TWO RECORDER APPARATUS FOR MONITORING HEART ACTION

• US 3,799,148 A
• Filed: 01/13/1972
• Issued: 03/26/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David M. Rowen
• Original Assignee: David M. Rowen
• Inventors: Rowen, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/217,475
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 73/DIG.6 307/235,238 324/76R,77R,78D,113 340/415,416,248A,248R,248B,248C,253Y,253Z,253R 128/2.5R,2.6A,2.6F,2.6G,2.6R,2.6Z
• US Class Current: 600/517
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods

Abstract

Apparatus for monitoring the heart action of one or more coronary patients comprises an electrocardiograph (EKG) for each patient, a direct recorder connected to the EKG'"'"''"'"'s for providing an electrocardiogram (ECG) of a patient'"'"''"'"'s heart action in the event apparent heart action irregularity (arrhythmia) occurs, and a memory recorder for providing a reconstructed ECG of that patient'"'"''"'"'s heart action during a 30 second interval just prior to onset of the apparent arrhythmia. The memory recorder is connected to a solid state memory unit which receives data from the EKG for each patient. Each EKG provides data in analog form and the solid state memory unit samples the analog, converts the sample analog to digital form (wherein binary numerical values correspond to amplitudes of the sample analog), stores the digital samples for about 30 seconds and reconverts the digital samples derived from any one of the EKG'"'"''"'"'s to analog samples which are reconstructed into a wave form for use by the memory recorder on demand.

Claims

1. Apparatus for monitoring at least one activity which can be represented in wave form and wherein portions of said wave form have a normal amplitude but exhibit departure therefrom upon occurrence of some event, said apparatus comprising:

detecting means for continuously detecting said activity and for continuously providing a signal in the form of a wave corresponding to the wave form of said activity, first means for receiving, recording and visually displaying said signal, memory means for continuously receiving and storing said signal in the form of a stored signal for a predetermined length of time, converter means for receiving said stored signal from said memory means and for continuously converting it into a reconstructed signal in the form of a wave, second means for receiving, recording and visually displaying said reconstructed signal concurrently with the disply of another signal by said first means, and means for actuating said first means and said second means simultaneously with each other to cause them to display their signals upon the occurrence of said event.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said activity being monitored can be represented in analog wave form and wherein said first and second means record and display their respective signals in analog wave form.

3. Apparatus for monitoring at least one activity which can be represented in analog wave form and wherein portions of said wave form have a normal amplitude but exhibit departure therefrom upon occurrence of some event, said apparatus comprising:

detecting means for continuously detecting said activity and for continuously providing a signal in the form of an analog wave corresponding to the wqve form of said activity, first means for receiving, recording and visually displaying said signal in analog wave form, sampling means for receiving an analog wave form signal from said detecting means and for sampling said analog wave form signal at predetermined intervals of time and for providing a series of sample analog signals, analog to digital converting means for receiving and converting said sample analog signals into sample digital signals, memory means for continuously receiving and storing said sample digital signals in the form of stored signals for a predetermined length of time, converter means including digital to analog converter means for receiving said sample digital signals from said memory means and for continuously converting them into a reconstructed signal in the form of an analog wave, second means for receiving, recording and visually displaying said reconstructed analog wave signal concurrently with the display of another analog wave signal by said first means, and means for actuating said first means and said second means simultaneously with ach other to cause them to display their signals upon the occurrence of said event.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said event which effects actuation of said first and second means is a predetermined change in amplitude in a portion of the wave form of the activity being monitored.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 including a plurality of said detecting means responsive to said detecting means for monitoring a plurality of activities simultaneously, each of said detecting means providing a signal representative of the activity which it is monitoring;

wherein said sampling means successively samples each of said analog signals from said plurality of detecting means; and

wherein said memory means stores sample analog signals in successive order.

6. Apparatus for monitoring at least one activity which can be represented in analog wave form and wherein portions of said wave form have a normal amplitude but exhibit departure therefrom upon occurrence of some event, said apparatus comprising:

detecting means for detecting said activity and for providing an analog signal in the form of a continuous wave corresponding thereto, first recorder means for receiving, recording and visually displaying said analog signal, sampling means for receiving and sampling said analog signal from said detecting means at predetermined intervals of time and for providing a series of sample analog signals, analog to digital converter means for receiving and converting said sample analog signals into sample digital signals, each digital signal having a binary numerical value related To the amplitude of the sample analog signal on which it is based, memory means for receiving and storing said digital signals for a predetermined length of time, digital to analog converter means for receiving said digital signals from said memory means and for converting them into a reconstructed analog signal, second recorder means for receiving, recording and visually displaying said reconstructed analog signal concurrently with the display of an analog signal by said first recorder means, and means for actuating said first and second recorders means simultaneously when said event occurs.

7. Apparatus for simultaneously monitoring a plurality of activities, each of which can be represented in analog wave form and wherein portions of said wave form have a normal amplitude but exhibit departure therefrom upon occurrence of some event, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of detecting means for detecting said activities, and for providing analog signals in the form of continuous waves corresponding thereto, each detecting means monitoring one activity and providing one analog signal, first recorder means for receiving, recording and visually displaying said analog signals, said first recorder means comprising means to display one analog signal from one detecting means at any given time, sampling means for continuously receiving and sampling said analog signals from said plurality of detecting means and for providing a series of sample analog signals, said sampling means sampling each of the plurality of analog signals at successive predetermined intervals of time, analog to to digital converter means for receiving and converting said sample analog signals into sample digital signals, each digital signal having a binary numerical value related to the amplitude of the sample analog signal on which it is based, memory means for receiving and storing said digital signals for a predetermined length of time, said memory means comprising a plurality of stages and including means whereby said digital signals being stored are moved from one stage to another, digital to analog converter means for receiving said digital signals from said memory means and for converting them into a series of reconstructed analog signals, and second recorder means for receiving, recording and visually displaying said reconstructed analog signals concurrently with the display of analog signals by said first recorder means, said second recorder means comprising means to display at any given time only one reconstructed analog signal originating from one of said plurality of detecting means.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 including means responsive to said detecting means for actuating said first and second recorder means simultaneously when said event occurs.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said activity being monitored is heart activity and wherein said event is heart arrhythmia.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said detecting means is an electrocardiograph, and wherein said first and second recorder means provide electrocardiograms.

11. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said first and second recorder means are actuated by that one of said detecting means which senses a departure from normal amplitude in the wave form of the activity it monitors.