Biological signal detection apparatus Holter electrocardiograph and communication system of biological signals

• US 6,856,832 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2000
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
• Inventors: Matsumura, Fumiyuki, Sekiguchi, Tetsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANISKO, GEORGE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US09/659,605
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• Field of Search: 600/508, 600/509, 600/520, 600/522, 600/523, 600/382, 600/390, 600/391, 600/393, 600/394, 128/903
• US Class Current: 600/523
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/045 with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0475 Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/276 Protection against electrode failure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/335 using integrated circuit memory devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

A communication system has a Holter electrocardiograph having a biological signal detection apparatus having a transmitter 10 for processing and telemetering signals detected by a plurality of electrodes supported on supports for detecting biological signals, a receiver 14 for receiving the signal telemetered from the transmitter, demodulating the received signal, and outputting the demodulated signal to a biological signal input section of required record means, and a recorder 16 having record means for recording the demodulated signal by the receiver. The recorder of the Holter electrocardiograph has transmitting and receiving means 17 for telemetering the signal stored in the record means, receiving an external transmission signal, and telemetering some or all of the signals stored in the record means as instructed by the external transmission signal. A biological signal input apparatus PC having transmitting and receiving means for inputting signals and transmitting and receiving communication information to and from the transmitting and receiving means of the recorder of the Holter electrocardiograph through a relay transmitter-receiver 19 and a wide area network.

Claims

1. A biological signal detection system comprising:

a first electrode group comprising a pair of first electrodes adapted to be located at first positions in the vicinity of an upper end of a sternum of a patient, for detecting a first biological signal;

a first support, adapted to be attached to living tissue, for supporting said first electrode group such that a distance between the first electrodes is fixed;

a second electrode group comprising a pair of second electrodes adapted to be located at second positions at which a CM₅ lead and a NASA lead are established between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, for detecting a second biological signal; and

a transmitter comprising;

an electric circuit for processing the first biological signal and the second biological signal to generate the CM₅ lead, the NASA lead, and telemetering signals to be transmitted;

a first connection section for electrically connecting the first electrodes to said transmitter via the first support; and

a second connection section for electrically connecting the second electrodes to said transmitter such that a distance between each of the second electrodes and the first electrodes is variable.

2. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric circuit measures a biological signal potential difference between at least one first electrode in said first electrode group and at least one second electrode in said second electrode group.

3. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second electrode group further comprises a pair of third electrodes adapted to be located at positions at which a CC₅ lead is established therebetween, and wherein the electric circuit measures a potential difference between said third electrodes in said second electrode group.

4. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 3,

wherein the third electrodes are adapted to be located at a fifth rib position on a left anterior axillary line of the patient and the fifth rib position on a right anterior axillary line of the patient.

5. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric circuit for processing the detected signals includes:

a connection section detachment detection section for determining whether or not said second electrode group is connected in the second connection section; and

a switch section for measuring the biological signal potential difference between the first electrodes in said first electrode group if the connection section detachment detection section determines that said second electrode group is not connected in the second connection section and measuring the biological signal potential difference between at least one electrode in said first electrode group and at least one electrode in said second electrode group if the connection section detachment detection section determines that said second electrode group is connected in the second connection section.

6. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a housing; and

detachable storage means for receiving and storing the telemetering signals, wherein the detachable storage means is contained in said housing and detachable from said housing;

wherein said detachable storage means is adapted to be detached and re-attached easily.

7. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a receiver for receiving the telemetering signals telemetered from the transmitter and for demodulating the received telemetering signals, the receiver including;

a terminal for outputting the demodulated signals to a biological signal input section of said storage means; and

a recorder including;

record means for recording the demodulated signals output from the terminal of the receiver.

8. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

a first transmitting-receiving means for at least one of transmitting and receiving communication information, for telemetering the signals recorded in the record means, for receiving an external transmission signal, and for telemetering some or all of the signals stored in the record means as instructed by the external transmission signal, the recorder including the first transmitting and receiving means, and

a biological signal input apparatus including;

a relay transmitting-receiver;

a wide area network; and

a second transmitter-receiver for inputting signals and for transmitting and receiving at least one of signals and communication information to and from the first transmitter-receiver through said relay transmitter-receiver and said wide area network.

9. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 8,

wherein the relay transmitter-receiver transmits and receives the communication information from the first transmitting and receiving means disposed in one of the recorder and the wide area network, and

wherein the wide area network is adapted to transmit and receive the communication information between the relay transmitter-receiver and the second transmitting and receiving means of the biological signal input apparatus.

10. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the biological signal input apparatus includes:

input data instruction means for indicating data to be input among the signals stored in one of the recorder and the storage means,

wherein said input data instruction means specifies instruction information;

instruction information transmission means for transmitting said instruction information specified by the input data instruction means to one of the recorder and the storage means via the wide area network and the relay transmitter-receiver;

input reception means for receiving the signal transmitted based on the instruction information from the first transmitting and receiving means via the relay transmitter-receiver and the wide area network; and

input storage means for storing the signal received by the input reception means.

11. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 6 further comprising:

non-reception signal generation means for generating a non-reception signal while a signal transmitted from the transmitter cannot be received; and

record means for recording the non-reception signal generated by the non-reception signal generation means.

12. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

electrode detachment signal generation means for recognizing detachment of said at least one electrode of the second electrode group from the living tissue surface by a signal transmitted from the transmitter and for generating an electrode detachment signal while the electrode is detached; and

record means for recording the electrode detachment signal generated by the electrode detachment signal generation means.

13. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

storage means for receiving and storing the telemetering signals;

an external transmission signal comprising instructions; and

a first transmitter-receiver for telemetering the signals processed by said electric circuit and the signals stored in said storage means and receiving said external transmission signal, said transmitter-receiver telemeters some or all of the signals stored in said storage means or the signal processed by said electric circuit based on said instructions received from said external transmission signal.

14. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a biological signal input apparatus including;

a relay transmitting-receiver;

a wide area network; and

a second transmitter-receiver for inputting signals and for transmitting and receiving communication information to and from the first transmitter-receiver through said relay transmitter-receiver and said wide area network.

15. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 14,

wherein the relay transmitter-receiver transmits and receives the communication information from the first transmitter-receiver means disposed in one of the recorder and the wide area network, and

wherein the wide area network is adapted to transmit and receive the communication information between the relay transmitter-receiver and the second transmitter-receiver of the biological signal input apparatus.

16. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the biological signal input apparatus includes:

input data instruction means for indicating data to be input among the signals stored in one of the recorder and the storage means,

wherein said input data instruction means specifies instruction information;

instruction information transmission means for transmitting said instruction information specified by the input data instruction means to one of the recorder and the storage means via the wide area network and the relay transmitter-receiver;

input reception means for receiving the signal transmitted based on the instruction information from the first transmitter-receiver via the relay transmitter-receiver and the wide area network; and

input storage means for storing the signal received by the input reception means.

17. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

non-reception signal generation means for generating a non-reception signal while a signal transmitted from one of the transmitter and the transmitter-receiver cannot be received; and

record means for recording the non-reception signal generated by the non-reception signal generation means.

18. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

electrode detachment signal generation means for recognizing detachment of at least one electrode of the second electrode group from the living tissue surface from a signal transmitted from one of the transmitter and the transmitter-receiver and for generating an electrode detachment signal while the electrode is detached; and

record means for recording the electrode detachment signal generated by the electrode detachment signal generation means.

19. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the second electrodes are adapted to be located at a fifth rib position on a left anterior axillary line of the patient and a fifth rib position on a right anterior axillary line of the patient.

20. The biological signal detection system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the electric circuit for processing the detected signals includes:

a connection section detachment detection section for determining whether or not said second electrode group is connected in the second connection section; and

a switch section for measuring the biological signal potential difference between said first electrodes in said first electrode group if the connection section detachment detection section determines that said second electrode group is not connected in the second connection section and measuring the biological signal potential difference between said at least one electrode in said first electrode group and said at least one electrode in said second electrode group is measured through at least one of the CM₅ lead and the NASA lead if the connection section detachment detection section determines that said second electrode group is connected in the second connection section.