Handheld sensor for acoustic data acquisition

• US 6,544,189 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Zargis Medical Corp.
• Inventors: Watrous, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US09/893,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20020038089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/438, 600/586, 600/587, 600/528, 600/382-394
• US Class Current: 600/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an acoustic signal sensing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a housing having an apertured posterior and three studs wherein at least one stud is an electrode providing a temporal reference signal and a sensing unit contacting a patient and capturing an acoustic cardiovascular signal and the temporal reference signal, wherein a portion of the sensing unit is located within the housing. The apparatus further includes a telemetry sensor connected to the sensing unit, communicating the acoustic signal, the temporal reference signal, and a position of the sensing unit with respect to the patient to a data processor.

Claims

1. An acoustic signal sensing apparatus comprising:

a housing having an apertured posterior surface and a plurality of studs coupled to the apertured posterior surface for interfacing with a patient;

an acoustic sensing unit, wherein a portion of the sensing unit is located within the housing; and

a telemetry sensor connected to the sensing unit and a data processor, wherein the telemetry sensor receives manually determined positional information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one stud is an electrode providing a temporal reference signal detectable by the acoustic sensing unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the studs contact the patient and support the housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the studs substantially resist involuntary lateral movement of the housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of studs is at least three.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the studs extend from the posterior.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the studs extend through the posterior.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the studs are connected to the posterior.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the acoustic sensing unit senses a cardiovascular signal.

10. The acoustic signal sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein sensing unit interfaces with the patient and receives acoustic signals.

11. The acoustic signal sensing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display located anteriorally on the housing;

a control means for positioning a cursor in the display, indicating a position of the sensing unit with respect to the patient.

12. An apparatus for sensing an acoustic signal comprising:

a housing having an apertured posterior surface and a plurality of studs coupled to the apertured posterior surface for interfacing with a patient;

sensing unit means for interfacing the patient by contact with the patient and capturing the acoustic signal, wherein a portion of the sensing unit means is located within the housing; and

telemetry sensor means connected to the sensing unit means for communicating the acoustic signal and a position of the sensing unit means with respect to the patient to a data processor means, wherein the telemetry sensor receives manually determined positional information.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least one stud is an electrode providing a temporal reference signal detectable by the sensing unit means.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the studs contact the patient and support the housing means.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the studs substantially resist involuntary lateral movement of the housing means.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plurality of studs is at least three.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the studs extend from the posterior.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the studs extend through the posterior.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the studs are connected to the posterior.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sensing unit means senses a cardiovascular signal.

21. The acoustic signal sensing apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a display located anteriorally on the housing;

a control means for positioning a cursor in the display, indicating a position of the sensing unit with respect to the patient; and

a switch for indicating that the manually determined positional information has a desired registration.

22. An acoustic signal sensing apparatus comprising:

a housing having an apertured posterior surface and three studs coupled to the apertured posterior surface for interfacing with a patient, wherein at least one stud is an electrode providing a temporal reference signal;

a sensing unit contacting the patient and capturing an acoustic cardiovascular signal and the temporal reference signal, wherein a portion of the sensing unit is located within the housing;

a telemetry sensor connected to the sensing unit, communicating the acoustic signal, the temporal reference signal, and a position of the sensing unit with respect to the patient to a data processor, wherein the telemetry sensor receives manually determined positional information;

a display located anteriorally on the housing; and

a control means for positioning a cursor in the display, indicating a position of the sensing unit with respect to the patient.