# US 2008/0306367 A1 · Detection of Body Sounds > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0306367 A1 - Document ID: US20080306367A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/092,349 - Filed: 2006-10-25 - Published: 2008-12-11 - Earliest claimed: 2005-11-04 - Assignees: Heinen + Lowenstein GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Ulrich Koehler; Volker Gross - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080306367A1 ## CPC - A61B 7/003: {Detecting lung or respiration noise} - A61B 5/4255: {Intestines, colon or appendix} - A61B 5/6831: {Straps, bands or harnesses} - A61B 7/008: {Detecting noise of gastric tract, e.g. caused by voiding} - A61B 7/026: {comprising more than one sound collector} - A61B 5/7257: {using Fourier transforms} - A61B 2560/0242: adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Disclosed is a method for detecting and monitoring body sounds in humans and animals, in which bioacoustic sensors and analyzers that are mounted downstream are used for the stationary or mobile long-term monitoring of intensive care patients' respiration, for example. The patients' lung sounds are detected and stored along with measured data which are available right away especially for the early detection of diseases and acute disturbances. Adequately monitoring intestinal sounds makes it possible to evaluate peristalsis and detect mechanical/paralytic ileus early on. An early warning system for the clinical sector immediately generates signals allowing doctors and nurses to take rapid action in case of an emergency. The inventive apparatus requires a maximum of only three bioacoustic sensors (12), each of which can be fixed to a point of an object body (K) facing the object, a maximum of one sensor (14) for recording surrounding noises, a maximum of four separable channels (11) for recording and transmitting sound signals or sound data detected by the sensors (12), and devices for supplying power and forwarding, converting, storing, and displaying sequences of signals or data on or in a recorder or a computer unit (20). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for detecting and monitoring body sounds in humans and animals, in which bioacoustic sensors and analyzers that are mounted downstream are used, wherein, bioacoustic sensors are fixed to a maximum of three points of an object body, a maximum of one additional bioacoustic sensor is provided for recording surrounding noises, the bioacoustic sensors continuously detect sound signals and/or sound data, within a selectable time segment, the sequences of sound signals and/or sound data generated in this manner are digitized, stored, and converted into frequency-dependent spectral curves, node-defined matching lines continuously allocated to the spectral curves are developed, and the matching lines are compared with the corresponding spectral curves for analyzable and signalizable identification of specific sound symptoms, e.g. wheezing, ronchus, cough, or the like. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a selection of the conversion time window that resolutions of approx. 0.1 is result. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a Fourier transform or a fast Fourier transform of the data is effected in a spectral range, one spectral curve per conversion time window originating, with which amplitudes are represented over the frequency, transmitted and recorded. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein from each spectral curve, at least two frequency ranges are selected and median values are determined, which correspond to nodes of the data or signal sequences, and that the allocated matching lines are developed on the basis of the nodes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein in an X, Y-coordinate axis system, each of the node values is an Y-amount at a frequency point X and that the analysis by comparing the Y-values of the spectral curve and of the matching line is effected by means of threshold values. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein from a band of 150 Hz to 1,600 Hz, two partial frequency ranges are selected, whose scope is determined by a multiple of an admissible signal peak width, which for humans lies in the range of 5 times to 0.5 times the admissible signal width. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claims 6, wherein this multiple of a frequency width corresponds to approx. 100 Hz to 200 Hz. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a control sensor for the oxygen content of the blood is fixed on the object body, for example on an ear or on an extremity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method for detecting and monitoring respiration sounds in humans and animals, in which bioacoustic sensors and analyzers that are mounted downstream are used, in particular according to claim 1, wherein for the detection of wheezing by means of secured measuring results, plausibility criteria are used, namely: i) the local maximum in the frequency range within a conversion time window is not wider than 100 Hz when the threshold-value is exceeded; ii) the maxima detected lie within a frequency band between 150 Hz and 1,600 Hz; iii) the frequency change of the strongest of the local maxima (dominant frequency) is less than 100 Hz between two successive conversion time windows; iv) the wheezing events have a minimum length of more than 0.3 s, i.e. they occur, in case of a resolution as to time of 0.1 s, in at least four successive conversion time windows; v) the wheezing events do not last longer than double the time of a normal mean expiration phase of the mammal genus in question (i.e. ≦2×approx. 4 s). ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein a combined wheezing rate is obtained for each diagnosis time segment, e.g. 30 s or a complete breath, by combining the wheezing detected by all body sensors, the rate relating to the time portion of all events which were detected by at least one sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein a wheezing detected which was detected simultaneously in the channel for surrounding noises will be discarded as being an artifact. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method for detecting and monitoring respiration sounds in humans and animals, in which bioacoustic sensors and analyzers that are mounted downstream are used, in particular according to claim 1, wherein for cough detection, the occurrence of steep edges of the amplitude signal of the surrounding noise is analyzed under the condition that simultaneously large amplitudes or overshootings are detected in all other sound signals facing the object body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein cough sequences are formed and stored, preferably with summation and/or averaging over the entire measuring time and/or through time-dependency diagrams of the maximum values. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) An apparatus for detecting and monitoring respiration sounds in humans and animals, in which bioacoustic sensors and analyzers that are mounted downstream of the sensors are used, in which sequences of signals or data are fed into the analyzes, in particular for carrying out the method according to any of claims 1 to 13, characterized by the following components: a maximum of three bioacoustic sensors, each of which can be fixed to a point of an object body (K) facing the examination area, a maximum of one sensor for recording surrounding noises, a maximum of four separable channels for recording and transmitting sound signals or sound data detected by the sensors, and devices for supplying power and for forwarding, converting, storing, and displaying sequences of signals or data on or in a recorder or a computer unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that in addition to the bioacoustic sensors, a position sensor is provided. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein in addition, a sensor for scanning the movements of the thorax is provided, in particular for recording the respiration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein for fixing on the upper part of the body, a chest belt is provided, which preferably includes shoulder straps and/or Velcro fasteners. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the bioacoustic sensors are air-coupled or piezo microphones. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein on or in the bioacoustic sensors or in telecontrol connection therewith, analog-digital converters are provided, whose output supplies digital signals or signal sequences. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a pre-amplifier and/or an analog filter, especially a band-pass filter, is allocated to selected sensors or to all sensors. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein at least one transmitter is provided for the signals transmitted by the sensors and/or analog-digital converters, which is coupled with a data memory and/or a transfer device. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein devices for the Fourier transform or fast Fourier transform are provided, in particular PC-installed programs. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the components according to claim 14 are integrated or can be integrated in a housing, a case, or the like. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein they are designed as a data logger which can be worn on the body and which can be used in an individual, ambulatory or stationary manner. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the data logger for monitoring body sounds and recording the signals of a maximum of four sound channels is provided with acoustic micromemories, e.g. with two stereo miniunits in the manner of MP3 recorders. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the data logger is provided with a chest belt, which can be put on and taken off an object body and which includes shoulder straps to relieve the weight and, in particular on the back, two bioacoustic sensors as well as on the front a receptacle for a data box connected via a feed line with a tracheal microphone. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein on or next to the receptacle, an ambient sensor (external microphone 14) is arranged.