Mobile ECG sensor apparatus

• US 10,342,444 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2018
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AliveCor Inc.
• Original Assignee: AliveCor Inc.
• Inventors: Albert, David E., Prakash, Simon, Satchwell, Bruce, Beck, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahmood, Nadia A
• Application Number:
  US15/923,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20180199844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 600323, 600309
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/327 Generation of artificial ECG signals based on measured signals, e.g. to compensate for missing leads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/333 Recording apparatus specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7225 Details of analog processing, e.g. isolation amplifier, gain or sensitivity adjustment, filtering, baseline or drift compensation A61B5/30, A61B5/316 take precedence; transformers for specific applications H01F38/00; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/22 Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

Disclosed systems include mobile ECG sensors, systems and methods. Some embodiments provide ECG sensors in a credit card form factor that allows a user to contact two electrically isolated electrodes to measure heart electrical signals for a Lead I ECG.

Claims

1. A mobile ECG sensor comprising:

an electrode assembly comprising electrodes, wherein the electrode assembly senses heart-related signals when in contact with a user'"'"'s skin, and produces electrical signals representing the sensed heart-related signals;

a converter assembly electrically connected to the electrode assembly, configured to convert the electrical signals to a modulated signal, wherein the modulated signal carries the electrical signals representing the sensed heart-related signals;

a transmitter that transmits the modulated signal wirelessly to a computing device; and

a housing containing the electrode assembly, the converter assembly, and the transmitter, wherein the housing is a credit card form factor.

2. The mobile ECG sensor according to claim 1, wherein the electrode assembly comprises at least two electrode pads positioned on an exterior surface of the credit card form factor.

3. The mobile ECG sensor according to claim 2, wherein the credit card form factor comprises a top part with a top surface and an underside, and a bottom part with a topside and a bottom surface, wherein the underside of the top part is affixed to the topside of the bottom part,

wherein the electrode assembly further comprises at least two conductive flexible membranes electrically connected to the at least two electrode pads and electrically connected to the converter assembly, and

wherein the at least two electrode pads are positioned on the top surface of the top part, and the at least two conductive flexible membranes are positioned between the underside of the top part and the topside of the bottom part.

4. The mobile ECG sensor according to claim 2, wherein the at least two conductive flexible membranes are in contact with the at least two electrode pads.

5. The mobile ECG sensor according to claim 1, wherein the modulated signal is a frequency modulated signal, and wherein the transmitter outputs the frequency modulated signal having a carrier frequency in a range of from about 6 kHz to about 20 kHz.

6. The mobile ECG sensor according to claim 1, wherein the modulated signal is in accordance with a Bluetooth wireless communication standard.

7. The mobile ECG sensor according to claim 1, wherein the modulated signal is in accordance with a headset profile of the Bluetooth wireless communication standard.

8. A mobile ECG sensor comprising:

a credit card form factor, wherein the credit card form factor houses;

an electrode assembly comprising electrodes positioned on an exterior surface of the credit card form factor, wherein the electrode assembly senses heart-related signals when in contact with a user'"'"'s skin, and produces electrical signals representing the sensed heart-related signals;

a converter assembly electrically connected to the electrode assembly, the converter assembly comprising a processor;

a display electrically connected to the converter assembly, the display positioned on the exterior surface of the credit card form factor; and

a memory comprising instructions to cause the processor to process the sensed heart-related signals and display the heart-related signals on the display.

9. The mobile ECG sensor according to claim 8, wherein the heart-related signals comprise ECG signals.

10. The mobile ECG sensor according to claim 8, wherein the heart-related signals comprise heart rate signals.

11. The mobile ECG sensor according to claim 8, further comprising a transmitter electrically connected to the processor and housed in the credit card form factor, wherein the transmitter is capable of transmitting the processed sensed heart-related signal wirelessly.

12. A mobile ECG sensor comprising:

an electrode assembly comprising electrodes, wherein the electrode assembly senses heart-related signals when in contact with a user'"'"'s skin, and produces electrical signals representing the sensed heart-related signals;

a converter assembly electrically connected to the electrode assembly, configured to convert the electrical signals to a modulated signal, wherein the modulated signal carries the electrical signals representing the sensed heart-related signals;

a transmitter that transmits the modulated signal wirelessly to a computing device; and

a housing containing the electrode assembly, the converter assembly, and the transmitter, wherein the housing is a mobile phone case form factor, and wherein the electrodes are positioned on an exterior surface of the mobile phone case form factor.

13. The mobile ECG sensor according to claim 12, wherein the modulated signal is a frequency modulated signal, and wherein the transmitter outputs the frequency modulated signal having a carrier frequency in the range of from about 6 kHz to about 20 kHz.

14. The mobile ECG sensor according to claim 12, wherein the modulated signal is in accordance with a Bluetooth wireless communication standard.

15. The mobile ECG sensor according to claim 12, wherein the modulated signal is in accordance with a headset profile of the Bluetooth wireless communication standard.