Ultrasonic monitor for measuring heart and pulse rates
AssigneeSalutron, Inc.
InventorsThomas Ying-Ching Lo, Tolentino Escorcio, Ron Jong Chang
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Abstract
The invention provides an ultrasonic monitor for measuring pulse rate values in a living subject, including a module with at least one source of ultrasonic energy, a gel pad comprised of a polymer and from about 50 to about 95% by weight of an ultrasound conductive diluent, wherein the gel pad is positioned in direct contact between the module and the living subject; an ultrasonic energy detector and associated hardware and software for detecting, calculating and displaying a readout of the measured rate values.
Claims40
An ultrasonic monitor for measuring pulse rate values in a living subject, comprising:
- a) at least one source of ultrasonic energy;
- b) a gel pad comprised of a thermoplastic elastomer and from about 50 to about 95% by weight of an ultrasound conductive diluent, said gel pad is positioned to be directly between the energy source and the living subject, said gel pad is characterized by having needle penetration from about 5 to about 300 ( 1/10 mm) according to ASTM D15;
- c) an ultrasonic energy detector;
- d) a microcontroller, responsive to the ultrasonic energy detector, which detects and calculates the pulse rate;
- and
- e) a display unit, responsive to the microcontroller, which displays a readout of the pulse rate.
A method for detecting pulse rates in a living subject, comprising:
- (i) providing an ultrasonic monitor, said ultrasonic monitor comprises:
- a) at least one source of ultrasonic energy,
- b) a gel pad comprised of a thermoplastic elastomer and from about 50 to about 95% by weight of an ultrasound conductive diluent, wherein said gel pad is characterized by having needle penetration from about 5 to about 300 ( 1/10 mm) according to ASTM D15;
- wherein said gel pad is positioned directly between the energy source and the living subject,
- c) an ultrasonic energy detector, and
- d) means for detecting and calculating the pulse rate and displaying a readout of the pulse rate;
- and
- (ii) contacting said ultrasonic monitor with the living subject at a point where the pulse rate is to be measured;
- and
- (iii) measuring the pulse rate of the living subject with said ultrasonic monitor contacting the living subject.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.