Abstract: A non-fade display for a CRT which includes a brightened dot, or "bouncing ball", is described. The refreshed display makes use of relatively short persistence phosphors, together with a digital controller to momentarily stop a trace at a predetermined point corresponding to the newest data sample point, increase its intensity to form the brightened dot, follow the brightened dot with a blanked zone, and then continue with the older part of the trace.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a display system utilized in conjunction with a cathode ray tube (CRT). In particular, the invention is used in conjunction with CRTs designed to display data including a periodically updated trace.In various types of apparatus, including oscilloscopes and monitoring devices, such as patient monitors, a CRT is used to display a trace representative of the data being monitored.

Abstract: The magnetic deflection sweep amplifier includes a first switch, such as a MOSFET in series with a deflection yoke. The switch is controlled by a second switch, such as a bipolar transistor, and the second switch is able to selectively control the first switch, whereby the yoke current can be reversed, to provide complete flyback, or can be truncated part way through flyback to stop the retrace at an intermediate position. The flyback amplifier also has provision for linear operation without flyback. The present invention accomplishes the foregoing with very few parts and with very little power consumption.

Abstract: A respiration monitor for measuring the variations of the thorax impedance of a patient due to respiration is described. The monitor includes circuitry for suppressing the indication of unwanted signals caused by cardio-vascular activity of the patient. The circuitry receives trigger signals immediately following the QRS complex of the patient's ECG waveform. If a certain negative-going slope is detected in the thorax impedance waveform following the QRS complex, it is counted as a cardio-vascular artifact and not respiration activity. After a predetermined number of cardio-vascular artifact are detected and counted, the respiration monitor is disabled so that this cardio-vascular activity will not reset an apnea counter.