Abstract: An improved imaging sequence storage and transmission system is disclosed wherein the data files from the imaging sequence may be initially compressed using standard lossless compression techniques and then a non-linear time delay data compression technique may be performed on the data file prior to transmission via telephonic or other means to a remote station for review and analysis. The non-linear time delay data compression technique may also be initially performed on the data file prior to initial storage and then a more severe non-linear time delay data compression technique may be performed on the data file prior to transmission to reduce the ratio of the original data file to the transmitted data file to about 100:1 or more.

Abstract: An adaptive line noise detection and cancellation system having a baseline wander filter, high and low pass filters, an adaptive line noise canceler and various noise detectors is provided to identify, signal and remove contamination from an ECG signal wherein the ECG signal is conditioned to remove various portions of the ECG signal prior to processing in various noise detectors while minimizing the signal conditioning effect of the filters on the ECG signal and while further providing the operator with the ability to manually or automatically activate the filters and to indicate the status of the filters on a printout or display.

Abstract: A clinical information reporting system for use with an electronic database for a health care facility, the electronic database being a rotational and modular database for the provision of a scalable and extensible configuration preferably consisting of a workstation as the base configuration and being configurable for use in small and medium network situations and being particularly adapted for the receipt, manipulation, modification and generation of cardiology reports such as resting ECG records and stress ECG records.

Abstract: A filter system for detecting and removing small amplitude, high frequency signals such as muscle artifact signals is provided. One form of the system includes a baseline wander filter, high and low pass filters, an adaptive line noise canceler and various noise detectors to identify, signal and remove muscle artifact or loose electrode signal contamination from an ECG signal wherein the ECG signal is conditioned to remove various portions of the ECG signal, such as the QRS portion of the ECG signal, prior to processing in various noise detectors while minimizing the signal conditioning effect of the filters on the ECG signal and while further providing the operator with the ability to manually or automatically activate the filters and to indicate the status of the filters on a printout or display.

Abstract: A noise detection system having a baseline wander filter, high and low pass filters, an adaptive line noise canceler and various noise detectors is provided to identify, signal and remove contamination from an ECG signal wherein the ECG signal is conditioned to remove various portions of the ECG signal prior to processing in various noise detectors while minimizing the signal conditioning effect of the filters on the ECG signal.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to one or more devices and a method for improving quantitative coronary artery analysis. The devices which may be used with the present invention include an improved angiographic image quality phantom, an improved arterial phantom and the initial imaging of the procedure catheter. One or all of these devices may be used to increase the accuracy and quality of the arterial measurements provided by an edge detection analysis program. The method includes the initial imaging of the image quality phantom to allow for the correction of various geometric distortions present in an imaging system. Next, the tip of the procedure catheter and the arterial phantom are imaged to create an improved regression curve for the imaging system an to allow for increased accuracy in the use of the procedure catheter as a basis for the determination of the calculated artery diameters.

Abstract: A variable speed AC motor control drive system for use in devices such as treadmills and including a module to sense the voltage of the line voltage provided to the system and adjusting the pulse width modulated signals provided to the AC motor in response thereto as well as providing a module for sensing the load placed on the AC motor by monitoring the bus voltage of the system and. providing a signal representative of the load such that the duty cycles of the pulse width modulated signals are varied in accordance with the line voltage of the system and the load on the AC motor to maintain the desired motor speed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for retaining a catheter tip in a fixed position within a blood flow and preventing it from contacting a blood vessel wall. The apparatus includes a tip retainer at the distal end of the catheter that stabilizes the tip of the catheter relative to the blood vessel. The catheter tip is retained within the blood vessel spaced from the wall to ensure that it does not contact the wall of the blood vessel. This reduces damage to the blood vessel caused by chronic movement and contact between the catheter tip and the wall of the blood vessel. In one embodiment, the tip retainer includes a prong that penetrates the wall of the blood vessel, thus preventing the catheter tip from moving longitudinally within the blood vessel. In alternative embodiments, the tip retainer contacts the wall but does not penetrate the wall.

Abstract: A linear phase high pass filter is disclosed using a slew rate limiter and a linear phase low pass filter in parallel with a delay for removing baseline wander from an ECG signal. The linear phase low pass filter is preferably a digital Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filter. The slew rate limiter preferably includes a clipper and a unit delay. An input ECG signal is simultaneously presented to a slew rate limiter and IIR low pass filter combination and an electronic delay. Thereafter, the outputs from the slew rate limiter and IIR low pass filter combination and the delay are passed to a summer where the output from the slew rate limiter and the low pass filter is subtracted from the output of the delay to produce the output ECG signal representation. The combination of the output from the slew rate limiter and the low pass filter being subtracted from a delayed input signal produces a high pass filter. The resulting high pass filter has a relatively high -3 dB cutoff frequency of about 0.

Abstract: A current sensing module for use with a variable speed AC motor control drive system for use with devices such as treadmills and including a module to sense the current of pulse width modulated signals provided to an AC motor wherein the current sensing module includes a fast sense circuit to sense excessive current conditions in the pulse width modulated signals and a slow sense circuit to sense average current values in excess of desired values over a predetermined period of time to protect the AC motor from damage caused by the increased frictional resistance to the rotation of the walk belt on the treadmill deck as the walk belt and treadmill deck wear out.

Abstract: A device and method of closing an incision or puncture in a patient by inserting a vessel plug into the incision or puncture until the distal end of the vessel plug is adjacent to the outer lumen of the blood vessel or target organ so that the vessel plug does not obstruct the flow of fluid through the blood vessel or target organ. The precise positioning of the vessel plug in the incision or puncture is accomplished through the use of a balloon catheter or a cylindrical insertion assembly having a proximal plunger member associated therewith.

Abstract: A versatile electrophysiology system including an amplification system, an ablation machine, a filter box, a display monitor and a chart recorder as well as an optional data management and analysis system wherein the amplification system receives endocardial signals from an ablation catheter during both the electrophysiology study and the ablation procedure and wherein the amplification system, ablation machine and ablation catheter are interconnected with the filter box such that the endocardial signals and the high energy ablation signal pass therethrough and are filtered thereby.

Abstract: A variable speed AC motor control drive system for use in devices such as treadmills and including a module to sense the voltage of the line voltage provided to the system and adjusting the pulse width modulated signals provided to the AC motor in response thereto as well as providing a module for sensing the load placed on the AC motor by monitoring the bus voltage of the system and providing a signal representative of the load such that the duty cycles of the pulse width modulated signals are varied in accordance with the line voltage of the system and the load on the AC motor to maintain the desired motor speed.

Abstract: A medical electrode and skin preparation device is adapted to be secured to the skin of a patient and is designed to allow the user to acquire physiological signals for use by a plurality of signal acquisition devices and optionally to also reliably prepare the skin of the patient by abrasion or penetration of the epidermal layer of the skin which is in conductive contact with the conductive member of the electrode assembly. The electrode assembly includes a plurality of post members capable of conducting physiological signals received from the skin of the patient for acquisition, recording and/or analysis by one or more external devices.

Abstract: A system for the transmission of physiological signals from a patient to a display analysis and/or recording device using a spread spectrum transmission technique to reduce interference with the detection of the transmitted physiological signal wherein multiple channels of the physiological signals are transmitted over a bandwidth of approximately 3 MHz.

Abstract: A device and method of closing an incision or puncture in a patient by inserting a vessel plug into the incision or puncture until the distal end of the vessel plug is adjacent to the outer lumen of the blood vessel or target organ so that the vessel plug does not obstruct the flow of fluid through the blood vessel or target organ. The precise positioning of the vessel plug in the incision or puncture is accomplished through the use of a balloon catheter or a cylindrical insertion assembly having a proximal plunger member associated therewith.

Abstract: A device and method of closing an incision or puncture in a patient by inserting a vessel plug into the incision or puncture until the distal end of the vessel plug is adjacent to the outer lumen of the blood vessel or target organ so that the vessel plug does not obstruct the flow of fluid through the blood vessel or target organ. The precise positioning of the vessel plug in the incision or puncture is accomplished through the use of a balloon catheter or a cylindrical insertion assembly having a proximal plunger member associated therewith.

Abstract: A dressing is described which is preferably constructed of a layer of hydrocolloid material having a downwardly extending lip member thereon that is sized to be received adjacent to a percutaneous device which is at least partially implanted into a patient such that the dressing having a lip member thereon forms a physical barrier to decrease the incidence of catheter tract infections in a patient and the lip member provides a downward extension into the wound to help remove exudate and detritus from the catheter tract and wherein the dressing further includes a mesh layer adjacent to the skin of the patient to minimize the amount of hydrocolloid material remaining on the skin of the patient after use.

Abstract: A single or multiple lumen catheter having one or more non-circular, oval, elliptical or oblong shaped lumens therein and wherein the cross sectional shapes of a plurality of the lumens in the multiple lumen catheters are opposed with respect to each other to minimize the existence of sharp corners or flow restriction areas in the lumen and minimizing the occurrence of septum or catheter wall deflection while maximizing the cross sectional area of the lumens of the catheter.

Abstract: A dressing is described which is preferably constructed of a layer of hydrocolloid material having a downwardly extending lip member thereon that is sized to be received adjacent to a percutaneous device which is at least partially implanted into a patient such that the dressing having a lip member thereon forms a physical barrier to decrease the incidence of catheter tract infections in a patient and the lip member provides a downward extension into the wound to help remove exudate and detritus from the catheter tract and wherein the dressing further includes a mesh layer adjacent to the skin of the patient to minimize the amount of hydrocolloid material remaining on the skin of the patient after use.