Multi-Function Health Monitor

Abstract

A multi-function health monitor is capable of performing a resting 12-lead ECG test, an ECG stress test, a 24-hour holter monitor evaluation and or a 30-day MCT monitoring. Using only 3 electrodes, the multifunction health monitor derives 6 channels (Limb leads & Augmented leads) of data with the noise cancellation (ground) effect of a virtual dynamic RL electrode. An electrode resistivity measurement system quantifies and may compensate for increasing resistance the electrodes and the patient that results from the length of time the electrodes are installed on a patient. The multi-function health monitor can provide data analysis through the gate array as the data is acquired. Data may also be stored for remote analysis as well as for transmission to remote stations upon occurrence of one or more threshold events. Parameters for threshold events may be adjusted remotely to obviate the need for a patient to travel for system adjustment.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to copending U.S. Provisional patent application 61 / 257,388 filed Nov. 2, 2009.FIELD OF THE INVENTIONS[0002]The present invention relates generally to the field of portable health monitors and more specifically to battery operated multi-function ECG recorder / transmitters.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS[0003]If you or your doctor have concerns about the function of your heart or other similar organ you may embark on a multi-step evaluation that may include many different tests for example a resting 12-lead ECG test, an ECG stress test, a 24-hour holter monitor evaluation and or a 30-day MCOT monitoring. These tests and others utilize many different and specialized tools due to some of the conflicting requirements of the tests or the equipment. For example, some of the tests must be done in a doctor's office or a hospital or lab because of the cost and power consumption of the test tools and it would be unrealistic to conduct a 3...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]A multi-function health monitor avoids the power hungry microprocessors that are becoming ubiquitous in favor of a gate array hardware implementation for data gathering, analysis and data encryption. The use of a gate array, complex programmable logic device (CPLD), for data processing minimizes power consumption while enabling fast processing as well as accommodating many functions with dissimilar analysis algorithms. The multi-function health monitor is capable of calculating six channels or leads of ECG data using only three electrodes connected to the patient. The lead switching technique calculates six channels of ECG data with the noise cancellation benefits of a right leg feed system. Use of only three electrodes makes the multi-function health monitor ideal for ambulatory data gathering and to enable better long term compliance by patients.

[0008]The design of the gate array and the data algorithms permits one or more sections of the gate array to be powered off when unused to prevent unnecessary power drain. The advanced data algorithms implemented in the hardware of the gate array permits a high level of sophisticated data processing by the remote ambulatory cardiac monitoring system as data is acquired to minimize false events and minimize the requirement for remote data analysis.

[0009]A lead resistivity measurement system quantifies and may also compensate for increasing resistance between an electrode and the patient that results from the length of time the electrodes are installed on a patient. This system can also detect and alert to an electrode disconnected.

Problems solved by technology

For example, some of the tests must be done in a doctor's office or a hospital or lab because of the cost and power consumption of the test tools and it would be unrealistic to conduct a 30-day MCOT analysis with the patient confined to the hospital, or worse, the doctors office.

Some of the evaluation tests are also challenging because of the limitations enforced by the ability of the medical system to derive adequate compensation for the work necessary.

As a result, many false positive events generate excessive data that requires expensive medical professional time to review.

Thus the doctor ordering the test (and the insurance company looking over his shoulder) must be cognizant that the test, and the analysis of the resulting data could cost more that anyone will be paid to perform the test.

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