Heart monitoring system usable with a smartphone or computer

• US 9,649,042 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2013
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AliveCor Inc.
• Original Assignee: AliveCor Inc.
• Inventors: Albert, David, Barnett, Kim Norman, Satchwell, Bruce Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Moran, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): So, Elizabeth K
• Application Number:
  US13/964,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20130331663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/07 Home care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/045 with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

A personal monitoring device has a sensor assembly configured to sense physiological signals upon contact with a user'"'"'s skin. The sensor assembly produces electrical signals representing the sensed physiological signals. A converter assembly, integrated with, and electrically connected to the sensor assembly, converts the electrical signals generated by the sensor assembly to a frequency modulated physiological audio signal having a carrier frequency in the range of from about 6 kHz to about 20 kHz.

Claims

1. An ECG device comprising:

a computing device comprising a display;

an electrode assembly configured to sense heart-related signals upon contact with a user'"'"'s skin, and to convert the sensed heart-related signals to an ECG signal; and

a converter assembly integrated with, and electrically connected to the electrode assembly, the converter assembly configured to convert the ECG signal generated by the electrode assembly to a frequency modulated ECG audio signal having a carrier frequency in the range of from about 6 kHz to about 20 kHz;

a transmitter configured to transmit the frequency modulated ECG audio signal having a carrier frequency in the range of from about 6 kHz to about 20 kHz to the computing device;

a housing containing the electrode assembly, the converter assembly, and the transmitter, and configured to couple the electrode assembly, the converter assembly, and the transmitter to a surface of the computing device; and

wherein the computing device is configured to receive the frequency modulated ECG audio signal having a carrier frequency in the range of from about 6 kHz to about 20 kHz and display an ECG signal on the display.

2. The ECG device of claim 1, wherein the frequency modulated ECG audio signal has a carrier frequency in the range of from about 10 kHz to about 15 kHz.

3. The ECG device of claim 1, wherein the electrode assembly comprises two electrodes.

4. The ECG device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is a speaker.

5. The ECG device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is a piezoelectric buzzer.

6. The ECG device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to output the ECG signal to a microphone in the computing device.

7. The ECG device of claim 6, wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet personal computers, pocket personal computers, notebook computers, desktop computers, and server computers.

8. The ECG device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a smartphone protective case.

9. The ECG device of claim 1, wherein the frequency modulated ECG audio signal has a carrier frequency in the range of from about 10 kHz to about 15 kHz.

10. The ECG device of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises an accelerometer.

11. The ECG device of claim 10, wherein the computing device comprises:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with a computer program including instructions configured to cause the processor to

receive data from the accelerometer; and

determine an energy expenditure.

12. The ECG device of claim 10, wherein the computing device comprises:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with a computer program including instructions configured to cause the processor to

receive data from the accelerometer; and

determine a body position.

13. The ECG device of claim 1, wherein the ECG device comprises a microphone assisted stethoscope.

14. The ECG device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to display the ECG signal in real time.