ELECTRONIC STETHOSCOPE AND THE STEPTHOSCOPE AUSCULTATION METHOD USING THE SAME

• US 20090232322A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: TSENG, KUO-HUA, CHOU, YU-KON, CHIOU, YII-TAY
• Granted Patent: US 8,144,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/67
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R

Abstract

The present invention relates to a stethoscope auscultation method, adapted for an improved stethoscope so as to be used for assisting a medical diagnosis according to visceral sounds. The stethoscope auscultation method comprises the steps of: providing a stethoscope, whereas the stethoscope is composed of a stethoscope head module, a processing unit and a signal output unit, and the stethoscope head module further comprises a sensor and a visceral sound receiver; enabling the sensor to issue an activation signal to the processing unit as soon as it detects that the stethoscope head module enters an auscultation mode, and thereby activating the stethoscope; using the stethoscope to perform an auscultation process upon a living body as the visceral sound receiver is enabled to obtain audio signals originated from the visceral organs of the living body; enabling the processing unit to shut off the stethoscope automatically when the visceral sound receiver is unable to obtain the audio signals originated from the visceral organs for environmental purposes, such as reducing power consumption of the stethoscope, prolonging lifespan of the battery used in the stethoscope.

Claims

1. A stethoscope auscultation method, adapted for assisting a medical diagnosis according to visceral sounds, comprising the steps of:

providing a stethoscope, whereas the stethoscope is comprised of;

a stethoscope head module, a processing unit and a signal output unit being electrically connected to the processing unit, and the stethoscope head module further comprises;

a sensor, for detecting whether or not the stethoscope is ready for entering an auscultation mode, and a visceral sound receiver;

enabling the sensor to issue an activation signal to the processing unit as soon as it detects that the stethoscope head module enters the auscultation mode;

activating the stethoscope as soon as the activation signal is received by the processing unit;

using the stethoscope to perform an auscultation process upon a living body as the visceral sound receiver is enabled to obtain audio signals originated from visceral organs of the living body;

enabling the processing unit to shut off the stethoscope automatically when the visceral sound receiver is unable to obtain the audio signals originated from the visceral organs.

2. The stethoscope auscultation method of claim 1, wherein the processing unit further comprises:

an audio signal processor, electrically connected to the visceral sound receiver, capable of processing the received audio signals of the visceral organs and issuing a shut-off signal as soon as the visceral sound receiver receives no visceral sound; and

a micro control unit, electrically connected to the sensor and the audio signal processor, being designed to receive the activation signal and the shut-off signal so as to perform one action selected from the group consisting;

turning on the stethoscope according to the activation signal and shutting off the stethoscope according to the shut-off signal.

3. The stethoscope auscultation method of claim 2, wherein the stethoscope further comprises:

an attribute visceral sound processor, electrically connected to the audio signal processor and the signal output unit, for amplifying a characteristic band contained in the received audio signals of the visceral organs.

4. The stethoscope auscultation method of claim 1, wherein the stethoscope further comprises:

a preamplifier matching circuit, electrically connected to the processing unit and the stethoscope head module for amplifying the received audio signals of the visceral organs.

5. The stethoscope auscultation method of claim 1, wherein the stethoscope further comprises:

an audio power amplifier, electrically connected to the processing unit and the signal output unit for amplifying the audio signals of the visceral organs after they are processed by the processing unit while feeding the amplified audio signal to the signal output unit to be outputted therefrom.

6. The stethoscope auscultation method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a device selected from the group consisting:

a vibration sensor, an accelerometer, an angular velocity sensor, an angle sensor, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, and the combinations thereof.

7. The stethoscope auscultation method of claim 6, wherein when the vibration sensor is selected to be the sensor, the vibration of the stethoscope head module is measured and compared with a threshold value so as to determine whether the stethoscope head module is in the auscultation mode basing on the comparison.

8. The stethoscope auscultation method of claim 6, wherein when the accelerometer is selected to be the sensor, the acceleration variation of the stethoscope head module is measured and compared with a threshold value so as to determine whether the stethoscope head module is in the auscultation mode basing on the comparison.

9. The stethoscope auscultation method of claim 6, wherein when the angular velocity is selected to be the sensor, the inclination variation of the stethoscope head module is measured and compared with a threshold value so as to determine whether the stethoscope head module is in the auscultation mode basing on the comparison.

10. The stethoscope auscultation method of claim 6, wherein when the angle sensor is selected to be the sensor, an inclination angle of the stethoscope head module with reference to a reference position is measured and compared with a threshold value so as to determine whether the stethoscope head module is in the auscultation mode basing on the comparison.

11. The stethoscope auscultation method of claim 6, wherein when the pressure sensor is selected to be the sensor, the pressure variation of the stethoscope head module is measured and compared with a threshold value so as to determine whether the stethoscope head module is in the auscultation mode basing on the comparison.

12. The stethoscope auscultation method of claim 6, wherein when the optical sensor is selected to be the sensor, the optical sensor comprises a light emitter, a light receiver, a light grating and a roller, being configured in a manner that a beam emitted from the light emitter is received by the light receiver as the light receiver is arranged at a position corresponding to that of the light emitter, and the light grating is connected with the roller while placing the two at a position between the light emitter and the light receiver for enabling the light grating to allow/block light emanating from the light emitter to pass therethrough, the continuity of light is measured by the optical sensor so as to determine whether the stethoscope head module is in the auscultation mode basing on the continuity measurement.

13. A stethoscope, adapted for obtaining audio signals originated from visceral organs of a living body, comprising:

a stethoscope head module, configured with a sensor and a visceral sound receiver in a manner that the sensor is designed to issue an activation signal as soon as it detects that the stethoscope head module enters an auscultation mode and the visceral sound receiver is used for obtaining the audio signals originated from the visceral organs of the living body;

a processing unit, electrically connected to the stethoscope head module to be used for processing the received audio signals of the visceral organs, further comprising;

an audio signal processor, electrically connected to the visceral sound receiver, capable of processing the received audio signals of the visceral organs and issuing a shut-off signal as soon as the visceral sound receiver receives no visceral sound; and

a micro control unit, electrically connected to the sensor and the audio signal processor, being designed to receive the activation signal and the shut-off signal so as to perform one action selected from the group consisting;

turning on the stethoscope according to the activation signal and shutting off the stethoscope according to the shut-off signal;

and

a signal output unit, electrically connected to the processing unit and used for outputting the audio signals.

14. The stethoscope of claim 13, wherein the audio signal processor is a digital signal processing (DSP) audio signal processor.

15. The stethoscope of claim 13, wherein the stethoscope further comprises:

a preamplifier matching circuit, electrically connected to the processing unit and the stethoscope head module for amplifying the received audio signals of the visceral organs.

16. The stethoscope of claim 13, wherein the stethoscope further comprises:

an attribute visceral sound processor, electrically connected to the audio signal processor and the signal output unit, for amplifying a characteristic band contained in the received audio signals of the visceral organs.

17. The stethoscope of claim 13, wherein the stethoscope further comprises:

an audio power amplifier, electrically connected to the processing unit and the signal output unit for amplifying the audio signals of the visceral organs after they are processed by the processing unit while feeding the amplified audio signal to the signal output unit to be outputted therefrom.

18. The stethoscope of claim 13, wherein the sensor is a device selected from the group consisting:

a vibration sensor, an accelerometer, an angular velocity sensor, an angle sensor, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, and the combinations thereof.

19. A stethoscope, adapted for obtaining audio signals originated from visceral organs of a living body, comprising:

a stethoscope head module, configured with a ear hook, a sensor and a visceral sound receiver in a manner that the sensor is designed to issue an activation signal as soon as it detects that the stethoscope head module enters an auscultation mode and the visceral sound receiver is used for obtaining the audio signals originated from the visceral organs of the living body;

a processing unit, electrically connected to the stethoscope head module to be used for processing the received audio signals of the visceral organs, further comprising;

an audio signal processor, electrically connected to the visceral sound receiver, capable of processing the received audio signals of the visceral organs and issuing a shut-off signal as soon as the visceral sound receiver receives no visceral sound; and

a micro control unit, electrically connected to the sensor and the audio signal processor, being designed to receive the activation signal and the shut-off signal so as to perform one action selected from the group consisting;

turning on the stethoscope according to the activation signal and shutting off the stethoscope according to the shut-off signal;

and

a signal output unit, electrically connected to the processing unit and used for outputting the audio signals.

20. The stethoscope of claim 19, wherein the audio signal processor is a digital signal processing (DSP) audio signal processor.

21. The stethoscope of claim 19, wherein the signal output unit is substantially a earpiece.

22. The stethoscope of claim 19, wherein the stethoscope further comprises:

a preamplifier matching circuit, electrically connected to the processing unit and the stethoscope head module for amplifying the received audio signals of the visceral organs.

23. The stethoscope of claim 19, wherein the stethoscope further comprises:

an attribute visceral sound processor, electrically connected to the audio signal processor and the signal output unit, for amplifying a characteristic band contained in the received audio signals of the visceral organs.

24. The stethoscope of claim 19, wherein the stethoscope further comprises:

an audio power amplifier, electrically connected to the processing unit and the signal output unit for amplifying the audio signals of the visceral organs after they are processed by the processing unit while feeding the amplified audio signal to the signal output unit to be outputted therefrom.

25. The stethoscope of claim 19, wherein the sensor is a device selected from the group consisting:

a vibration sensor, an accelerometer, an angular velocity sensor, an angle sensor, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, and the combinations thereof.

26. The stethoscope of claim 19, wherein the ear hood further comprises:

two supporting parts, joined with each other by an end in a manner that the two supporting parts can be positioned as a first pose by pulling the two apart from each other, or can be positioned as a second pose by drawing the two close to each other, both centering around the joint of the two; and

at least a sensor, disposed at the joint of the two supporting parts in a manner that the at least one sensor is turned on/off according to whether the two supporting parts is positioned as the first/second poses.

27. The stethoscope of claim 26, wherein when the two supporting parts is positioned as the first pose, the at least one sensor is turned on;

and when the two supporting parts is positioned as the second pose, the at least one sensor is turned off.

28. The stethoscope of claim 26, wherein the at least one sensor is a device selected from the group consisting:

a contact switch, a pressure sensor, a stress sensor and the combinations thereof.

29. The stethoscope of claim 26, wherein at least one of the two supporting parts is configured with a earpiece;

and the earpiece is fitted with a pressure sensor therein to be used for detecting pressure variation of the earpiece; and

the detected pressure variation is then compared with a threshold value so as to determine whether the stethoscope head module is in the auscultation mode basing on the comparison.