User Interfaces for Heart Test Devices

• US 20170086693A1
• Filed: 09/20/2016
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Heart Test Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Guangren Chen
• Inventors: Peterson, Aaron, Chen, Guangren
• Application Number:
  US15/271,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20170086693A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/352 Detecting R peaks, e.g. for synchronising diagnostic apparatus; Estimating R-R interval
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7253 characterised by using transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/726 using Wavelet transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface

Abstract

Heart condition and function can be visualized and/or quantified using time-frequency maps derived from the time-frequency transform of one or more electrocardiograms. The electrocardiograms, time-frequency maps derived therefrom, and/or indices obtained by analysis of the time-frequency maps and electrocardiograms may be assembled into a user interface. Further embodiments are described.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

using one or more electrodes placed on a patient, measuring one or more electrocardiograms associated with one or more respective leads;

using a processor, converting the one or more electrocardiograms by time-frequency transform into one or more corresponding two-dimensional time-frequency maps; and

generating a user interface displaying, for at least one of the one or more electrocardiograms, at least a portion of the electrocardiogram and, in temporal alignment therewith, a temporally coextensive portion of the corresponding time-frequency map.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, within the one or more electrocardiograms, one or more points in time associated with a T wave;

determining at least one repolarization index from values of the one or more time-frequency maps at the one or more points in time associated with the T wave; and

causing the at least one repolarization index to be displayed in the user interface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, for multiple leads, multiple respective electrocardiograms are measured and transformed into multiple corresponding time-frequency maps, and wherein the generated user interface displays only a subset comprising fewer than all of the multiple electrocardiograms and corresponding time-frequency maps, the at least one repolarization index being independent from a selection of electrocardiograms and time-frequency maps for inclusion in the displayed subset.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the user interface comprises representing unsigned values of the one or more time-frequency maps based on a color scale, and wherein the at least one repolarization index is determined from signed values of the one or more time-frequency maps at the one or more points in time associated with the T wave.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining a heart condition based on the at least one repolarization index and generating, for display within the user interface, an icon indicative of the heart condition.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the icon comprises a segmented waveform symbol signifying, via a number of greyed-out segments within the otherwise colored waveform symbol, a degree of impairment of heart function.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed portions of the electrocardiogram and the corresponding time-frequency map encompass less than an entire measurement time of the electrocardiogram, the method further comprising temporally shifting, responsive to user input, the displayed portions of the electrocardiogram and the corresponding time-frequency map.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the displayed portions are temporally shifted based on user input comprising a scrolling action associated with at least one of a screen portion displaying the electrocardiogram or a screen portion displaying the corresponding time-frequency map.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the scrolling action comprises a swiping gesture performed within a screen portion displaying the electrocardiogram or the corresponding time-frequency map and in a direction substantially parallel to a time axis of the electrocardiogram and the corresponding time-frequency map.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the scrolling action is performed on a touchscreen.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated user interface displays at least portions of multiple electrocardiograms and corresponding time-frequency maps for multiple respective leads, the portions of the electrocardiograms and time-frequency maps for different ones of the leads being temporally coextensive and temporally aligned with each other.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising temporally shifting, responsive to a scrolling action associated with one of the electrocardiograms or the corresponding time-frequency map, the displayed portions of all of the multiple electrocardiograms and corresponding time-frequency maps.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein, for multiple leads, multiple respective electrocardiograms are measured and transformed into multiple corresponding time-frequency maps, and wherein the generated user interface displays only a subset comprising fewer than all of the multiple electrocardiograms and corresponding time-frequency maps, the subset being selectable via one or more user-input control elements included in the user interface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the user interface comprises multiple screen portions, each facilitating, via an associated one of the user-input control elements, user selection of one of the measured electrocardiograms and the corresponding time-frequency map for display in the screen portion.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the user-input control elements comprises a drop-down menu displaying, upon activation, user-selectable symbols for all of the leads.

16. A heart test system comprising:

an electrode interface configured to receive one or more electrocardiogram signals via one or more respective electrodes connectable to the electrode interface;

a display device; and

a processing facility configured to generate a user interface screen based at least in part on the received one or more electrocardiogram signals and to cause display of the user interface screen on the display device, wherein generating and causing display of the user interface screen comprises;

generating, from the one or more electrocardiogram signals, one or more electrocardiograms for one or more respective leads;

converting the one or more electrocardiograms by time-frequency transform into one or more corresponding two-dimensional time-frequency maps;

generating a user interface displaying, for at least one of the one or more electrocardiograms, at least a portion of the electrocardiogram and, in temporal alignment therewith, a temporally coextensive portion of the corresponding time-frequency map.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing facility is further configured to:

identify, within the one or more electrocardiograms, one or more points in time associated with a T wave;

determine at least one repolarization index from values of the one or more time-frequency maps at the one or more points in time associated with the T wave; and

cause the at least one repolarization index to be displayed in the user interface.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing facility is configured to generate, from multiple electrocardiogram signals received at the electrode interface, multiple electrocardiograms for one or more respective leads, to convert the multiple electrocardiograms into multiple corresponding time-frequency maps, and to cause display, within the generated user interface, of only a subset comprising fewer than all of the multiple electrocardiograms and corresponding time-frequency maps, the at least one repolarization index being independent from a selection of electrocardiograms and time-frequency maps for inclusion in the displayed subset.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing facility is configured to cause the one or more time-frequency maps to be displayed by representing unsigned values of the one or more time-frequency maps based on a color scale, and wherein the at least one repolarization index is determined from signed values of the one or more time-frequency maps at the one or more points in time associated with the T wave.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing facility is further configured to determine a heart condition based on the at least one repolarization index and generate, for display within the user interface, an icon indicative of the heart condition.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the icon comprises a segmented waveform symbol signifying, via a number of greyed-out segments within the otherwise colored waveform symbol, a degree of impairment of heart function.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the displayed portions of the electrocardiogram and the corresponding time-frequency map encompass less than an entire measurement time of the electrocardiogram, the processing facility further configured to temporally shift, responsive to user input, the displayed portions of the electrocardiogram and the corresponding time-frequency map.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the display device comprises a touch screen and the processing facility is configured to temporally shift the displayed portions of the electrocardiogram and the corresponding time-frequency map by processing a swiping gesture performed on the touchscreen within a screen portion displaying the electrocardiogram or the corresponding time-frequency map and in a direction substantially parallel to a time axis of the electrocardiogram and the corresponding time-frequency map.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing facility is configured to cause display, within the generated user interface, of at least portions of multiple electrocardiograms and corresponding time-frequency maps for multiple respective leads, the portions of the electrocardiograms and time-frequency maps for different ones of the leads being temporally coextensive and temporally aligned with each other.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the display device comprises a touch screen and the processing facility is configured to temporally shift, responsive to a swiping gesture performed on the touchscreen within a screen portion associated with one of the electrocardiograms or the corresponding time-frequency map, the displayed portions of all of the multiple electrocardiograms and corresponding time-frequency maps.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein the electrode interface is configured to receive multiple electrocardiogram signals via multiple respective electrodes connectable to the electrode interface, and the processing facility is configured to generate, from the multiple electrocardiogram signals, multiple electrocardiograms for multiple respective leads and convert them into multiple respective time-frequency maps and to cause display of only a subset comprising fewer than all of the multiple electrocardiograms and corresponding time-frequency maps, the subset being selectable via one or more user-input control elements included in the user interface.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the processing facility is configured to cause display of multiple electrocardiograms and corresponding time-frequency maps in multiple respective screen portions each having an associated user-input control element that facilitates user selection of one of the electrocardiograms and the corresponding time-frequency map for display in the screen portion.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the user-input control elements comprise a drop-down menu displaying, upon activation, user-selectable symbols for all of the leads.

29. The system of claim 16, wherein the electrode interface, the display device, and the processing facility are integrated into a single heart test device.

30. One or more computer-readable media storing instructions for processing one or more electrocardiograms associated with one or more respective leads, the instructions, when executed by one or more computer processors, causing the one or more processors to:

convert the one or more electrocardiograms by time-frequency transform into one or more corresponding two-dimensional time-frequency maps; and

generate a user interface displaying, for at least one of the one or more electrocardiograms, at least a portion of the electrocardiogram and, in temporal alignment therewith, a temporally coextensive portion of the corresponding time-frequency map.