GB2043257A - Using the body as a signal conductor in ECG measurement - Google Patents
Using the body as a signal conductor in ECG measurement Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2043257A GB2043257A GB7906943A GB7906943A GB2043257A GB 2043257 A GB2043257 A GB 2043257A GB 7906943 A GB7906943 A GB 7906943A GB 7906943 A GB7906943 A GB 7906943A GB 2043257 A GB2043257 A GB 2043257A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- person
- signal
- receiver
- transmitter
- high frequency
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/0002—Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network
- A61B5/0004—Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
- A61B5/0006—ECG or EEG signals
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/02—Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
- A61B5/024—Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate
- A61B5/02438—Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B2560/00—Constructional details of operational features of apparatus; Accessories for medical measuring apparatus
- A61B2560/04—Constructional details of apparatus
- A61B2560/0406—Constructional details of apparatus specially shaped apparatus housings
- A61B2560/0412—Low-profile patch shaped housings
Abstract
The ECG signal of a person is measured and transmitted as a modulated high frequency signal from transmitter means 1 to receiver means 3 carried on the wrist or in the hand. The detected heart beat signal is transmitted without separate external signal conductors to the receiver means by using the body 5 as the signal conductor. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Measurement of heart beat rate
The present invention relates to a procedure and apparatus for the measuring of a person's heart rate, the procedure involving electronic detection of a person's heart beat from the signal derived from two or more ECG electrodes and its conduction to a transmitter means and thence to receiver means carried in the person's hand or on the wrist and from which the heart rate is read.
According to one aspect of the invention a procedure for the continuous measurement of the heart beat rate, wherein the ECG signal of a person is measured and identified electronically and transmitted as a modulated high frequency signal from transmitter means to receiver means carried on the wrist or in the hand, is characterised in that the detected heart beat signal is transmitted without separate external signal conductors to the receiver means by using the body as the signal conductor, by feeding the modulated high frequency electric signal from the transmitter means via an electrode to the person's body, whereby this high frequency electric signal will be transmitted through the person's body.
According to another aspect of the invention apparatus for carrying out such a procedure is characterised in that two electrodes are connected to the transmitter to provide two branches for a signal-path between the transmitter and receiver, and in that the receiver includes receiver electrodes for receiving high frequency signals to be transmitted through the body of the person to whom said apparatus is attached.
The procedure in accordance with the first aspect of the invention is based on the concept of wireless transmission of the detected ECG signal, using the person's body for signal path. In this procedure, the person's ECG signal is transmitted in the form of a modulated high frequency electric signal from one part of the body to another, for instance from thorax to wrist. The high frequency electric signal is transmitted using the body as signal conductor and the completion of the closed circuit required for signal transmission is accomplished by the selfcapacitances and stray fields coupling the transmitter and receiver means with each other. As an alternative to the coupling using self-capacitance both hands (and arms) may be used as signal conductors to complete a closed circuit.
The apparatus in accordance with the second aspect of the invention is characterised in that the
ECG signal obtained from two or more ECG electrodes attached to the person and known per se is electronically amplified, and that the signal thus detected is used to modulate a high frequency electric signal generated in the transmitter means and which is fed to any one of the above-mentioned electrodes, whereby the potential of the person's body will fluctuate with reference to the ground potential of the transmitter oscillator in accordance with the aforementioned modulation, and that this variation in potential is detected by receiver means carried in the person's hand or on the wrist.
Detection in the receiver means is effected by a sensitive band-limited amplifier making use of the amplifier's self-capacitance to connect the amplifier's ground potential to the ground potential of the transmitter oscillator, whereby a closed circuit is established. In view of user safety, the said potential of the person's body, which is of a few volts' magnitude, is isolated from the rest of the electrodes connected to the ECG amplifier, by means of a transformer or an opto-isolator, whereby a current loop which would be potentially dangerous cannot be established.
The measuring apparatus may also consist of ECG electrodues for connection to the body of the subject and of transmitter means, and receiver means for holding in the hand or on the wrist. In this embodiment, the ECG modulated electric signal from the transmitter oscillator is fed to two ECG electrodes, and in this manner a heart rate meter carried on the wrist or on the hand can be used, which incorporates a band-limited signal amplifier and a pulse counting logic circuit. The ground potential of the signal amplifier in the receiver means is effectively connected to one hand, e.g. by means of the wrist band of the device, and the amplifier's input terminal has to be touched with the other hand, serving as signal conductor, whereby the transmission consistent with the heart beats becomes immediately observable and can be obtained as an output display at the receiver means.In this case, the high frequency electric signal to be conducted into the body has to be connected from an oscillator with high output impedance, and the signal amplitude should be low, so that the safety might not be jeopardized.
In order to provide a better understanding of the present invention reference may be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 represents a transmitter 1 coupled on to the chest of a person, ECG-electrodes 2 of the transmitter, a receiver 3 on the wrist of the person and a receiving electrode 4 of the receiver which contacts the wrist and the body 5 acting as a high frequency signal path.
Figure 2 is a block diagram representing one technical realization of the invention in which a signal path is provided between the transmitter 1 and the receiver 3 for a high-frequency signal. The human body 5 acts as one branch of the signal-path, the other branch to complete the closed circuit being provided by self-capacitances 6 of the receiver and the transmitter which connect them to a common virtual ground 7.
Figure 3 is a block diagram representing another technical realization of the invention in which a signal-path is again provided between the transmitter 1 and the receiver 3 for a high frequency signal. In this realization, the two branches of the signal-path are formed by two difference parts of the body, for example by the two arms of the person concerned.
Claims (8)
1. A procedure for the continuous measurement of heart beat rate, wherein the ECG signal of a person is measured and identified electronically and transmitted as a modulated high frequency signal from transmitter means to a receiver means carried on the wrist or in the hand, characterised in that the detected heart beat signal is transmitted without separate external signal conductors to the receiver means by using the body as the signal conductor, the modulated high frequency electric signal from the transmitter means being fed via an electrode to the person's body, whereby this high frequency electric signal will be transmitted through the person's body.
2. A procedure according to Claim 1, characterised in that the person's body comprises one branch of the circuit coupling the transmitter means to the receiver means, a second branch of the coupling circuit being through self-capacitances and stray fields to complete a closed circuit.
3. A procedure according to Claim 1, characterised in that the modulated high frequency electric signal is transmitted along the person's two arms, using these as conductors, to the receiver means, by feeding said electric signal via two electrodes to the person's body, whereby this high frequency electric signal becomes connected to the receiver means through the body and both arms when the arms are in contact with respective electrodes connected to the input terminals of the receiver means.
4. A procedure according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that a detector part of the transmitter means and the part of the transmitter means feeding an electric signal into the body are galvanically isolated from each other, using a transformer, an optoisolator or other insulation, with a sufficiently high impedance to ensure the person's safety.
5. Apparatus for the continuous measurement of the heart beat rate according to the procedure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, and comprising a transmitter for transmitting a modulated high fre quencysignal representing an ECG signal and a receiver for said signal, characterised in that two electrodes are connected to the transmitter to provide two branches for a signal-path between the transmitter and receiver, and in that the receiver includes receiver electrodes for receiving high frequency signals to be transmitted through the body of the person to whom said apparatus is attached.
6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, characterised in that one branch for the signal path is provided by self-capacitances of the receiver and transmitter connected to a common ground, the other branch being provided by the body of said person.
7. Apparatus according to Claim 5, characterised in that both branches are provided by the body of said person, two receiver electrodes being provided for attachment to each hand or wrist of said person.
8. A procedure or apparatus for the continuous measurement of the heart beat rate of a person substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7906943A GB2043257B (en) | 1979-02-27 | 1979-02-27 | Using the body as a signal conductor in ecg measurement |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7906943A GB2043257B (en) | 1979-02-27 | 1979-02-27 | Using the body as a signal conductor in ecg measurement |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB2043257A true GB2043257A (en) | 1980-10-01 |
| GB2043257B GB2043257B (en) | 1983-08-17 |
Family
ID=10503478
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7906943A Expired GB2043257B (en) | 1979-02-27 | 1979-02-27 | Using the body as a signal conductor in ecg measurement |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2043257B (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6118882A (en) * | 1995-01-25 | 2000-09-12 | Haynes; Philip Ashley | Communication method |
-
1979
- 1979-02-27 GB GB7906943A patent/GB2043257B/en not_active Expired
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6118882A (en) * | 1995-01-25 | 2000-09-12 | Haynes; Philip Ashley | Communication method |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2043257B (en) | 1983-08-17 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |