System an method for detecting tremors such as those which result from parkinson's disease
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring tremors in the limb of a patient, comprisingmeans for detecting limb movements and for generating signals representative of said limb movements,analyzing means for analyzing said signals to determine signal periods,storage means for storing signal period criteria, said criteria comprising data representing a range of signal periods within about 40-170 ms and characteristic of tremors, and a number greater than zero corresponding to a minimum number of consecutive signals with periods in said range which repeat uninterruptedly without intervening periods, anddetermining means for determining when said signal periods of said signals are within said range and for determining when said signals with periods within said range repeat at least said minimum number of times without interruption, whereby tremor occurrences are detected.
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Abstract
A system and method are provided for accurate determination of various tremors and movements derived from Parkinson'"'"'s Disease and other causes. Movement signals are generated by an accelerometer, the movement signals being analyzed to determine whether they are in a predetermined frequency range, and when there occurs an uninterrupted series of such movement signals that are within the frequency range. By determining when these two criteria are met, tremor signals are reliably discriminated from other activity signals. The system includes circuitry for collecting and storing data concerning the timing of tremor occurrences, the timing of other activity occurrences, and amplitude data concerning tremor occurrences.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring tremors in the limb of a patient, comprising
means for detecting limb movements and for generating signals representative of said limb movements, analyzing means for analyzing said signals to determine signal periods, storage means for storing signal period criteria, said criteria comprising data representing a range of signal periods within about 40-170 ms and characteristic of tremors, and a number greater than zero corresponding to a minimum number of consecutive signals with periods in said range which repeat uninterruptedly without intervening periods, and determining means for determining when said signal periods of said signals are within said range and for determining when said signals with periods within said range repeat at least said minimum number of times without interruption, whereby tremor occurrences are detected.
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18. A method of detecting a tremor of an ambulatory patient, comprising
establishing frequency and duration criteria applicable to the movements of a tremor to be detected, continuously obtaining signals representative of limb movement of said patient, determining when said signals meet said frequency criterion, and determining when said signals meeting requirements of said frequency criterion continue substantially without any intervening periods over a time period corresponding to said duration criterion.
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19. A system for detecting a tremor of a patient, said system having means for continuously obtaining and analyzing signals representative of limb movement of said patient, characterized by
means for storing frequency and duration criteria applicable to the movements of a tremor to be detected, first means for determining when said signals meet requirements of said frequency criterion, and second means for determining when said signals meeting requirements of said frequency criterion continue substantially without any intervening periods over a time period corresponding to said duration criterion.
Specification