Electronic Stethoscope Proximity Sensor Contact Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional stethoscopes, including electronic ones, are limited by the user's auditory capabilities and fail to fully exploit the diagnostic information present in signals from physiological activity at the body surface, limiting their diagnostic effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
An electronic stethoscope with a case that includes a microphone for sensing acoustic waves, a proximity sensor for contact detection, and processing circuitry that generates a frequency-stretched audio output, powers components based on contact, and optionally includes a motion sensor for respiratory cycle detection and a touch-sensitive display for user interface and spectral analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional stethoscopes are used, then the device structure remains simple, but the diagnostic capabilities are limited by user auditory capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical acoustic transmission system of conventional stethoscopes with electronic sensing and digital processing systems. Microphones capture acoustic waves, ADCs convert them to digital signals, and processors apply spectral analysis and frequency stretching to enhance diagnostic capabilities beyond human auditory limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms physiological signals by changing their frequency parameters through digital processing. Frequency stretching shifts infrasonic components (below 20 Hz) to audible ranges, and spectral analysis decomposes signals into frequency components, allowing detection of diagnostic information imperceptible to human ears.
2Ease of operation
If continuous power is supplied to all components, then the device is always ready for use, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic power supply to components based on operational need. The proximity sensor triggers power supply to the microphone and processing circuitry only when a body is detected, allowing the device to remain in a low-power state between uses while being quickly activated when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The device autonomously manages its own power supply through proximity detection. The proximity sensor continuously monitors for body presence and automatically activates or deactivates power to other components without user intervention, optimizing energy consumption while maintaining readiness.
3Loss of information
If all signal frequencies are captured, then complete physiological information is obtained, but processing complexity and data volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts specific frequency components from the complete signal spectrum that contain diagnostic information. Spectral analysis identifies and isolates relevant frequency bands (such as heart sounds, breath sounds), while frequency stretching specifically extracts and amplifies infrasonic components, discarding or reducing processing of irrelevant frequency ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the time-domain signal into the frequency domain through spectral analysis, adding a frequency dimension to the data. This allows selective processing of specific frequency components rather than handling the entire signal spectrum uniformly, reducing processing complexity while preserving diagnostic information.
4Reliability
If frequency stretching is applied to infrasonic components, then diagnostic information becomes audible, but the audio output deviates from natural sound
Solution Approach 1:
The patent deliberately changes the frequency parameter of infrasonic components through frequency stretching, shifting them from below 20 Hz to audible ranges. This transformation prioritizes diagnostic information detection over natural sound fidelity, as the stretched frequencies reveal physiological patterns invisible to unaided human hearing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances diagnostic capabilities by converting infrasonic components to audible frequencies, conserving power, and providing graphical representations of acoustic signatures, improving the practitioner's ability to diagnose conditions of the circulatory and respiratory systems.
Implementation Method 1
A microphone is contained in the case and is configured to sense acoustic waves emitted from the body and to output an acoustic signal in response thereto
Implementation Method 2
A proximity sensor is configured to output a proximity signal indicative of contact between the front surface and the body
Implementation Method 3
At least one speaker is configured to output audible sounds
Implementation Method 4
The motion sensor is configured to sense the motion of the membrane, and the processing circuitry is configured to process the motion signal in order to detect an infrasonic component of the acoustic waves
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device (20) includes a case (32), having a front surface that is configured to be brought into contact with a body of the living subject (24). A microphone (34) is contained in the case and configured to sense acoustic waves emitted from the body and to output an acoustic signal in response thereto. A proximity sensor (56) is configured to output a proximity signal indicative of contact between the front surface and the body. At least one speaker (49) is configured to output audible sounds. Processing circuitry (50) is coupled to detect, in response to the proximity signal, that the front surface is in contact with the body, and in response to the detected contact, to process the acoustic signal so as to generate an audio output and to convey the audio output to the at least one speaker.