DEVICE FOR DETECTING ELECTRIC POTENTIALS

• US 20160113532A1
• Filed: 10/27/2015
• Published: 04/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dragerwerk AG & Company KGaA (FPS Vermögensverwaltung GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Dragerwerk AG & Company KGaA (FPS Vermögensverwaltung GmbH)
• Inventors: SATTLER, Frank, EGER, Marcus
• Granted Patent: US 9,968,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/251 Means for maintaining electrode contact with the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/30 Input circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/305 Common mode rejection

Abstract

A device detects electric potentials with measuring inputs (7) for connection to measuring electrodes (9), which can be placed on the body of a patient (3). Measuring amplifiers (Op₁, . . . , Op_N) have a first and a second input as well as an output (11). A summing unit (13, 23) is connected to the outputs of the measuring amplifiers and sends a signal proportional to a mean value of the signals of the outputs of the measuring amplifiers to an output (15, 17) of the summing unit. Each of the measuring inputs is connected to a first input of a measuring amplifier. The second input of each measuring amplifier is connected to the output (17) of the summing unit. A potential output (19) connects to an electrode and to an output of a further amplifier Op_c), with an input connected to the output (15) of the summing unit.

Claims

1. A device for detecting electric potentials, the device comprising:

a plurality of measuring inputs for connecting to measuring electrodes, which electrodes can be placed on the body of a patient;

a plurality of measuring amplifiers, which have a first and a second input as well as an output;

a summing unit with summing unit inputs respectively connected to the outputs of the measuring amplifiers, the summing unit being configured to send a signal, proportional to a mean value of the signals of the outputs of the measuring amplifiers, to a summing unit output, wherein;

each of the measuring inputs is connected to a first input of one of the measuring amplifiers;

the output of the summing unit is connected to each second input of the measuring amplifiers;

a potential output for connecting to an electrode, which can be placed on the body of the patient; and

a further amplifier with a further amplifier input connected to the output of the summing unit and with a further amplifier output connected to the potential output.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the summing unit comprises a microprocessor unit which is configured by program implementation to send a signal, to an output of the microprocessor unit, with a signal level that corresponds to the mean value of the signals of the outputs of the measuring amplifiers; and

the input of the further amplifier is connected to said output of the microprocessor unit.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

the microprocessor unit has a further output to which a further signal is sent;

the further signal having a signal level corresponding to the mean value of the signals of the outputs of the measuring amplifiers amplified by a factor V; and

the further output of the microprocessor unit is connected to the second inputs of the measuring amplifiers.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the summing unit comprises a summing unit amplifier with one input connected to the outputs of the measuring amplifiers in such a way that a signal is sent to the output of the a summing unit amplifier with a signal level that corresponds to the mean value of the signals of the outputs of the measuring amplifiers; and

the output of the a summing unit amplifier is connected to the second inputs of the measuring amplifiers and to the input of the further amplifier.

5. A method for detecting electric potentials, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of measuring inputs for connecting to measuring electrodes, which electrodes can be placed on the body of a patient;

feeding input signals, from the plurality of measuring inputs, to a first input of a plurality of measuring amplifiers;

amplifying the fed input signals to provide output signals;

forming a mean value signal of the output signals with a mean value signal level that is proportional to a mean value of the output signals;

feeding the mean value signal to second inputs of the measuring amplifiers; and

feeding the mean value signal to a potential output, which potential output is connected to an additional electrode.

6. A method for detecting electric potentials in accordance with claim 5, further comprising:

providing a plurality of measuring amplifiers, which have a first and a second input as well as an output;

providing a summing unit with summing unit inputs respectively connected to the outputs of the measuring amplifiers, the summing unit being configured to send the mean value signal, proportional to the mean value of the signals of the outputs of the measuring amplifiers, to a summing unit output, wherein;

each of the measuring inputs is connected to a first input of one of the measuring amplifiers;

the output of the summing unit is connected to each second input of the measuring amplifiers; and

providing a further amplifier with a further amplifier input connected to the output of the summing unit and with a further amplifier output connected to the potential output.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein:

the summing unit comprises a microprocessor unit which is configured by program implementation to send a signal, to an output of the microprocessor unit, with a signal level that corresponds to the mean value of the signals of the outputs of the measuring amplifiers; and

the input of the further amplifier is connected to said output of the microprocessor unit.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein:

the microprocessor unit has a further output to which a further signal is sent;

the further signal having a signal level corresponding to the mean value of the signals of the outputs of the measuring amplifiers amplified by a factor V; and

the further output of the microprocessor unit is connected to the second inputs of the measuring amplifiers.

9. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein:

the summing unit comprises a summing unit amplifier with one input connected to the outputs of the measuring amplifiers in such a way that a signal is sent to the output of the a summing unit amplifier with a signal level that corresponds to the mean value of the signals of the outputs of the measuring amplifiers; and

the output of the a summing unit amplifier is connected to the second inputs of the measuring amplifiers and to the input of the further amplifier.