Signal processing apparatus and method for phonocardiogram signal

A method of operation of a signal processing apparatus for processing a first phonocardiogram signal, the method comprising acts of:

• receiving the first phonocardiogram signal captured from a patient in accordance with that signal's respective plurality of capturing properties selected from at least one of an auscultation location, information about the patient breathing or holding breath, information about the patient resting or exercising prior to the capture of the signal;
• analyzing the first phonocardiogram signal using its respective plurality of capturing properties to provide an analysis and a confidence value of the analysis;
• determining, based on at least one of the analysis and the confidence value, whether a subsequent phonocardiogram signal if captured from the patient according to a different plurality of capturing properties is likely to improve accuracy of the analysis;
• and if so
• coordinating capture of the subsequent phonocardiogram signal from the patient according to the different plurality of capturing properties.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer instructions which, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to carry out a method of operation of a signal processing apparatus for processing a phonocardiogram signal, the method comprising acts of:

• receiving the first phonocardiogram signal captured from a patient in accordance with that signal's respective plurality of capturing properties selected from at least one of an auscultation location, information about the patient breathing or holding breath, information about the patient resting or exercising prior to the capture of the signal;
• analyzing the first phonocardiogram signal using its respective plurality of capturing properties to provide an analysis and a confidence value of the analysis;
• determining, based on at least one of the analysis and the confidence value, whether a subsequent phonocardiogram signal if captured from the patient according to a different plurality of capturing properties is likely to improve an accuracy of the, analysis;
• and if so
• coordinating capture of the subsequent phonocardiogram signal according from the patient to the different plurality of capturing properties.