Cycle Variability Features for Non-Invasive Cardiac Diagnosis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for diagnosing cardiac diseases and conditions often require invasive procedures, specialized facilities, or exposure to radiation, posing risks and disadvantages.

Innovation Solution

A non-invasive system that analyzes cycle variability features extracted from biophysical signals, such as cardiac and photoplethysmographic signals, using machine-learning classifiers to estimate disease presence, severity, and localization without requiring invasive techniques or radiation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional statistical measures (mean, standard deviation) are used to characterize physiological signals, then the analysis is simple and computationally efficient, but the measures fail to capture non-stationary dynamics and cycle variability-related features

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecapture of non-stationary dynamicsVSAvoidanalysis complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the analysis approach by changing from traditional statistical parameters (mean, standard deviation) to cycle variability-related features derived from instantaneous amplitude and frequency. This parameter transformation enables capture of non-stationary dynamics while maintaining computational feasibility through systematic processing steps including envelope detection, Hilbert transform, and spectral analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical/statistical signal analysis methods with advanced signal processing techniques including Hilbert transform, envelope detection, and spectral analysis. This substitution enables extraction of instantaneous amplitude and frequency information, capturing non-stationary characteristics that traditional methods miss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If advanced signal processing techniques are applied to extract cycle variability features, then the characterization of physiological systems is improved, but the computational requirements and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvephysiological system characterizationVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary processing steps including envelope detection and Hilbert transform to extract instantaneous amplitude and frequency before performing spectral analysis. This preliminary action organizes the signal data in a way that facilitates efficient computation of cycle variability features, reducing overall processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the physiological signal into individual cycles and processes each cycle separately to extract cycle variability-related features. This segmentation enables focused analysis of specific physiological events while maintaining computational efficiency through batch processing of segmented data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If cycle variability-related features are extracted from biophysical signals, then physiological system characterization is enhanced, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring these features increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvephysiological signal analysis accuracyVSAvoidfeature extraction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces intermediate processing steps including envelope detection and Hilbert transform that serve as mediators between the raw biophysical signal and the final cycle variability features. These intermediaries systematically extract instantaneous amplitude and frequency information, making the measurement process more structured and less error-prone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces direct measurement approaches with advanced signal processing techniques including spectral analysis and Hilbert transform. This substitution provides robust mathematical frameworks for detecting cycle variability features, reducing measurement difficulty through systematic computational methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP4266986B1Method and system for engineering cycle variability-related features from biophysical signals for use in characterizing physiological systems
Publication Date: 2026.05.20 ANALYTICS FOR LIFE
  • EP4266986B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4266986B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4266986B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

The exemplified methods and systems facilitate the use, for diagnostics, monitoring, or treatment, of one or more cycle variability based features or parameters determined from biophysical signals such as cardiac or photoplethysmography signals that are acquired non-invasively from surface sensors placed on a patient while the patient is at rest. The estimated metric may be used to assist a physician or other healthcare provider in diagnosing the presence or non-presence and/or severity and/or localization of diseases or conditions or in the treatment of said diseases or conditions.