Method and apparatus for synchronizing a continuous ECG waveform display with a display of superimposed heartbeats
First Claim
1. A method for processing and displaying electrocardiographic waveforms, said method comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a stream of electrocardiographic waveform data with said stream being composed of one or more electrocardiographic waveforms;
creating a data structure having elements each composed of a single electrocardiographic waveform, drawn from said obtained stream of electrocardiographic waveform data, with said created data structure elements arranged such that the sequential ordering of said one or more electrocardiographic waveforms within said obtained stream can be identified and whereby said elements can be individually manipulated;
creating a predetermined number of empty beat bins each of which can contain at least one electrocardiographic waveform;
writing certain of said data structure elements composed of single electrocardiographic waveforms and representative of certain electrocardiographic waveforms of interest to one or more of said predetermined number of beat bins, in response to operator signals;
selecting for visual presentation certain bins of said predetermined number of beat bins, in response to operator signals; and
manipulating the contents of said selected for visual presentation certain bins and visually presenting said manipulated contents on a visual display device, in response to operator signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer controls a video display having a display screen for displaying ECG heartbeats superimposed over one another. The ECG data is collected during Holter monitoring and stored in a memory. A plurality of successive heartbeats are written to the display with their R-waves aligned. As the next new heartbeat in chronological order is displayed the longest-displayed heartbeat is removed. The total number of heartbeats displayed therefore remains constant. The user can select the total number of heartbeats, between one and five, to be displayed at one time. In one mode, a heartbeat is added, and removed, during each screen refresh cycle. In another mode, the user can step the display in either reverse or forward chronological order one step at a time. A second display is provided upon which heartbeat waveforms are added at the end of a continuous ECG waveform each time a new heartbeat waveform is superimposed in the other display. The same heartbeat waveform is written to each display at the same time.
74 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for processing and displaying electrocardiographic waveforms, said method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a stream of electrocardiographic waveform data with said stream being composed of one or more electrocardiographic waveforms; creating a data structure having elements each composed of a single electrocardiographic waveform, drawn from said obtained stream of electrocardiographic waveform data, with said created data structure elements arranged such that the sequential ordering of said one or more electrocardiographic waveforms within said obtained stream can be identified and whereby said elements can be individually manipulated; creating a predetermined number of empty beat bins each of which can contain at least one electrocardiographic waveform; writing certain of said data structure elements composed of single electrocardiographic waveforms and representative of certain electrocardiographic waveforms of interest to one or more of said predetermined number of beat bins, in response to operator signals; selecting for visual presentation certain bins of said predetermined number of beat bins, in response to operator signals; and manipulating the contents of said selected for visual presentation certain bins and visually presenting said manipulated contents on a visual display device, in response to operator signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11)
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7. An apparatus for processing and displaying electrocardiographic waveforms, said apparatus comprising:
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means for obtaining a stream of electrocardiographic waveform data with said stream being composed of one or more electrocardiographic waveforms; means for creating a data structure having elements each composed of a single electrocardiographic waveform, drawn from said obtained stream of electrocardiographic waveform data, with said created data structure elements arranged such that the sequential ordering of said one or more electrocardiographic waveforms within said obtained stream can be identified and whereby said elements can be individually manipulated; means for creating a predetermined number of empty beat bins each of which can contain at least one electrocardiographic waveform; means for writing certain of said data structure elements composed of single electrocardiographic waveforms and representative of certain electrocardiographic waveforms of interest to one or more of said predetermined number of beat bins, in response to operator signals; means for selecting for visual presentation certain bins of said predetermined number of beat bins, in response to operator signals; and means for manipulating the contents of said selected for visual presentation certain bins and visually presenting said manipulated contents on a visual display device, in response to operator signals. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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12. A method for processing and displaying electrocardiographic waveforms, said method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a stream of electrocardiographic waveform data with said stream being composed of one or more electrocardiographic waveforms; creating a data structure having elements each composed of a single electrocardiographic waveform, drawn from said obtained stream of electrocardiographic waveform data, with said created data structure elements arranged such that the sequential ordering of said one or more electrocardiographic waveforms within said obtained stream can be identified and whereby said elements can be individually manipulated; creating a predetermined number of empty beat bins each of which can contain at least one electrocardiographic waveform; in response to operator signals, creating at least three sets of control signals with said first set of control signals being utilized to control which of said data elements will be manipulated, said second set of control signals being utilized to control the manner in which waveforms are to be sequenced and displayed, and said third set of control signals being utilized to control the manner in which waveforms are to be overlaid and displayed; in response to said created first set of control signals, sequentially writing certain of said data structure elements composed of single electrocardiographic waveforms and representative of certain electrocardiographic waveforms of interest to one or more of said predetermined number of beat bins; in response to said created second set of control signals, selecting for sequential ordering certain bins of said predetermined number of beat bins; in response to said created second set of control signals, sequentially ordering said selected certain bins; in response to said created second set of control signals, concatenating the contents said selected certain bins and subsequently outputting said concatenated contents to a first region of a visual display device in such a fashion that said concatenated contents of said beat bins can create either what appears to be either a discontinuous waveform or a continuous waveform in said first region of said display device; in response to said created third set of control signals, selecting for overlaying certain bins of said predetermined number of beat bins; in response to said created third set of control signals, overlaying the contents of said selected for overlaying certain bins of said predetermined number of bins and outputting said overlaid contents to a second region of said visual display device; in response to a loop counter portion of said created second set of control signals, reprogramming a bin selection portion of said created second set of control signals to indicate that other of said predetermined number of bins are to be selected for sequential ordering, reprogramming a sequential ordering portion of said second created set of control signals to indicate how said other bins selected for sequential ordering are to be sequenced, reprogramming a concatenation portion of said created second set of control signals to indicate how said sequenced other bins selected are to be concatenated, and re-performing said selecting for sequential ordering, sequentially ordering, and concatenation steps; and in response to a loop counter portion of said created third set of control signals, reprogramming a bin selection portion of said created third set of control signals to indicate that other of said predetermined number of bins are to be selected for overlaying, reprogramming an overlaying portion of said third created set of control signals to indicate how the overlaying of the contents of said selected bins is to be accomplished, and re-performing said selecting for overlaying, and overlaying steps. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification