Method and apparatus for displaying pacer signals on an electrocardiograph

Claim 1

A system for monitoring and reporting signals indicative of a patient's pacemaker operation and of said patient's ECG response to pulses from said pacemaker as revealed by a time ordered relationship between said pacemaker pulses and QRS cycles and intervals of said patient's ECG, comprising: electrode sensing means for detecting said patient's ECG and said pacemaker pulses; recorder means, coupled to said sensing means, for storing said patient's ECG on a first channel and for storing said pacemaker pulses indicative of said patient's pacemaker operation on a second channel; computer means, coupled to said recorder means, for analyzing data recorded by said recorder means; playback means, electrically interfaced with said computer means, for converting said first and said second channel data into a format usable by said computer means; analysis means, within said computer means, for analyzing data from said first channel and said second channel and establishing a time ordered relationship between data from said first channel and data from said second channel; comparison means, within said computer means, for comparing said time ordered relationship from said first and said second channels with a set of predetermined, computer stored, time duration values indicative of normalcy of said QRS intervals of said ECG with respect to said pacemaker pulses; display means, coupled to said computer means, for displaying results of said analysis means and said comparison means in a manner that illustrates said time ordered relationship between said patient's ECG on said first channel and said pacemaker pulses on said second channel in a visually discernible manner, whereby an ECG representation is produced that indicates color coded results of said analysis means by illustrating points within said QRS intervals wherein said pacemaker pulses are detected and further produces a visually discernible indication of an estimated effect of said pacemaker pulse upon initiation of a QRS cycle, and wherein said color coded results can further delineate and differentiate between a paced beat and an unpaced beat.

Claim 2

A system for monitoring and reporting signals indicative of a patient's pacemaker operation and of said patient's ECG response to pulses from said pacemaker as revealed by a time ordered relationship between said pacemaker pulses and QRS cycles and intervals of said patient's ECG, comprising: electrode sensing means for detecting said patient's ECG and said pacemaker pulses; recorder means, coupled to said sensing means, for storing said patient's ECG on a first channel and for storing said pacemaker pulses indicative of said patient's pacemaker operation on a second channel; computer means, coupled to said recorder means, for analyzing data recorded by said recorder means; playback means, electrically interfaced with said computer means, for converting said first and said second channel data into a format usable by said computer means; analysis means, within said computer means, for analyzing data from said first channel and said second channel and establishing a time ordered relationship between data from said first channel and data from said second channel; comparison means, within said computer means, for comparing said time ordered relationship from said first and said second channels with a set of predetermined, computer stored, time duration values indicative of normalcy of said QRS intervals of said ECG with respect to said pacemaker pulses; display means, coupled to said computer means, for displaying results of said analysis means and said comparison means in a manner that illustrates said time ordered relationship between said patient's ECG on said first channel and said pacemaker pulses on said second channel in a visually discernible manner, whereby an ECG representation is produced that indicates color coded results of said analysis means by illustrating points within said QRS intervals wherein said pacemaker pulses are detected and further produces a visually discernible indication of an estimated effect of said pacemaker pulse upon initiation of a QRS cycle, and wherein said color coded results can further delineate and differentiate between a paced beat and an unpaced beat.

Claim 8

A method for producing a graphical display that illustrates the relationship of a pacemaker pulse to a QRS cycle and a QRS interval in an ECG signal, comprising the steps of: recording ECG signals and pacemaker pulses of a patient using electrode sensing means; conveying said ECG signals of said patient in a digitized form to computer means capable of storing and analyzing digitized ECG signals; creating a predetermined set of time duration values that are indicative of normal ranges of occurrences of said pacemaker pulses relative to said QRS cycles and intervals; detecting both said QRS cycles and intervals and also said pacemaker pulses within said digitized ECG signals; comparing measured occurrences of said pacemaker pulses relative to measured occurrences of said QRS cycles and intervals, and comparing each said measured occurrence with its respective counterpart within said predetermined set of time duration values; determining points within said QRS intervals where said pacemaker pulses have been detected based on results of said comparing step; and displaying results of said determining step in a visually discernible manner by means of a graphical representation illustrating points within said QRS intervals of said ECG where pacemaker pulses have been detected.

Claim 9

A method for producing a graphical display that illustrates the relationship of a pacemaker pulse to a QRS cycle and a QRS interval in an ECG signal, comprising the steps of: recording ECG signals and pacemaker pulses of a patient using electrode sensing means; conveying said ECG signals of said patient in a digitized form to computer means capable of storing and analyzing digitized ECG signals; creating a predetermined set of time duration values that are indicative of normal ranges of occurrences of said pacemaker pulses relative to said QRS cycles and intervals; detecting both said QRS cycles and intervals and also said pacemaker pulses within said digitized ECG signals; comparing measured occurrences of said pacemaker pulses relative to measured occurrences of said QRS cycles and intervals, and comparing each said measured occurrence with its respective counterpart within said predetermined set of time duration values; determining points within said QRS intervals where said pacemaker pulses have been detected based on results of said comparing step; and displaying results of said determining step in a visually discernible manner by means of a graphical representation illustrating points within said QRS intervals of said ECG where pacemaker pulses have been detected.

Claim 14

A system for providing an indication of pacemaker operation relative to QRS cycles and intervals in an ECG, comprising: recording means for recording analog ECG signals on a first channel and pacemaker pulses on a second channel of a patient using electrode sensing means; digital means, coupled to said recording means, for converting said analog ECG signals into a digital form; computer means, coupled to said digital means, for analyzing data recorded by said recording means; analysis means, within said computer means, for providing a time ordered relationship between said first channel of ECG signals and said second channel of pacemaker pulses; and means, coupled to and responsive to said analysis means, for providing a visually discernable indication and display of said time ordered relationship between said recorded ECG signals in said first channel and said pacemaker pulses in said second channel, wherein each said channel further includes not only a single pace display means for producing graphical illustrations of QRS signals that have been resisted by a single pacemaker pulse, but also a double paced display means for producing said graphical illustrations of QRS signals that have been assisted by a pair of pacemaker pulses.

Claim 15

A system for providing an indication of pacemaker operation relative to QRS cycles and intervals in an ECG, comprising: recording means for recording analog ECG signals on a first channel and pacemaker pulses on a second channel of a patient using electrode sensing means; digital means, coupled to said recording means, for converting said analog ECG signals into a digital form; computer means, coupled to said digital means, for analyzing data recorded by said recording means; analysis means, within said computer means, for providing a time ordered relationship between said first channel of ECG signals and said second channel of pacemaker pulses; and means, coupled to and responsive to said analysis means, for providing a visually discernable indication and display of said time ordered relationship between said recorded ECG signals in said first channel and said pacemaker pulses in said second channel, wherein each said channel further includes not only a single pace display means for producing graphical illustrations of QRS signals that have been resisted by a single pacemaker pulse, but also a double paced display means for producing said graphical illustrations of QRS signals that have been assisted by a pair of pacemaker pulses.

Claim 18

A system for monitoring and reporting signals indicative of a heart patient's pacemaker operation and of said patient's ECG response to pulses from said pacemaker as revealed by a time ordered relationship between said pacemaker pulses and QRS cycles and intervals of said patient's ECG, comprising: electrode sensing means for detecting said patient's ECG and said pacemaker pulses; data recording means, coupled to said sensing means, for storing said patient's ECG data on a first channel and for storing said pacemaker pulse data indicative of said patient's pacemaker operation on a second channel; computer means, coupled to said recording means, for analyzing data recorded by said recording means; playback means, electrically interfaced with said computer means, for converting said first and said second channel data into a format usable by said computer means; analysis means, within said computer means, for analyzing data from said first channel and said second channel and establishing a time ordered relationship between data from said first channel and said second channel; comparison means, within said computer means, for comparing said time ordered relationship from said first and said second channels with a set of predetermined, time duration values indicative of normalcy for said QRS intervals of said ECG and said pacemaker operation; and display means, coupled to said computer means, for displaying results of said analysis means and said comparison means in a manner that illustrates said time ordered relationship between said patient's ECG on said first channel and said pacemaker pulses on said second channel in a visually discernible manner, whereby an ECG representation is produced that indicates color coded results of said analysis means by illustrating points within said QRS intervals wherein said pacemaker pulses are detected and further produces a visually discernible indication of an estimated effect of a pacemaker pulse upon initiation of a QRS cycle, and wherein said color coded results includes separate codes for an atrial paced beat, a ventricular paced beat, a dual paced beat, an unpaced beat, and an undetected beat.

Claim 19

A system for monitoring and reporting signals indicative of a heart patient's pacemaker operation and of said patient's ECG response to pulses from said pacemaker as revealed by a time ordered relationship between said pacemaker pulses and QRS cycles and intervals of said patient's ECG, comprising: electrode sensing means for detecting said patient's ECG and said pacemaker pulses; data recording means, coupled to said sensing means, for storing said patient's ECG data on a first channel and for storing said pacemaker pulse data indicative of said patient's pacemaker operation on a second channel; computer means, coupled to said recording means, for analyzing data recorded by said recording means; playback means, electrically interfaced with said computer means, for converting said first and said second channel data into a format usable by said computer means; analysis means, within said computer means, for analyzing data from said first channel and said second channel and establishing a time ordered relationship between data from said first channel and said second channel; comparison means, within said computer means, for comparing said time ordered relationship from said first and said second channels with a set of predetermined, time duration values indicative of normalcy for said QRS intervals of said ECG and said pacemaker operation; and display means, coupled to said computer means, for displaying results of said analysis means and said comparison means in a manner that illustrates said time ordered relationship between said patient's ECG on said first channel and said pacemaker pulses on said second channel in a visually discernible manner, whereby an ECG representation is produced that indicates color coded results of said analysis means by illustrating points within said QRS intervals wherein said pacemaker pulses are detected and further produces a visually discernible indication of an estimated effect of a pacemaker pulse upon initiation of a QRS cycle, and wherein said color coded results includes separate codes for an atrial paced beat, a ventricular paced beat, a dual paced beat, an unpaced beat, and an undetected beat.

Claim 20

A system for providing an indication of pacemaker operation relative to QRS cycles and intervals in an ECG, comprising: recording means for recording analog ECG signals and pacemaker pulses of a patient using electrode sensing means; digital means, coupled to said recording means, for converting said analog ECG signals into a digital form; computer means, coupled to said digital means, for analyzing data recorded by said recording means; analysis means, within said computer means, for providing a time ordered relationship between a first channel of ECG signals and a second channel of pacemaker pulses; and means, coupled to and responsive to said analysis means, for providing a visually discernable indication and display of said time ordered relationship between said recorded ECG signals in said first channel and said pacemaker pulses in said second channel, wherein said display means further includes a normal sinus beat means for determining instances where a pacemaker pulse has not assisted in generating a QRS signal.

Claim 21

A system for providing an indication of pacemaker operation relative to QRS cycles and intervals in an ECG, comprising: recording means for recording analog ECG signals and pacemaker pulses of a patient using electrode sensing means; digital means, coupled to said recording means, for converting said analog ECG signals into a digital form; computer means, coupled to said digital means, for analyzing data recorded by said recording means; analysis means, within said computer means, for providing a time ordered relationship between a first channel of ECG signals and a second channel of pacemaker pulses; and means, coupled to and responsive to said analysis means, for providing a visually discernable indication and display of said time ordered relationship between said recorded ECG signals in said first channel and said pacemaker pulses in said second channel, wherein said display means further includes a normal sinus beat means for determining instances where a pacemaker pulse has not assisted in generating a QRS signal.