Method and apparatus for identifying recurring signal patterns
First Claim
1. A method for identifying a periodically recurring signal pattern contained in a signal mixture which also contains interference components, comprising:
- detecting the amplitude pattern of a segment of the signal mixture according to a first criterion;
storing the detected pattern in a memory, where the stored pattern constitutes a sample;
continuously matching the amplitude pattern of the stored sample to subsequently occurring signal mixture segments having a similar amplitude pattern; and
determining the degree of coincidence between the amplitude pattern of subsequently occurring signal segments and that of the sample in order to identify such subsequently occurring segments according to a second criterion, which is different from the first criterion.
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Abstract
A periodically occurring signal pattern that is part of a signal mixture including interference components, in particular QRS complexes of fetal heart signals in an abdominally derived fetomaternal electrocardiogram, is detected by storing the amplitude-time waveform pattern of a signal that has initially been recognized according to a first criterion, preferably an amplitude criterion, in a memory and then using this pattern for identifying subsequent signals according to a second criterion which is the degree of coincidence of the signal in question with the amplitude shape of the stored pattern.
65 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method for identifying a periodically recurring signal pattern contained in a signal mixture which also contains interference components, comprising:
- detecting the amplitude pattern of a segment of the signal mixture according to a first criterion;
storing the detected pattern in a memory, where the stored pattern constitutes a sample;
continuously matching the amplitude pattern of the stored sample to subsequently occurring signal mixture segments having a similar amplitude pattern; and
determining the degree of coincidence between the amplitude pattern of subsequently occurring signal segments and that of the sample in order to identify such subsequently occurring segments according to a second criterion, which is different from the first criterion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
- detecting the amplitude pattern of a segment of the signal mixture according to a first criterion;
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42. A method for identifying a periodically recurring first signal pattern contained in a signal mixture which also contains a periodically recurring second signal pattern having a larger average amplitude than the first pattern, comprising:
- detecting the second signal pattern in the signal mixture according to a first criterion;
storing the detected second pattern;
subtracting the stored pattern from subsequent occurrences of the second pattern in the signal mixture to form a difference signal;
detecting the first signal pattern in the difference signal according to a second criterion; and
determining, according to a third criterion, the degree of coincidence between the amplitude pattern of subsequently occurring difference signal segments and the detected first signal pattern.
- detecting the second signal pattern in the signal mixture according to a first criterion;
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43. Apparatus for identifying a periodically recurring first signal pattern contained in a signal mixture which also contains a periodically recurring second signal pattern having a larger amplitude than the first pattern, comprising:
- first detecting means for detecting the second signal pattern in the signal mixture according to a first criterion;
memory means connected to said first detecting means for storing the detected second pattern;
arithmetic means connected to said memory means and to said first detecting means for subtracting the pattern stored in said memory means from subsequent occurrences of the second pattern detected by said first detecting means to form a difference signal;
second detecting means connected to receive the difference signal and to detect the first signal pattern therein according to a second criterion; and
signal processing means connected to said second detecting means for determining, according to a third criterion, the degree of coincidence between the amplitude pattern of subsequently occurring difference signal patterns and the detected first signal pattern.
- first detecting means for detecting the second signal pattern in the signal mixture according to a first criterion;
Specification