Intelligent stethoscope
First Claim
1. An intelligent stethoscope for automatic diagnosis of sensed body sounds, comprising:
- (a) input means for receiving the sensed body sounds;
(b) first memory means connected to said input means for storing the sensed body sounds;
(c) second memory means for storing first characteristics of at least one representative body sounds corresponding to a known physical abnormality;
(d) control means connected to said first memory means and said second memory means for generating second characteristics corresponding to the sensed body sounds and for comparing said second characteristics corresponding to the sensed body sounds of said first memory means to said first characteristics of said at least one representative body sounds of said second memory means; and
(e) indicator means attached to said control means for indicating a match between said second characteristics and said first characteristics.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An intelligenet stethoscope for performing auscultation and for automatically diagnosing abnormalities based on body sounds is described in which the body sounds are received, digitized and stored in memory. The body sounds are recorded from a plurality of locations on the body, and all of the sounds are categorized according to specific characteristics to form a matrix of information. The generated matrix is then compared against a plurality of stored matrices using a technique similar to signature analysis. Each of the stored matrices contain information indicative of known abnormalities such as specific heart murmurs, lung abnormalities, etc. When a matrix match is found, the diagnosis is displayed on an LCD display formed in the body of the stethoscope. The LCD display is also capable of displaying a visual representation of the recorded body sounds. The resent invention is applicable to heart sounds, lung sounds, and bruits. A wide variety of heart and lung abnormalities along with their signatures are described and the specific steps required for the signature analysis is described.
213 Citations
34 Claims
-
1. An intelligent stethoscope for automatic diagnosis of sensed body sounds, comprising:
-
(a) input means for receiving the sensed body sounds; (b) first memory means connected to said input means for storing the sensed body sounds; (c) second memory means for storing first characteristics of at least one representative body sounds corresponding to a known physical abnormality; (d) control means connected to said first memory means and said second memory means for generating second characteristics corresponding to the sensed body sounds and for comparing said second characteristics corresponding to the sensed body sounds of said first memory means to said first characteristics of said at least one representative body sounds of said second memory means; and (e) indicator means attached to said control means for indicating a match between said second characteristics and said first characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. An auscultation apparatus for automatically diagnosing abnormalities, comprising:
-
(a) input means for receiving body sounds; (b) digitizing means connected to said input means for digitizing said body sounds and for producing therefrom digitized body sounds; (c) first memory means connected to said digitizing means for storing said digitized body sounds; (d) second memory means for storing a plurality of matrices of characteristics each matrix corresponding to a known physical abnormality; (e) control means connected to said first memory means and said second memory means for analyzing specific characteristics of said digitized body sounds, for building a generated matrix of characteristics therefrom and for comparing said generated matrix to each of said plurality of matrices of characteristics; and (f) indicator means attached to said control means for indicating if a match between said generated matrix and at least one of said plurality of matrices of characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. An auscultation apparatus for performing time-domain signature analysis, comprising:
-
(a) input means for receiving body sounds; (b) digitizing means connected to said input means for digitizing body sounds and for producing therefrom digitized body sounds; (c) first memory means connected to said digitizing means for storing a plurality of said digitized body sounds; (d) second memory means for storing a plurality of representative digitized body sounds corresponding to known physical ailments; (e) third memory means for storing a software control program; and (f) control means connected for controlling said input means, said digitizing means, said first memory means, said second memory means, and said third memory means, for executing said control program for causing the auscultation apparatus to perform the steps of; (i) receiving, digitizing and storing body sounds taken from at least one location on the body; (ii) generating a matrix of data such that the entries in the matrix correspond to characteristics and attributes of the body sounds taken from at least one location on the body; (iii) comparing the generated matrix from the body sounds to at least one matrix stored in said second memory means; and (iv) indicating a match between said generated matrix and said at least one matrix stored in said second memory means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of automatically diagnosing abnormalities from body sounds comprising the steps of:
-
(a) receiving from the body the audio sounds falling within the audible spectrum; (b) digitizing the received body sounds and storing them in a memory; (c) generating a matrix based on the characteristics and attributes of the stored digitized body sounds; (d) comparing the generated matrix to at least one previously generated matrix corresponding to a known physical abnormality; (e) indicating a match between said generated matrix and said stored matrix. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
-
18. A continuous time-domain, visual display stethoscope, comprising:
-
an acoustic bell adapted for receiving audible body sounds including a microphone for converting said body sounds into analog electrical signals; analog-to-digital conversion means connected to said microphone for converting said analog body sounds into digital patterns on a real-time basis; memory means connected to said conversion means for storing said digital patterns; analysis means connected to said memory means for analyzing said digital patterns and for locating specific characteristics therein; display means connected to said memory means and said analysis means for receiving said digital patterns and for displaying a time-domain, visual representation of said body sounds on time-magnitude axes and for displaying said specific characteristics; and audio output means connected to said acoustic bell for passing to a listener said body sounds simultaneous with the time-domain display of said body sounds and said specific characteristics on said display means. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
-
21. A visual display stethoscope, comprising:
-
input means for receiving audible body sounds and for converting said body sounds into analog electrical signals; analog-to-digital conversion means connected to said input means for converting said analog body sounds into digital patterns; memory means connected to said conversion means for capturing a time interval of said body sounds and for storing said digital patterns corresponding to said time interval of said body sounds; analysis means connected to said memory means for analyzing said digital patterns and for locating specific characteristics therein; display means connected to said memory means and said analysis means for receiving said digital patterns and for displaying a frozen visual representation of said digital patterns on time-magnitude axes and for displaying and labeling said specific characteristics; and display control means connected to said memory means and to said display means for controlling and manipulating the frozen visual representation of said digital patterns on said display means. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
-
-
24. An analytic visual display stethoscope, comprising:
-
input means for receiving audible body sounds and for converting said body sounds into analog electrical signals; analog-to-digital conversion means connected to said input means for converting said analog body sounds into digital patterns; memory means connected to said conversion means for storing said digital patterns; display means connected to said memory means for receiving said digital patterns and for displaying a visual representation of said digital patterns on time-magnitude axes; and measurement means connected to said memory means and to said display means for automatically locating and measuring preselected features of said digital patterns and for automatically displaying the results of said measurements on said display means. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. A combination audio and visual stethoscope, comprising:
-
an acoustic bell adapted for receiving audible body sounds; a first tubular member connected to said acoustic bell; a body connected to said first tubular member and including a visual display for displaying a visual representation of said body sounds on time-magnitude axes; a second tubular member connected to said body; at least one ear piece connected to said second tubular member for transmitting said audible body sounds for use by a listener; and said body including; electronic input means attached within said acoustic bell for receiving said audible body sounds and for converting said body sounds into analog electrical signals; analog-to-digital conversion means attached within said body and connected to said electronic input means for converting said analog body sounds into digital patterns; memory means attached within said body and connected to said conversion means for storing said digital patterns; said visual display being connected to said memory means for receiving said digital patterns and for displaying a visual representation of said body sounds on said time-magnitude axes; and audio output means attached within said at least one ear piece for passing to a listener, said body sounds simultaneous with the real-time display of said body sounds on said display means. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
-
Specification