Pulse rate monitor
First Claim
1. A pulse monitoring system for detecting and displaying blood pressure pulses resulting from heartbeats, comprising sensing means adapted to be positioned in contact with body tissue to respond to changes in blood volume, said sensing means including detector means and at least two light emitters, one of said emitters being a light transmitting emitter positioned to transmit light through said body tissue to said detector means and the other being a light reflecting emitter positioned to reflect light therefrom to said detector means, said detector means sensing changes in said light transmitted and changes in said light reflected due to variations in tissue perfusion and producing an electrical signal corresponding to said changes, signal processing means for converting said electrical signal to pulse rate.
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Abstract
An improved pulse rate monitoring system for detecting and displaying the heart beat of a subject while exercising or performing other activities. The subject invention comprises a pair of infrared emitters adapted to be positioned on either side of a thin appendage of the body, such as the septum of the nose or the upper part of an ear. The emitter light paths are modulated by changes in the superficial blood volume in these areas, causing corresponding changes in the output of these emitters as sensed by an infrared detector. The emitters are power strobed to provide a pulsed sensor output which is processed by electronic means to provide both analog and digital displays for use by the exerciser. The unit further comprises a visual pulse output which blinks on and off at a rate corresponding to the exerciser'"'"'s heartbeat. The unit further comprises means for setting high and low levels which when exceeded will provide an audio output to warn the exerciser in time to take corrective measures in his exercise regime.
77 Citations
15 Claims
- 1. A pulse monitoring system for detecting and displaying blood pressure pulses resulting from heartbeats, comprising sensing means adapted to be positioned in contact with body tissue to respond to changes in blood volume, said sensing means including detector means and at least two light emitters, one of said emitters being a light transmitting emitter positioned to transmit light through said body tissue to said detector means and the other being a light reflecting emitter positioned to reflect light therefrom to said detector means, said detector means sensing changes in said light transmitted and changes in said light reflected due to variations in tissue perfusion and producing an electrical signal corresponding to said changes, signal processing means for converting said electrical signal to pulse rate.
- 11. In a pulse rate monitoring system for detecting and displaying pulses resulting from heartbeats, sensing means adapted to be positioned in contact with body tissue in the region of a blood flow path to respond to changes in blood volume, said sensing means including detector means and at least two light emitters, one of said emitters being a light transmitting emitter positioned to transmit light through said blood flow path to said detector means and the other being a light reflecting emitter positioned to reflect light from said blood flow path to said detector means, said detector means sensing changes in the light transmitted by said light transmitted and changes in said light deflected due to variation in tissue perfusion.
Specification