Method and apparatus for measuring heartbeat rate
First Claim
1. A heart rate monitor comprising:
- detection means for measuring the time intervals between the successive beats of a heart and for producing a corresponding sequence of timing measurements;
averaging means for averaging a prescribed set of the successive timing measurements, to produce a measurement average; and
adjusting means for comparing each timing measurement in the set with the measurement average and adjusting a particular measurement in the set in accordance with the comparisons, thereby producing an adjusted set of timing measurements;
wherein the means for averaging further operates to average the adjusted set of timing measurements, to produce an estimate of heartbeat rate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A heart rate monitoring apparatus and related method for detecting the successive beats of a heart and providing a reliable estimate of heartbeat rate. The apparatus measures the time intervals between the successive beats and averages a prescribed number of the most recently occurring measurements. The particular measurement that differs most from the computed average is adjusted to be equal to that average, and the adjusted set of measurements is then averaged. These latter steps of adjusting and averaging are repeated a prescribed number of times, and the last-computed average is displayed as an estimate of heartbeat rate. The entire procedure is repeated upon the occurrence of each successive heartbeat.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A heart rate monitor comprising:
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detection means for measuring the time intervals between the successive beats of a heart and for producing a corresponding sequence of timing measurements; averaging means for averaging a prescribed set of the successive timing measurements, to produce a measurement average; and adjusting means for comparing each timing measurement in the set with the measurement average and adjusting a particular measurement in the set in accordance with the comparisons, thereby producing an adjusted set of timing measurements; wherein the means for averaging further operates to average the adjusted set of timing measurements, to produce an estimate of heartbeat rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A heart rate monitor comprising:
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means for measuring the time intervals between the successive beats of a heart and for producing a corresponding sequence of timing measurements; means for averaging a prescribed number of the most recently occurring timing measurements to produce a measurement average, the prescribed set of timing measurements and the corresponding measurement average being updated upon the occurrence of each successive beat; and means for adjusting the particular measurement of the set that differs most from the measurement average to be equal to the measurement average, to produce an adjusted set of timing measurements; wherein the means for averaging further operates to average the adjusted set of timing measurements and produce an estimate of heartbeat rate. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. Apparatus for monitoring the beats of a heart and estimating heartbeat rate, comprising:
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means for measuring the time intervals between the successive beats of a heart and for producing a corresponding sequence of timing measurements indicative of heartbeat rate, the means for measuring including means for comparing each timing measurement to prescribed upper and lower thresholds and for discarding the measurement if it is not intermediate the two thresholds; means for averaging a prescribed number of the most recently occurring timing measurements to produce a measurement average, the prescribed set of timing measurements and the corresponding measurement average being updated upon the occurrence of each successive beat; and means for adjusting the particular measurement of the set that differs most from the measurement average to be equal to the measurement average, to produce an adjusted set of timing measurements; wherein the means for averaging and the means for adjusting further operate repeatedly, a prescribed number of times, to average the adjusted set of timing measurements and produce an adjusted measurement average, and to adjust the particular measurement in the adjusted set that differs most from the adjusted measurement average, the final adjusted measurement average being an estimate of heartbeat rate. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method for monitoring the beats of a heart and estimating heartbeat rate, comprising steps of:
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measuring the time intervals between the successive heartbeats and producing a corresponding sequence of timing measurements; averaging a prescribed set of the successive timing measurements, to produce a measurement average; comparing each timing measurement in the set with the measurement average and adjusting the particular measurement in the set that differs most from the measurement average, thereby producing an adjusted set of timing measurements; and averaging the adjusted set of timing measurements to produce an estimate of heartbeat rate. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for monitoring the beats of a heart and estimating heartbeat rate, comprising steps of:
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measuring the time intervals between the successive heartbeats and producing a corresponding sequence of timing measurements; averaging a prescribed number of the most recently occurring timing measurements, to produce a measurement average; adjusting the particular measurement in the set that differs most from the measurement average to be equal to the measurement average, to produce an adjusted set of timing measurements; and averaging the adjusted set of timing measurements, to produce an estimate of heartbeat rate. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A heart rate monitor comprising:
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means for measuring the time intervals between the successive beats of a heart and for producing a corresponding sequence of timing measurements; means for grouping the timing measurements into a prescribed set and adjusting a particular measurement of the set in a prescribed fashion, to produce an adjusted set of timing measurements; and means for averaging the adjusted set of timing measurements, to produce an estimate of heartbeat rate. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification