ECG instrument

• US 3,921,147 A
• Filed: 02/11/1974
• Issued: 11/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Picker International GmbH Espelkamp Germany
• Original Assignee: Deceased Reetz, Gunter Fuhr
• Inventors: Fuhr, Gunter, Reetz, deceased
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Gareth D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sachs, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US05/441,084
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 340/172.5
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/335 using integrated circuit memory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/337 Playback at speeds other than the recording speed

Abstract

An ECG computer terminal system for interfacing between ECG equipment and a computer. The ECG equipment can be used to monitor heart action of several patients. The computer is used to analyze the resulting ECG data. The terminal system includes analog to digital conversion, digital storage, transfer of digital information to the computer, manual keyboard control and patient identification of the ECG signals, and multiplexing of these signals.

Claims

1. An ECG computer terminal system for interfacing between ECG equipment and a computer, said equipment being used for monitoring heart activity of at least one patient, said computer being used to analyze said monitored heart activity, said system comprising means for amplifying electrical analog signals from said equipment, first means for converting said analog signals to digital signals, means for temporarily storing said digital signals, second means for providing other analog signals corresponding to said stored digital signals while not removing said digital signals from said temporary storing means, means for viewing said other analog signals to determine quality of said other analog signals and thereby determine quality of said stored digital signals, manual keyboard control means connected to said temporary storing means for eliminating certain of said digital signals from said temporary storing means, and means for transferring other of said digital signals from said temporary storing means to the input of said computer.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 and wherein said first means includes third means for multiplexing said electrical analog signals, said second means includes fourth means for de-multiplexing said other analog signals, said manual keyboard control means further comprising means for providing digitized alphanumeric patient information to said storage means corresponding to said digital signals, said second means further including alphanumeric display means for providing said patient information to said viewing means whereby identification of said other analog signals is achieved.

3. A system as recited in claim 1 and wherein said transferring means includes permanent storing means for permanently storing said digital signals.

4. A system as recited in claim 3 and wherein said permanent storing means comprises a magnetic tape recorder.

5. A system as recited in claim 1 further including an XY recorder for recording said other analog signals.

6. A system as recited in claim 5 further including means for displaying vector loops on said XY recorder.