Method and apparatus for detecting and transmitting electrical and related audio signals from a single, common anatomical site

• US 20030176800A1
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inovise Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Inovise Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Swedlow, David B., Galen, Peter M., Baumer, Martin, Mahoney, Steven A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,010,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/513
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/045 with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/252 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R

Abstract

A sensor designed to collect and convey single-site-related, body-produced electrical and acoustic signals, such as those related to heart activity, where electrical electrode and audio transducer structures lie along a common axis. A portion of the electrical electrode structure forms an acoustic isolating shroud around the audio transducer.

Claims

1. Apparatus for detecting and transmitting common-anatomical-site body-related electrical and audio signals collected from adjacent a person'"'"'s anatomy comprising

sensor body structure defining a common-anatomical-site detection axis,

electrical-signal electrode structure carried on said sensor body structure, and disposed in spaced electrically, symmetrically centered relationship with regard to said axis, contactable, during use of the apparatus, with a person'"'"'s anatomy in a manner generally arrayed around the selected anatomical site, and

audio-signal transducer structure also carried on said body structure and organized to detect body-related audio signals delivered to it from the selected site generated generally symmetrically along and about said axis.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electrode structure is designed to detect heart-related ECG electrical signals.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sensor body structure includes an open-sided volume of revolution centered substantially on said axis, and possessing a perimeter that substantially defines said volume'"'"'s said open side, said electrode structure is positioned generally at said perimeter, and said transducer structure is disposed generally along said axis and inwardly of said perimeter toward the direction of said volume.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said electrode structure includes at least one annular continuum conductor substantially centered on said axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said volume is at least partially defined by concavely curved surface structure.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the curvature of said surface structure is parabolic.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sensor body structure is constructed in accordance with a plural-use, reusability intention.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sensor body structure is constructed in accordance with a single-use, discardability intention.

9. A method for detecting and transmitting common-anatomical-site body-related electrical and audio signals collected from adjacent a person'"'"'s anatomy comprising

establishing a signal-detection axis,

positioning an audio-signal transducer on such axis to collect audio signals progressing in one direction generally along the axis toward one side of the transducer,

providing electrical-signal electrode structure disposed electrically centrally relative to the established axis, and located toward, and spaced from, the mentioned one side of the transducer, and

collectively positioning the axis, the transducer, and the electrode structure relative to a selected surface site in a person'"'"'s anatomy, whereby the axis passes through that site, the electrode structure lies in conductive contact with the anatomy in a manner which is generally symmetrical relative to the site, and the transducer is spaced from the site.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said providing of electrical-signal electrode structure includes mechanically and acoustically shrouding the transducer in a defined volume of space which has a perimetered open side, and positioning axially symmetric electrical conductor structure in a manner which is distributed appropriately along the perimeter of the mentioned open side.

10. The method of claim 10 which is especially designed to relate to the detection and transmission of heart-related ECG electrical signals.

12. A method for detecting and transmitting common-anatomical-site heart-related ECG and audio signals collected from adjacent a person'"'"'s anatomy comprising

symmetrically aligning acoustic and electrically-conductive sensor components along a common event detection axis, and then

utilizing such aligned components relative to a single, common anatomical site to detect, respectively, related audio and ECG electrical signals effectively emanating from that site generally along the common axis.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said aligning includes providing structure that effectively bears the electrically-conductive components, and utilizing that structure to define a volume-creating acoustical-collection shroud which is distributed about the acoustic component.

14. A sensor for detecting related, heart-associated audio and electrical signals comprising

an electrical signal-detecting electrode having a defined event-detection axis which is intersectable with the anatomy during use of the sensor, and

an audio transducer having a defined event-detection axis which is substantially coincident with said electrode'"'"'s said event-detection axis.

15. The sensor of claim 14, wherein said electrode forms at least part of an acoustic audio-collection shroud that receives said audio transducer.