Abstract: A heath monitoring method and system estimate a patient's respiratory rate and heart rate using different frequency components of a shared acoustic signal. Use of a common acoustic signal to estimate the patient's respiratory rate and heart rate permit more economical and simplified heath monitoring.

Abstract: A respiratory signal detection and time domain signal processing method and system classifies respiratory phases and determines respiratory time data useful in respiratory health determinations. The method and system analyze respiratory signals collected at multiple detection points at least one of which ensures that respiratory phases can be properly classified. Moreover, the method and system employ a time domain signal processing approach that facilitates determination of respiratory time data while realizing savings in computing power relative to frequency domain processing approaches.

Abstract: The method of estimating systolic and mean pulmonary artery pressures of a patient, comprising the steps of (a) producing an electric signal xs(t) representative of heart sounds of the patient; (b) extracting second heart sound S2(t) from the signal produced in step (a); (c) extracting pulmonary and aortic components P2(t) and A2(t) from S2(t); (d) extracting a signal representative of mean cardiac interval; (e) correlating the pulmonary and aortic components P2(t) and A2(t) to obtain a cross correlation function; (f) measuring a splitting interval of the cross correlation function obtained in step (e); (g) producing a normalized splitting interval; and (h) estimating the systolic and mean pulmonary artery pressures by means of predetermined regressive functions. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for estimating systolic and mean pulmonary artery pressures of a patient.