Apparatus and method for evaluating the fetal condition
First Claim
1. Apparatus for evaluating a fetal condition prior to or during birth comprising(1.1) first detection means for detecting a fetal heart rate from a first signal indicative of said fetal heart rate and generating a fetal heart rate trace,(1.2) second detection means for detecting maternal labor from a second signal indicative of said maternal labor and generating a toco trace,(1.3) processing means for evaluating said fetal heart rate trace and said toco trace, said processing means generating quantities representative of possible diagnostic information,(1.4) rule based operating means for extracting, validating, classifying, and scoring at least one of:
- said quantities, derived parameters therefrom, said fetal heart rate trace and said toco trace,(1.5) rule storing means operatively connected with said rule based operating means for storing rules,(1.5.1) rule editing means(1.6) connection means for connecting said rule storing means with said rule editing means,(1.7) said rule editing means providing(1.7.1) a rule edit mode for setting up new rules or changing existing rules according to a user input,(1.7.2) a rule restore mode for restoring information on new or changed rules in said rule storing means,(1.8) wherein said rule based operating means is set up to operate according to information restored in said rule storing means from the time of restoration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for evaluating the fetal condition prior to or under birth receives the signals of a fetal heart rate transducer and a toco transducer. The signals are first preprocessed in the time domain and in the frequency domain. A trace processor identifies possible events like decelerations and contractions. These are validated by a validation processor, whose output is then classified by a classification processor. A score processor scores the events and cooperates with an alarm handler and a reasoning processor. The rules according to which these processors operate are stored in a rule memory and may be edited or selected, or new rules may be set up, by a display or personal computer under control of an expert interface.
107 Citations
37 Claims
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1. Apparatus for evaluating a fetal condition prior to or during birth comprising
(1.1) first detection means for detecting a fetal heart rate from a first signal indicative of said fetal heart rate and generating a fetal heart rate trace, (1.2) second detection means for detecting maternal labor from a second signal indicative of said maternal labor and generating a toco trace, (1.3) processing means for evaluating said fetal heart rate trace and said toco trace, said processing means generating quantities representative of possible diagnostic information, (1.4) rule based operating means for extracting, validating, classifying, and scoring at least one of: - said quantities, derived parameters therefrom, said fetal heart rate trace and said toco trace,
(1.5) rule storing means operatively connected with said rule based operating means for storing rules, (1.5.1) rule editing means (1.6) connection means for connecting said rule storing means with said rule editing means, (1.7) said rule editing means providing (1.7.1) a rule edit mode for setting up new rules or changing existing rules according to a user input, (1.7.2) a rule restore mode for restoring information on new or changed rules in said rule storing means, (1.8) wherein said rule based operating means is set up to operate according to information restored in said rule storing means from the time of restoration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
- said quantities, derived parameters therefrom, said fetal heart rate trace and said toco trace,
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29. Method for evaluating a fetal condition prior to or during birth comprising the steps of:
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(29.1) detecting a fetal heart rate, (29.2) detecting maternal labor, (29.3) generating quantities derived from said fetal heart rate and said maternal labor representative of possible diagnostic information, (29.4) extracting, validating, classifying, scoring at least one of said quantities, and parameters derived therefrom, according to predefined rules stored in a rule memory, (29.4.1) generating an alert or alarm if a calculated score exceeds a predefined limit (29.5) employing, in conjunction with said rule memory, a rule editing means to perform at least one of;
setting up new rules, changing existing rules, selecting predefined rules, selecting a set of predefined rules, and(29.6) storing at least one of said new rules edited rules, information on selected rules and information on a set of rules in said rule memory so as to enable modified control of said generating step (29.4.1). - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification