Apparatus for testing physical condition of a subject

• US 4,367,752 A
• Filed: 04/30/1980
• Issued: 01/11/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Elexis Corporation
• Original Assignee: Biotechnology LLC
• Inventors: Bianco, Frank J., Jimenez, Oscar
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US06/145,765
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 128/668, 128/670-672, 128/639, 128/644, 128/687-691, 128/706-707, 128/702-704, 128/718, 128/779, 128/782, 364/410, 364/413, 364/415, 364/417
• US Class Current: 600/502
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/01 User's weight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02

Abstract

The physical condition of a subject is tested by a transducer mounted on the subject which derives a first signal indicative of heart activity. An electronic instrument housing carried by the subject includes terminals responsive to the first signal and (a) an inertial member for monitoring the quantity of repetitive actions taken by a limb of the subject and for deriving a second signal indicative of the quantity, (b) a keyboard for enabling signals to be derived indicative of numerical quantities associated with plural physiological parameters of the subject, (c) a clock source for deriving timing signals, (d) a digital computer responsive to the first, second, timing and keyboard signals for deriving plural digital output signals indicative of different physical activities of the tested subject, (e) a visual digital indicator, (f) plural key switches, each associated with a different one of the physical activities, and (g) circuitry responsive to activation of the plural key switches for selectively coupling different ones of the plural output signals to the visual indicator so only one of the output signals is supplied to the indicator at a time.

Claims

1. Apparatus for testing the physical condition of a subject comprising means adapted to be mounted on the subject for monitoring and deriving a first signal indicative of heart activity of the subject, means adapted to be mounted on the subject for deriving a second signal indicative of distance traversed by a limb of the subject during testing, input means for deriving at least one signal indicative of a predetermined physiologically relevent parameter of the subject, said parameter having a constant, predetermined value, a clock source for deriving a timing signal during testing of the subject, and computer means responsive to the first, second, predetermined physiologically relevant parameter and timing signals for calculating the magnitude of a signal indicative of physical activity of the subject being tested in response to the values of said first and second signals, said physiologically relevant parameter signal and said timing signal, and indicator means responsive to the physical activity signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first signal deriving means includes means for monitoring the number of heart beats of the subject.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for monitoring the number of heart beats includes electrodes adapted to be on the subject for deriving an electrocardiogram signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the means for monitoring further includes means for detecting r pulses of the electrocardiogram signal to the exclusion of other pulses of the electrocardiogram signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the means for detecting r pulses includes a band pass filter for passing the r pulses and a clamping circuit for peaks of the r pulses.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 or 5 further including full wave rectifier means for the r pulses so that r pulses of only one polarity are applied to the clamping means regardless of the connections of the electrodes to the r pulse detecting means.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 or 5 further including means for preventing derivation of the first signal in response to a pair of adjacent detected r pulses occurring in less than a predetermined interval which is less than the possible period between adjacent beats of a heart.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 or 4 or 5 wherein three electrodes are provided on the subject, each electrode being associated with a lead wire, shield means for the lead wires, said three lead wires and shield means being connected to three sets of input terminals of an electronic instrument housing, each set of input terminals including a grounded terminal connected to the shield means and a signal input terminal, one of said signal input terminals being connected to a DC reference level, differential amplifier means responsive to voltages at the other two signal input terminals, and means for referencing the differential amplifier means to the reference level to provide common mode rejection for voltages generated by said electrodes.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 further including a garment for carrying and pressing the electrodes against the skin of the subject.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each of the electrodes includes a highly electrically conductive gel which adheres to the skin of the subject while moistened.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the gel includes karaya gum and glycerin.

12. The apparatus of claim 3 or 9 or 10 or wherein a first of the electrodes is adapted to abut on skin against the rib cage, in the vicinity of the heart of the subject, a second of the electrodes is adapted to abut on skin against the sternum of the subject, and a third electrode is adapted to abut on skin just below the right chest quadrant of the subject.

13. The apparatus of claim 3 further including a chest strap for carrying and pressing the electrodes against the skin of the subject, wherein a first of the electrodes is carried by the strap so it is adapted to abut on skin against the rib cage, in the vicinity of the heart of the subject, a second of the electrodes is carried by the strap so it is adapted to abut on skin against the sternum of the subject, and a third electrode is carried by the strap so it is adapted to abut on skin just below the right chest quadrant of the subject.

14. The apparatus of claim 3 further including a brassiere for carrying and pressing the electrodes against the skin of the subject, wherein a first of the electrodes is carried by the brassiere so it is adapted to abut on skin against the rib cage, in the vicinity of the heart of the subject, a second of the electrodes is carried by the brassiere so it is adapted to abut on skin against the sternum of the subject, and a third electrode is carried by the brassiere so it is adapted to abut on skin just below the right chest quadrant of the subject.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 or 14 wherein each of the electrodes includes a highly electrically conductive gel which adheres to the skin of the subject while moistened.

16. The apparatus of claim 2 or 3 or 4 wherein the second signal deriving means comprises transducer means adapted to be carried by the subject for monitoring the quantity of repetitive actions taken by a limb of the subject.

17. The apparatus of claim 2 further including means for selectively applying the first signal to the indicator means.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the indicator means is aural, and means for pulsing the aural indicator in response to each heart beat, said pulsing means being activated when the computer means is responsive to at least a predetermined number of beats in a predetermined interval, as indicated by the first and timing signals.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 or 18 wherein the indicator means is aural, and means for continuously activating the aural indicator in response to the heart beat rate exceeding a predetermined level, said continuously activating means being activated when the computer means is responsive to the number of heart beats exceeding a certain number in a predetermined interval, as indicated by the first and timing signals.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second signal deriving means comprises transducer means adapted to be mounted on the subject for monitoring the quantity of repetitive actions taken by a limb of the subject.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the transducer means comprises inertia means for deriving a pulse each time the limb completes a cycle of the repetitive action.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the transducer means comprises a pedometer, and the input means includes means for deriving a signal indicative of stride length, said computer means being responsive to pulses derived from the inertia means and the stride length indicating signal for deriving the second signal.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the indicator means is visual and further including means for selectively supplying the second signal to the visual indicator means.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 or 23 wherein the indicator means is visual and the computer means is responsive to the second signal and the timing signal for deriving a signal indicative of speed, and means for selectively supplying the speed indicating signals to the visual indicator means.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 or 23 wherein the first signal deriving means includes means for monitoring the number of heart beats of the subject and wherein the computer means is responsive to the first and timing signals for deriving a signal indicative of beats per unit length of time, said indicator being visual, and means for selectively supplying the signal indicative of beats per unit length of time to said visual indicator means.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the computer means includes a memory, means for supplying signals indicative of predetermined physiological parameters to the memory, a pair of terminals for a DC power supply for the computer means, signal deriving means, and indicator means, switch means for enabling the memory to store the signals indicative of the parameters while the remainder of the computer means, the signal deriving means and indicator means are decoupled from the DC power supply and for enabling new signals indicative of the parameters to be supplied to the memory.

27. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for monitoring the number of heart beats includes means for detecting absorption changes of optical energy in a vessel of the subject in response to pressure waves resulting from beats of the heart.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the detecting means includes an infra red optical energy source and an infra red detector responsive to optical energy from the infra red source reflected from the vein.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the infra red source and infra red detector are mounted on a support adapted to be mounted on a fingertip of the subject.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the infra red source and infra red detector are mounted on a support adapted to be mounted on a brachialis muscle of the subject.

51. The apparatus of claim 1, 23 or 50 wherein the first signal deriving means includes means for monitoring the number of heart beats of the subject, the input means deriving signals indicative of the sex, age, rest heart rate, and weight of the subject, said computer means being responsive to all of the signals for deriving the physical activity signal as a function of the maximum oxygen uptake of the subject.

52. The apparatus of claim 1, 23 or 48 wherein the first signal deriving means includes means for monitoring the number of heart beats of the subject, the input means deriving signals indicative of the sex, age, rest heart rate, and weight of the subject, said computer means being responsive to the signals for deriving the physical activity signal as a function of the calorie consumption of the subject.

53. The apparatus of claim 1, 23 or 48 wherein the first signal deriving means includes means for monitoring the number of heart beats of the subject, the input means deriving signals indicative of the sex, age, rest heart rate, and weight of the subject, said computer means being responsive to all of the signals for deriving the first and second physical activity signals respectively representing calorie consumption of the subject and the time rate at which the subject performs an aerobic exercise associated with movement of the limb.

31. Apparatus for testing the physical condition of a subject comprising means adapted to be mounted on the subject for monitoring and deriving a first signal indicative of heart activity of the subject, an electronic instrument housing adapted to be carried by the subject, means for coupling said first signal to terminals on the instrument housing, said housing including:

(a) an inertial member for monitoring the quantity of repetitive actions taken by a limb of the subject and for deriving a second signal indicative of said quantity, (b) a keyboard for enabling signals to be derived indicative of numerical quantities associated with a plurality of physiologically relevant parameters of the subject, (c) a clock source of deriving timing signals, (d) digital computer means responsive to the first, second, timing and keyboard signals for deriving plural digital output signals indicative of different physical activities of the tested subject, (e) visual digital indicator means, (f) plural key switches, each associated with a different one of the physical activities, and (g) means responsive to activation of the plural key switches for selectively coupling different ones of the plural output signals to the visual indicator means so only one of the output signals is supplied to the indicator means at a time.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the first signal deriving means includes means for monitoring the number of heart beats of the subject.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the means for monitoring the number of heart beats includes electrodes adapted to be on the subject for deriving an electrocardiogram signal.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the means for monitoring further includes means for detecting r pulses of the electrocardiogram signal to the exclusion of other pulses of the electrocardiogram signal.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the means for detecting r pulses includes a band pass filter for passing the r pulses and a clamping circuit for peaks of the r pulses.

36. The apparatus of claim 33 or 34 further including full wave rectifier means for the r pulses so that r pulses of only one polarity are applied to the clamping means regardless of the connections of the electrodes to the r pulse detecting means.

37. The apparatus of claim 33 or 34 further including means for preventing derivation of the first signal in response to a pair of adjacent detected r pulses occurring in less than a predetermined interval which is less than the possible period between adjacent beats of a heart.

38. The apparatus of claim 33 or 34 or 35 wherein three electrodes are provided on the subject, each electrode being associated with a lead wire, shield means for the lead wires, said three lead wires and shield means being connected to three sets of input terminals of an electronic instrument housing, each set of input terminals including a grounded terminal connected to the shield means and a signal input terminal, one of said signal input terminals being connected to a DC reference level, differential amplifier means responsive to voltages at the other two signal input terminals, and means for referencing the differential amplifier means to the reference level to provide common mode rejection for voltages generated by said electrodes.

39. The apparatus of claim 31 further including an aural indicator, and means for pulsing the aural indicator in response to each heart beat, said pulsing means being activated when the computer means is responsive to at least a predetermined number of beats in a predetermined interval, as indicated by the first and timing signals.

40. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the means for monitoring the number of heart beats include means for detecting absorption changes of optical energy in a vein of the subject in response to pressure waves resulting from beats of the heart.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the detecting means includes an infra red optical energy source and an infra red detector responsive to optical energy from the infra red source reflected from the vessel.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the infra red source and infra red detector are mounted on a support adapted to be mounted on a fingertip of the subject.

43. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein the infra red source and infra red detector are mounted on a support adapted to be mounted on a brachialis muscle of the subject.

44. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the first signal deriving means includes means for monitoring the number of heart beats of the subject, the keyboard deriving signals indicative of the sex, age, rest heart rate, and weight of the subject, said computer means being responsive to the signals for deriving the physical activity signal as a function of the maximum oxygen uptake of the subject.

45. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the first signal deriving means includes means for monitoring the number of heart beats of the subject, the keyboard deriving signals indicative of the sex, age, rest heart rate, and weight of the subject, said computer means being responsive to the signals for deriving the physical activity signal as a function of the calorie consumption of the subject, one of said keys being for calorie consumption.

46. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the first signal deriving means includes means for monitoring the number of heart beats of the subject, the keyboard deriving signals indicative of the sex, age, rest heart rate, and weight of the subject, said computer means being responsive to the signals for deriving the first and second physical activity signals respectively representing calorie consumption of the subject and the time rate at which the subject performs an aerobic exercise associated with movement of the limb, first and second of said keys being for calorie consumption and time rate.

47. Portable apparatus for testing the physical condition of a subject performing an aerobic exercise involving motion of a limb of the subject comprising means adapted to be mounted on the subject for monitoring and deriving a first signal indicative of heart activity of the subject, means for deriving a second signal indicative of distance traversed by the subject during testing, a housing adapted to be mounted on the subject, said housing including:

(a) input means for deriving at least one signal indicative of a predetermined constant physiologically relevant, parameter of the subject, (b) a clock source for deriving a timing signal during testing of the subject, (c) computer means responsive to the first, second, predetermined physiologically relevant parameter and timing signals for calculating the magnitude of a signal indicative of physical activity of the subject being tested in response to the values of said first and second signals, said physiologically relevant parameter and timing signals, and (d) indicator means responsive to the physical activity signal.

49. The apparatus of claims 47 or 48 wherein the first signal deriving means includes means for monitoring the number of heart beats of the subject.

48. Apparatus for testing the physical condition of a subject performing an aerobic exercise involving motion of a limb comprising means adapted to be mounted on the subject for monitoring and deriving a first signal indicative of heart activity of the subject, means for deriving a second signal indicative of distance traversed by the subject during testing, a portable electronic instrument housing adapted to be mounted on the subject, means for coupling said first signal to terminals on the instrument housing, said housing including:

(a) a keyboard for enabling signals to be derived indicative of numerical quantities associated with a plurality of physiologically relevant, predetermined constant value parameters of the subject, (b) a clock source for deriving timing signals, (c) digital computer means responsive to the first, second, timing and keyboard signals for deriving plural digital output signals indicative of different physical activities of the tested subject, at least some of the digital output signals being calculated by the computer means in response to the values of said first and second signals, and said physiologically relevant parameter signal and said timing signal, (d) visual digital indicator means, (e) plural key switches, each associated with a different one of the physical activities, and (f) means responsive to activation of the plural key switches for selectively coupling different ones of the plural output signals to the visual indicator means so only one of the output signals is supplied to the indicator means at a time.

50. Apparatus for testing the physical condition of a subject comprising means adapted to be physically coupled to the subject for monitoring and deriving a first signal proportional to a heart beat rate of the subject, means for deriving a second signal proportional to distance traversed by the subject during testing, input means for deriving at least one signal indicative of a predetermined physiologically relevant parameter of the subject, said parameter having a constant, predetermined value for the particular subject, a clock source for deriving a timing signal during testing of the subject, and computer means responsive to the first, second, predetermined physiologically relevant parameter and timing signals for calculating the magnitude of a signal indicative of physical activity of the subject being tested in response to the values of said first and second signals, said physiologically relevant parameter, and said timing signal, and indicator means responsive to the physical activity signal for displaying the magnitude of the physical activity signal.