Electronic stethoscope measurement system and method
AssigneeZargis Medical Corp.
InventorDeborah M. Grove
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for characterizing the response of an electronic stethoscope. The sensor of the electronic stethoscope is held in contact with a test surface of a phantom. A shaker, which is coupled to a stinger rod that extends inside the phantom, is driven to produce internal vibrations in the phantom. Surface motion of the test surface of the phantom is measured using a surface accelerometer coupled to the test surface. Vibrations from the phantom are detected and an electric signal based on the detected vibrations is generated with the electronic stethoscope. A surface transfer function is calculated based on the measured surface motion and the electric signal to characterize the response of the electronic stethoscope.
Claims28
A method for characterizing the response of an electronic stethoscope, comprising the steps of:
- a) holding the sensor of the electronic stethoscope in contact with a test surface of a phantom;
- b) inducing internal vibrations in the phantom;
- c) measuring surface motion of the test surface of the phantom using a surface accelerometer coupled to the test surface;
- d) detecting vibrations from the phantom and generating an electric signal based on the detected vibrations with the electronic stethoscope;
- and
- e) calculating a surface transfer function based on the surface motion measured in step (c) and the electric signal generated in step (d) to characterize the response of the electronic stethoscope.
A computer readable medium adapted to instruct a general purpose computer to characterize the response of an electronic stethoscope, the method for comprising the steps of:
- a) generating a test signal to drive a shaker coupled to a stinger rod that extends inside a phantom, whereby internal vibrations are produced in the phantom;
- b) receiving a motion signal from a surface accelerometer coupled to a test surface of the phantom;
- c) receiving an electronic stethoscope signal from the electronic stethoscope which is in contact with the test surface of the phantom;
- and
- d) calculating a transfer function for the electronic stethoscope based on the motion signal received in step (b) and the electronic stethoscope signal received in step (c).
An electronic stethoscope testing apparatus comprising:
- a phantom including a test surface;
- a stinger rod which extends into the interior of the phantom;
- a shaker coupled to the stinger rod to provide vibrations to the phantom;
- a surface accelerometer coupled to the test surface of the phantom to measure movement of the test surface;
- an electronic stethoscope holder coupled to the phantom and arranged to hold a sensor of the electronic stethoscope in contact with the test surface of the phantom;
- and
- circuitry electrically coupled to the shaker, the surface accelerometer, and the electronic stethoscope to direct and analyze signals provided by the surface accelerometer and the electronic stethoscope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.