HIGH SENSITIVITY NOISE IMMUNE STETHOSCOPE
First Claim
1. A stethoscope, comprising:
- a housing;
a passive system incorporated into the housing, the passive system comprising an acoustic transducer;
an active system incorporated into the housing, the active system comprising a transmitter an a receiver; and
a switch in communication with the passive system and the active system, the switch able to select the passive system or active system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A physiological sensing stethoscope suitable for use in high-noise environments is disclosed. The stethoscope is designed to be substantially matched to the mechanical impedance of monitored physiological activity and substantially mismatched to the mechanical impedance of air-coupled acoustic activity. One embodiment of the stethoscope utilizes a passive acoustic system. Another embodiment utilizes an active Doppler system. The passive and active systems can be combined in one stethoscope enabling switching from a passive mode to an active mode suitable for use in very high-noise environments. The stethoscope is suitable for use in environments having an ambient background noise of 100 dBA and higher. The passive includes a head having a housing, a flexural disc mounted with the housing, and an electromechanical stack positioned between the housing and the flexural disc in contact with the skin of a patient. The active system detects Doppler shifts using a high-frequency transmitter and receiver.
107 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A stethoscope, comprising:
-
a housing; a passive system incorporated into the housing, the passive system comprising an acoustic transducer; an active system incorporated into the housing, the active system comprising a transmitter an a receiver; and a switch in communication with the passive system and the active system, the switch able to select the passive system or active system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A stethoscope capable of use in a high amplitude ambient noise environment, comprising:
-
a housing; an active system incorporated into the housing, the active system comprising a transmitter and a receiver for sending and receiving high frequency signals to and from a patient exposed to the high amplitude ambient noise environment; and a signal conditioner for reducing or eliminating unwanted signals selected from the high amplitude ambient noise and/or other spurious signals. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for detecting physiological activity in a high amplitude ambient noise environment comprising:
-
transmitting a high frequency signal into a patient; receiving a reflected signal; demodulating the reflected signal; filtering the demodulated signal; and transmitting the filtered and demodulated signal to an earpiece. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification