US5482472A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Electrical signal generator interface with three-dimensional electrical pathway and transparent heart and method of visually simulating cardiac waveforms in three dimensions
Assignee: The University of Texas System
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Filing: 1993-11-17
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Granted: 1996-01-09
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Expires: 2013-11-17
Abstract
Abstract A three-dimensional apparatus is disclosed that provides a view of the electrical pathway of the heart as it pertains to a corresponding electrocardiogram tracing on an external heart monitoring device. Also provided is a method of simulating propagation of electrical signals in the heart. The heart model interfaces with an arrhythmia generator or electrocardial simulator. The signals generated by the simulator are indicated visually within the heart model through light emitters (such as light emitting diodes, or other light sources) located in such a fashion as to correspond to the electrical pathways found in a living heart. An external monitor, such as an oscilloscope trace unit, also interfaces with the simulator to simultaneously show the electrocardiogram trace that corresponds to the light display in the heart model.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Garoni
- 👤 Joseph Peters
- 👤 William Butler
- 👤 Fred J. Dunn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 05:58
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09B; G09B23/00; G09B23/28; G09B23/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
66 words
Apparatus for simulating electrical impulses in a heart, comprising: an electrocardial signal generator for generating simulated electrocardial waveforms; at least one three-dimensional electrical pathway corresponding to an actual electrocardial pathway within a living heart, said three-dimensional pathway coupled to said electrocardial signal generator; and a plurality of three-dimensional light emitters placed along said three-dimensional pathway to visually indicate said simulated electrocardial waveforms along said three-dimensional pathway.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus for simulating electrical impulses in a heart, comprising: an electrocardial signal generator for generating simulated electrocardial waveforms; at least one three-dimensional electrical pathway corresponding to an actual electrocardial pathway within a living heart, said three-dimensional pathway coupled to said electrocardial signal generator; and a plurality of three-dimensional light emitters placed along said three-dimensional pathway to visually indicate said simulated electrocardial waveforms along said three-dimensional pathway.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitters are light-emitting diodes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a three-dimensional transparent shell physically resembling the external appearance of a human heart, said shell encasing said three-dimensional pathway and said three-dimensional light emitters.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said transparent shell is comprised of clear plastic.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an external cardiac monitoring device coupled to said electrocardial signal generator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said external cardiac monitoring device comprises a sweep oscilloscope.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said simulated electrocardial waveforms are of a known pattern.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
105 words
Apparatus for simulating electrical impulses in a heart, comprising: an electrocardial simulator for generating simulated electrocardial waveforms of a known pattern; a plurality of three-dimensional electrical pathways corresponding to actual electrocardial pathways within a living heart, said three-dimensional pathways coupled to said electrocardial simulator; a plurality of three-dimensional light emitting devices placed along each of said three-dimensional pathways to visually indicate said simulated electrocardial waveforms along said three-dimensional pathways; an external cardiac monitoring device coupled to said electrocardial simulator; and a three-dimensional transparent shell physically resembling the external appearance of a human heart, said shell encasing said three-dimensional pathways and said three-dimensional light emitting devices.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
105 words
Apparatus for simulating electrical impulses in a heart, comprising: an electrocardial simulator for generating simulated electrocardial waveforms of a known pattern; a plurality of three-dimensional electrical pathways corresponding to actual electrocardial pathways within a living heart, said three-dimensional pathways coupled to said electrocardial simulator; a plurality of three-dimensional light emitting devices placed along each of said three-dimensional pathways to visually indicate said simulated electrocardial waveforms along said three-dimensional pathways; an external cardiac monitoring device coupled to said electrocardial simulator; and a three-dimensional transparent shell physically resembling the external appearance of a human heart, said shell encasing said three-dimensional pathways and said three-dimensional light emitting devices.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein light three-dimensional emitting devices comprise light emitting diodes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein different said three-dimensional pathways are characterized by differently-colored light-emitting diodes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
89 words
The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said electrocardial simulator comprises: a controller coupled to external memory, wherein said memory stores preselected waveform data for illuminating particular sequences of light emitters in a known pattern; switching means coupled to said controller for selecting particular portions of said memory, each said portion representing a different known pattern; address decoding means for accessing said selected memory portion; and decoder means for activating particular three-dimensional light emitting devices in said known pattern indicated by data stored in said selected external memory portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said external cardiac monitoring device comprises a sweep oscilloscope.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of visually simulating electrical impulses in a heart, comprising: providing an electrocardial signal generator; selecting an electrocardial signal; providing at least one three-dimensional pathway corresponding to an actual electrocardial pathway within a living heart; denoting the contours of said three-dimensional pathway by a plurality of three-dimensional light emitters, said three-dimensional light emitters being responsive to said electrocardial signal; and transmitting said electrocardial signal to said pathway, thereby causing said three-dimensional light emitters to illuminate in simulation of movement of an actual electrocardial signal in a living heart.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of visually simulating electrical impulses in a heart, comprising: providing an electrocardial signal generator; selecting an electrocardial signal; providing at least one three-dimensional pathway corresponding to an actual electrocardial pathway within a living heart; denoting the contours of said three-dimensional pathway by a plurality of three-dimensional light emitters, said three-dimensional light emitters being responsive to said electrocardial signal; and transmitting said electrocardial signal to said pathway, thereby causing said three-dimensional light emitters to illuminate in simulation of movement of an actual electrocardial signal in a living heart.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a trace oscilloscope coupled to said electrocardial signal generator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a plurality of said three-dimensional pathways, wherein each said three-dimensional pathway corresponds to a different electrical pathway in a living heart.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 15, further comprising denoting each of said three-dimensional pathways by differently colored three-dimensional light emitters.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 13, wherein said selecting step comprises selecting an electrocardial signal of a known pattern.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of displaying said electrocardial signal on an external cardiac monitoring device simultaneously with said transmitting step.
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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) | 1999-01-08 | 1999-07-10 | 2000-01-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-01-08 | 2003-07-10 | 2004-01-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-01-08 | 2007-07-10 | 2008-01-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |