GB1584637A

GB1584637A – Electrode systems for acquiring electrical signals from the heart
– Google Patents

GB1584637A – Electrode systems for acquiring electrical signals from the heart
– Google Patents
Electrode systems for acquiring electrical signals from the heart

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Publication number
GB1584637A

GB1584637A
GB35277/77A
GB3527777A
GB1584637A
GB 1584637 A
GB1584637 A
GB 1584637A
GB 35277/77 A
GB35277/77 A
GB 35277/77A
GB 3527777 A
GB3527777 A
GB 3527777A
GB 1584637 A
GB1584637 A
GB 1584637A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
electrode
sensing
wristband device
wearer
heart
Prior art date
1976-08-26
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.)

Expired

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GB35277/77A
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Individual
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
1976-08-26
Filing date
1977-08-23
Publication date
1981-02-18

1977-08-23
Application filed by Individual
filed
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Individual

1981-02-18
Publication of GB1584637A
publication
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patent/GB1584637A/en

Status
Expired
legal-status
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Classifications

A—HUMAN NECESSITIES

A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE

A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION

A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons

A61B5/24—Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof

A61B5/316—Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods

A61B5/318—Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]

A61B5/332—Portable devices specially adapted therefor

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

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

Description

PATENT SPECIFICATION
( 11) 1584637 Applicat:
Conventi United S Completi INT CL.
Index at ion No 35277/77 ( 22) Filed 23 Aug 1977 lon Application No 718017 ( 32) Filed 26 Aug 1976 in 19) t tates of America (US) e Specification Published 18 Feb 1981
3 A 61 B 5/04 Acceptance GIN 19 B 2 P 19 D 12 A 0 30 Pl ( 54) ELECTRODE SYSTEM FOR ACQUIRING ELECTRICAL SIGNALS FROM THE HEART ( 71) I, DONNA LEE WOLFE, a Citizen of the United States of America, of 32511 Sea Island Drive, Lagnuna, Niguel, California, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:-
Many biological, especially electrical, parameters are measured by the difference in electrical potential across specific organs or organ systems Specifically, electrocardiograms (ECG) and other electrical parameters of cardiac activity require two or more electrodes or sensing devices placed so that they are on each side of the electrical axis of the heart The basic arrangement, known as Lead I, consists of strapping an electrode to each wrist so as to measure the electrical potential difference across the heart.
While such an arrangement is perfectly acceptable for clinical testing, it is inconvenient and impractical, if not impossible, in other circumstances such as during routine exercise programs.
A growing number of individuals are performing exercise programs regularly or intermittently It is generally acknowledged that the heart rate is the best indicator of the value of such exercise to the cardiovascular system, i.e, when enough effort is expended to be useful and when so much effort is expended as to be dangerous Thus, as reported in L R.
Zohman, Exercise Your Weight to Fitness and Heart Health, 16-18 (CPC International, 1974), it is important in an effective exercise training program that there be a gradual increase in heart rate until a target rate of 70 to 85 percent of the maximum attainable rate (depending on age and physical’condition) is achieved A period of 20 to 30 minutes of exercise at the target level will then provide a significant conditioning effect on the cardiovascular system While the average target zones for different age groups are readily available (for an average 40-year old male it is, for example, 128 to 155 beats per minute), it is apparent that most individuals lack the skill or inclination to take their own pulse at various intervals during the exercise period to ascertain whether their heartbeat rate falls within the target range.
The difficulties and inconveniences attending the attachment of bipolar electrodes to the wrists or to other spaced points on opposite sides of the heart and the obvious problems in exercising with such electrodes in place have 55 lead others to pursue the development of mechanical devices for sensing the pulse and then converting the mechanically-sensed pulse to an electrical signal for processing and display U S Patent Serial No 3,807,388, for 60 example, discloses a heartbeat rate monitor in the form of a wristwatch having a transducer mounted in the wrist strap to detect the pressure changes (pulses) and convert them to electrical signals 65 Apart from the fact that differences sometimes exist between pulse rate and true heartbeat rate, substantial problems exist in providing a transducer which is easily positioned for proper operation and which is capable of 70 accurately sensing the pulse for any of a variety of users Therefore, despite the availability of technology and electrical hardware for processing and displaying in digital form the pulse rate of a patient once that pulse has 75 been detected by a suitable pressure transducer, devices in wristwatch form or in other convenient portable form have not achieved widespread use or substantial commercial availability 80 Other U S patents illustrative of the art are Serial Nos 3,863,626, 3,802,698, 3,948,250, 3,586,835, and 3,717,140 Reference may also be had to V Elings et al, A Cardiotachometer which Calculates Rate Digitally IEEE Trans 85 actions on Biomedical Engineering, 468-470 (November, 1973), and Hartley, AnalogueDisplay Rate Meter Built Around Digital Switching Elements, Medical and Biological Engineering, 107-108 (January, 1976) 90 An important aspect of this invention lies in the discovery that the problems of detecting differences in electrical potential across the heart as a direct indication of heart activity, in a manner convenient enough to use by someone 95 wishing to check heartbeat rate during an ordinary exercise program, or desiring to display and/or transmit his electrocardiogram, may be achieved by locating both of the skin electrodes upon only one of the wearer’s wrists and by 100 constructing the wristband so that one of the two electrodes remains in electrical contact with t ( 21) M ( 31) ( 33) 00 ( 44) -I ( 51) ( 52) 1 584637 the skin of that wrist The other electrode, which is exposed along the outer surface of the band (either the strap itself or a casing supported by the strap) remains quiescent until such time as the wearer touches that electrode with the other hand Such contact completes the circuit with the inner electrode in contact with the wrist and the outer electrode in contact with the fingers of the other hand The electrical ECG signals picked up by the electrodes are then processed and displayed or transmitted utilizing any of a variety of known circuit arrangements and components In one convenient form, the band includes a casing which contains all of the circuit elements (other than the electrodes) and digital display means such as light-emitting diodes for visually presenting heart rate in beats per minute Alternatively it may be desirable to develop and/or transmit a signal representative of Lead I of the electrocardiogram for such purposes as obtaining advice regarding medicines taken for disordered heart rhythms; evaluating the effect of treatment in certain heart disorders; and/or evaluating the function of a cardiac pacemaker When transmission, such as over a telephone, is employed it is possible for professional medical evaluation to be made at a remote location, thereby saving time and increasing convenience.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a wristband device for sensing heart activity of a wearer comprising an inner sensing electrode means providing a surface directly engageable with a wrist of the wearer; insulating barrier means extending over said inner sensing electrode means for shielding the inner electrode against contact with any part of the wearer’s body except said wrist; outer sensing electrode means carried by said band and electrically isolated from said inner electrode means, said outer sensing electrode means being adapted for contact by the fingers of the wearer’s other hand to complete an electric circuit across the inner and outer electrode means through the wearer’s body; and sensing circuit means in electrical circuit with said inner and outer electrode means for sensing electrical signals derived therefrom representative of the heart activity of the wearer.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for determining heart activity, comprising strapping a first cardiac electrode directly against the wrist of one hand of a wearer by a wristband which also provides an exposed second electrode supported out of contact with said wrist and in electricallyisolated relation with respect to said first electrode, said first and second electrodes being in circuit with means for processing bio-electrical signals from said electrodes and for providing a measurement of heart activity, said wearer thereafter touching said second electrode with at least one finger of the other hand to complete the electrical circuit, whereby, said first electrode is in direct electrical contact with a limb on one side of the electrical axis of the heart and the second electrode is in electrical contact with a limb on the other side of the heart’s electrical axis.
Embodiments of the invention will now be 70 described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a heartbeat rate indicator embodying the invention, the indicator being illustrated as it is being used to 75 display heartbeat rate in beats per minute.
Figure 2 is a simplified block diagram of the heartbeat rate monitor.
Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevational view taken partly in section and showing the elec 80 trode construction of the heartbeat rate indicator.
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but depicting another embodiment of the invention.
Referring to Figures 1-3, 10 generally desig 85 nates a heartbeat rate indicator in the form of a wristband having a strap 11 and a casing 12.
The strap has electrically-conductive inner and outer layers 13 and 14 separated by an electrically-insulating central layer 15 When worn 90 on the wrist, in the manner generally depicted in Figure 1, only the conductive inner layer 13 is in contact with the wrist Both the outer layer 14 and the casing 12, which may be in electrical contact with each other, are elec 95 trically isolated from the inner layer 13 and from the wearer’s wrist 16.
The conductive inner layer 13 serves as one electrode of a bipolar electrode system, the other electrode of the system being outer layer 100 14 As shown in Figure 1, the strap is of sufficient width so that its exposed outer surface may be easily contacted by the fingers of the wearer’s other hand 17 without at the same time causing direct contact between those fin 105 gers and wrist 16 In the illustration given, the band is shown as it is being squeezed gently between the thumb 17 a and index finger 17 b and, although such a procedure helps assure effective electrical contact between the inner elec 110 trode and wrist 16, and between the outer electrode and fingers 17, it is to be understood that other fingers 17 might be used to contact the outer surface of the band or that, if desired, only a single finger, such as index finger 17 b, 115 might be used for that purpose An important aspect of the invention is that it forces a wearer to hold his arms fixed during the measurement so as to remove artifacts, such as muscle movement, that might cause error 120 The electrical circuitry for the heartbeat rate indicator may be similar to that disclosed in U S Patent Serial No 3,807,388, or in other references previously identified As diagrammatically depicted in Figure 2, electrical signals 125 detected by electrodes 13 and 14 are supplied to a sensing circuit including amplifier 18 and transmitted by way of shaper circuit 19 to an AND gate 20 to which a signal derived from divider 21 and oscillator 22 is also supplied The 130 1 584637 oscillator may be crystal-controlled for operating at 16 384 k Hz, and the divider circuit 22 may supply an output signal of 0 5 Hz The output signal of divider circuit 21 may also, if desired, be supplied to a binary coded decimal to decimal decoder, to provide an output for.
display of seconds and, by way of a further divider circuit, to other decoders for the display of minutes and hours, respectively (not shown) where it is desired that the wristband indicator display time as well as heartbeat rate Specific reference is made to U S Patent Serial No.
3,807,388 for such a modification.
For a lost or gained pulse from divider 21 to be insignificant, the frequency of the signal supplied by the divider to gate 20 should be, for example, 100 times the fastest heartbeat rate of say 150 beats per minute, so that the frequency required is about 250 pulses per second To derive such a signal the divider 21 can be intercepted at the appropriate point to give an output of 256 pulses per second, this signal being supplied to the gate 20 The output of the gate 20 is supplied to an accumulating counter 23, the number of pulses at the minimum heartbeat rate of say 30 pulses per minute determining the capacity of the counter 23.
To reduce the possibility of occasional random heartbeat periods being displayed, it is preferable for the output of the shaper circuit 19 to be divided in frequency by a divider 24 being supplied to the gate 20 so as to average the measurement over several heartbeat periods.
This requires a corresponding increase in the capacity of the counter 23 A further output of the gate 20 is connected to a reset circuit 25 which resets the counter 23 at the end of each counting period The number of pulses counted in each counting period varies inversely with the heartbeat rate and hence a suitable readout circuit 26 may be provided to give signals corresponding to 100 ‘s, 1 O’s, and units of heartbeat rate for supplying to an array 27 of lightemitting diodes Upon completion of the circuit in the manner depicted in Figure 1, the light-emitting diodes display the wearer’s heartbeat rate in beats per minute through window 28 It will be understood, of course, that other display means such as liquid crystals might be used.
The method of use of the device is believed apparent from the foregoing The wearer simply places the wristband device on his wrist 16 before commencing an exercise program, a sports activity, or any other activity for which heartbeat rate monitoring is desired By attaching the device to his wrist 16, the user pre-positions inner electrode 13 in direct electrical contact with one limb, that is, a part of the body on one side of the electrical axis of the heart Completion of the circuit does not take place, however, until the user, desiring to obtain a visual digital indication of his heartbeat rate, touches the outer electrode 14 of the same wristband with a finger (or fingers) of his other hand The effectiveness of the electrical contact is improved by slight pressure, as already described, and is further enhanced by perspiration developed as a result of the physical activity involved 70 The embodiment illustrated in Figure 4 is similar to the one already described except that the outer electrode takes the form of a conductive push button 29 carried by the casing portion 12 ‘ of the wristband device The inner 75 electrode 13 ‘ is similar to previously-described electrode 13, and an insulating layer 15 ‘ extends over electrode 13 ‘ to insure that the inner electrode contacts no portion of the wearer’s body other than wrist 16 In addition to serving as 80 the second electrode of the bipolar electrode system, button 29 may be arranged to actuate a switch when depressed to couple the power source to the display circuits, which may include light-emitting diodes, only when the 85 wearer desires a readout.
While in the foregoing an embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in considerable detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many of 90 these details may be varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (17)

WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1 A wristband device for sensing heart activity of a wearer, comprising an inner sensing 95 electrode means providing a surface directly engagable with a wrist of the wearer; insulating barrier means extending over said inner sensing electrode means for shielding the inner electrode against contact with any part of the 100 wearer’s body except said wrist; outer sensing electrode means carried by said band and electrically isolated from said inner electrode means, said outer sensing electrode means being adapted for contact by the fingers of the wear 105 er’s other hand to complete an electric circuit across the inner and outer electrode means through the wearer’s body; and sensing circuit means in electrical circuit with said inner and outer electrode means for sensing electrical 110 signals derived therefrom representative of the heart activity of the wearer.

2 A wristband device as claimed in Claim 1 further including a measuring circuit means responsive to said sensing circuit means for 115 measuring heart activity.

3 A wristband device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein display circuit means is provided responsive to said measuring circuit means for generating a visual signal representative of heart 120 activity.

4 A wristband device as claimed in Claims 1 or 2 wherein said measuring circuit means measures heartbeat rate and said display circuit means generate a visual signal representative of 125 heartbeat rate.

A wristband device as claimed in Claim 4 wherein said sensing, measuring, and display circuit means are contained in a casing, the casing having a face for the visual display of 130 1 584637 said heartbeat rate.

6 A wristband device as claimed in Claim 5 wherein said outer electrode sensing means comprises an electrically-conductive finger button projecting from said casing.

7 A wristband device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein said outer electrode sensing means comprises an outer electricallyconductive layer extending a substantial extent along the circumference of said wristband device.

8 A wristband device as claimed in Claim 4 wherein said display circuit means provides a digital display of heartbeat rate in beats per minute.

9 A wristband device as claimed in Claim 8 wherein said display circuit means includes light-emitting diodes.

A wristband device as claimed in Claim 8 wherein said display circuit means includes liquid crystals.

11 A wristband device as claimed in Claim 4 in which said measuring circuit system includes clockpulse generating means and means responsive to both said sensing circuit means and said time-based signal generating means for generating a signal representative of heart activity.

12 A method for determining heart activity comprising strapping a first cardiac electrode directly against the wrist of one hand of a wearer by a wristband which also provides an exposed second electrode supported out of contact with said wrist and in electrically-isolated relation with respect to said first electrode, said first and second electrodes being in circuit with means for processing bioelectrical signals from said electrodes and for providing a measurement of heart activity, said wearer thereafter touching said second electrode with at least one finger of the other hand to complete the electrical circuit, whereby, said first electrode is in direct electrical contact with a limb on one side of the electrical axis of the heart and the second electrode is in electrical contact with a limb on the other side of the heart’s electrical axis.

13 A method as claimed in Claim 12 in which said means for processing bioelectric signals from said electrodes includes means for displaying a visual indication of heartbeat rate, whereby, upon touching said second electrode with at least one finger of said other hand to complete the electrical circuit, a signal representative of heartbeat rate is generated and visually displayed.

14 A method as claimed in Claim 12 in which said step of touching said second electrode with at least one finger of the other hand includes immobilizing said hands relative to each other, thereby eliminating artifacts that might otherwise be generated by hand movement.

A method as claimed in Claim 12 in which said step of touching said second electrode involves firmly gripping said wristband between a pair of fingers of said other hand to place said fingers in firm electrical contact with said second electrode and simultaneously urge said first electrode into tight electrical contact with the wrist of said one hand.

16 A wristband device for sensing heart activity substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

17 A method for determining heart activity substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
CLEVELAND AND JOHNSON, Chartered Patent Agents, Agents for the Applicant, Chancery Lane, London, WC 2 A 1 QU Printed for Her Majesty’s Stationery Office by MULTIPLEX medway ltd, Maidstone, Kent, ME 14 1 JS 1981 Published at the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London WC 2 l AY, from which copies may be obtained.

GB35277/77A
1976-08-26
1977-08-23
Electrode systems for acquiring electrical signals from the heart

Expired

GB1584637A
(en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number
Priority Date
Filing Date
Title

US05/718,017

US4120294A
(en)

1976-08-26
1976-08-26
Electrode system for acquiring electrical signals from the heart

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Publication Number
Publication Date

GB1584637A
true

GB1584637A
(en)

1981-02-18

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Application Number
Title
Priority Date
Filing Date

GB35277/77A
Expired

GB1584637A
(en)

1976-08-26
1977-08-23
Electrode systems for acquiring electrical signals from the heart

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US
(1)

US4120294A
(en)

JP
(1)

JPS5916775B2
(en)

CA
(1)

CA1082316A
(en)

CH
(1)

CH619854A5
(en)

DE
(1)

DE2738605A1
(en)

FR
(1)

FR2362613A1
(en)

GB
(1)

GB1584637A
(en)

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DE
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Also Published As

Publication number
Publication date

JPS5916775B2
(en)

1984-04-17

CA1082316A
(en)

1980-07-22

US4120294A
(en)

1978-10-17

JPS5341080A
(en)

1978-04-14

DE2738605A1
(en)

1978-03-02

FR2362613A1
(en)

1978-03-24

CH619854A5
(en)

1980-10-31

FR2362613B1
(en)

1984-08-17

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Legal Events

Date
Code
Title
Description

1981-05-07
PS
Patent sealed [section 19, patents act 1949]

1981-12-09
49R
Reference inserted (sect. 9/1949)

1982-02-03
SP
Amendment (slips) printed

1987-04-08
PCNP
Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

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