Detection and display of irregular periodic wave forms

An apparatus, comprising:

• a display screen;
• a processor;
• and
• at least one body surface electrode, the body surface electrode being adapted to detect an ECG signal from a skin surface of a subject;
• wherein the processor is configured to:
• receive the ECG signal from the at least one body surface electrode when the at least one body surface electrode is positioned on the subject;
• partition the ECG signal into a succession of synchronized segments each having respective start times at a selected annotation point in the respective heart cycles, wherein said synchronized segments each represent ECG signals from heart cycles occurring at different time points;
• provide a display axis on the display screen, the display axis representing a time period corresponding to one synchronized segment;
• using the display screen, simultaneously display graphical representations of a plurality of synchronized segments on the display axis, such that synchronized segments corresponding to ECG signals from a plurality of different heart cycles occurring at different time points are simultaneously overlaid on the display axis, and wherein said graphical representations of the plurality of synchronized segments at least partially overlap on the display screen;
• continuously create additional synchronized segments as the ECG signal is received from the heart of the subject, wherein graphical representations of newly created synchronized signals are continuously added to the display axis on the display screen, and wherein graphical representations of older synchronized signals are removed from the display axis after a period of time;
• said processor being further configured to:
• determine whether said plurality of synchronized segments on the display axis comprise both (i) one or more synchronized segments which each include an irregular but periodic wave form, and also (ii) one or more synchronized segments which do not include said irregular but periodic wave form;
• and
• to indicate atrial fibrillation in the subject when condition (i) and (ii) are both satisfied.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a display screen;
• and
• a processor, which is configured to:
• receive an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal from a heart of a subject over multiple heart cycles;
• partition the ECG signal into a succession of synchronized segments each having respective start times at a selected annotation point in the respective heart cycles, wherein said synchronized segments each represent ECG signals from heart cycles occurring at different time points;
• provide a display axis on the display screen, the display axis representing a time period corresponding to one synchronized segment;
• using the display screen, simultaneously display graphical representations of a plurality of synchronized segments on the display axis, such that synchronized segments corresponding to ECG signals from a plurality of different heart cycles occurring at different time points are simultaneously overlaid on the display axis, and wherein said graphical representations of the plurality of synchronized segments at least partially overlap on the display screen;
• continuously create additional synchronized segments as the ECG signal is received from the heart of the subject, wherein graphical representations of newly created synchronized signals are continuously added to the display axis on the display screen, and wherein graphical representations of older synchronized signals are removed from the display axis after a period of time;
• said processor being further configured to:
• determine whether said plurality of synchronized segments on the display axis comprise both (i) one or more synchronized segments which each include an irregular but periodic wave form, and also (ii) one or more synchronized segments which do not include said irregular but periodic wave form;
• and
• to indicate atrial fibrillation in the subject when condition (i) and (ii) are both satisfied.