Non-contact vital signs monitor
AssigneeGeorgia Tech Research Corporation
InventorsSteven M. Sharpe, Joseph Seals, Anita H. MacDonald, Scott R. Crowgey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for measuring simultaneous physiological parameters such as heart rate and respiration without physically connecting electrodes or other sensors to the body. A beam of frequency modulated continuous wave radio frequency energy is directed towards the body of a subject. The reflected signal contains phase information representing the movement of the surface of the body, from which respiration and heartbeat information can be obtained. The reflected phase modulated energy is received and demodulated by the apparatus using synchronous quadrature detection. The quadrature signals so obtained are then signal processed to obtain the heartbeat and respiratory information of interest.
Claims21
An apparatus for measuring simultaneously the heart and respiration rates of a subject comprising:
- transmitting means for directing a beam of frequency modulated, continuous wave radio frequency energy towards a body portion of said subject;
- receiving means for receiving said frequency modulated beam as a motion-related, phase modulated reflected signal from said body portion;
- and
- signal processing means for extracting the heart and respiration rates from said phase modulated reflected signal.
A method for measuring simultaneously the heart and respiration rates of a subject comprising the steps of:
- transmitting a beam of frequency modulated, continuous wave radio frequency energy towards a body portion of said subject;
- receiving said frequency modulated beam as a motion-related, phase modulated reflected signal from said body portion of said subject;
- and
- processing the phase modulated reflected signal to extract the heart and respiration rates from said phase modulated reflected signal.
An apparatus for measuring diagnostic information regarding the mechanical function of the heart, lungs, chest wall, or any anatomical part of the body of a subject undergoing motion comprising:
- transmitting means for directing a beam of frequency modulated, continuous wave radio frequency energy towards a selected body portion of said subject;
- receiving said frequency modulating beam as means for receiving a motion-related, phase modulated reflected signal from said selected body portion;
- and
- signal processing means for extracting the diagnostic information of interest from said motion-related phase modulated reflected signal.
A method for measuring diagnostic information regarding the mechanical function of the heart, lungs, chest wall, or any anatomical part of the body of a subject undergoing motion comprising:
- transmitting a beam of frequency modulated, continuous wave radio frequency energy towards a selected body portion of said subject;
- receiving said frequency modulated beam as a motion-related, phase modulated reflected signal from said selected body portion of said subject;
- and
- processing the phase modulated reflected signal to extract the diagnostic information of interest from said phase modulated reflected signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.