Method for measuring heart beat rate and circuit means for same
First Claim
1. A heart rate indicator comprising:
- electrode means for producing an electrical impulse corresponding to each beat of the heart of a living subject;
circuit means connected to said electrode means for producing a burst of alternating electrical signal in response to said electrical impulse;
detector means connected to said circuit means for detecting the point in time the peak amplitude occurs of the envelope of each burst of alternating signal and for producing an electrical pulse in response thereto;
computing means connected to said detector means for measuring the time between each electrical pulse produced by said detector means and converting the time measurement into a number representing heartbeat rate; and
indicating means connected to said computing means for displaying said number representing heartbeat rate.
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Abstract
There is disclosed a heart rate indicator having electrodes for coupling to the electrical impulses corresponding to each beat of the heart of a living subject, which electrodes are connected to an electronic circuit for producing a burst of alternating electronic signal in response to each electrical impulse produced at each heart beat. The electronic circuit in turn is connected to a detector circuit for detecting the peak amplitude of each burst of alternating signal and to produce an electrical pulse related in time thereto, the detector circuit in turn being connected to a microcomputer which measures the time between pulses and selectively converts the measured times into a number representing heart beat rate, the microcomputer being in turn connected to a display for displaying the number representing heart beat rate.
188 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A heart rate indicator comprising:
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electrode means for producing an electrical impulse corresponding to each beat of the heart of a living subject; circuit means connected to said electrode means for producing a burst of alternating electrical signal in response to said electrical impulse; detector means connected to said circuit means for detecting the point in time the peak amplitude occurs of the envelope of each burst of alternating signal and for producing an electrical pulse in response thereto; computing means connected to said detector means for measuring the time between each electrical pulse produced by said detector means and converting the time measurement into a number representing heartbeat rate; and indicating means connected to said computing means for displaying said number representing heartbeat rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of indicating the heartbeat rate of a living subject comprising the steps of:
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capacitively coupling to the heartbeat biopotential impulse of a living subject; generating a burst of alternating signal in response to each heartbeat impulse; generating a reference voltage proportional to the average amplitude and duration of each burst; comparing the amplitude of each burst with said reference voltage; rejecting each burst of amplitude less than said reference voltage and accepting each burst of greater amplitude; detecting the point of peak magnitude of each accepted burst; generating a pulse at fixed duration of said peak; measuring the time between trailing edges of successive pulses; and determining heartbeat rate from the measured times. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method of determining the heartbeat rate of a living subject comprising the steps of:
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electronically measuring the time between successive heartbeats; electronically comparing each time with the previous time; electronically rejecting each time which deviates more than the given percent from a previous time; electronically accepting each time which is within said given percent of the previous time; electronically storing each accepted time until a first predetermined number of successive times have been accepted and stored; electronically rejecting each time measured thereafter which deviates more than said given percent from the last accepted value of time; starting the measuring and comparing process over when a second predetermined number of successive times has been rejected; electronically accepting each measured time after said first predetermined number of times has been stored when each time is within said given percent of the last accepted and stored time; electronically storing each accepted time after said first predetermined number of times has been stored until a number equivalent to said second predetermined number have been stored; electronically averaging the sum of said first predetermined number and said second predetermined number of accepted and stored times; updating the average by deleting the oldest acceptable time and including the most recent acceptable time; and electronically converting said average to heartbeat rate.
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Specification