Heart Rate Variability Evaluator Using Three-State Autonomic Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for evaluating psychiatric symptoms and disorder onset risk using heart rate variability indices lack objectivity and fail to differentiate between healthy stress reactions and pathological stress conditions, often relying on single-state measurements that are influenced by individual differences and do not accurately assess responsiveness to mental tasks.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that analyze heart rate variability indices in three states (resting, task performing, and resting after task) using frequency analysis to calculate sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system indices, comparing these with threshold values set based on healthy subjects' data to evaluate psychiatric disorder onset risk, incorporating a random number generation task to minimize individual achievement level differences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If single-state heart rate variability measurement is used, then measurement simplicity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to differentiate healthy stress reactions from pathological conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement simplicityVSAvoiddiagnostic accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The evaluation process is segmented into three distinct states: resting state before task, task performing state, and resting state after task. Each state's heart rate variability is measured and evaluated separately using specific threshold values, allowing differentiation between healthy stress reactions and pathological conditions through comparative analysis across states

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If heart rate variability indices are used without state differentiation, then evaluation convenience is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to individual differences in task achievement levels

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevaluation convenienceVSAvoidevaluation consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The evaluation system dynamically adapts to individual performance levels by using relative change thresholds rather than absolute values. The threshold values are designed to evaluate the degree of change in heart rate variability indices across states, making the evaluation independent of individual task achievement levels and ensuring consistent reliability across diverse subjects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of time

If heart rate variability is measured only in resting state, then measurement time is reduced, but diagnostic value deteriorates due to inability to assess responsiveness to mental tasks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement timeVSAvoiddiagnostic value
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Heart rate variability measurement is performed periodically at three specific time points: before task presentation, during task performance, and after task completion. This periodic sampling captures the dynamic response of the autonomic nervous system to mental stress, providing diagnostic value while minimizing total measurement time through efficient timing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP2862509B1Psychiatric symptom and psychiatric disorder onset risk evaluator using heart rate variability index
Publication Date: 2021.01.06 GM3
  • EP2862509B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2862509B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP2862509B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to providing a psychiatric symptom and psychiatric disorder onset risk evaluation method and evaluator using a heart rate variability index for checking for the risk of onset of a psychiatric disorder. The evaluator includes a heart rate variability analyzer A having a heart rate measuring instrument 1, a heartbeat interval measuring instrument 2, a frequency analyzer 3, a sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous system index analyzer 4, and a psychiatric symptom/psychotic disorder onset risk calculator 5, and a random number generation analyzer B having a random number input unit 6, a random number score calculation unit 7, and a display unit 8. Frequency analysis of a heart rate measurement and a heartbeat interval measurement of a subject is performed to determine a high-frequency index, a low-frequency index and a ratio therebetween, and from the result of the frequency analysis, the sympathetic nervous system index, the parasympathetic nervous system index, and the heart rate are calculated in the three states, i.e., the resting state, the random number generation task performing state, and the resting state after task performance, the sympathetic nervous system index, parasympathetic nervous system index, and heart rate calculated in the respective state being compared in a multilateral manner, for evaluation, with threshold values set from a sympathetic nervous system index and a parasympathetic nervous system index of a healthy subject that have been previously calculated and stored.