DISPOSABLE HEART RATE INDICATOR

• US 20120136265A1
• Filed: 11/23/2011
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bittium Biosignals OY
• Original Assignee: Spektikor Oy
• Inventors: KIVISTÖ, Kari
• Granted Patent: US 8,977,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/519
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02455 provided with high/low alarm devices

Abstract

A disposable heart rate indicator is provided. The disposable heart rate indicator has a power source for generating power to the heart rate indicator, at least two electrodes for detecting a person'"'"'s heart beat, a processor and a light signal emitting head. The processor is operatively coupled to the at least two electrodes and is configured to receive a signal on each heart beat detected by the electrodes and visually indicate a detected heart rate via optical light emitted by the light signal emitting head. The heart rate indicator further includes a conductor coupled between the light signal emitting head and the processor. The conductor is arranged to extend from a heart beat detection area formed by the electrodes and the processor such that the light signal emitting head is visible during use.

Claims

1. A disposable heart rate indicator for indicating a heart rate of an immobile person, comprising:

a power source for generating power to the heart rate indicator;

at least two electrodes for detecting a person'"'"'s heart beat, the electrodes being attachable to the person'"'"'s skin for duration of use;

a processor and a light signal emitting head, the processor being operatively coupled to the at least two electrodes and being configured to receive a signal on each heart beat detected by the electrodes and visually indicate a detected heart rate via optical light emitted by the light signal emitting head; and

a conductor coupled between the light signal emitting head and the processor, the conductor being configured to extend from a heart beat detection area formed by the electrodes and the processor.

2. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor, via the light signal emitting head, is configured to indicate at least one of the following:

the electrodes detect no heart beat, the power source is running low, and the heart rate indicator is ready for operation in connection with being put to use.

3. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 1, the heart rate indicator being placeable on the person'"'"'s chest, underneath clothes, and the light signal emitting head, via the conductor, being exposable from under the person'"'"'s clothes so as to be visible.

4. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light signal emitting head is configured to flash in accordance with the pace of the detected heart beats.

5. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a fastener that fastens the light signal emitting head to the person.

6. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

divide the person'"'"'s heart rate area into at least two sub-areas; and

produce, via the light signal emitting head, optical light of a predetermined colour, wherein the colour of the emitted optical light is determined according to the sub-area in which the person'"'"'s heart rate is at the particular moment.

7. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a stretch indicator configured to indicate whether or not a distance between the electrodes changes.

8. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a base which is at least partly made from a flexible material and wherein the power source, the at least two electrodes and the processor are fixedly installed; and

wherein the electrodes are installed in the base such that the distance between the electrodes may change owing to the flexibility of the base.

9. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the heart rate indicator may be folded up for storage such that sections of the heart rate indicator which in use are placed against the person'"'"'s skin constitute no part of an outer surface of the folded heart rate indicator.

10. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 9, wherein the conductor is, for the duration of storage, arranged inside the folded heart rate indicator and, in use, arranged to extend from the base such that the light signal emitting head is visible during use.

11. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conductor is one of the following:

an electrical conductor, an optical conductor, and a wireless conductor.

12. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to detect blood oxygen saturation in addition to heart rate indication, wherein the heart rate indicator comprises a light source and a measurement sensor, and the light source is configured to emit light of a certain wavelength towards blood vessels and the measurement sensor is configured to measure the amount of light reflected back.

13. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a radio frequency identification unit for identifying the person coupled to the heart rate indicator.

14. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heart rate indicator is coupled to an external electrocardiogram monitor, wherein an analog-to-digital conversion for the data transmitted to the external electrocardiogram monitor is performed at the heart rate indicator.

15. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the brightness of the light emitted by the light signal emitting head is configured to vary at least partly on the basis of ambient light.

16. A heart rate indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the disposable heart rate indicator is coupled to a unit performing a triage process, wherein the triage process determines the priority of patients'"'"' treatment based on the severity of their condition, wherein the condition is determined based on at least the heart rate information obtained from the heart rate indicator via the coupling.