Apparatus and system for measuring electrical potential variations in human body

• US 6,026,321 A
• Filed: 03/31/1998
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Miyata, Takashi, Matsuo, Noriyoshi, Uchida, Hitoshi, Tomita, Yutaka, Sawada, Naomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAYNO, CARL HERNANDZ
• Application Number:
  US09/050,989
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 600/546, 600/407, 128/903
• US Class Current: 600/546
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring potential variations in the human body, comprising: a pair of conductors, an attachment patch for attaching the conductors to the measurement sites; an amplifier that amplifies, as AC signals, the potential variations input from the conductors through connecting wires, a transmitter that transmits the amplified signals, a battery that supplies electric power to the amplifier and transmitter, a voltage-divider circuit that divides the voltage applied from the battery, and a compensator circuit that applies a voltage so divided to the amplifier as a reference voltage and, concurrently, rejects DC components input to the conductors, using the divided voltage as a reference voltage. Hence is provided a compact apparatus for measuring body signals such as myoelectric potentials, without restricting the movements of the test subject.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring electric potential variations in the human body, comprising:

an attachment patch for attaching conductors to the measurement sites;

an amplifier for amplifying potential variations input from said conductors through connection wires;

a transmitter for transmitting the amplified signals;

a battery for supplying electric power at a constant DC voltage to said amplifier and transmitter;

a voltage-divider circuit to divide the voltage applied from said battery; and

a compensator circuit that applies a voltage so divided to said amplifier as a reference voltage and, the compensator circuit rejects DC components input to said conductors, using said divided voltage as a reference voltage;

said compensator circuit including an operational amplifier having an output which directly feeds back to a negative terminal of said operational amplifier, said output further being connected to both positive and negative terminals of said amplifier.

2. The apparatus for measuring electrical potential variations in the human body according to claim 1, wherein said voltage-divider circuit comprises:

two resistors of equal value connected, respectively, to the positive and negative sides of said power supply; and

connecting wires for connecting between said two resistors and reference terminal of said amplifier.

3. The apparatus for measuring electrical potential variations in the human body according to claim 1, wherein said battery supplies electric power at a voltage of 6 V to said transmitter, voltage-divider circuit, and amplifier.

4. The apparatus for measuring electrical potential variations in the human body according to claim 1, wherein said compensator circuit comprises a voltage follower that negatively feeds back output to reference terminal of said amplifier.

5. The apparatus for measuring electrical potential variations in the human body according to claim 1, wherein said compensator circuit comprises:

resistors connected, respectively, to each of a pair of conductors; and

a connecting wire that makes an imaginary short at a prescribed voltage;

wherein said connecting wire is connected to;

reference terminal of said amplifier;

said resistor connected to one of said pair of conductors; and

resistor connected to other of said pair of conductors.

6. The apparatus for measuring electrical potential variations in the human body according to claim 1 wherein said amplifier comprises an externally attached resistor for setting gain;

and a capacitor connected in series with said resistor.

7. An apparatus for measuring electrical potential variations in the human body, comprising:

a pair of conductor means;

attachment means for attaching said conductors to measurement sites;

amplifying means for amplifying potential variations input from said conductors through conducting wires, as AC signals;

transmission means for transmitting amplified signals;

battery means for supplying electric power to said amplifier and transmitter;

voltage-divider means for dividing voltage applied from said battery; and

compensator means that applies a voltage so divided to said amplifying means as a reference voltage and that, concurrently, rejects DC components input to said conductor means, using said divided voltage as a reference voltage, said compensator means including an operational amplifier having an output that feeds back directly into its negative terminal, and said output being connected to positive and negative inputs of said amplifying means.

8. The apparatus for measuring electrical potential variations in the human body according to claim 7, wherein said compensator means comprising:

means for stabilizing the reference voltage to said amplifier;

means for rejecting DC components input to said conductors.

9. A system for measuring electrical potential variations in the human body, comprising:

multiple electrometers that are secured to the skin and that transmit body signals by radio; and

multiple receivers corresponding, respectively, to said electrometers;

wherein each of said electrometers comprises;

detection electrodes for inputting body signals;

a mixer-amplifier that mixes a reference signal of a constant voltage with body signals input from said detection electrodes, said reference signal having a frequency not contained in frequency band of those body signals, and that amplifies these as a detected signal; and

a modulator-transmitter that modulates and transmits said detected signal output from said mixer-amplifier with a carrier wave having a frequency that is different for each of said electrometers; and

each of said receivers comprises;

a receiver-demodulator circuit that receives and restores said detected signals from said electrometers; and

a filter circuit that separates said detected signals output from said receiver-demodulator circuit into said body signals and said reference signal.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said electrometers have identifying labels that correspond with the frequency of the reference signal for each electrometer;

and said receivers have identifying labels related to said identifying labels that correspond with said frequency of said reference signal for each of said electrometers.

11. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a first plate on the lower surface of which are provided detection electrodes and said attachment patch;

a second plate that is laminated to the upper surface of said first plate and which becomes ground potential for said amplifier, etc.;

a third plate that is laminated to the upper surface of said second plate and which accommodates electronic circuit board for said amplifier, etc.; and

a fourth plate that is laminated to the upper surface of said third plate and which accommodates said battery.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said first through fourth plates have circular flat surfaces.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said circular forms have a diameter of 30-50 mm;

and said first through fourth plates each have a height of 0.7-15 mm.

14. The system according to claim 11, further comprising an antenna connected to said transmitter circuit;

and a cover that is provided at top of said fourth plate and which protects said antenna.

15. An apparatus for measuring electrical potential variations in the human body, comprising:

an attachment patch for attaching conductors to the measurement sites;

an amplifier for amplifying potential variations input from said conductors through connection wires;

a transmitter for transmitting the amplified signals;

a battery for supplying electrical power at a constant DC voltage to said amplifier and transmitter;

a voltage-divider circuit to divide the voltage applied from said battery;

a compensator circuit that applies a voltage so divided to said amplifier as a reference voltage and, the compensator circuit rejects DC components input to said conductors, using said divided voltage as a reference voltage;

said voltage-divider circuit including two resistors of equal value connected, respectively, to the positive and negative sides of said power supply; and

said voltage-divider circuit including connecting wires for connecting between said two resistors and a reference terminal of said amplifier.

16. An apparatus for measuring electrical potential variations in the human body, comprising:

an attachment patch for attaching conductors to the measurement sites;

an amplifier for amplifying potential variations input from said conductors through connection wires;

a transmitter for transmitting the amplified signals;

a battery for supplying electrical power at a constant DC voltage to said amplifier and transmitter;

a voltage-divider circuit to divide the voltage applied from said battery;

a compensator circuit that applies a voltage so divided to said amplifier as a reference voltage and, the compensator circuit rejects DC components input to said conductors, using said divided voltage as a reference voltage;

said compensator circuit comprising;

resistors connected, respectively, to each of a pair of conductors; and

a connecting wire that makes an imaginary short at a prescribed voltage;

wherein said connected wire is connected to;

a reference terminal of said amplifier;

said resistor being connected to one of said pair of conductors; and

a resistor connected to the other of said pair of conductors.

17. An apparatus for measuring electrical potential variations in the human body, comprising:

an attachment patch for attaching conductors to the measurement sites;

an amplifier for amplifying potential variations input from said conductors through connection wires;

a transmitter for transmitting the amplified signals;

a battery for supplying electrical power at a constant DC voltage to said amplifier and transmitter;

a voltage-divider circuit to divide the voltage applied from said battery;

a compensator circuit that applies a voltage so divided to said amplifier as a reference voltage and, the compensator circuit rejects DC components input to said conductors, using said divided voltage as a reference voltage;

wherein said amplifier comprises an externally attach resistor for setting gain, and a capacitor connected in series with said resistor.