Detecting Signal Repetition Rate Patents (Class 600/519)
  • Patent number: 8224429
    Abstract: A watch or other type of portable electronic console that employs a number of different functions in order to improve its usability. The watch may, for example, allow a user to connect the watch to one or more remote electronic devices, such as an electronic performance sensor or MP3 player. The watch then displays information related to the connected electronic devices. Still further, the watch may allow a user to control the operation of one or more connected remote electronic devices. Thus, if the watch is connected to a remote speed/distance monitor employing a calibration variable, then the watch may allow the user to adjust the calibration variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Prstojevich, Christopher A. Robinette, Theodore H. Helprin, Charles W. Case, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8200323
    Abstract: Program products, methods, and systems for providing fitness monitoring services are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for providing heart rate information to a user of a portable fitness monitoring service includes: (a) defining a plurality of heart rate zones as ranges of percentages of a maximum heart rate; (b) associating a color with each of said heart rate zones; (c) receiving heart rate information from the user; and (d) providing a graphical display of the heart rate information, wherein a color of a portion of the graphical display corresponds with the color associated with one of said heart rate zones, wherein steps (a)-(d) are executed using at least one processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: adidas AG
    Inventors: Christian DiBenedetto, Maya Ann Powch, Stephen John Black
  • Publication number: 20120136265
    Abstract: A disposable heart rate indicator is provided. The disposable heart rate indicator has a power source for generating power to the heart rate indicator, at least two electrodes for detecting a person's heart beat, a processor and a light signal emitting head. The processor is operatively coupled to the at least two electrodes and is configured to receive a signal on each heart beat detected by the electrodes and visually indicate a detected heart rate via optical light emitted by the light signal emitting head. The heart rate indicator further includes a conductor coupled between the light signal emitting head and the processor. The conductor is arranged to extend from a heart beat detection area formed by the electrodes and the processor such that the light signal emitting head is visible during use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: SPEKTIKOR OY
    Inventor: Kari KIVISTÖ
  • Patent number: 8165667
    Abstract: A medical device detects certain patient activity based on a programmable activity threshold and determines the duration of detected activity. The activity threshold may be optimized by obtaining first and second duration measurements for at least one of a first activity session and second activity session. The first duration measurement is based on the activity threshold, while the second duration measurement is based on actual start and stop of the activity session. An adjustment of the activity threshold is suggested based on a correspondence between the first duration measurement and the second duration measurement of the first activity session, or a correspondence between the first duration measurement and the second duration measurement of the second activity session. One of the first and second activities is non-significant activity expected to be undetected by the device, while the other of the two activities is low-level activity expected to be detected by the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventor: Cecilia Qin Xi
  • Publication number: 20120089417
    Abstract: Access to key diagnostic medical devices requires pre-approval by a screening physician. A computer-implemented system and method for mediating patient-initiated physiological monitoring and ensuring appropriate follow up, bypassing the need for a screening physician, are provided. A request for a medical monitoring device from a patient at a point of prescriptive medicine dispensing is entered. The patient is enrolled in a medical service network that includes healthcare providers and medical services, and one or more on-call prescribing physicians. The patient is interfaced in real time with one of the prescribing physicians. Upon physician approval, the monitoring device is dispensed to the patient at the point of dispensing. Following monitoring, data from the monitoring device is retrieved for the medical service network. The retrieved data is evaluated for medical concerns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventors: Gust H. Bardy, Jon Mikalson Bishay
  • Patent number: 8128573
    Abstract: A method of identifying the fossa ovalis in a patient by positioning one or more electrodes against the tissue of the interatrial septum of the patient and acquiring unipolar and/or bipolar electrograms of the tissue of the interatrial septum while moving the electrodes to a plurality of positions against the tissue of the interatrial septum. The fossa ovalis is identified on the basis of unipolar voltage reduction, signal fractionation, broadened signal, reduced signal slew rate, reduced local myocardial impedance, increased phase angle and/or increased pacing threshold. An apparatus for identifying the fossa ovalis is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventor: Subramaniam C. Krishnan
  • Patent number: 8073533
    Abstract: A heart rate monitor determines a heart rate for a primary subject by reducing noise and cross-talk from unwanted signal transmission sources. A set of pulse peaks having about the same amplitude and an amplitude greater than any other set of peaks are processed to determine a subject's heart rate, while data having an amplitude below that of the set of peaks is ignored. To retrieve enough data to determine a peak amplitude, the signal having heart rate information is sampled at a frequency higher than a normal sampling frequency. In some embodiments, if no data is received for a set time period which is in or above the range, the threshold resets to zero under an assumption that the primary subject is no longer within transmitting range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Salutron, Inc.
    Inventors: Chor Kuen Eddy Hui, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
  • Patent number: 8065002
    Abstract: A method for gathering, creating and utilizing signal-processed ECG and acoustic signals for assessing, via presenting a highly intuitive, multi-component, common-time-base, real-time output display of selected (1) timing, (2) relative timing, and (3) other significant heart-behavioral elements relevant to such an assessment, a pacemaker patient's hemodynamic condition. The method offers an important option and capability for automatic, and/or manual, medical-treatment and/or pacemaker-control feedback, in real time, to improve a pacemaker patient's hemodynamic status, with such a patient's resulting hemodynamic-behavioral/status changes caused by such feedback being viewable immediately in the invention's produced output display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Inovise Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Patricia A. Arand, Peter T. Bauer, Robert A. Warner
  • Patent number: 8050751
    Abstract: Techniques for determining whether artifacts are present in a cardiac electrogram are described. According to one example, a medical device senses a cardiac electrogram via electrodes. The medical device determines a derivative, e.g., a second order derivative, the electrogram. The medical device detects beats within the derivative, e.g., by comparing a rectified version of the derivative to one or more thresholds determined based on a maximum of the rectified derivative. The medical device determines whether the beats are periodic, and determines whether artifacts are present in the cardiac electrogram based on the determination of whether the beats are periodic. The medical device may further determine whether tachyarrhythmia is present and/or whether the cardiac rhythm of the patient is treatable based on the determination of whether the beats are periodic. For example, the medical device may determine that an electrogram is not treatable when the beats are periodic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Xusheng Zhang, Raja N. Ghanem, Robert W. Stadler
  • Patent number: 8010190
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) feedback device and a method for performing CPR. A chest compression detector device is provided that measures chest compression during the administration of CPR. The chest compression detector device comprises a signal transmitter operably positioned on the chest of the patient and adapted to broadcast a signal, and a signal receiver adapted to receive the signal. The chest compression detector device also comprises a processor, operably connected to the signal transmitter and the signal receiver. The processor repeatedly analyzes the signal received to determine from the signal a series of measurements of compression of the chest, and feedback is provided to the rescuer based on the series of measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Cardiac Science Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth F. Olson, Peter Peterson
  • Publication number: 20110205051
    Abstract: A monitor provides a wireless signal with respective pulses, based on a heartbeat, repetitive physical movement, or other repetitive bodily action of a user. The pulses include longer duration pulses whose duration identifies the monitor, and distinguishes it from other monitors which may provide crosstalk interference. The longer duration pulses are interspersed among short duration pulses to reduce power consumption. A receiver unit processes the signal to determine a rate of the bodily action and provide a corresponding output. The receiver unit can operate in a baseline mode when crosstalk is not detected, where each pulse is used to determine the rate, or in a crosstalk mode when crosstalk is detected, where only the longer duration pulses are used to determine the rate. The receiver unit can synchronize with two or more consecutive longer duration pulses. The pulse duration can be fixed or determined dynamically, e.g., non-deterministically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Karthik H. Katingari, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
  • Patent number: 7991460
    Abstract: A system for the detection of cardiac events occurring in a human patient is provided. At least two electrodes are included in the system for obtaining an electrical signal from a patient's heart. An electrical signal processor is electrically coupled to the electrodes for processing the electrical signal and applying tests to determine whether a cardiac event has occurred. When the processor detects some types of changes in heart rate, event detection is altered or suspended for a period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Angel Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Fischell, Jonathan Harwood, Steven R. Johnson, Bruce Hopenfeld
  • Publication number: 20110144513
    Abstract: Methods for analysis of heart rate variability can be used in gaming and other software applications as disclosed herein; wherein improvements include a faster analysis of heart rate variability, prediction of future values, and assessment of value deviations, among others. The described methods interpolate variations in heart rate variability using one or more of the factors: LF amplitude factor (kALF), HF amplitude factor (kAHF), and deviation factor (kdev). Other features of the improved methods are described in detail herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventor: Ryan M. Deluz
  • Patent number: 7953477
    Abstract: An apparatus, a method and a computer program for the determination of sympathetic activity are disclosed. The method comprises: receiving heart activity data of a person; determining a recovery heart rate change speed during a recovery heart rate period in the heart activity data; and determining a sympathetic activity state of the sympathetic nervous system of the person based on the determined recovery heart rate change speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
    Inventors: Mikko Tulppo, Arto Hautala, Antti Kiviniemi, Hannu Kinnunen, Jukka Jaatinen
  • Publication number: 20110118617
    Abstract: This invention discloses a heart rate measuring device and a method for measuring heart rate thereof. The heart rate measuring device can be put on a user body. The heart rate measuring device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a plurality of optical indicating units, a signal processing circuit and a control unit. When the user's both hands touch the first electrode and the second electrode, the control unit provides a heart signal by using the first electrode, the second electrode and the signal processing circuit. The control unit controls the optical indicating units to output electrocardiographic signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: NATIONAL YANG MING UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Bo-Jau KUO, Ching-Hsiu YANG
  • Publication number: 20110105929
    Abstract: Techniques for monitoring T-wave alternans (TWAs) in a patient are described. An implantable medical device (IMD), such as an implantable pacemaker, cardioverter, or diagnostic device, generates an EGM signal, e.g., a far field EGM signal, samples the EGM signal to obtain a single T-wave amplitude value for each T-wave over a plurality of beats, and stores the T-wave amplitude values in memory. The IMD creates a time series of the T-wave amplitude values stored in memory, calculates the power spectral density for the times series, and selects a power spectral density of a particular frequency, e.g., 0.5 cycles per beat, as the TWA value. The IMD may periodically determine TWA values for the patient and store the values in memory. The TWA values may be presented to medical personnel, e.g., as a trend. The IMD may deliver or modify therapy, or provide an alert, based on the TWA values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Vinod Sharma, Xiaohong Zhou
  • Patent number: 7917197
    Abstract: A device, such as an implantable cardiac device, and methods for determining exercise diagnostic parameters of a patient are disclosed. Specifically, a maximum observed heart rate of a patient during exercise can be identified when an activity level and a heart rate measurement of the patient exceed predetermined thresholds. Included are methods for filtering out premature heartbeats or noise from the maximum heart rate determination. Methods of determining other exercise parameters, such as workload are also disclosed. The device includes hardware and/or software for performing the described methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Paris
  • Patent number: 7917198
    Abstract: In the solution of the invention, an association is formed between activity information characterizing the activity level of a user and a performance parameter value proportional to the heart rate information of the user, the activity information and heart rate information having been measured in a user-specific performance monitor, and the heart rate information being responsive to the activity level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
    Inventors: Onni Ahola, Mika Niemimäki, Jarmo Mäentausta, Arto Niva, Hannu Kinnunen, Jari Miettinen
  • Publication number: 20110066043
    Abstract: The invention provides a system for continuously monitoring a patient during hemodialysis. The system includes a hemodialysis machine for performing the hemodialysis process that features a controller, a pump, a dialyzer filter, a lumen, and an interface to a body-worn monitor. A patient attaches to the dialysis machine through the lumen, and wears a body-worn monitor for continuously measuring blood pressure. The monitor includes an optical system for measuring an optical waveform, an electrical system for measuring an electrical waveform, and a processing component for determining a transit time between the optical and electrical waveforms and then calculating a blood pressure value from the transit time. The body-worn monitor features an interface (e.g. a wired serial interface, or a wireless interface) to transmit the blood pressure value to the controller within the hemodialysis machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Matt BANET, Andrew James KING
  • Publication number: 20110066056
    Abstract: The exercise auxiliary device comprises a body, a fastener, an ear-clip heart rate sensor, a microprocessor and an indicator. The fastener is mounted on the body for attaching the body to a garment on a user. The ear-clip heart rate sensor is adapted to clip an earlobe of the user, senses blood pulse from the earlobe and accordingly generates a voltage signal. The microprocessor is mounted in the body, electrically connected to the ear-clip heart rate sensor, computes an instantaneous heart rate according to the voltage signal. The indicator is connected to the microprocessor, controlled by the microprocessor to generate a reminding signal. The exercise auxiliary device can be easily worn by attaching the body to a garment of a user with the fastener and clipping an earlobe with the ear-clip heart rate sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Chenghua Huang, Yung-Chi Tsai, Wen-Hui Chang
  • Patent number: 7899523
    Abstract: The RR series, comprising a number of samples respectively defining the time interval between two successive heartbeats, is filtered by means of a digital band-pass filter (Fk), having a given band-pass [fc; f?c] and preferably by means of a recursive elective filter (RII). A variability index (Ik), is calculated which is a function of the instantaneous amplitude [vs(n)] of the discrete signal (Sk) coming from said band-pass filter. The variability index (Ik) is preferably a function of and particularly equal to the effective value of the discrete signal (Sk) from the band-pass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire de Lille
    Inventors: Régis Logier, Alain Dassonneville
  • Patent number: 7881792
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to implantable systems, and method for use therein, that can detect T-wave alternans. In accordance with specific embodiments of the present invention, intrinsic premature contractions of the ventricles are detected, and at least one metric of T-waves is measured in a specified number of beats that follow each detected intrinsic premature contraction of the ventricles. A determination of whether T-wave alternans are present is made based on the measured T-wave metrics. In alternative embodiments, rather than waiting for intrinsic premature contractions of the ventricles, premature contractions of the ventricles are caused on demand by inducing premature atrial contractions. In still other embodiments, a patient's vagus nerve is stimulated to simulate premature contractions of the ventricles. This abstract is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventor: Taraneh Ghaffari Farazi
  • Publication number: 20110021935
    Abstract: A system is provided which processes cardiac condition data representative of heart electrical signals to identify a cardiac condition. An acquisition processor is conditioned for acquiring data representing a sequence of successive pulses of a type of electrical heart waveform of a patient. A computation processor is electrically coupled to the acquisition processor and is conditioned for calculating a pulse interval irregularity measure based on a sum of time interval differences occurring between pairs of successive pulses of the sequence of successive pulses and excluding time interval differences exceeding a predetermined maximum threshold from the sum. The computation processor is further conditioned to compare a calculated pulse interval irregularity measure with a predetermined irregularity measure threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventor: Alireza Ghodrati
  • Publication number: 20100331714
    Abstract: A heart rate monitor determines a heart rate for a primary subject by reducing noise and cross-talk from unwanted signal transmission sources. A set of pulse peaks having about the same amplitude and an amplitude greater than any other set of peaks are processed to determine a subject's heart rate, while data having an amplitude below that of the set of peaks is ignored. To retrieve enough data to determine a peak amplitude, the signal having heart rate information is sampled at a frequency higher than a normal sampling frequency. In some embodiments, if no data is received for a set time period which is in or above the range, the threshold resets to zero under an assumption that the primary subject is no longer within transmitting range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Chor Kuen Eddy Hui, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
  • Publication number: 20100292598
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for monitoring the physical fitness using a pulse watch part (1) for detecting heart pulse rate data and an evaluation apparatus for providing fitness information which can be displayed by means of a display device and for whose derivation a processing unit (16) is present which is designed for reading in and including personal supplementary data. The accuracy of the fitness information made available is favoured by the fact that the personal supplementary data comprises physiological additional data, for whose detection additional equipment with an additional measuring apparatus (2) is provided, which can be connected, in terms of data transfer, to the pulse watch part (1) directly or indirectly for the automatic transmission of the physiological additional data and/or heart pulse rate data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: BEURER GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Patricio Roschk, Ernst Merk, Marco Bühler, Werner Meternek
  • Publication number: 20100292599
    Abstract: Portable fitness monitoring systems with displays, and applications thereof, are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of providing training feedback to an individual using a heart rate sensor and a display module supported by the individual during a physical activity, the method including the steps of: (a) determining a maximum heart rate value for the individual; (b) defining a heart rate zone as a range of heart rate values that correspond to a range of percentages of the maximum heart rate value; (c) associating a color with the heart rate zone; (d) wirelessly transmitting heart rate data from the heart rate sensor to the display module during the physical activity; and (e) visually displaying the color associated with the heart rate zone to the individual on the display module during the physical activity in response to the heart rate data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: Adidas AG
    Inventors: Mark Arthur Oleson, Christian DiBenedetto, Scott Tomlinson
  • Publication number: 20100280402
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring heart rate. The method includes receiving a digital heart monitoring signal, determining the integrity of said signal with a “hand detect” signal that confirms electrical connection to the subject, dividing the digital heart monitoring signal into at least one frame, generating a folded correlation value for the center sample in the at least one frame, identify the number of peaks folded correlation values based on amplitude and distance parameters of the digital heart monitoring signal in the at least one frame, removing false peaks and collecting peaks corresponding to a length of time, determining the heart rate based on the identified peaks wherein the identified peaks relate to a minimum distance between valid heart beat peaks based on a heart rate estimate, computing the weighted average of heart rate value based on the number of previous heart rate values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Steven T. Dunbar, Sourabh Ravindran
  • Patent number: 7822472
    Abstract: A medical device detects certain patient activity based on a programmable activity threshold and determines the duration of detected activity. The activity threshold may be optimized by obtaining first and second duration measurements for at least one of a first activity session and second activity session. The first duration measurement is based on the activity threshold, while the second duration measurement is based on actual start and stop of the activity session. An adjustment of the activity threshold is suggested based on a correspondence between the first duration measurement and the second duration measurement of the first activity session, or a correspondence between the first duration measurement and the second duration measurement of the second activity session. One of the first and second activities is non-significant activity expected to be undetected by the device, while the other of the two activities is low-level activity expected to be detected by the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventor: Cecilia Qin Xi
  • Publication number: 20100268104
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system of auditory evoked heart rate variability analysis having advantage of simply analytical process and portability. The disclosed method mainly includes the following steps of: stimulating the auditory system of a person by a sound through a sound transmission device, capturing an electrocardiogram signal of the person, performing analog-to-digital conversion of the electrocardiogram signal, selecting the peaks of the electrocardiogram signal and transforming the qualified peaks to a consecutive peak signal, and performing spectrum analysis to the peak signal in frequency domain, and obtaining the difference of the spectral parameters before and after the evoked sounds. Moreover, the sound further is selected from the group consisting of noise, short tone burst, click, and any other sound with the intensity of 30 dB to 100 dB.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: NATIONAL YANG-MING UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Guo-She LEE, Bo-Jau KUO
  • Patent number: 7801594
    Abstract: A morphology discrimination scheme extracts shape characteristics from cardiac signals and identifies an associated cardiac condition based on the shape characteristics. For example, internal data structures may be updated to match the shape characteristics of a known condition (e.g., a patient's normal sinus rhythm). Similarly acquired shape characteristics obtained in conjunction with a later event (e.g., QRS complexes acquired during a tachycardia episode) may be compared with the previously stored shape characteristics to characterize the later event. In some aspects the shape characteristics relate to inflection points of cardiac signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Higham
  • Patent number: 7801592
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods and systems to predict postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Inventors: William Li Pi Shan, Roupen Hatzakorzian, Pierre Fiset, Alain Deschamps
  • Patent number: 7797037
    Abstract: An implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD) executes a rate accuracy enhancement algorithm to select measured atrial and ventricular intervals for classifying a detected tachycardia based on average atrial and ventricular rates calculated from the selected atrial and ventricular intervals. The detected tachycardia is classified as ventricular tachycardia (VT) if the average ventricular rate is substantially higher than the average atrial rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Bijan Elahi, Joseph M. Bocek, Jaeho Kim
  • Patent number: 7797038
    Abstract: A heart rate monitor determines a heart rate for a primary subject by reducing noise and cross-talk from unwanted signal transmission sources. A set of pulse peaks having about the same amplitude and an amplitude greater than any other set of peaks are processed to determine a subject's heart rate, while data having an amplitude below that of the set of peaks is ignored. To retrieve enough data to determine a peak amplitude, the signal having heart rate information is sampled at a frequency higher than a normal sampling frequency. In some embodiments, if no data is received for a set time period which is in or above the range, the threshold resets to zero under an assumption that the primary subject is no longer within transmitting range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Salutron, Inc
    Inventors: Chor Kuen Eddy Hui, Thomas Ying-Ching Lo
  • Patent number: 7787943
    Abstract: There provided a heart rate monitor that includes a pair of electrodes, a program control panel having a power supply, a vibration feedback module for advising the user when predetermined heart rates have been reached, and a data retrieval member. The electrodes are arranged to be in contact with the swimmer's body and connected to a microcontroller in a program control panel. The program control panel has a plurality of heart rate selection members that provide a signal for sending to the swimmer when the predetermined heart rate has been reached. When the predetermined heart rate is reached, the signal is sent to a vibration feedback module. Another aspect of the present invention is to log heart rate data and swimming duration. This is accomplished by providing the program control panel with blue tooth zone selectors that export data from the program control panel and imports the data to a hand held computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Inventor: Daniel K McDonough
  • Publication number: 20100204597
    Abstract: A method of detecting a cardiac event that includes sensing cardiac signals from a plurality of electrodes, determining rates of change of the sensed cardiac signals, and determining a range of the sensed cardiac signals. The sensed cardiac signals are detected as being associated with the cardiac event in response to the determined rates of change and the determined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Inventors: Raja N. Ghanem, Robert W. Stadler, Xusheng Zhang
  • Patent number: 7774049
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining oversensing of cardiac signals that includes a housing containing electronic circuitry, an electrode coupled to the electronic circuitry to sense cardiac signals, and a processor, positioned within the housing, to determine an oversensing characteristic associated with the cardiac signals sensed over a predetermined sensing window, and to identify oversensing in response to the determined oversensing characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Raja N. Ghanem, Robert W. Stadler, Xusheng Zhang, Karen J. Kleckner, Paul G. Krause
  • Publication number: 20100198093
    Abstract: A voice recognition apparatus includes: a voice input element for inputting voice of an user; a voice pattern memory for storing multiple voice patterns respectively corresponding to multiple phrases; a voice recognition element for calculating a similarity degree between the voice and each voice pattern and determining the highest similarity degree so that one voice pattern corresponding to the highest similarity degree is recognized as the voice; a display for displaying a recognition result corresponding to the one voice pattern; an execution determination element for executing a process according to the one voice pattern when a predetermined operation is input by the user; a load estimation element for estimating a load of the user; and a display controller for controlling the display based on a positive correlation between the load and display repetition of the recognition result on the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuusuke Katayama, Katsushi Asami, Manabu Otsuka
  • Patent number: 7769435
    Abstract: An earphone sensor system for measuring electrocardiogram signals provides convenient and comfortable noninvasive electrocardiogram signal measuring for a subject. The electrocardiogram signal measuring system includes an electrocardiogram signal analyzing apparatus and an earphone sensing apparatus. The electrocardiogram signal analyzing apparatus includes an amplifier module, a microcontroller, a display, a radio module and a housing having conductive contacts. The earphone sensing apparatus includes an earphone and an electrode. The electrode is disposed in the earphone, and can be electrically connected to the subject for collecting the weak electrocardiogram signal at the head of the subject. By contacting the body surface of the testee with the housing having conductive contacts and the electrode, a basic loop for collecting the electrocardiogram signals is formed. The earphone sensor system can be associated with commercial gadgets and used for musical treatments and bio-feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignees: Enjoy Research Inc.
    Inventors: Terry B. J. Kuo, Cheryl C. H. Yang
  • Publication number: 20100145209
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the amount of exercise, a system for measuring the amount of exercise, and a method for measuring the amount of exercise are disclosed. The apparatus for measuring the amount of exercise includes: an exercise amount measuring unit that measures the amount of exercise of a user; a controller that generates information about exercise of each period from the amounts of exercise of the user measured at every predefined period; a memory unit that sequentially stores the information about the exercise of each period; and a communication unit that transmits the stored information about the exercise of each period to the exterior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventors: In Bum LEE, Seung Chul SHIN, Yong Won JANG, Yoon Seon SONG, Seung Hwan KIM, Jeong Won LEE, Seon Hee PARK
  • Patent number: 7734335
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for detecting cardiac atrial fibrillation events in an EKG signal. The method comprises the steps of detecting a portion of an EKG signal comprising cardiac beats; measuring the duration of a gap in the detected portion of the EKG signal; and computing two or more inter-beat intervals. The computed interval is outputted if the gap in the portion of the EKG signal is not more than a fraction alpha of the computed interval. The method further includes the steps of computing the variance of the inter-beat intervals and classifying the portions of the EKG signal as indicative of an atrial fibrillation event. During classification, the inter-beat interval variance of the portion of the EKG signal that exceeds a pre-determined value V is indicative of an atrial fibrillation event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Leonidas Kontothanassis, Beth Logan, David Goddeau
  • Patent number: 7689282
    Abstract: An implantable medical device controls an anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy by detecting a tachyarrhythmia episode from a cardiac signal and analyzing the detected tachyarrhythmia episode in a tachyarrhythmia detection and analysis process to determine whether the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy needs to be delivered. The tachyarrhythmia detection and classification process includes detection of inhibitory events each indicating that the tachyarrhythmia episode is of a type not to be treated by the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy or that the tachyarrhythmia episode is not sustaining. The detection of each of the inhibitory events causes the tachyarrhythmia detection and classification process to be restarted or extended, or the delivery of the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy to be withheld.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Yunlong Zhang, Jaeho Kim
  • Patent number: 7676262
    Abstract: One or more sensors sense patient heart rate and patient activity and provide related signals to a processor. The processor is responsive to sensor signals and obtains an activity threshold based on historical patient heart-rate signals and historical patient activity signals. The processor periodically derives a correlation value from current patient heart-rate signals and current patient activity signals and compares the correlation values to the activity threshold. A start of activity is noted when a correlation value exceeds the activity threshold; while an end of activity is noted when a correlation value fails to exceed the activity threshold. Activity is identified as exercise when correlation values continue to exceed the activity threshold for a predetermine amount of time, while an end of exercise is noted when correlation values fall below the activity threshold for a predetermined amount of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventors: Cecilia Xi, Michael Paris
  • Patent number: 7668590
    Abstract: A device, such as an implantable cardiac device, and methods for determining exercise diagnostic parameters of a patient are disclosed. Specifically, a maximum observed heart rate of a patient during exercise can be identified when an activity level and a heart rate measurement of the patient exceed predetermined thresholds. Included are methods for filtering out premature heartbeats or noise from the maximum heart rate determination. Methods of determining other exercise parameters, such as workload are also disclosed. The device includes hardware and/or software for performing the described methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Paris
  • Publication number: 20100016745
    Abstract: A wearable sensor may be provided. The wearable sensor may include a timing mechanism; a plurality of sensor pairs coupled to the timing mechanism wherein each sensor pair comprises an emitter and a detector; and a microcontroller coupled in communication to the timing mechanism and the plurality of sensor pairs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: AFrame Digital, Inc.
    Inventors: Cindy A. Crump, Bruce G. Wilson, John Videtich
  • Publication number: 20100010361
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for the detection of a heart-related condition by obtaining information in realtime when a condition is initially identified as potentially occurring. A physical exercise and recovery episode is initially detected from physiological signals sensed in a patient. Once detected, a HR-ST segment deviation hysteresis analysis is performed in an implantable medical device (IMD) from certain physiological signals over portions of the exercise and recovery episode to identify the probability that a certain condition is occurring. Once a desired level of probability that the heart-related condition has been detected exists, data utilized in the analysis can be transmitted remotely for clinical review and confirmation of the device's detection of the condition. The patient may be prompted to answer questions related to symptoms that patient is experiencing through an input device in order further confirm the probability that the condition is occurring in the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Willem Boute, David Robert Hampton, Wilbert Wesselink, Anna Pietersma
  • Publication number: 20100004551
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for applying saved frequency information in the form of modulated magnetic fields and/or modulated light to the body, wherein the device comprises at least one transceiver, one display, one memory, one control electronic, one D/A-converter, and a coil (6) for the application of modulated magnetic fields and/or a laser (7) for the application of modulated light. The invention also relates to a method for tapping signals of the electric potential of the heart and the pulse value and applying saved frequency information by means of a device according to the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventor: Gerhard Lingg
  • Publication number: 20090312657
    Abstract: The invention relates to a coupling and method in a heart-rate measuring apparatus. The coupling in the heart-rate measuring apparatus (10) comprises means (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) for measuring heart rate and means for wireless data transmission (7). According to the invention, the heart-rate measuring device (10) comprises means (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) implemented by analog electronics for defining the maximum value of the heart-rate signal, or a parameter proportional to it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: SUUNTO OY
    Inventors: Mikko MARTIKKA, Erik LINDMAN, Jari AKKILA
  • Publication number: 20090292180
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and software for diagnosing the state or condition of a human, animal or other living thing, which always generates physiological modulating signals having temporal-spatial organization, the organization having dynamic patterns whose structure is fractal, involving the monitoring of at least one physiological modulating signal and obtaining a set of temporal-spatial values of each of said physiological modulating signals, and processing the respective temporal-spatial values using linear and nonlinear tools to determine the linear and nonlinear characteristics established for known criteria to determine the state or condition of the person, being or living things, and to use this data for diagnosis, tracking, and treatment and developmental issues.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Inventor: Susan Mirow
  • Publication number: 20090292194
    Abstract: An adherent device may be placed on a patient's chest for monitoring heart rate variability for chiropractic care. The device may comprise an adherent patch configured to adhere to the patient continuously for an extended period, for example an extended period of one week, and the HRV can be determined for the extended period. Two or more electrodes may be used to measure a cardiac signal and determine the HRV. The device may comprise accelerometers to measure at least one of posture, flexion/extension or lateral movement of the patient. The device may be placed on the patient and used in the clinic, and the patient may be sent home from the clinic with the adherent device. The device may wirelessly transmit heart rate data to an external device, such as a handheld monitor, that the chiropractor may consult during treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: Corventis, Inc.
    Inventors: Imad Libbus, Yatheendhar D. Manicka, Mark J. Bly
  • Publication number: 20090275811
    Abstract: A patient management system is described that includes an implantable device for collecting one or more physiological parameter values and associated timestamps indicating the time at which the value is collected. The system is then configured to determine the periodic variation, if any, of a particular physiological parameter and use that periodicity in assessing changes in the parameter values over time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: Kelly Schatz, Robert J. Sweeney