SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PERFORMING AN ELECTROCARDIOGRAM

• US 20160302726A1
• Filed: 04/13/2016
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute At Harbor-Ucla Medical Center (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute At Harbor-Ucla Medical Center (University of California)
• Inventors: CHANG, Ruey-Kang
• Granted Patent: US 11,471,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/04 Babies, e.g. for SIDS detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/06 Children, e.g. for attention deficit diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/40 Animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/166 the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/222 Electrical cables or leads therefor, e.g. coaxial cables or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/259 using conductive adhesive means, e.g. gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/303 Patient cord assembly, e.g. cable harness
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/333 Recording apparatus specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6841 by using templates

Abstract

A system and method for performing an electrocardiogram is described herein. The system may include one or more of an electrode strip, a data recorder, a connector, one or more computing platforms, and/or other components. The electrode strip may include multiple electrodes configured to provide signals conveying information associated with electrocardiograms. The multiple electrodes may be integrated into the electrode strip. The data recorder may be configured to receive and record information associated with electrocardiograms. Information associated with electrocardiograms may be communicated from the electrode strip to the data recorder via a connector. The connector may include a cableless connector. In some implementations, the information associated with electrocardiograms may be transmitted to one or more computing platforms.

Claims

1. A system for performing an electrocardiogram, the system comprising:

an electrode strip including multiple electrodes and corresponding electrode wires integrated into the electrode strip, individual ones of the multiple electrodes being configured to provide signals conveying information associated with electrocardiograms, the electrodes being positioned on the electrode strip to align with one or more desired anatomical locations on a human subject;

a data recorder configured to receive and record information associated with electrocardiograms; and

a connector disposed at and integrated with the electrode strip, the connector being configured to removably couple the data recorder with the electrode strip via a cableless connection, the connector including a convergence of the electrode wires such that responsive to the connector being removably coupled with the data recorder, the data recorder receives signals from the electrodes via the connector.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrode strip includes a printed circuit board such that the electrodes are integrated into the printed circuit board and the corresponding wires include traces within the printed circuit board.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the electrode strip comprises a flexible printed circuit board.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the electrode strip includes an adjustable material such that it is configured to fit human subjects of varying size.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the electrode strip includes layers of foam, the layers of foam including a first layer of foam and a second layer of foam such that the printed circuit board is located in between the first layer of foam and the second layer of foam.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first layer of foam is configured to face toward the skin of the human subject responsive to the electrode strip being applied to the skin of the human subject, and wherein the first layer of foam includes one or more cutouts corresponding to one or more positions of one or more electrodes on the electrode strip.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more peripheral electrodes, wherein the peripheral electrodes are coupled to the electrode strip via one or more peripheral electrode wires such that the one or more peripheral electrodes are extendable from the electrode strip via the one or more peripheral electrode wires.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more peripheral electrode wires include a first section and a second section, the first section being external to the electrode strip and the second section being integrated into the electrode strip such that the connector includes the convergence of one or more second sections of the one or more peripheral electrode wires.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrode strip includes a stiffening board, the stiffening board disposed proximate to the connector, the stiffening board facilitating a rigid attachment between the connector and the electrode strip.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrode strip includes one or more placement indicators conveying a position at which to apply the electrode strip on the human subject.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the placement indicators include a first placement indicator on a first portion of the electrode strip, the first placement indicator conveying alignment of the first portion of the electrode strip with a breastbone of the human subject.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the data recorder includes a length of less than 6 centimeters, a width of less than 6 centimeters, and a thickness of less than 2 centimeters.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the data recorder includes a receiving portion configured to receive the connector such that responsive to receiving the connector, the data recorder is removably coupled with the electrode strip.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the data recorder includes a power button and one or more indicator lights, the one or more indicator lights being configured to provide a status of one or both of the electrocardiogram or the data recorder.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the data recorder includes a display, the display being configured to provide a status of one or both of the electrocardiogram or the data recorder.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the data recorder is configured to transmit the electrocardiogram data to one or more computing platforms.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the data recorder is configured to wirelessly transmit the electrocardiogram data to one or more computing platforms.

18. A method for performing an electrocardiogram, the method comprising:

applying an electrode strip to an area of skin on a human subject, the electrode strip including multiple electrodes and corresponding electrode wires integrated into the electrode strip, individual ones of the multiple electrodes being configured to provide signals conveying information associated with electrocardiograms, the electrodes being positioned on the electrode strip to align with one or more desired anatomical locations on a human subject;

coupling a connector, disposed at and integrated with the electrode strip, with a data recorder via a cableless connection, the data recorder being configured to receive and record information associated with electrocardiograms, the connector including a convergence of the electrode wires such that responsive to the connector being coupled with the data recorder, the data recorder receives signals from the electrodes via the connector; and

activating the data recorder to begin receiving and recording information associated with an electrocardiogram.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the electrode strip includes a printed circuit board such that the electrodes are integrated into the printed circuit board and the corresponding wires include traces within the printed circuit board.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the electrode strip comprises a flexible printed circuit board.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the electrode strip includes layers of foam, the layers of foam including a first layer of foam and a second layer of foam such that the printed circuit board is located in between the first layer of foam and the second layer of foam.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first layer of foam is configured to face toward the skin of the human subject responsive to the electrode strip being applied to the skin of the human subject, and wherein the first layer of foam includes one or more cutouts corresponding to one or more positions of one or more electrodes on the electrode strip.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

applying one or more peripheral electrodes to the skin of the human subject, wherein the peripheral electrodes are coupled with the electrode strip via one or more peripheral electrode wires such that the one or more peripheral electrodes are extendable from the electrode strip via the one or more peripheral electrode wires.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the one or more peripheral electrode wires include a first section and a second section, the first section being external to the electrode strip and the second section being integrated into the electrode strip such that the connector includes the convergence of one or more second sections of the one or more peripheral electrode wires.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the electrode strip includes a stiffening board, the stiffening board disposed proximate to the connector, the stiffening board facilitating a rigid attachment between the connector and the electrode strip.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein applying the electrode strip to the skin of the human subject further includes:

aligning one or more placement indicators with a location on the human subject, wherein the placement indicators convey a position at which to apply the electrode strip on the human subject.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the one or more placement indicators include a first placement indicator on a first portion of the electrode strip, and wherein the method further comprises:

aligning the first portion of the electrode strip with a breastbone of the human subject.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the data recorder includes a length of less than 6 centimeters, a width of less than 6 centimeters, and a thickness of less than 2 centimeters.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the data recorder includes a receiving portion configured to receive the connector such that responsive to receiving the connection, the data recorder is removably coupled with the electrode strip.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein activating the data recorder includes pressing a button on the data recorder until an indicator light is illuminated.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

monitor the data recorder until one or more indicator lights change either one or both of a status or a color to indicate completion of receiving and recording information associated with the electrocardiogram by the data recorder; and

responsive to the one or more indicator lights changing either one or both of the status or the color, de-couple the connector from the data recorder.

32. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting the electrocardiogram data to one or more computing platforms.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein transmitting the electrocardiogram data to one or more computing platforms includes wirelessly transmitting.

34. A method for performing an electrocardiogram, the method comprising:

determining a proper size of an electrode strip, the electrode strip including multiple electrodes and corresponding electrode wires integrated into the electrode strip, individual ones of the multiple electrodes being configured to provide signals conveying information associated with electrocardiograms, the electrodes being positioned on the electrode strip such that responsive to determining the proper size for a human subject, the electrodes align with one or more desired anatomical locations on the human subject,

wherein the proper size of the electrode strip is determined based on an algorithm including one or more physical characteristics describing the human subject;

applying the electrode strip to the skin of the human subject based on one or more placement indicators included on the electrode strip;

coupling a connector, disposed at and integrated with the electrode strip, with a data recorder via a cableless connection, the data recorder being configured to receive and record information associated with electrocardiograms, the connector including a convergence of the electrode wires such that responsive to the connector being coupled with the data recorder, the data recorder receives signals from the electrodes via the connector.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the physical characteristics include one or more of a shirt size typically worn by the human subject, a body-mass index of the human subject, a chest circumference of the human subject, a shoulder breadth of the human subject, a height of the human subject, a weight of the human subject, a sex of the human subject, or an age of the human subject.