Electrocardiographic computer

An arrhythmia computer for use in a dynamic multispeed ECG computer for reproducing ECG information contained on a recording medium recorded at a particular speed, including:

• first means for moving the recording medium past a fixed predetermined readout position,
• second means coupled to the first means for controlling the first means to move the recording medium at at least one selected speed appreciably greater than the particular speed to provide high speed playback of the recorded information,
• third means located at the fixed predetermined readout position for reproducing the recorded information when the first means moves the recording medium to provide the high speed playback,
• fourth means coupled to the third means and responsive to the reproduced information for detecting the presence of ectopic beats within the reproduced information in accordance with parameters selectable singly and in combinations and including the amplitude, width and prematurity of the R-wave portion of the ECG complexes within the ECG information, and
• fifth means coupled to the fourth means for selecting singly and in combinations the parameters used as a basis for detecting the presence of ectopic beats.

A recorder for use with a dynamic multispeed ECG computer for reproducing ECG information contained on a recording medium recorded at a particular speed and with the ECG computer including first means for moving the recording medium past a plurality of fixed predetermined readout positions and with the ECG computer including second means for controlling the first means to move the recording medium at a selected one of a plurality of speeds including the particular speed and including at least one speed appreciably greater than the particular speed, to provide real time and high speed playbacks respectively of the recorded information and with the ECG computer including third means located at a first one of the fixed predetermined readout positions for reproducing the recorded information when the first means moves the recording medium to provide real time playback and with the ECG computer including fourth means located at a second one of the fixed predetermined readout positions for reproducing the recorded information when the first means moves the recording medium to provide high speed playback and with the ECG computer including fifth means responsive to an event signal contained within the ECG information played back at high speed to control the second means to move the recording medium for real time playback for a predetermined period of time and then control the second means to return to a high speed playback, the recorder including:

• a recording medium system for recording ECG information in response to input signals,
• an event marker for producing an event signal, and
• switching means coupled to the event marker and the recording medium system for controlling the recording of the event signal on the recording medium in response to the actuation of the switching means.

A dynamic multispeed ECG computer for reproducing ECG information contained on a recording medium recorded at a particular speed, including:

• first means for moving the recording medium past a plurality of fixed predetermined readout positions,
• second means coupled to the first means for controlling the first means to move the recording medium at a selected one of a plurality of speeds including the particular speed of recording and including more than one speed appreciably greater than the particular speed to provide real time and high speed playbacks respectively of the recorded information,
• third means located at a first one of the fixed predetermined readout positions for reproducing the recorded information when the first means moves the recording medium to provide real time playback,
• fourth means located at a second one of the fixed predetermined readout positions for reproducing the recorded information when the first means moves the recording medium to provide high speed playback,
• fifth means coupled to the fourth means and responsive to the reproduced signals at high speed playback for producing output signals in accordance with the trend of particular characteristics of the ECG complexes at high speed playback,
• sixth means coupled to the fourth means and responsive to the reproduced signals for producing control signals upon the detection of predetermined characteristics of the ECG complexes,
• seventh means coupled to the sixth means and the second means and responsive to the control signals produced by the sixth means for controlling the second means to move the recording medium at the real time playback speed for a predetermined period of time upon the detection of the predetermined characteristis of the ECG complexes and to then return to the selected one of the multispeed high speed playbacks, and
• eighth means coupled to the fifth, sixth and seventh means for inhibiting the production of the control signals by the sixth means during a first forward run of the recording medium from the beginning to the end to provide a continuous high speed trend output, for immediately rewinding the recording medium to the beginning, and for then enabling the production of the control signals by said sixth means during a second forward run of the recording medium from the beginning to the end in which the recording medium is run at the real time playback speed for a predetermined period of time upon the detection of the predetermined characteristics of the ECG complexes under control of said seventh means.

In a dynamic multispeed ECG computer for reproducing ECG information contained on a recording medium recorded at a particular speed, including a first means for moving the recording medium at at least one fixed predetermined real time readout position and at least one fixed predetermined high speed readout position, a second means coupled to the first means for controlling the first means to move the recording medium at a selected one of a plurality of speeds including the particular speed and including more than one speed appreciably greater than the particular speed to provide real time and high speed playbacks respectively of the recorded information, a third means located at the fixed predetermined high speed readout position for reproducing the recorded information when the first means moves the recording medium to provide high speed playback, a fourth means located at the fixed predetermined real time readout position for reproducing the recorded information when the first means moves the recording medium to provide real time playback, a fifth means coupled to the third means and responsive to the reproduced signals at high speed playback for producing output signals in accordance with the trend of particular characteristics of the ECG complexes at high speed playback, and a sixth means coupled to the third means and responsive to the reproduced signals for producing control signals indicative of the occurrence of the predetermined events within the characteristics of the ECG complexes, the improvement comprising:

• seventh means coupled to the sixth means and the second means and responsive to the control signals provided by the sixth means for controlling the second means to move the recording medium at the real time playback speed upon the occurrence of the predetermined events within the characteristics of the ECG complexes.

In a dynamic multispeed ECG computer for reproducing ECG information contained on a recording medium recorded at a particular speed and including a first means for moving the recording medium past a plurality of fixed predetermined readout positions, a second means coupled to the first means for controlling the first means to move the recording medium at a selected one of a plurality of speeds including the particular speed of recording and including more than one speed appreciably greater than the the particular speed to provide real time and high speed playbacks respectively of the recorded information, a third means located at a first one of the fixed predetermined readout positions for reproducing the recorded information when the first means moves the recording medium to provide real time playback, a fourth means located at a second one of the fixed predetermined readout positions for reproducing the recorded information when the first means moves the recording medium to provide high speed playback, a fifth means coupled to the fourth means and responsive to the reproduced signals at high speed playback for producing output signals in accordance with the trend of particular characteristics of the ECG complexes past high speed playback, a sixth means coupled to the fourth means and responsive to the reproduced signals for producing control signals upon detection of predetermined characteristics of the ECG complexes, the improvement comprising:

• seventh means coupled to the sixth means and the second means and responsive to the control signals produced by the sixth means for controlling the second means to move the recording medium at the real time playback speed for a predetermined period of time upon the detection of the predetermined characteristics of the ECT complexes and to then return to the selected one of the multispeed high speed playbacks, and,
• eighth means coupled to the fifth, sixth and seventh means for inhibiting the production of the control signals by the sixth means during a first forward run of the recording medium from the beginning to the end to provide a continuous high speed trend output, for immediately rewinding the recording medium to the beginning, and for then enabling the production of the control signals by the sixth means during a second forward run of the recording medium from the beginning to the end in which the recording medium is run at the real time playback speed for a predetermined period of time upon the detection of the predetermined characteristics of the ECG complexes under control of said seventh means.