US5522852A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Selective cardiac activity analysis atrial fibrillation detection system and method and atrial defibrillator utilizing same
Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Inc
•
Filing: 1994-04-26
•
Granted: 1996-06-04
•
Expires: 2014-04-26
Abstract
Abstract An atrial defibrillator applies cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of a human heart in need of cardioversion. The defibrillator includes an electrode pair and a sense amplifier associated with the atria of the heart for sensing electrical activity of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles to provide a cardiac signal. A detector is responsive to the cardiac signal for detecting cardiac events. During each cardiac cycle of the plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for counting is established wherein each time for counting has a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle. A counter counts the cardiac events detected by the detector during the time for counting of the plurality of cardiac cycles to provide a cardiac event count. A comparator compares the cardiac event count to a predetermined cardiac event count. If the cardiac event count is greater than the predetermined cardiac event count, the atria are deemed to be in fibrillation and a cardiovertor applies cardioverting electrical energy to the atria to cardiovert the detected atrial fibrillation.
Inventors
- 👤 Harley White
- 👤 Joseph M. Bocek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 06:01
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/38; A61N1/39; A61N1/3956; A61N1/395
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 76
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A system for detecting atrial fibrillation of a heart, said system comprising: sensing means for sensing electrical activity of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart and providing a cardiac signal; means for establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for analyzing, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for analyzing having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; analyzing means for analyzing said cardiac signal during the time for analyzing of said plurality of cardiac cycles; and determining means responsive to said analyzing means for determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
116 words
A system for detecting atrial fibrillation of a heart, said system comprising: sensing means for sensing electrical activity of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart and providing a cardiac signal; means for establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for analyzing, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for analyzing having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; analyzing means for analyzing said cardiac signal during the time for analyzing of said plurality of cardiac cycles; and determining means responsive to said analyzing means for determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as defined in claim 1 wherein each said time for analyzing consists of a single analysis period for each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
A system as defined in claim 1 further including second sensing means for sensing ventricular electrical activity of the heart, and detector means responsive to said second sensing means for detecting R waves of the heart, and wherein said means for establishing is responsive to said detected R waves for establishing each respective said time for analyzing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system as defined in claim 3 wherein each said time for analyzing consists of a single analysis period for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
A system as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for establishing begins each said analysis period after the completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminates each said analysis period before the T wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
A system as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for establishing begins each said analysis period about sixty milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminates each said analysis period about two hundred milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
152 words
An atrial defibrillator for applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of a human heart in need of cardioversion, said defibrillator comprising: sensing means for sensing atrial electrical activity of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart and providing a cardiac signal; means for establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for analyzing, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for analyzing having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; analyzing means for analyzing said cardiac signal during the time for analyzing of said plurality of cardiac cycles; determining means responsive to said analyzing means for determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation; and cardioverting means responsive to said determining means determining that the atria of the heart are in fibrillation for applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
152 words
An atrial defibrillator for applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of a human heart in need of cardioversion, said defibrillator comprising: sensing means for sensing atrial electrical activity of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart and providing a cardiac signal; means for establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for analyzing, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for analyzing having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; analyzing means for analyzing said cardiac signal during the time for analyzing of said plurality of cardiac cycles; determining means responsive to said analyzing means for determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation; and cardioverting means responsive to said determining means determining that the atria of the heart are in fibrillation for applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 7 wherein each said time for analyzing consists of a single analysis period for each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 7 further including second sensing means for sensing ventricular electrical activity of the heart, and detector means responsive to said second sensing means for detecting R waves of the heart, and wherein said means for establishing is responsive to said detected R waves for establishing each respective said time for analyzing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 9 wherein each said time for analyzing consists of a single analysis period for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 10 wherein said means for establishing begins each said analysis period after the completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminates each said analysis period before the T wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 11 wherein said means for establishing begins each said analysis period about sixty milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminates each said analysis period about two hundred milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
123 words
A method for detecting atrial fibrillation of a heart, said method including the steps of: sensing electrical activity of the heart in or near at least one of the atria of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart to provide a cardiac signal; establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for analyzing, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for analyzing having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; analyzing the cardiac signal during the time for analyzing of said plurality of cardiac cycles; and determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation responsive to the analyzing of said cardiac signal.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
123 words
A method for detecting atrial fibrillation of a heart, said method including the steps of: sensing electrical activity of the heart in or near at least one of the atria of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart to provide a cardiac signal; establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for analyzing, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for analyzing having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; analyzing the cardiac signal during the time for analyzing of said plurality of cardiac cycles; and determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation responsive to the analyzing of said cardiac signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as defined in claim 13 wherein said establishing step includes establishing a single analysis period for each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as defined in claim 13 including the further step of detecting R waves of the heart, and wherein said establishing step includes establishing each respective said time for analyzing with respect to a detected R wave.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as defined in claim 15 wherein said establishing step includes establishing a single analysis period for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as defined in claim 16 wherein said establishing step includes beginning each said analysis period after the completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminating each said analysis period before the T wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method as defined in claim 17 wherein said establishing step includes beginning each said analysis period about sixty milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminating each said analysis period about two hundred milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of a human heart in need of cardioversion, said method including the steps of: sensing electrical activity of the heart in or near at least one of the atria of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart to provide a cardiac signal; establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for analyzing, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for analyzing having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; analyzing the cardiac signal during the time for analyzing of said plurality of cardiac cycles; determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation responsive to the analyzing of said cardiac signal; and applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of the heart if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of a human heart in need of cardioversion, said method including the steps of: sensing electrical activity of the heart in or near at least one of the atria of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart to provide a cardiac signal; establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for analyzing, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for analyzing having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; analyzing the cardiac signal during the time for analyzing of said plurality of cardiac cycles; determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation responsive to the analyzing of said cardiac signal; and applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of the heart if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as defined in claim 19 wherein said establishing step includes establishing a single analysis period for each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as defined in claim 19 including the further steps of detecting R waves of the heart, and wherein said establishing step includes establishing each respective said time for analyzing with respect to a detected R wave.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as defined in claim 21 wherein said establishing step includes establishing a single analysis period for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as defined in claim 22 wherein said establishing step includes beginning each said analysis period after the completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminating each said analysis period before the T wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method as defined in claim 23 wherein said establishing step includes beginning each said analyzing period about sixty milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminating each said analyzing period about two hundred milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
140 words
A system for detecting atrial fibrillation of a heart, said system comprising: sensing means for sensing atrial electrical activity of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart and providing a cardiac signal; detector means responsive to said cardiac signal for detecting cardiac events; means for establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for counting, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for counting having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; counting means for counting the cardiac events detected by said detector means during the time for counting of said plurality of cardiac cycles to provide a cardiac event count; and determining means for determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation responsive to said cardiac event count.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
140 words
A system for detecting atrial fibrillation of a heart, said system comprising: sensing means for sensing atrial electrical activity of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart and providing a cardiac signal; detector means responsive to said cardiac signal for detecting cardiac events; means for establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for counting, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for counting having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; counting means for counting the cardiac events detected by said detector means during the time for counting of said plurality of cardiac cycles to provide a cardiac event count; and determining means for determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation responsive to said cardiac event count.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system as defined in claim 25 wherein said determining means includes means for determining if said cardiac event count is greater than a predetermined event count.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
51 words
A system as defined in claim 25 further including normalizing means for determining an average cardiac cycle event count for said plurality of cardiac cycles and wherein said determining means includes means for determining if said average cardiac cycle event count is greater than a predetermined average cardiac cycle event count.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
88 words
A system as defined in claim 25 further including a timer for establishing a heart activity sensing time, wherein said sensing means senses said electrical activity of the heart during said heart activity sensing time, wherein said system further includes normalizing means for determining an average event count per unit of time for said plurality of cardiac cycles, and wherein said determining means includes means for determining if said average event count per unit of time is greater than a predetermined average event count per unit of time.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
60 words
A system as defined in claim 25 further including normalizing means for determining an average event count per unit of time of a total counting time, and wherein said determining means includes means for determining if said average event count per unit of total counting time is greater than a predetermined average event count per unit of total counting time.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as defined in claim 25 wherein each said time for counting consists of a single counting period for each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
67 words
A system as defined in claim 25 further including second sensing means associated with at least one ventricle of the heart for sensing ventricular electrical activity of the heart, and second detector means responsive to said second sensing means for detecting R waves of the heart, and wherein said means for establishing is responsive to said detected R waves for establishing each respective said time for counting.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system as defined in claim 31 wherein each said time for counting consists of a single counting period for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
46 words
A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said means for establishing begins each said counting period after the completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminates each said counting period before the T wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
60 words
A system as defined in claim 33 wherein said means for establishing begins each said counting period about sixty milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminates each said counting period about two hundred milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
54 words
A system as defined in claim 25 further including time stamp means for generating a time stamp for each one of said detected cardiac events, memory means for storing said time stamps, and wherein said counting means counts only said time stamps stored in said memory means occurring during each said time for counting.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
175 words
An atrial defibrillator for applying cardioverting electrical energy to the artria of a human heart in need of cardioversion, said defibrillator comprising: sensing means for sensing atrial electrical activity of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart and providing a cardiac signal; detector means responsive to said cardiac signal for detecting cardiac events; means for establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for counting, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for counting having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; counting means for counting the cardiac events detected by said detector means during the time for counting of said plurality of cardiac cycles to provide a cardiac event count; determining means for determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation responsive to said cardiac event count; and cardioverting means responsive to said determining means determining that the atria of the heart are in fibrillation for applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
175 words
An atrial defibrillator for applying cardioverting electrical energy to the artria of a human heart in need of cardioversion, said defibrillator comprising: sensing means for sensing atrial electrical activity of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart and providing a cardiac signal; detector means responsive to said cardiac signal for detecting cardiac events; means for establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for counting, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for counting having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; counting means for counting the cardiac events detected by said detector means during the time for counting of said plurality of cardiac cycles to provide a cardiac event count; determining means for determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation responsive to said cardiac event count; and cardioverting means responsive to said determining means determining that the atria of the heart are in fibrillation for applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
27 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 36 wherein said determining means includes means for determining if said cardiac event count is greater than a predetermined event count.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
51 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 36 further including normalizing means for determining an average cardiac cycle event count for said plurality of cardiac cycles and wherein said determining means includes means for determining if said average cardiac cycle event count is greater than a predetermined average cardiac cycle event count.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
88 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 36 further including a timer for establishing a heart activity sensing time, wherein said sensing means senses said electrical activity of the heart during said heart activity sensing time, wherein said system further includes normalizing means for determining an average event count per unit of time for said plurality of cardiac cycles, and wherein said determining means includes means for determining if said average event count per unit of time is greater than a predetermined average event count per unit of time.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
61 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 36 further including a normalizing means for determining an average event count per unit of time of a total counting time, and wherein said determining means includes means for determining if said average event count per unit of total counting time is greater than a predetermined average event count per unit of total counting time.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
24 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 36 wherein each said time for counting consists of a single counting period for each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
58 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 36 further including second sensing means for sensing ventricular electrical activity of the heart, and second detector means responsive to said second sensing means for detecting R waves of the heart, and wherein said means for establishing is responsive to said detected R waves for establishing each respective said time for counting.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
30 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 42 wherein each said time for counting consists of a single counting period for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
46 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 43 wherein said means for establishing begins each said counting period after the completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminates each said counting period before the T wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
60 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 44 wherein said means for establishing begins each said counting period about sixty milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminates each said counting period about two hundred milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
54 words
A defibrillator as defined in claim 36 further including time stamp means for generating a time stamp for each one of said detected cardiac events, memory means for storing said time stamps, and wherein said counting means counts only said time stamps stored in said memory means occurring during each said time for counting.
Claim 53
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for detecting atrial fibrillation of a heart, said method including the steps of: sensing electrical activity of the heart in or near at least one of the atria of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart to provide a cardiac signal; detecting cardiac events from said cardiac signal; establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for counting, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for counting having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; counting the cardiac events detected during the time for counting of said plurality of cardiac cycles to provide a cardiac event count; and determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation responsive to said cardiac event count.
Claim 54
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for detecting atrial fibrillation of a heart, said method including the steps of: sensing electrical activity of the heart in or near at least one of the atria of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart to provide a cardiac signal; detecting cardiac events from said cardiac signal; establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for counting, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for counting having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; counting the cardiac events detected during the time for counting of said plurality of cardiac cycles to provide a cardiac event count; and determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation responsive to said cardiac event count.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as defined in claim 47 wherein said determining step includes determining if said cardiac event count is greater than a predetermined event count.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as defined in claim 47 including the further step of providing an average cardiac cycle event count for said plurality of cardiac cycles and wherein said determining step includes determining if said average cardiac cycle event count is greater than a predetermined average cardiac cycle event count.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
88 words
A method as defined in claim 47 including the further step of establishing a heart activity sensing time, wherein said sensing step includes sensing said atrial electrical activity of the heart during said heart activity sensing time, wherein said method further includes the step of providing an average event count per unit of time for said plurality of cardiac cycles, and wherein said determining step includes determining if said average event count per unit of time is greater than a predetermined average event count per unit of time.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
79 words
A method as defined in claim 47 including the further step of determining a total counting time for said plurality of cardiac cycles, wherein said method further includes the step of providing an average event count per unit of total counting time for said plurality of cardiac cycles, and wherein said determining step includes determining if said average event count per unit of total counting time is greater than a predetermined average event count per unit of counting time.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as defined in claim 47 wherein said establishing step includes establishing a single counting period for each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as defined in claim 47 including the further step of detecting R waves of the heart, and wherein said establishing step includes establishing each respective said time for counting with respect to a detected R wave.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as defined in claim 53 wherein said establishing step includes establishing a single counting period for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as defined in claim 54 wherein said establishing step includes beginning each said counting period after the completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminating each said counting period before the T wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method as defined in claim 55 wherein said establishing step includes beginning each said counting period about sixty milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminating each said counting period about two hundred milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method as defined in claim 47 including the further steps of generating a time stamp for each one of said detected cardiac events, providing a memory, and storing said time stamps in said memory, and wherein said counting step includes counting only said time stamps stored in said memory occurring during each said time for counting.
Claim 65
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of a human heart in need of cardioversion, said method including the steps of: sensing electrical activity of the heart in or near at least one of the atria of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart to provide a cardiac signal; detecting cardiac events from said cardiac signal; establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for counting, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for counting having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; counting the cardiac events detected during the time for counting of said plurality of cardiac cycles to provide a cardiac event count; determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation responsive to said cardiac event count; and applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of the heart if the atria of the heart are in need of cardioversion.
Claim 66
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of a human heart in need of cardioversion, said method including the steps of: sensing electrical activity of the heart in or near at least one of the atria of the heart during a plurality of cardiac cycles of the heart to provide a cardiac signal; detecting cardiac events from said cardiac signal; establishing, for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles, a time for counting, each said cardiac cycle having a duration and each said time for counting having a total duration less than the duration of its corresponding cardiac cycle; counting the cardiac events detected during the time for counting of said plurality of cardiac cycles to provide a cardiac event count; determining if the atria of the heart are in fibrillation responsive to said cardiac event count; and applying cardioverting electrical energy to the atria of the heart if the atria of the heart are in need of cardioversion.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as defined in claim 58 wherein said determining step includes determining if said cardiac event count is greater than a predetermined event count.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as defined in claim 58 including the further step of providing an average cardiac cycle event count for said plurality of cardiac cycles and wherein said determining step includes determining if said average cardiac cycle event count is greater than a predetermined average cardiac cycle event count.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
88 words
A method as defined in claim 58 including the further step of establishing a heart activity sensing time, wherein said sensing step includes sensing said atrial electrical activity of the heart during said heart activity sensing time, wherein said method further includes the step of providing an average event count per unit of time for said plurality of cardiac cycles, and wherein said determining step includes determining if said average event count per unit of time is greater than a predetermined average event count per unit of time.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
79 words
A method as defined in claim 58 including the further step of determining a total counting time for said plurality of cardiac cycles, wherein said method further includes the step of providing an average event count per unit of total counting time for said plurality of cardiac cycles, and wherein said determining step includes determining if said average event count per unit of total counting time is greater than a predetermined average event count per unit of counting time.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as defined in claim 58 wherein said establishing step includes establishing a single counting period for each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as defined in claim 58 including the further steps of detecting R waves of the heart, and wherein said establishing step includes establishing each respective said time for counting with respect to a detected R wave.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as defined in claim 64 wherein said establishing step includes establishing a single counting period for each said cardiac cycle of said plurality of cardiac cycles.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as defined in claim 65 wherein said establishing step includes beginning each said counting period after the completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminating each said counting period before the T wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method as defined in claim 66 wherein said establishing step includes beginning each said counting period about sixty milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle and terminating each said counting period about two hundred milliseconds after the detected completion of each said detected R wave of each said cardiac cycle.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method as defined in claim 58 including the further steps of generating a time stamp for each one of said detected cardiac events, providing a memory, and storing said time stamps in said memory, and wherein said counting step includes counting only said time stamps stored in said memory occurring during each said time for counting.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5391185A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-06-04 | 1999-12-04 | 2000-06-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-06-04 | 2003-12-04 | 2004-06-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-06-04 | 2007-12-04 | 2008-06-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |