Method and apparatus for detecting and transmitting electrical and related audio signals from a single, common anatomical site

#The present invention relates to body-activity monitoring, and very specifically to a method and apparatus utilizing a remote, and preferably reuseable and/or discardable, combined electrical and audio sensor which can be applied directly to a person's anatomy to pick up simultaneously an electrical signal, as well as a site-related audio signal, for coupling to external monitoring apparatus. A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the setting of heart monitoring. It is described in conjunction with a small and largely self-contained sensor unit, wherein an audio transducer, such as a small microphone, is combined along a common detection axis with an acoustic and shrouding structure having an opening, like a circular mouth, which is defined, at least in part, by an annular electrical conductor which functions as an electrically conductive element for picking up an ECG electrical signal. Focus in describing this invention herein in the setting of heart monitoring illustrates the capability of the invention to deal effectively with other types of body-activity electrical and audio signals. Accordingly, the reader should think in parallel about other specific applications in which the invention offers utility.

#By combining coaxial and cooperative acoustic and ECG detector/transducers in such a manner, useful common-site heart-related activity, displayed via acoustic signals and time-related ECG electrical signals, can be very usefully delivered to medical personnel for evaluation. While reuseability of the device of this invention, at least for a certain number of successive procedures, is desirable, single-use discardability is also a viable option. The construction of the invention is such that it lends itself to relatively low cost implementation.

#With a shrouding structure, at least a part of which functions as an electrical signal pick-up structure, disposed electrically symmetrically with respect to what is referred to herein as a detection axis, and with this structure functioning as an acoustic shroud for a coaxially positioned microphonic pick-up, it is a quite simple matter for someone using the invention quickly and easily to place the device appropriately over a selected anatomical site, with substantial assurance that electrical and acoustic signals derived centrally from that site along the mentioned axis will be quite precisely coordinated positionally relative to one another. This common-site “tight” positioning between acoustic and electrical detectors leads to substantial accuracy in relating heart-produced audio signals with time-synchronous ECG electrical signals presented at the same site where the audio signals are detected.

#FIG. 1 is a simplified block/schematic view illustrating both the method and the apparatus contemplated by the present invention for detecting and transmitting ECG (or other electrical) and related audio signals from a single, common anatomical site.

#FIG. 2 is a very simplified, stylized cross-sectional view through a sensor unit which defines a detection axis along which appropriate acoustic and electrical elements are symmetrically aligned for common-site reception of related heart-produced signals emanating, effectively, from one selected site on a person's anatomy.

#FIG. 3 is a simplified view taken generally from the bottom side of FIG. 2 illustrating coaxial alignment between electrical and acoustic detector elements, and along with FIG. 2, illustrating how the mechanical structure which holds electrical pick-up conductive componentry forms an acoustic sound-gathering and enclosing shroud for the companion acoustic microphone pick-up device employed in the sensor structure.

#Turning now to the drawings, and referring first of all to FIGS. 1–3, inclusive, indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 1 are a sensor structure 12 and a coupler structure 14 which are employed in accordance with the present invention for detection and transmission by the sensor structure of what is referred to herein as common-anatomical-site heart-related ECG (or other body-produced electrical) and audio signals that are collected from adjacent a person's anatomy 16, and with reference to a selected site 18 on the surface of that anatomy. The structure of sensor 12 is such that it defines what is referred herein as an event detection axis 20, which, with the sensor structure in place relative to the anatomy as pictured in the figures, is positioned so that the axis passes ideally directly though site 18, as illustrated generally in FIGS. 1 and 2.

#Included in sensor structure 12 are a sensor body structure 22, an electrical-signal electrode structure 24, and an audio-signal transducer in the form of a small microphone 26. Also included in the embodiment of sensor structure 12 as pictured herein are a battery 28 and an indicator 30 which is optionally provided to give an indication, when sensor 12 is placed in use, about the charge level of battery 28. This indicator is useful, of course, when the sensor is placed in use, to confirm that appropriate battery power, typically required for biasing operation of microphone 26, is in good supply to do that.

#In the particular embodiment of the invention now being described, sensor structure 12 is intended to be removably couplable to a coupler unit, such as the one previously mentioned and illustrated at 14 in FIG. 1, through a snap-together connect/disconnect structure shown generally at 32 in FIG. 1. With all of the elements pictured in the figures connected appropriately for operation, and with sensor 12 and coupler 14 so interconnected as just briefly mentioned, signal flow takes place between the sensor and the coupler as illustrated by the broad shaded arrow 34 in FIG.1, with such signal information passing through the coupler, as indicated by broad shaded arrow 36 in FIG. 1, outwardly therefrom toward external monitoring structure (not illustrated) which is employed to receive and enable review and analysis of signal information thus provided. As an operating convenience, two conductive connections which are shown generally by arrow-headed lines 38, 40 in FIG. 1 become conductively connected through a conductive path shown by dashed lines at 42 in FIG. 1 within coupler 14 to establish a battery powering connection for microphone 26.