Methods and apparatus for monitoring vital signs
First Claim
1. An apparatus for monitoring the heart and breath sounds of a patient comprising:
- (a) a first sound sensing device, comprising means for detecting first sounds of biological origin and for producing a first electrical signal representative of said first detected sounds;
(b) a second sound sensing device comprising means for detecting second sounds of biological origin and for producing a second electrical signal representative of said second detected sounds;
(c) means for independently and adjustably amplifying said first electrical signal;
(d) means for independently and adjustably amplifying said second electrical signal(e) means for mixing said amplified signals to produce a mixed electrical signal comprising said first and said second electrical signals; and
(f) means for converting said mixed electrical signal into a display signal representative of said first and second sounds.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for the detection of inadvertent endobronchial intubation, esophageal intubation and other potentially dangerous complications arising from invasive monitoring, endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation during surgery. Methods of the present invention generally require producing a mixed electrial signal comprising the combination of a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal, the first electrical signal being representative of the sounds emanating from a first region of the patients body and the second electrical signal being representative of the sounds emanating from a second region of the patients body. The mixed electrical signal is converted into a display signal, and then the display signal is monitored while reducing the contribution of said first electrical signal in said mixed signal to a value substantialy less than the contribution of said second signal in said mixed signal.
Apparatus comprising at least two electronic sound sensing devices are disclosed. Means for independently and adjustably amplifying the electrical signals are provided. The apparatus further includes means for mixing said amplified electrical signals to produce a mixed electrical signal. The output of the mixing means is connected to a signal transducer for converting said mixed electrical signal into a display signal.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus for monitoring the heart and breath sounds of a patient comprising:
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(a) a first sound sensing device, comprising means for detecting first sounds of biological origin and for producing a first electrical signal representative of said first detected sounds; (b) a second sound sensing device comprising means for detecting second sounds of biological origin and for producing a second electrical signal representative of said second detected sounds; (c) means for independently and adjustably amplifying said first electrical signal; (d) means for independently and adjustably amplifying said second electrical signal (e) means for mixing said amplified signals to produce a mixed electrical signal comprising said first and said second electrical signals; and (f) means for converting said mixed electrical signal into a display signal representative of said first and second sounds. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of detecting the presence or absence of bilateral ventilation in a patient undergoing a surgical operation comprising:
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(a) placing a first sound sensing device in operative association with the left chest wall of said patient to produce a first electrical signal representative of the sounds emanating from the left lung; (b) placing a second sound sensing device in operative association with the right chest wall of said patient to produce a second electrical signal representative of the sounds emanating from the right lung; (c) mixing said first and second electrical signal to produce a mixed electrical signal comprising said first and second electrical signals, said first and second signals having been amplified prior to mixing; (d) converting the mixed electrical signal to an auditory signal comprising a combination of said first and second sounds; and (e) monitoring said auditory signal. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of monitoring sounds emanating from the body of a patient comprising:
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(a) producing a mixed electrical signal comprising a combination of a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal, said first electrical signal being representative of sounds emanating from a first region of the patient'"'"'s body and said second electrical signal being representative of sounds emanating from a second region of the patient'"'"'s body; (b) converting the mixed electrical signal to a display signal; and (c) monitoring said display signal while reducing the contribution of said first signal in said mixed signal to a value substantially less than the contribution of said second signal in said mixed signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification