Method and system for detecting pace pulses

• US 20060020219A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ashe, Jeffrey Michael, Andarawis, Emad Andarawis, Richard, Nicholas George, Zinser, Richard Louis Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,471,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/510
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting

Abstract

The present technique provides for the detection of pace pulses in electrocardiogram data. The technique provides for processing one or more sets of electrocardiogram data via a non-linear algorithm. Furthermore, the technique provides for detecting one or more pace pulses in the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data via a non-linear detection algorithm. Systems and computer programs that afford functionality of the type defined by this method are also provided by the present technique.

Claims

1. A method for detecting pace pulses, the method comprising the steps of:

processing one or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data via a non-linear enhancement algorithm; and

detecting one or more pulses in the one or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data via a non-linear detection algorithm.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein processing one or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data comprises filtering the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein filtering the one or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data comprises applying a median filter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein processing one or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data comprises applying a non-linear pulse signature enhancement to the one or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising processing the one or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data with a differentiator.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein applying the non-linear pulse signature enhancement comprises enhancing a pulse signature of differentiated pace pulses.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising the step of acquiring at least one respective set of electrocardiogram data from at least one electrode.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising the step of digitizing the each set of electrocardiogram data to generate each set of digitized electrocardiogram data.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising the step of combining two or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data via a cross-multiplicative combiner to generate a combined set of digital electrocardiogram data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting one or more pulses in the one or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data comprises detecting one or more pace pulses in the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data based upon a signal to noise ratio.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein detecting one or more pulses in the one or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data based upon a signal to noise ratio comprises detecting a signal to noise ratio associated with the combined set of electrocardiogram data.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising the step of displaying the pace pulses on a display unit.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein displaying the pace pulses comprises superimposing the pace pulses on an electrocardiogram trace.

14. A computer program comprising one or more tangible media, wherein the one or more tangible media comprise:

code adapted to process one or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data via a non-linear algorithm; and

code adapted to detect one or more pulses in the one or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data via a non-linear detection algorithm.

15. The computer program, as recited in claim 14, wherein the code adapted to process one or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data comprises:

code adapted to filter one or more sets of electrocardiogram data;

code adapted to process the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data with a differentiator;

code adapted to apply a non-linear pulse signature enhancement to the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data; and

code adapted to combine two or more sets of electrocardiogram data via a cross-multiplicative combiner to generate a combined set of electrocardiogram data.

16. The computer program, as recited in claim 15, wherein the code adapted to filter the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data applies a median filter.

17. The computer program, as recited in claim 15, wherein the code is adapted to detect one or more pace pulses in the combined set of electrocardiogram data.

18. The computer program, as recited in claim 17, wherein the code adapted to detect pace pulses in the combined electrocardiogram data is adapted to detect pace pulses based upon a signal to noise ratio.

19. The computer program, as recited in claim 14, wherein the one or more tangible media comprise:

code adapted to display the pace pulses on a display unit.

20. An electrocardiogram system, the system comprising:

a pre-processor module configured to filter one or more sets of electrocardiogram data, to apply a non-linear pulse signature enhancement to the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data, and to combine two or more sets of electrocardiogram data via a cross-multiplicative combiner to generate a combined set of electrocardiogram data; and

a detector module configured to detect pace pulses in the combined set of electrocardiogram data.

21. The electrocardiogram system of claim 20, comprising an acquisition module configured to acquire one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

22. The electrocardiogram system of claim 21, comprising at least one electrode configured to provide the electrocardiogram data to the acquisition module.

23. The electrocardiogram system of claim 21, wherein the acquisition module is further configured to digitize the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

24. The electrocardiogram system of claim 20, comprising an operator console configured to display the pace pulses.

25. The electrocardiogram system of claim 24, wherein the operator console is configured to display the pace pulses superimposed on an electrocardiogram trace.

26. The electrocardiogram system of claim 24, wherein the operator console is configured to display the pace pulses on at least one of a printer and a display unit.

27. The electrocardiogram system of claim 20, wherein the pre-processing module is configured to filter the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data by applying a median filter.

28. The electrocardiogram system of claim 20, wherein the pre-processing module is configured to process the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data with a differentiator.

29. The electrocardiogram system of claim 20, comprising a cross-multiplicative combiner configured to combine two or more sets of electrocardiogram data to generate a combined set of electrocardiogram data.

30. The electrocardiogram system of claim 29, wherein the detector module is configured to detect one or more pace pulses in the combined set of electrocardiogram data based upon a signal to noise ratio.

31. An electrocardiogram system, the system comprising:

means for processing one or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data via a non-linear enhancement algorithm; and

means for detecting one or more pulses in the one or more sets of digital electrocardiogram data via a non-linear detection algorithm.

32. A method for detecting a pace pulse, the method comprising:

processing one or more sets of electrocardiogram data with a differentiator; and

applying a non-linear pulse signature enhancement to the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein applying the non-linear pulse signature enhancement enhances the differentiated electrocardiogram data by suppressing impulsive noise.

34. The method of claim 32, comprising acquiring one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

35. The method of claim 32, comprising processing the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data with a filter.

36. The method of claim 32, comprising combining two or more sets of electrocardiogram data via a cross-multiplicative combiner to generate a combined set of electrocardiogram data.

37. The method of claim 36, comprising detecting one or more pace pulses in the combined electrocardiogram data.

38. The method of claim 32, comprising displaying the pace pulses on a display unit.

39. An electrocardiogram system, the system comprising:

a first processing module configured to process one or more sets of electrocardiogram data with a differentiator; and

a second processing module configured to apply non-linear pulse signature enhancement to one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

40. The electrocardiogram system of claim 39, comprising an acquisition module configured to acquire one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

41. The electrocardiogram system of claim 39, comprising a module configured to filter one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

42. The electrocardiogram system of claim 39, comprising a cross-multiplicative combiner configured to combine two or more sets of electrocardiogram data to generate a combined set of electrocardiogram data.

43. The electrocardiogram system of claim 42, comprising a detector module configured to detect one or more pace pulses in the combined set of electrocardiogram data.

44. The electrocardiogram system of claim 39, comprising an operator console configured to display the pace pulses.

45. A computer program comprising one or more tangible media, wherein the one or more tangible media comprise:

code adapted to process one or more sets of electrocardiogram data with a differentiator; and

code adapted to apply a non-linear pulse signature enhancement to one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

46. The computer program, as recited in claim 45, comprises:

code adapted to acquire one or more sets of electrocardiogram data;

code adapted to filter the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data;

code adapted to combine via a cross-multiplicative combine two or more sets of electrocardiogram data to generate a combined set of electrocardiogram data; and

code adapted to detect one or more pace pulses in combined set of electrocardiogram data.

47. An electrocardiogram system, the system comprising:

means for processing the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data with a differentiator;

means for applying a non-linear pulse signature enhancement to the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data;

48. A method for detecting a pace pulse, the method comprising:

detecting a signal to noise ratio; and

detecting the pace pulse based upon the signal to noise.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the signal to noise ratio corresponds one level of two or more levels of signal to noise ratio.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the detecting the pace pulse comprises applying a detection algorithm corresponding to the signal to noise ratio level.

51. The method of claim 48, comprising acquiring one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

52. The method of claim 48, comprising processing the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data with a filter.

53. The method of claim 48, comprising processing the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data with a differentiator.

54. The method of claim 48, comprising applying a non-linear pulse signature enhancement to the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

55. The method of claim 48, comprising combining two or more sets of electrocardiogram data via a cross-multiplicative combiner to generate a combined set of electrocardiogram data.

56. The method of claim 48, comprising displaying the pace pulses on a display unit.

57. An electrocardiogram system, the system comprising:

a detection module configured to detect a pace pulse based upon a signal to noise ratio.

58. The electrocardiogram system of claim 57, comprising an acquisition module configured to acquire one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

59. The electrocardiogram system of claim 57, comprising a module configured to filter one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

60. The electrocardiogram system of claim 57 comprising a module configured to process the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data with a differentiator.

61. The electrocardiogram system of claim 57, comprising a module configured to apply a non-linear pulse signature enhancement to the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

62. The electrocardiogram system of claim 57, comprising a cross-multiplicative combiner configured to combine two or more sets of electrocardiogram data to generate a combined set of electrocardiogram data.

63. The electrocardiogram system of claim 57, comprising an operator console configured to display the pace pulses.

64. A computer program comprising one or more tangible media, wherein the one or more tangible media comprise:

code adapted to detecting a signal to noise ratio; and

code adapted to detect a pace pulse based upon the signal to noise.

65. The computer program, as recited in claim 64, comprises:

code adapted to acquire one or more sets of electrocardiogram data;

code adapted to filter the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data;

code adapted to process the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data via a differentiator;

code adapted to apply a non-linear pulse signature enhancement to the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data; and

code adapted to combine via a cross-multiplicative combine two or more sets of electrocardiogram data to generate a combined set of electrocardiogram data.

66. An electrocardiogram system, the system comprising:

means for detecting a signal to noise ratio; and

means for detecting a pace pulse based upon the signal to noise.

67. A method for combining a two or more sets of electrocardiogram data, the method comprising:

combining the two or more sets of electrocardiogram data via a cross-multiplicative combiner to generate a combined set of electrocardiogram data.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein combining the plurality of sets of electrocardiogram data comprises enhancing one or more pace pulses and attenuating impulsive noise.

69. The method of claim 67, comprising acquiring one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

70. The method of claim 67, comprising processing the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data with a filter.

71. The method of claim 67, comprising processing the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data with a differentiator.

72. The method of claim 67, comprising applying a non-linear pulse signature enhancement to the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

73. The method of claim 67, comprising detecting one or more pace pulses in the combined set of electrocardiogram data.

74. The method of claim 67, comprising displaying the pace pulses.

75. An electrocardiogram system, the system comprising:

a cross-multiplicative combiner configured to combine two or more sets of electrocardiogram data to generate a combined set of electrocardiogram data.

76. The electrocardiogram system of claim 75, comprising an acquisition module configured to acquire one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

77. The electrocardiogram system of claim 75, comprising a module configured to filter one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

78. The electrocardiogram system of claim 75, comprising a module configured to process one or more sets of electrocardiogram data with a differentiator.

79. The electrocardiogram system of claim 75, comprising a module configured to apply a non-linear pulse signature enhancer to the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data.

80. The electrocardiogram system of claim 75, comprising a detector module configured to detect one or more pace pulses in the combined set of electrocardiogram data.

81. The electrocardiogram system of claim 75, comprising an operator console configured to display the pace pulses.

82. A computer program comprising one or more tangible media, wherein the one or more tangible media comprise:

code adapted to combine two or more sets of electrocardiogram data to generate a combined set of electrocardiogram data.

83. The computer program, as recited in claim 82, comprises:

code adapted to acquire one or more sets of electrocardiogram data;

code adapted to filter the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data;

code adapted to process the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data via a differentiator;

code adapted to apply a non-linear pulse signature enhancement to the one or more sets of electrocardiogram data; and

code adapted to detect one or more pace pulses in combined set of electrocardiogram data.

84. An electrocardiogram system, the system comprising:

means for combining two or more sets of electrocardiogram data via a cross-multiplicative combiner to generate a combined set of electrocardiogram data.