HEART MONITORING SYSTEM USABLE WITH A SMARTPHONE OR COMPUTER

• US 20130331663A1
• Filed: 08/12/2013
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AliveCor Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bruce Richard Satchwell, David Albert, Kim Norman Barnett
• Inventors: ALBERT, David, SATCHWELL, Bruce Richard, BARNETT, Kim Norman
• Granted Patent: US 9,649,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/07 Home care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/045 with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• 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 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

A personal monitoring device has a sensor assembly configured to sense physiological signals upon contact with a user'"'"'s skin. The sensor assembly produces electrical signals representing the sensed physiological signals. A converter assembly, integrated with, and electrically connected to the sensor assembly, converts the electrical signals generated by the sensor assembly to a frequency modulated physiological audio signal having a carrier frequency in the range of from about 6 kHz to about 20 kHz.

Claims

1. A personal monitoring device comprising:

a sensor assembly configured to sense physiological signals upon contact with a user'"'"'s skin and to produce electrical signals representing the sensed physiological signals; and

a converter assembly integrated with, and electrically connected to the sensor assembly, the converter assembly configured to convert the electrical signals generated by the sensor assembly to a frequency modulated physiological audio signal having a carrier frequency in the range of from about 6 kHz to about 20 kHz.

2. The personal monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the converter assembly comprises an audio transmitter for outputting the frequency modulated physiological audio signal as a frequency modulated physiological acoustic signal having a carrier frequency in the range of from about 6 kHz to about 20 kHz.

3. The personal monitoring device of claim 2, wherein the audio transmitter is configured to output the physiological acoustic signal to a microphone in a computing device within range of the audio transmitter.

4. The personal monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the physiological signals sensed are selected from the group consisting of electrocardiogram (ECG), electromyogram (EMG), electrooculogram (EOG), photoplethysmogram (PPG), respiration, heart rate, pulse oximetry, electroencephalogram (EEG) and a combination thereof.

5. A personal monitoring device comprising:

a sensor assembly configured to sense physiological signals upon contact with a user'"'"'s skin, and to produce electrical signals representing the sensed physiological signals;

a converter assembly integrated with, and electrically connected to the sensor assembly, the converter assembly configured to convert the electrical signals generated by the sensor assembly to a frequency modulated physiological audio signal; and

a cable connected to the converter assembly for transmitting the frequency modulated physiological audio signal to a 3.5 mm headphone jack on a smartphone, wherein the converter assembly is electrically isolated from the smartphone by an audio isolation transformer.

6. The personal monitoring device of claim 5, wherein the physiological signals sensed are selected from the group consisting of electrocardiogram (ECG), electromyogram (EMG), electrooculogram (EOG), photoplethysmogram (PPG), respiration, heart rate, pulse oximetry, electroencephalogram (EEG) and a combination thereof.

7. A personal monitoring device comprising:

a sensor assembly configured to sense physiological signals upon contact with a user'"'"'s skin, and to produce electrical signals representing the sensed physiological signals;

a converter assembly integrated with, and electrically connected to the sensor assembly, the converter assembly configured to convert the electrical signals generated by the sensor assembly to a frequency modulated physiological audio signal, the converter assembly further comprising a wireless radio transmitter configured to utilize Bluetooth®

headset technology to transmit the frequency modulated physiological audio signal via a short distance wireless network to a Bluetooth®

enabled computing device.

8. The personal monitoring device of claim 7, wherein the physiological signals sensed are selected from the group consisting of electrocardiogram (ECG), electromyogram (EMG), electrooculogram (BOG), photoplethysmogram (PPG), respiration, heart rate, pulse oximetry, and a combination thereof.

9. An ECG device comprising:

an electrode assembly configured to sense heart-related signals upon contact with a user'"'"'s skin, and to convert the sensed heart-related signals to an ECG electric signal; and

a converter assembly integrated with, and electrically connected to the electrode assembly, the converter assembly configured to convert the electric ECG signal generated by electrode assembly to a frequency modulated ECG audio signal having a carrier frequency in the range of from about 6 kHz to about 20 kHz.

10. The ECG device of claim 9, wherein the frequency modulated ECG audio signal has a carrier frequency in the range of from about 10 kHz to about 15 kHz.

11. The ECG device of claim 9, wherein the electrode assembly comprises two electrodes.

12. The ECG device of claim 9, wherein the converter assembly comprises an audio transmitter for outputting the frequency modulated ECG audio signal as a frequency modulated ECG acoustic signal.

13. The ECG device of claim 12, wherein the audio transmitter is a speaker.

14. The ECG device of claim 12, wherein the audio transmitter is a piezoelectric buzzer.

15. The ECG device of claim 12, wherein the audio transmitter is configured to output the ECG acoustic signal to a microphone in a computing device within range of the audio transmitter.

16. The ECG device of claim 15, wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet personal computers, pocket personal computers, notebook computers, desktop computers, and server computers.

17. The ECG device of claim 12, wherein the electrode assembly is positioned on an outer surface of a smartphone protective case, and wherein the ECG acoustic signal output from the audio transmitter is detectable by a microphone in a smartphone when the smartphone is positioned within the smartphone protective case.

18. The ECG device of claim 12, wherein the frequency modulated ECG audio signal has a carrier frequency in the range of from about 10 kHz to about 15 kHz.

19. A smartphone protective case, usable as an ECG device, comprising:

an electrode assembly configured to sense heart-related signals upon contact with a user'"'"'s skin, and to convert the sensed heart-related signals to an ECG electric signal; and

a converter assembly integrated with, and electrically connected to the electrode assembly, the converter assembly configured to convert the electric ECG signal generated by the electrode assembly to a frequency modulated ECG audio signal having a carrier frequency in the range of from about 6 kHz to about 20 kHz, and further configured to output the ECG audio signal through an audio transmitter at a signal strength capable of being received by a smartphone positioned within the smartphone protective case.

20. An ECG device, contained at least partially within a housing, the ECG device comprising:

an electrode assembly connected to the housing, the electrode assembly configured to sense heart-related signals upon contact with a user'"'"'s skin, and to convert the sensed heart-related signals to an ECG electric signal; and

a converter assembly integrated with, and electrically connected to the electrode assembly, the converter assembly configured to convert the electric ECG signal generated by the electrode assembly to a frequency modulated ECG audio signal having a carrier frequency in the range of from about 6 kHz to about 20 kHz, and further configured to output the ECG audio signal through an audio transmitter.

21. An ECG device comprising:

an electrode assembly configured to sense heart-related signals upon contact with a user'"'"'s skin, and to convert the sensed heart-related signals to an ECG electric signal;

a converter assembly integrated with, and electrically connected to the electrode assembly, the converter assembly configured to convert the electric ECG signal generated by electrode assembly to a frequency modulated ECG audio signal; and

a cable for transmitting the frequency modulated ECG audio signal to a 3.5 mm headphone jack on a smartphone, wherein the converter assembly is electrically isolated from the smartphone by an audio isolation transformer.

22. The ECG device of claim 21, wherein the electrode assembly is positioned within a chest strap.

23. The ECG device of claim 21, wherein the audio isolation transformer provides medical grade isolation.

24. The ECG device of claim 21, wherein the cable for transmitting the frequency modulated ECG audio signal to the 3.5 mm headphone jack on the smartphone includes a splitter configured to allow the user to listen to music and voice messages while transmitting the frequency modulated ECG audio signal.

25. The ECG device of claim 24, wherein the splitter is further configured to allow the user to record spoken voice messages to record comments and symptoms.

26. An ECG device comprising:

an electrode assembly configured to sense heart-related signals upon contact with a user'"'"'s skin, and to convert the sensed heart-related signals to an ECG electric signal;

a converter assembly integrated with, the electrode assembly, the converter assembly configured to convert the electric ECG signal generated by electrode assembly to a frequency modulated ECG audio signal; and

a wireless radio transmitter configured to utilize Bluetooth headset technology to transmit the frequency modulated ECG audio signal to a computing device.

27. The ECG device of claim 26, wherein the electrode assembly is positioned within a chest strap.

28. A computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions capable of being executed by a computing device, that when executed by the computing device causes the computing device to:

digitize and demodulate a frequency modulated ECG audio signal having a carrier frequency in the range of above 10 kHz to produce real time demodulated digital ECG data, and to display on a display screen of the computing device, and information about the real-time ECG signal represented by the demodulated digital ECG data, and to store the demodulated digital ECG data in a memory of the computing device for later retrieval, and further to cause the computing device to retrieve and transmit, upon demand, the stored demodulated digital ECG data to a web server via an internet connection on the computing device.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions capable of being executed by a smartphone, that when executed by the smartphone causes the smartphone to:

digitize and demodulate a frequency modulated ECG acoustic signal having a carrier frequency in the range that is silent to humans that is received from a built-in microphone of the smartphone to produce demodulated digital ECG data, and to display on a display screen of the smartphone information about the ECG signal represented by the demodulated digital ECG data.