System and method for measuring ECG and breath signals by using two polar electrodes

• US 20110092826A1
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tatung Company
• Original Assignee: Tatung Company
• Inventors: Liao, Shu-Ting, Kuo, Cheng-Hsing, Lee, Chao-Fa
• Application Number:
  US12/591,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20110092826A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/484
• 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 5/0535 Impedance plethysmography for measuring blood flow A61B5/0295
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0809 by impedance pneumography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/30 Input circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist

Abstract

A system for measuring ECG and breath signals by using two polar electrodes includes a first polar electrode, a second polar electrode and a breath and ECG signals measuring device. The breath and ECG signals measuring device includes a level regulator, a square wave generator, a breath signal process module and an ECG signal process module. The first and second polar electrodes are attached on the body of a person under test to import square wave signal and receive the first and second measuring signals. The level regulator adjusts the voltage reference of the first and second measuring signals. The breath signal process module and the ECG signal process module process and generate a breath signal and an ECG signal respectively.

Claims

1. A system for measuring ECG and breath signals by using two polar electrodes, comprising:

a first polar electrode attached on a first specified part of a person under test for importing electric current and sensing a first measuring signal;

a second polar electrode attached on a second specified part of the person under test for importing electric current and sensing a second measuring signal; and

a breath and ECG signal measuring device connected to the first polar electrode and the second polar electrode, the breath and ECG signal measuring device including a level regulator, a square wave generator, a breath signal process module, and an ECG signal process module, wherein the breath signal process module and the ECG signal process module are connected to the level regulator and the square wave generator respectively, the level regulator adjusts levels of the first and second measuring signals, the square wave generator generates square signals with a fixed frequency, the breath signal process module receives the first and second measuring signals and proceeds to generate a breath signal, the ECG signal process module receives the first and second measuring signals and proceeds to generate an ECG signal.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the breath signal process module includes a signal coupler, a first differential amplifier, a peak-to-peak detector and a first filtering amplifier, the signal coupler couples the first and second measuring signals received by the breath signal process module, the first differential amplifier connected to the signal coupler measures and amplifies difference between the first and second measuring signals, the peak-to-peak detector connected to the first differential amplifier detects a peak-to-peak value of signals from the first differential amplifier, the first filtering amplifier connected to the peak-to-peak detector filters out noises in signals from the peak-to-peak detector and amplifying the signals to generate the breath signal.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ECG signal process module includes a filter, a second differential amplifier, and a second filtering amplifier, the filter filters out high-frequency signals and noises in the first and second measuring signals received by the ECG signal process module to generate first and second filtered signals, the second differential amplifier connected to the filtering measures and amplifies difference between the first and second filtered signals, the second filtering amplifier connected to the second differential amplifier filters out noises in signals from the second differential amplifier and amplifies the signals to generate the ECG signal.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second specified parts are the left and right hands or beside of the heart of the person under test respectively.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixed frequency is between 12 KHz and 60 KHz.

6. A method for measuring ECG and breath signals by using two polar electrodes, which is applied in a system including a first polar electrode, a second polar electrode, and a breath and ECG signal measuring device connected to the first and second polar electrodes, the first polar electrode importing electric current and sensing a first measuring signal, the second polar electrode importing electric current and sensing a second measuring signal, the breath and ECG signal measuring device including a level regulator, a square wave generator, a breath signal process module, and an ECG signal process module, the level regulator adjusting levels of signals, the square wave generator generates square signal, the breath signal process module receiving the first and second measuring signals and proceeding to generate a breath signal, the ECG signal process module receiving the first and second measuring signals and proceeding to generate an ECG signal, the method comprises the steps of:

(A) attaching the first and second polar electrodes on a first specified part and a second specified part of a person under test respectively;

(B) the square wave generator generating square wave signals with a fixed frequency for being imported into skin of the person under test through the first and second polar electrodes respectively;

(C) the first and second polar electrodes receiving the first and second measuring signals respectively;

(D) the level regulator adjusting levels of the first and second measuring signals respectively;

(E) the breath signal process module executing for the first and second measuring signals to generate a breath signal;

(F) the ECG signal process module processing the first and second measuring signals to generate an ECG signal; and

(G) outputting the ECG and breath signals.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the breath signal process module includes a signal coupler, a first differential amplifier, a peak-to-peak detector, and a first filtering amplifier, in which the signal coupler is connected to the first differential amplifier, the peak-to-peak detector is connected to the first differential amplifier and the first filtering amplifier, and the step (E) comprises the steps of:

(E1) the signal coupler coupling the first and second measuring signals received by the breath signal process module;

(E2) the first differential amplifier measuring and amplifying difference between the first and second measuring signals;

(E3) the peak-to-peak detector detecting a peak-to-peak value of the signals from the first differential amplifier; and

(E4) the first filtering amplifier filtering out and rejecting noises in signal from the peak-to-peak detector, and amplifying the signal to generate the breath signal.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the ECG signal process module includes a filter, a second differential amplifier, and a second filtering amplifier, in which the second differential amplifier is connected to the filter and the second filtering amplifier respectively, and the step (F) comprises the steps of:

(F1) the filter filtering out and rejecting high-frequency signals and noises in the first and second measuring signal received by the ECG signal process module to generate first and second filtered signals;

(F2) the second differential amplifier measuring and amplifying difference between the first and second signals; and

(F3) the second filtering amplifier filtering out and rejecting noises in signal from the second differential amplifier and amplifying the signal to generate the ECG signal.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first and second specified parts are the left and right hands or beside of the heart of the person under test respectively.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the fixed frequency is between 12 KHz and 60 KHz.