STETHOSCOPIC ASSEMBLY WITH RECORD/PLAYBACK FEATURE
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A stethoscope assembly, said assembly comprising:
- a stethoscope including a chest piece that is interconnected to at least one earpiece, said chest piece including an acoustical sensor enabling sounds from a patient to be heard through said at least one earpiece, said assembly further including;
a transmitter;
a receiver enabling reception of signals from said transmitter wherein said receiver enables a wearer of said stethoscope to hear received sounds through said at least one earpiece; and
memory means that continually buffers sound data picked up from said microphone for a predetermined time period and at least one user-operable control switch connected to said memory means and said transmitter for enabling capture of sound data for storage, transmission and playback of said captured sound data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A stethoscopic assembly includes a stethoscope having a chest piece interconnected to at least one earpiece, the chest piece having an acoustical sensor enabling patient sounds to be heard through the at least one earpiece. A microprocessor connected to the acoustical sensor of the stethoscope includes a buffer wherein sound data picked up from the microphone is stored in volatile memory for a predetermined time period. At least one user operable switch connected to the microprocessor enables selective capture of sound data for storage and playback, such as through at least one speaker. In some versions the acoustical sensor is releasable from the chest piece.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A stethoscope assembly, said assembly comprising:
a stethoscope including a chest piece that is interconnected to at least one earpiece, said chest piece including an acoustical sensor enabling sounds from a patient to be heard through said at least one earpiece, said assembly further including; a transmitter; a receiver enabling reception of signals from said transmitter wherein said receiver enables a wearer of said stethoscope to hear received sounds through said at least one earpiece; and memory means that continually buffers sound data picked up from said microphone for a predetermined time period and at least one user-operable control switch connected to said memory means and said transmitter for enabling capture of sound data for storage, transmission and playback of said captured sound data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for transmitting an auditory signal from a patient to a receiver using a stethoscope, said stethoscope including at least one earpiece interconnected to a chest piece, said chest piece having an acoustical sensor to detect sounds to be heard through said at least one earpiece, said method comprising the steps of:
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releasing a portion of said chest piece and placing said released portion in relation to a patient, said released portion including said acoustical sensor and a wireless transmitter, wherein said wireless transmitter transmits said sound data, said chest piece including a first wireless receiver; listening to sounds produced by said patient wherein sounds are transmitted in real time to said first wireless receiver from said wireless transmitter to enable a wearer of said stethoscope to hear said sound data through said at least one earpiece; continually buffering sound data picked up by said acoustical sensor; and selectively capturing buffered sound data for broadcast through at least one speaker, enabling the user of said stethoscope and at least one other person to hear selected sounds from said patient. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A stethoscope assembly, said assembly comprising:
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a binaural stethoscope including a chest piece, a pair of earpieces interconnected to said chest piece, a memory buffer enabling sounds to be stored, said chest piece including an acoustical sensor enabling sounds of a patient to be heard through said earpieces, said chest piece including a releasably connected portion including said acoustical sensor; a wireless transmitter disposed within said releasably connected portion; a first wireless receiver enabling reception of a transmitted sound from said wireless transmitter; a first speaker, integral with said chest piece, that enables routing of received sounds from said first wireless receiver such that a wearer of said stethoscope may hear said transmitted sound in real time through said earpieces; and at least one additional speaker that enables a listener to hear said received sound from said at least one additional speaker. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A method for selectively transmitting an auditory signal from a patient to at least one receiver using a stethoscope, said stethoscope including at least one earpiece interconnected to a chest piece, said chest piece having an acoustical sensor to detect sounds to be heard through said at least one earpiece, said method comprising the steps of:
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placing said chest piece in relation to said patient and picking up sounds of said patient with said acoustical sensor; listening to sounds produced by said patient wherein sounds are transmitted in real time to said at least one earpiece; continually buffering sound data picked up by said acoustical sensor; and selectively capturing buffered sound data for broadcast through at least one speaker, enabling the user of said stethoscope and at least one other person to hear selected sounds from said patient. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification