US5735285A — Method and hand-held apparatus for demodulating a…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 96 words

A hand-held computer device for patient monitoring, comprising: a palmtop digital computer that includes microphone means for receiving a frequency modulated audio signal indicating a selected, continuously variable biomedical parameter of a patient's physical condition; analog to digital converter means changing the frequency modulated audio signal to a digital signal; means for band-pass filtering said digital signal to produce a filtered digital signal having a low frequency pass-band; a digital polyphase demodulator receiving said digital signal for transformation to a de-modulated digital signal; and means for displaying the filtered digital signal for a selected time interval.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 96 words

A hand-held computer device for patient monitoring, comprising: a palmtop digital computer that includes microphone means for receiving a frequency modulated audio signal indicating a selected, continuously variable biomedical parameter of a patient's physical condition; analog to digital converter means changing the frequency modulated audio signal to a digital signal; means for band-pass filtering said digital signal to produce a filtered digital signal having a low frequency pass-band; a digital polyphase demodulator receiving said digital signal for transformation to a de-modulated digital signal; and means for displaying the filtered digital signal for a selected time interval.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

A hand-held computer device as set forth in claim 1 which further includes: storage means receiving said filtered digital signal to file in storage.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 26 words

A hand-held computer device as set forth in claim 2 which further includes: means for conducting a selected digital signal from said storage for direct print-out.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 28 words

A hand-held computer device as set forth in claim 2 which further includes: means for conducting a selected digital signal from said storage via a telephone facsimile system.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 73 words

A hand-held computer device as set forth in claim 1 which further includes: file means receiving said digital signals from said analog to digital converter means for storage of selected digital signals; digital-to-analog converter means receiving stored digital signals from the file means to produce a selected time analog signal; and speaker means for annunciating said time analog signal for pickup and relay via a telephone connection to an auxiliary hand-held computer device.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 28 words

A hand-held computer device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for receiving comprises: a receptacle receiving electrical signal input of said frequency modulated audio signal.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 105 words

A personal cardiac monitoring system, comprising: a palmtop computer having a microphone providing input to an analog to digital converter; said palmtop computer also having a digital to analog converter, a speaker and a display screen connected for visual and audible signal output, respectively, from a central processing unit with associated memory containing resident software, and further comprising: means detecting and audibly reproducing a patient's ECG segment for a predetermined time interval as frequency modulated audio for input to said computer microphone; and a digital polyphase demodulator controlling the demodulation of digital signals from the analog to digital converter for output to said display screen.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 105 words

A personal cardiac monitoring system, comprising: a palmtop computer having a microphone providing input to an analog to digital converter; said palmtop computer also having a digital to analog converter, a speaker and a display screen connected for visual and audible signal output, respectively, from a central processing unit with associated memory containing resident software, and further comprising: means detecting and audibly reproducing a patient's ECG segment for a predetermined time interval as frequency modulated audio for input to said computer microphone; and a digital polyphase demodulator controlling the demodulation of digital signals from the analog to digital converter for output to said display screen.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 39 words

A personal cardiac monitoring system as set forth in claim 7 which further includes: a low frequency band-pass filter receiving said converted digital signal output from the analog to digital signal convertor and outputting to said digital polyphase demodulator.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 45 words

A personal cardiac monitoring system as set forth in claim 7 which further includes: means receiving said low frequency band-pass filter output for audible output from said hand-held computer speaker; and an associated telephone for pick-up of said audible output to provide a relay extension.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 82 words

A hand-held computer device for patient monitoring, comprising: means for receiving a frequency modulated audio signal indicating a selected biomedical parameter of a patient's physical condition; means for digitizing and A-Law compressing said audio signal to provide an A-Law digital output; A-Law decoder means receiving and expanding said A-Law digital output; a band-pass filter receiving said expanded digital output to produce a filtered digital output; a frequency estimator means receiving said filtered digital output; and means for displaying said filtered digital output.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 82 words

A hand-held computer device for patient monitoring, comprising: means for receiving a frequency modulated audio signal indicating a selected biomedical parameter of a patient's physical condition; means for digitizing and A-Law compressing said audio signal to provide an A-Law digital output; A-Law decoder means receiving and expanding said A-Law digital output; a band-pass filter receiving said expanded digital output to produce a filtered digital output; a frequency estimator means receiving said filtered digital output; and means for displaying said filtered digital output.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 43 words

A hand-held computer device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said frequency estimator means comprises: a cycle accumulator receiving said filtered digital output and producing an accumulator signal; and a residue estimator receiving said accumulator signal to produce said filtered digital output.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

A hand-held computer device as set forth in claim 11 wherein: said selected biomedical parameter is a patient's ECG rhythm strip.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 77 words

A method for monitoring a patient's ECG signal, comprising: developing a frequency modulated audio ECG signal from the patient; inputting the frequency modulated audio ECG signal via telephone to a programmed palmtop digital computer at a medical diagnostics site; converting said frequency modulated audio ECG signal to a digital frequency modulated ECG signal; demodulating said digital frequency modulated ECG signal to produce a digital ECG signal; and displaying said digital ECG signal as a time analog indication.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 77 words

A method for monitoring a patient's ECG signal, comprising: developing a frequency modulated audio ECG signal from the patient; inputting the frequency modulated audio ECG signal via telephone to a programmed palmtop digital computer at a medical diagnostics site; converting said frequency modulated audio ECG signal to a digital frequency modulated ECG signal; demodulating said digital frequency modulated ECG signal to produce a digital ECG signal; and displaying said digital ECG signal as a time analog indication.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 92 words

A method for using a hand-held palmtop computer for monitoring a patient's ECG signals, comprising: developing a frequency modulated audio ECG signal from the patient; inputting the frequency modulated audio ECG signal via telephone to a palmtop, programmed digital computer at a medical diagnostics site; companding said frequency modulated audio ECG signal by transforming with an A-Law encoder and decoder to produce an A-Law digital signal counterpart; filtering said digital signal counterpart with a selected bandpass; and deriving a frequency estimate of the digital signal counterpart for display of the ECG signals.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 92 words

A method for using a hand-held palmtop computer for monitoring a patient's ECG signals, comprising: developing a frequency modulated audio ECG signal from the patient; inputting the frequency modulated audio ECG signal via telephone to a palmtop, programmed digital computer at a medical diagnostics site; companding said frequency modulated audio ECG signal by transforming with an A-Law encoder and decoder to produce an A-Law digital signal counterpart; filtering said digital signal counterpart with a selected bandpass; and deriving a frequency estimate of the digital signal counterpart for display of the ECG signals.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-04-06	2001-10-06	2002-04-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-04-06	2005-10-06	2006-04-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-04-06	2009-10-06	2010-04-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and hand-held apparatus for demodulating and viewing frequency modulated biomedical signals

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