REFRESHED CRT DISPLAY WITH ECG
First Claim
1. A device for analysis and display of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals which comprises:
- a. means to provide an ECG signal;
b. a real time memory which includes;
1. means to receive the ECG signal and convert the signal to digitized form;
2. means to store the digitized signal for a first predetermined time which corresponds to the time required for the digitized signal to enter, be recycled, and discarded;
c. means in communication with the real time memory to display continuously the digitized signal in the real time memory in analoG form on a medium;
d. means to analyze the ECG signal to determine if the signal falls within at least one predetermined limit, which limit corresponds to a rate value which describes an alarm condition and means to provide an alarm signal of the limit is violated;
e. an alarm memory which includes;
1. means to receive the ECG signal in digitized form;
2. means to store the digitized signal for a second predetermined time, which corresponds to the time required for the digitized signal to enter, be recycled, and discarded from the alarm memory; and
3. means responsive to the presence of the alarm signal to lock in place and prevent the discard of the digitized signal stored in the alarm memory; and
f. means in communication with the alarm memory to display in analog form the digitized signal locked in the alarm memory on a medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A monitor for the display of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. The signals from the patient are digitized and enter a main memory. The data is recycled and continually updated. The data is displayed as real time on a cathode ray tube (CRT) in such a manner that the data originally entered moves from right to left across the scope in the same position. Thus, at approximately five seconds the data is at the left of the screen. All subsequent data follows the same pattern whereby the display on the CRT appears as a continuously moving waveform. An alarm memory receives data five seconds old and stores the data for five seconds. If the ECG signals from the patient violate certain limits, an alarm is actuated. The data in the alarm memory at the time of the alarm is sealed off and displayed as a stationary waveform on the CRT with the real time display.
19 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A device for analysis and display of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals which comprises:
- a. means to provide an ECG signal;
b. a real time memory which includes;
1. means to receive the ECG signal and convert the signal to digitized form;
2. means to store the digitized signal for a first predetermined time which corresponds to the time required for the digitized signal to enter, be recycled, and discarded;
c. means in communication with the real time memory to display continuously the digitized signal in the real time memory in analoG form on a medium;
d. means to analyze the ECG signal to determine if the signal falls within at least one predetermined limit, which limit corresponds to a rate value which describes an alarm condition and means to provide an alarm signal of the limit is violated;
e. an alarm memory which includes;
1. means to receive the ECG signal in digitized form;
2. means to store the digitized signal for a second predetermined time, which corresponds to the time required for the digitized signal to enter, be recycled, and discarded from the alarm memory; and
3. means responsive to the presence of the alarm signal to lock in place and prevent the discard of the digitized signal stored in the alarm memory; and
f. means in communication with the alarm memory to display in analog form the digitized signal locked in the alarm memory on a medium.
- a. means to provide an ECG signal;
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2. means to store the digitized signal for a first predetermined time, which corresponds to the time required for the digitized signal to enter, be recycled, and discarded;
- c. means to analyze the ECG signal to determine if the signal falls within predetermined upper and lower limits, which means includes;
- c. means to analyze the ECG signal to determine if the signal falls within predetermined upper and lower limits, which means includes;
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3. The device of claim 2, wherein the means to distinguish the ECG signal from background noise includes a wave-shaping network to convert the signal to a pulsed signal and a matching network to determine if the duration of the pulsed signal is within the defined range.
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4. The device of claim 3, which includes means to establish the defined range between 10-40 milliseconds.
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5. The device of claim 1, which includes means to convert the ECG signal to a wave form which has a rate voltage inversely proportional to the duration between successively generated ECG signals.
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6. The device of claim 5, which includes means to display the value inversely proportional to the duration between pulses in digital form.
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7. The device of claim 1, which includes means to determine if the ECG signal falls within upper and lower limits, which limits correspond to rate values which describe alarm conditions whereby an alarm signal is generated when either limit is violated.
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8. The device of claim 7, which includes means to establish the upper and lower limits as voltage limits.
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9. The device of claim 7, which includes means to delay the transmission of the alarm signal to the alarm memory.
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10. The device of claim 1, which includes means to transfer the digitized signals from the real time memory to the alarm memory.
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11. The device of claim 1, which includes means to transfer the digitized signals discarded from the real time memory to the alarm memory.
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12. The device of claim 1, which includes means to delay the locking of the digitized signal in the alarm memory subsequent to the receipt of the alarm signal whereby the digitized signal corresponding to the ECG signal which ECG signal violated the limit and generated the alarm signal is locked in the alarm memory in a position intermediate its entry and discard from the alarm memory.
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13. The device of claim 1, which includes the means to display the information locked in the alarm memory on the same medium that the digitized signal in the real time memory is displayed.
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14. The device of claim 13, wherein the medium is a cathode ray tube.
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15. A device for the analysis and display of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals, which comprises:
- a. means to provide an ECG signal;
b. a real time memory which includes;
- a. means to provide an ECG signal;
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16. The device of claim 15, wherein the means to distinguish the ECG signal from background noise includes a wave-shaping network to convert the signal to a pulsed signal and a matching network to determine if the pulsed signal is within a defined range.
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17. The device of claim 15, which includes means to delay the transmission of the alarm signal to the alarm memory.
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18. The device of claim 15, which includes means to transfer the digitized signals from the real time memory to the alarm memory when the digitized signals are discarded from the real time memory.
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19. The device of claim 15, wherein the alarm memory includes means to delay the locking of the signals in the alarm memory subsequent to the receipt of the alarm signal whereby the digitized signal corresponding to the ECG signal which ECG signal violated the limit and generated the alarm signal is locked in the alarm memory in a position intermediate its entry and discard from the alarm memory.
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20. The device of claim 19, wherein the means to delay the locking of the information in the alarm memory includes at least one latch circuit.
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21. The device of claim 15, which includes means to display the digitized signal in the alarm memory at any time subsequent to the locking of the signals in the memory.
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22. The device of claim 15, which includes means to display on the same medium the digitized signal in the real time memory and the digitized signal in the alarm memory, the signals spaced apart from one another along a vertical axis.
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23. The device of claim 15, which includes means to display digitally the rate voltage.
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24. The device of claim 15, which includes means to display audibly the analyzed ECG signals.
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25. A method for the analysis and display of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals, which includes:
- a. providing an ECG signal;
b. converting said ECG signal to digitized form and storing the same in a real time memory for a first predetermined time which corresponds to the time required for the digitized signal to enter, be recycled, and discarded;
c. displaying continuously in analog form the digitized signal in the real time memory on a medium;
d. analyzing the ECG signal to determine if the signal falls within predetermined limits, which limits correspond to rate values which describe alarm conditions;
e. providing an alarm signal when either of the limits is violated;
f. receiving and storing the ECG signals in digitized form in an alarm memory for a predetermined second time which corresponds to the time required for the signal to enter, be recycled, and discarded;
g. locking and preventing the discard of the digitized signal in the alarm memory in response to the alarm signal of step (e); and
h. displaying in analog form the digitized signal locked in the alarm memory.
- a. providing an ECG signal;
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26. The method of claim 25, which includes distinguishing the ECG signal from background noise.
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27. The method of claim 26, which includes converting the distinguished ECG signal to a wavE form, which has a rate voltage inversely proportional to the duration between successively generated ECG signals.
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28. The method of claim 25, which includes displaying the rate voltage in digital form.
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29. The method of claim 25, which includes transferring the digitized signal in the real time memory to the alarm memory.
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30. The method of claim 29, which includes transferring the digitized signal to the alarm memory upon discharge of the signal from the real time memory.
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31. The method of claim 25, which includes delaying the locking of the digitized signal in the alarm memory subsequent to the receipt of the alarm signal whereby the digitized signal corresponding to the ECG signal which ECG signal violated the limit and generated the alarm signal is locked in the alarm memory in a position intermediate its entry and discard from the alarm memory.
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32. The method of claim 25, which includes displaying the digitized signal in the real time memory and the digitized signal in the alarm memory, in analog form on the same medium, said signals spaced apart from one another along a vertical axis.
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33. The method of claim 32, which includes displaying the digitized signals in the alarm memory at a time subsequent to the locking of the signals in the alarm memory.
Specification