Cardiovascular monitoring system

• US 5,036,856 A
• Filed: 07/19/1990
• Issued: 08/06/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William E. Thornton
• Original Assignee: William E. Thornton
• Inventors: Thornton, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US07/554,421
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 128/670, 128/710, 128/782, 128/668, 128/903, 128/671
• US Class Current: 600/483
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0204 Acoustic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1104 induced by stimuli or drugs; A61B5/1102 takes precedence; investigating medicinal preparations G01N33/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/336 Magnetic recording apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6828 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/78 Detection of presence or absence of voice signals switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10

Abstract

A cardiovascular monitoring system which generates signals representative of certain physical activities of the subject and additional signals representing the emotional state of the subject in conjunction with the usual EKG signals. All of the signals generated by the monitoring system are digitized and multiplexed so that the signals representing the physical activities and emotion states of the subject may be recorded in a single channel. A usual Holter recorder may be used for recording the EKG signals, and the additional signals may be recorded in a separate recorder, or in a separate channel on the Holter recorder. The additional signals may be correlated with the EKG signals for the examination of the physical activities and emotional states of the subject which could cause detected abnormalities in the EKG signals.

Claims

1. A cardiovascular monitoring system including:

first sensor means adapted to be affixed to a subject for generating EKG signals related to the subject;

second sensor means adapted to be affixed to the subject;

for generating signals related to certain physical activities of the subject;

third sensor means adapted to be affixed to the subject for generating signals of skeletal muscle vibrations related to the source of emotional state of the subject; and

recording means connected to said first, second and third sensor means for recording the signals generated thereby so that the signals generated by said second and third sensor means may be correlated with the EKG signals generated by said first sensor means to enable abnormalities in the EKG of the subject to be detected and correlated with the physical activities and emotional state of the subject.

2. The monitoring system defined in claim 1, in which said recording means includes a Holter electromagnetic recorder connected to said first sensor means for recording said EKG signals, and a separate electromagnetic recorder connected to said second and third sensor means for recording the signals generated thereby.

3. The monitoring system defined in claim 1, and which includes a fourth sensor means adapted to be affixed to the subject for generating signals related to selected ambient conditions, and means connecting said fourth sensor means to said recording means to enable signals from said fourth sensor means to be recorded thereby.

4. The monitoring system defined in claim 1, and which includes circuit means included in said recording means for multiplexing the signals from said second and third sensor means for recording in a single channel in said recording means.

5. The monitoring system defined in claim 4, in which said circuit means includes means for digitizing the signals from said second and third sensor means.

6. The monitoring system defined in claim 1, and which includes a clock circuit included in said recording means for generating time signals to be recorded in said single channel multiplexed with the signals from said second and third sensor means.

7. The monitoring system defined in claim 6, and which includes digitizing circuitry in said recording means for digitizing said time signals.

8. The monitoring system defined in claim 1, in which said third sensor means includes transducer means for detecting voice signals, and in which said recording means includes circuitry for distinguishing the speech of the subject from the speech of others and for detecting the emotional content of the speech of the subject and the emotional content of the speech of others.

9. The monitoring system defined in claim 3, and which includes fifth sensor means adapted to be affixed to the subject for generating signals related to the posture of the subject, and means connecting said fifth sensor means to said recording means for enabling signals generated by said fifth sensor means to be recorded thereby.

10. The monitoring system defined in claim 9, and which includes sixth sensor means adapted to be affixed to the subject for generating signals related to muscle contractions of the subject which occur when the subject is asleep and experiencing an emotional dream, and means connecting said sixth sensor means to said recording means to enable the signals generated by said sixth sensor means to be recorded thereby.

11. The monitoring system defined in claim 1, and which includes sensor means for generating signals related to ambient temperature and light.