Electronic Stethoscope ECG Signal Processing via Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ECG measurement systems combined with stethoscopes lack advanced signal processing capabilities, limiting the information provided to healthcare providers and restricting the amount of data that can be displayed at one time.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes an electronic acoustic stethoscope connected to a server computer, allowing for wireless communication and advanced signal processing of ECG signals, including subwaveform detection and multi-domain ECG analysis, to provide detailed information to healthcare providers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If ECG signals are processed using traditional systems, then the system structure is simple, but the signal processing capability is limited and diagnostic information is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ECG signal processing into multiple domains (time domain, frequency domain, wavelet domain) and performs analysis in each domain separately. This allows comprehensive extraction of diagnostic information from different signal characteristics without requiring a single complex processing system, as each domain provides specific diagnostic insights that complement each other.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a server computer as an intermediary between the stethoscope and the healthcare provider. The server performs advanced signal processing, subwaveform detection, and multi-domain analysis, then transmits the processed results to portable devices. This intermediary handles the complex processing tasks centrally, allowing the stethoscope and display devices to remain relatively simple while still providing comprehensive diagnostic information.
2Measurement precision
If advanced signal processing is implemented, then diagnostic capabilities are enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent analyzes ECG signals across multiple dimensions or domains including time domain, frequency domain, and wavelet domain. By transforming the signal into different domains, the system extracts additional diagnostic information that is not apparent in the traditional time domain alone, thereby enhancing measurement precision without requiring a single overly complex processing approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The server computer acts as an intermediary that performs the computationally intensive advanced signal processing, subwaveform detection, and multi-domain analysis. This centralizes the complexity in a dedicated processing system while allowing the stethoscope and portable display devices to remain relatively simple, thus enhancing measurement precision without making every component of the system complex.
3Loss of information
If comprehensive ECG data is provided, then diagnostic accuracy improves, but the amount of information to be displayed increases beyond traditional limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and highlights only the most diagnostically relevant information from the comprehensive ECG analysis results. Instead of displaying all raw data and processed information, the system identifies and presents key findings such as detected subwaveforms, abnormal patterns, and critical measurements. This extraction approach provides complete diagnostic data while displaying only the essential information within limited screen space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transmits the processed ECG information from the server to portable display devices such as smartphones or tablets. These devices serve as copies or representations of the full diagnostic data, allowing healthcare providers to access comprehensive ECG analysis results on portable devices with limited display areas. The copy contains the essential diagnostic information in a format optimized for portable viewing.
Data Source
AI summary
A noninvasive system for detecting and processing PCG and ECG waveforms includes an electronic acoustic stethoscope and a server computer. Heart sounds of a patient are measured using an acoustic transducer of a chestpiece of the electronic acoustic stethoscope, the heart sounds are sent to an earpiece of the electronic acoustic stethoscope, and a PCG waveform is created. Heart electrical signals of the patient are measured using at least four electrodes of the chestpiece and an ECG waveform is created. The PCG waveform and/or the ECG waveform are transmitted to the server computer using a wireless communication device of the chestpiece. The PCG waveform is processed for additional PCG information and/or the ECG waveform is processed for additional ECG information using the server computer. Access to the additional PCG information and/or additional ECG information is provided to at least one client device using the server computer.