Ambulatory electrocardiography monitor recorder optimized for capturing low amplitude cardiac action potential propagation
First Claim
1. An extended wear ambulatory electrocardiography monitor recorder optimized for capturing low amplitude cardiac action potential propagation, comprising:
- a wearable housing adapted to be coupled to a pair of electrocardiographic electrodes that are fitted for dermal placement along a sternal midline; and
electronic circuitry provided within the wearable housing and comprising;
a low power microcontroller operable to execute over an extended period under modular micro program control as specified in firmware stored in a program memory unit;
an electrocardiographic front end circuit interfaced to the microcontroller and configured to output electrocardiographic signals representative of cardiac activation wave front amplitudes, comprising;
a signal lead operable to sense cardiac electrical potentials dermally through one of the electrocardiographic electrodes;
a reference lead operable to sense the cardiac electrical potentials dermally through the other of the electrocardiographic electrodes; and
a reference generator comprising a pair of resistors configured to inject a driven reference containing power supply noise and system noise to the reference lead, the signal lead further comprising a coupling capacitor and a protection resistor associated with thermal noise and comprised inline with the electrocardiographic electrode, wherein the thermal noise is not contained in the driven reference, the pair of the resistors connected to a DC power source by a pair of connections through which the pair of the resistors receive the system noise and the power noise comprised in the driven reference; and
non-volatile memory electrically interfaced with the microcontroller and operable to continuously store samples of the electrocardiographic signals throughout the extended period.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Physiological monitoring can be provided through a lightweight wearable monitor that includes two components, a flexible extended wear electrode patch and a reusable monitor recorder that removably snaps into a receptacle on the electrode patch. The wearable monitor sits centrally (in the midline) on the patient'"'"'s chest along the sternum oriented top-to-bottom. The placement of the wearable monitor in a location at the sternal midline, with its unique narrow “hourglass”-like shape, significantly improves the ability of the wearable monitor to cutaneously sense cardiac electrical potential signals, particularly the P-wave and, to a lesser extent, the QRS interval signals indicating ventricular activity in the ECG waveforms. Additionally, the monitor recorder includes an ECG sensing circuit that measures raw cutaneous electrical signals using a driven reference containing power supply noise and system noise to the reference lead, which is critical to preserving the characteristics of low amplitude cardiac action potentials, particularly P-waves.
362 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An extended wear ambulatory electrocardiography monitor recorder optimized for capturing low amplitude cardiac action potential propagation, comprising:
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a wearable housing adapted to be coupled to a pair of electrocardiographic electrodes that are fitted for dermal placement along a sternal midline; and electronic circuitry provided within the wearable housing and comprising; a low power microcontroller operable to execute over an extended period under modular micro program control as specified in firmware stored in a program memory unit; an electrocardiographic front end circuit interfaced to the microcontroller and configured to output electrocardiographic signals representative of cardiac activation wave front amplitudes, comprising; a signal lead operable to sense cardiac electrical potentials dermally through one of the electrocardiographic electrodes; a reference lead operable to sense the cardiac electrical potentials dermally through the other of the electrocardiographic electrodes; and a reference generator comprising a pair of resistors configured to inject a driven reference containing power supply noise and system noise to the reference lead, the signal lead further comprising a coupling capacitor and a protection resistor associated with thermal noise and comprised inline with the electrocardiographic electrode, wherein the thermal noise is not contained in the driven reference, the pair of the resistors connected to a DC power source by a pair of connections through which the pair of the resistors receive the system noise and the power noise comprised in the driven reference; and non-volatile memory electrically interfaced with the microcontroller and operable to continuously store samples of the electrocardiographic signals throughout the extended period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An ambulatory electrocardiography monitor recorder optimized for capturing low amplitude cardiac action potential propagation, comprising:
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a wearable housing adapted to be coupled to a pair of electrocardiographic electrodes that are fitted for dermal placement along a sternal midline; and electronic circuitry provided within the wearable housing and comprising; a low power microcontroller operable to execute over an extended period under modular micro program control as specified in firmware stored in a program memory unit; an electrocardiographic front end circuit interfaced to the microcontroller and configured to output electrocardiographic signals representative of cardiac activation wave front amplitudes, comprising; a signal lead operable to sense cardiac electrical potentials dermally through one of the electrocardiographic electrodes and comprising a coupling capacitor and a protection resistor comprised inline with the electrocardiographic electrode; a reference lead operable to sense the cardiac electrical potentials dermally through the other of the electrocardiographic electrodes; and a reference generator comprising a pair of resistors configured to inject a driven reference containing power supply noise and system noise to the reference lead, the pair of the resistors connected to a DC power source by a pair of connections through which the pair of the resistors receive the system noise and the power noise comprised in the driven reference; and non-volatile memory electrically interfaced with the microcontroller and operable to continuously store samples of the electrocardiographic signals throughout the extended period. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification