Recorder unit for ambulatory ECG monitoring system

A recorder for recording information onto a tape, at least a portion of the information including data related to analog ECG signals, said recorder including a recording head capable of transferring information to the tape as the tape passes thereover in a forward direction, said recorder comprising:

• means for receiving the information,
• means for transferring the information from said recorder to the tape including:
• forward format recording means for selecting and transferring a first portion of the information from said recorder to the tape in a forward format as the tape passes over said recording head in a forward direction, and
• reverse format recording means for selecting and transferring a second portion of the information from said recorder to the tape in a reverse format as the tape is moved past said recording head in said forward direction, at least a portion of said second portion of information selected and recorded in said reverse format by said reverse format recording means including at least a portion of the data related to the ECG signals.

A system for recording and playing back information related to ECG signals from a tape, including a recording means and a playback means, said system comprising:

• recording means including:
• means for receiving the information, and
• means for recording at least a portion of the information onto the tape in a reverse format as the tape is rotated in a forward direction in said recorder, at least a portion of the information recorded in said reverse format including at least a portion of the data related to the ECG signals, and
• playback means including:
• means for playing back the information recorded in said reverse format while the tape is rotated in a reverse direction in the playback means, and
• means for receiving said played back information including user interface means for allowing access to said played back information by a user.

A recorder for use with an ambulatory ECG recording system, said recorder comprising:

• means for receiving analog ECG signals from an ambulatory patient,
• means for recording said analog ECG signals to a tape,
• means for performing real-time analysis on said analog ECG signals, and
• means for recording data related to said real-time analysis onto the tape, said means for recording said data including means for recording at least a portion of said data to the tape in a reverse format compared with the remainder of said data.

A method of operating an ECG monitoring system having a recorder means which includes means for collecting information and a recording head;

• and a playback means including a playback head, the method comprising the steps of:
• collecting information with the recorder means, at least a portion of the information including data related to ECG signals,
• recording at least a portion of the collected information in a reverse format onto a tape while the tape moves in a forward direction over the recording head,
• transferring the tape form the recording means to the playback means, and
• playing back the information on the tape recorded in the reverse format while the tape moves past the playback head of the playback means in a reverse direction.