Abstract: A device for filtering ECG signals has an A/D converter and a filter unit connected to the converter's output. The filter unit includes a filter, or a combination of filters with a non-linear phase response such that signals with frequencies in the passband of the filter, or the combination of filters, are delayed more than signals with frequencies in the transition band between the passband and the suppressed frequency band of the filter, or the combination of filters. A method for producing an FIR filter, with a phase response opposite to the phase response of a filter for filtering out DC components, or an IIR filter, suitable for use in the above-described device, is also disclosed in which the impulse response from the filter for filtering out DC components and low-frequency components or the IIR filter is reversed in time and sampled. The sampled values are then used for determining coefficients for the FIR filter.

Abstract: In a method for correcting for non-physiological variations in ECG signals, signals recorded during a heartbeat, or a characteristic part of a heartbeat, are conditioned and digitized. Signal samples are stored in the form of an m.times.p matrix, where m is the number of samples and p is the number of leads used from measuring electrodes applied to the patient. The difference between this measuring matrix and a reference matrix is minimized by performing one or more of the operations translation, time synchronization, rotation and scaling of the measuring matrix. An apparatus for correcting for non-physiological variations in ECG signals includes a stage for conditioning signals, picked up by measuring electrodes applied to the patient, an A/D converter for digitizing the signals and a calculation unit. The calculation unit includes a storage unit for storing signal samples in the form of a m.times.

Abstract: A device for eliminating ringing in filtered ECG signals includes an analog-to-digital for converting the ECG input signals into a series of digital values, and a filter unit connected to the output of the analog-to digital converter. The filter unit includes a recursive IIR-filter and a subsequent allpass filter with a phase shift which is equal to twice the phase shift of the IIR filter. The allpass filtering is performed time-reversed with respect to the IIR filtering. In a method for producing an allpass filter, for use in the above device, having a phase shift which is equal to twice the phase shift of an IIR filter, the IIR filter having zero points situated on the unity circle in the Z-plane, the zero points of the IIR filter are replaced by new zero points obtained by reflecting the poles of the filter in the unity circle in the Z-plane.

Abstract: Method and device for filtering out baseline fluctuations from an electrocardiogram. It is known to provide a high pass filter for filtering out baseline fluctuations from an electrocardiogram, the lower cut off frequency of a high pass filter is at a value below the frequencies which are characteristic of the heart signals at the lowest possible heart rate. In order to increase the effectiveness of the baseline filtering, it is provided that in a device (4) the current heartbeat rate is determined from the electrocardiogram and, in dependence thereupon, the lower cut off frequency of the filter (2) is altered in such a manner that the lower cut off frequency is increased in the case of an increasing heartbeat rate and is decreased in the case of a decreasing heartbeat rate.

Abstract: Apparatus for filtering out baseline fluctuations from physiological measurement signals. The apparatus comprises a first nonrecursive low-pass filter with a downstream stage for the reduction of the sampling rate, a second nonrecursive filter connected thereto, a subsequent interpolation stage to increase the sampling rate and a subtraction stage, in which the baseline fluctuations retained by the low-pass filtering are subtracted from the measurement signals affected by baseline fluctuations. To reduce the number of computing operations to be performed in the course of the sampling filtering, the first low-pass filter comprises a recursive filter.

Abstract: A cap arrangement is disclosed for sealing the space between the outer surface of a protective helmet and the upper edge of a pivotally mounted visor carried by the helmet, to prevent, for example, sawdust passing to the space on the inside of the visor during timber sawing operations. The cap arrangement comprises a sheet of fabric having a front edge secured to the upper edge of the visor and a rear edge secured to an elastic ribbon attached at its ends to the mountings which pivotally support the visor at the sides of the helmet.