Method and apparatus for interactive annotation and measurement of time series data with automatic marker sequencing

• US 20040054296A1
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eResearchTechnology, Inc. (Explorer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Covance (Canada), Inc. (Laboratory Corporation Of America Holdings)
• Inventors: Ramseth, Douglas J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,934,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A system displays time-series data, such as electrocardiographic data. The data may be displayed as a trace with markers identifying data features. The markers may be automatically sequenced by the system.

Claims

1. A method of marking time-series medical data that is graphically displayed in the form of a trace, comprising the steps of:

a controller accepting user input to locate a displayed medical trace feature;

the controller placing a first mark related to a displayed medical trace feature;

the controller labeling the placed mark by displaying a label identifying the placed mark; and

the controller automatically labeling subsequent medical traces with corresponding labels as those features are located.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of the controller accepting user input includes the step of:

the controller accepting user input that indicates a type of electrocardiogram (ECG) sequence for which a feature is to be located.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the controller further applies a label by displaying a reference line between the mark and the label.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of the controller accepting user input includes the step of:

the controller accepting input from a user, the input indicating that a PQJT sequence is to be labeled.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of the controller accepting user input includes the step of:

the controller accepting user input from a graphical user interface.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the controller applies a label to the first mark located in response to user input by displaying a “

P”

in proximity to the mark.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of the controller accepting user input includes the step of:

the controller accepting input from a user, the input indicating that a QPJT sequence is to be labeled.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the controller applies a label to the first mark located in response to user input by displaying a “

Q”

in proximity to the mark.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of the controller accepting user input includes the step of:

the controller accepting input from a user, the input indicating that a QRS onset is to be labeled.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the controller applies a label to the first mark located in response to user input by displaying a Q onset label in proximity to the mark.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the controller applies a label to the second mark located by displaying a P onset label in proximity to the mark.

12. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of displaying time series medical as a trace superimposed on a gridded background.

13. A method of marking time-series medical data comprising the steps of:

a controller accepting user input to locate a displayed medical trace feature;

the controller placing a first mark related to a displayed medical trace feature;

the controller labeling the placed mark by displaying a label identifying the placed mark;

the controller automatically labeling subsequent medical traces with corresponding labels as those features are located;

the controller further accepting user input that indicates a type of electrocardiogram (ECG) sequence for which a feature is to be located; and

the controller displaying time series medical as a trace superimposed on a gridded background of rectangular cells that delimit 40 millisecond by 0.1 millivolt sections of grid-space.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of the controller displaying a gridded background of super-cells that each delimit 200 milliseconds by 0.5 millivolts of grid-space.

15. An apparatus for marking time-series medical comprising:

a controller configured to accept user input to locate a displayed medical trace feature;

the controller configured to place a first mark related to a displayed medical trace feature;

the controller configured to label the placed mark by displaying a label identifying the placed mark; and

the controller configured to automatically label subsequent medical traces with corresponding labels as those features are located.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the controller is further configured to accept user input that indicates a type of electrocardiogram (ECG) sequence for which a feature is to be located.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the controller is further configured to accept input from a user, the input indicating that a PQJT sequence is to be labeled.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the controller is further configured to accept user input from a graphical user interface.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the controller is further configured to accept input from a user, the input indicating that a QPJT sequence is to be labeled.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the controller is further configured to accept user input that indicates that a QRS onset is to be labeled.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the controller is configured to display time series medical data as a trace superimposed on a gridded background.

22. An apparatus for marking time-series medical data comprising:

a controller configured to accept user input to locate a displayed medical trace feature;

to place a first mark related to a displayed medical trace feature;

to label the placed mark by displaying a label identifying the placed mark;

to automatically label subsequent medical traces with corresponding labels as those features are located;

the controller further configured to accept user input that indicates a type of electrocardiogram (ECG) sequence for which a feature is to be located; and

the controller configured to display time series medical data as a trace superimposed on a gridded background of rectangular cells that delimit 40 millisecond by 0.1 millivolt sections of grid-space.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the controller is further configured to display a gridded background of super-cells that each delimit 200 milliseconds by 0.5 millivolts of grid-space.