Method and apparatus for correcting non-physiological variations in ECG signals

Abstract

In a method for correcting for non-physiological variations in ECG signals, signals recorded during a heartbeat, or a characteristic part of a heartbeat, are conditioned and digitized. Signal samples are stored in the form of an m.times.p matrix, where m is the number of samples and p is the number of leads used from measuring electrodes applied to the patient. The difference between this measuring matrix and a reference matrix is minimized by performing one or more of the operations translation, time synchronization, rotation and scaling of the measuring matrix. An apparatus for correcting for non-physiological variations in ECG signals includes a stage for conditioning signals, picked up by measuring electrodes applied to the patient, an A/D converter for digitizing the signals and a calculation unit. The calculation unit includes a storage unit for storing signal samples in the form of a m.times.p matrix, where m is the number of samples and p is the number of leads used from measuring electrodes applied to the patient, and for storing a reference matrix. The calculation unit is arranged to minimize the difference between the measuring matrix, formed from signal samples, and the reference matrix by one or more of the operations of translation, time synchronization, rotation and scaling of the measuring matrix.

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