleep to produce an analysis result, and wherein the physiological sensor signals include time varying EEG signal data, and wherein the analysis means includes means for separating the time varying EEG signal data into a plurality of signals corresponding to frequency bands generally conforming to the frequencies of standard EEG waveform components, including frequencies for delta waves, the theta waves, beta waves and sleepspindles; (d) display means including a display screen for displaying to an operator on the display screen the results of the analysis from the analysis means on a real time basis, wherein the display means displays the results of the analysis as a hypnogram of the stages of sleep as a function of time; (e) input means receiving commands from the operator for providing new criteria specifications from the operator to the analysis means, wherein the analysis means includes means for reanalyzing the physiological data stored for long term retrieval utilizing the new criteria for determining fluctuations in physiological function, wherein the display means includes means for, during reanalysis, displaying to the operator a matrix of emulated classification rules having characterizing parameters listed on one axis of the matrix and classes on the other axis of the matrix, and for displaying reference levels and rules to the operator in matrix elements for the initial analysis, and wherein the input mans includes means for receiving input from the operator to change the reference level or rules indicated in the elements of the matrix to a level or rule desired by the operator, and the analysis means further includes means for analyzing the data utilizing the new reference levels and rules as modified by the operator to carry out the classification.

Claim 4

A method of analyzing physiological signals obtained from physiological sensors on a subject, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving time varying physiological signals from the sensors on the subject; (b) digitizing the physiological signals to provide digital physiological signal data; (c) storing the digitized physiological signal data in correlation with time and making such data available for later retrieval; (d) analyzing the physiological signal data according to criteria to detect patterns therein indicating fluctuations in physiological function and classifying a selected state of the subject based on the detected patterns to produce a result; (e) displaying to an operator on a display screen the results of the analysis including the classification of the state of the subject as a function of time over at least a portion of the time period that the physiological signal data was taken; (f) simultaneously with the display of results from (e), displaying the physiological signal data as a function of time over a time base which shows a portion of physiological signal data on the screen at any one time to allow the operator to view the physiological signal data; (g) receiving an input signal from the operator at selected positions in time corresponding to the physiological signal data displayed on the screen to indicate a pattern from a possible group of patterns at a point in time and storing such pattern indication with respect to the point in time of the pattern, including the step of accepting commands from the operator by a cursor displayed on the screen which is controlled by a cursor control device operated by the operator to move the cursor to a bar displaying possible patterns and allowing the operator to determine the pattern of the signal data displayed on the screen by placing the cursor over a selected pattern indicator on the screen and indicating the desired pattern at that point using the cursor control device.

Claim 5

A method of analyzing physiological signals obtained from physiological sensors on a subject, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving time varying physiological signals from the sensors on the subject; (b) digitizing the physiological signals to provide digital physiological signal data; (c) storing the digitized physiological signal data in correlation with time and making such data available for later retrieval; (d) analyzing the physiological signal data according to criteria to detect patterns therein indicating fluctuations in physiological function and classifying a selected state of the subject based on the detected patterns to produce a result; (e) displaying to an operator on a display screen the results of the analysis including the classification of the state of the subject as a function of time over at least a portion of the time period that the physiological signal data was taken; (f) simultaneously with the display of results from (e), displaying the physiological signal data as a function of time over a time base which shows a portion of physiological signal data on the screen at any one time to allow the operator to view the physiological signal data; (g) receiving an input signal from the operator at selected positions in time corresponding to the physiological signal data displayed on the screen to indicate a pattern from a possible group of patterns at a point in time and storing such pattern indication with respect to the point in time of the pattern, including the step of accepting commands from the operator by a cursor displayed on the screen which is controlled by a cursor control device operated by the operator to move the cursor to a bar displaying possible patterns and allowing the operator to determine the pattern of the signal data displayed on the screen by placing the cursor over a selected pattern indicator on the screen and indicating the desired pattern at that point using the cursor control device.

Claim 9

A method of analyzing physiological signals obtained from physiological sensors on a subject, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving the time varying physiological signals from the sensors on the subject; (b) digitizing the physiological signals to provide digital physiological signal data; (c) storing the digitized physiological signal data in correlation with time and making such data available for later retrieval; (d) analyzing the physiological signal data to detect patterns therein indicating fluctuations in physiological function and classifying a selected state of the subject based on the detected pattern and selected classification criteria to produce a result; (e) displaying to an operator on a display screen the results of the analysis including the classification of the state of the subject as a function of time over at least a portion of the time period that the physiological signal data was taken; (f) simultaneously with the display from (e), displaying the physiological signal data as a function of time over a time base which shows a portion of the physiological signal data on the screen at any one time to allow the operator to view the physiological signal data; and (g) receiving an input signal from the operator at selected positions in time corresponding to the physiological signal data displayed on the screen to indicate a classification of the state of the subject from a possible group of classifications of states at point in time and storing such classification of state with respect to the point in time of the classification, including accepting commands from the operator by a cursor displayed on the screen which is controlled by a cursor control device opeated by the operator to move the cursor to a bar displaying possible classifications and allowing the operator to determine the classification of the data displayed on the screen by placing the cursor over a selected classification indicator on the screen and indicating the desired classification at that point using the cursor control device.

Claim 10

A method of analyzing physiological signals obtained from physiological sensors on a subject, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving the time varying physiological signals from the sensors on the subject; (b) digitizing the physiological signals to provide digital physiological signal data; (c) storing the digitized physiological signal data in correlation with time and making such data available for later retrieval; (d) analyzing the physiological signal data to detect patterns therein indicating fluctuations in physiological function and classifying a selected state of the subject based on the detected pattern and selected classification criteria to produce a result; (e) displaying to an operator on a display screen the results of the analysis including the classification of the state of the subject as a function of time over at least a portion of the time period that the physiological signal data was taken; (f) simultaneously with the display from (e), displaying the physiological signal data as a function of time over a time base which shows a portion of the physiological signal data on the screen at any one time to allow the operator to view the physiological signal data; and (g) receiving an input signal from the operator at selected positions in time corresponding to the physiological signal data displayed on the screen to indicate a classification of the state of the subject from a possible group of classifications of states at point in time and storing such classification of state with respect to the point in time of the classification, including accepting commands from the operator by a cursor displayed on the screen which is controlled by a cursor control device opeated by the operator to move the cursor to a bar displaying possible classifications and allowing the operator to determine the classification of the data displayed on the screen by placing the cursor over a selected classification indicator on the screen and indicating the desired classification at that point using the cursor control device.

Claim 14

A method of analyzing physiological signals obtained from physiological sensors on a subject, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving the time varying physiological signals from the sensors on the subject; (b) digitizing the physiological signals to provide digital physiological signal data; (c) storing the digitized physiological signal data in correlation with time and making such data available for later retrieval; (d) analyzing the physiological signal data to detect patterns therein indicating fluctuations in physiological function and classifying a selected state of the subject based on the detected patterns and selected classification criteria to produce a result; (e) displaying to an operator on a display screen the results of the analysis including the classification of the state of the subject as a function of time over at least a portion of the time period that the physiological signal data was taken; (f) simultaneously with the display from (e), displaying the physiological signal data as a function of time over a time base which shows a portion of the physiological signal data on the screen at any one time to allow the operator to view the physiological signal data; and (g) receiving an input signal from the operator at selected positions in time corresponding to the physiological signal data displayed on the screen to indicate a reclassification of the state of the subject from a possible group of classifications of states at a point in time and storing such classification of state with respect to the point in time of the classification, wherein when the operator has reclassified a particular section of the physiological signal data, the analysis results displayed on the screen which corresponds to the points in time reclassified by the operator are displayed in a different color from the remaining classification to highlight to the operator the points of the classification which were manually classified by the operator.

Claim 15

A method of analyzing physiological signals obtained from physiological sensors on a subject, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving the time varying physiological signals from the sensors on the subject; (b) digitizing the physiological signals to provide digital physiological signal data; (c) storing the digitized physiological signal data in correlation with time and making such data available for later retrieval; (d) analyzing the physiological signal data to detect patterns therein indicating fluctuations in physiological function and classifying a selected state of the subject based on the detected patterns and selected classification criteria to produce a result; (e) displaying to an operator on a display screen the results of the analysis including the classification of the state of the subject as a function of time over at least a portion of the time period that the physiological signal data was taken; (f) simultaneously with the display from (e), displaying the physiological signal data as a function of time over a time base which shows a portion of the physiological signal data on the screen at any one time to allow the operator to view the physiological signal data; and (g) receiving an input signal from the operator at selected positions in time corresponding to the physiological signal data displayed on the screen to indicate a reclassification of the state of the subject from a possible group of classifications of states at a point in time and storing such classification of state with respect to the point in time of the classification, wherein when the operator has reclassified a particular section of the physiological signal data, the analysis results displayed on the screen which corresponds to the points in time reclassified by the operator are displayed in a different color from the remaining classification to highlight to the operator the points of the classification which were manually classified by the operator.