System for analysis of biological voltage signals

Abstract

Method of analyzing biological signals, including obtaining a magnetic recording media having an analog biological signal recorded thereon, using digital processing software to digitize the biological signal, displaying the digitized biological signal in analog form on a display, and visually analyzing the biological signal on the display. The biological signal may be an electrocardiogram. Preferably, independent channel enhancement of the dynamic range of the analog biological signal is performed prior to digitizing The displayed biological signal is preferably presented in time compressed form. Digitizing is performed by sampling the biological signal at at least approximately 44,100 Hz per second per channel and quantization of at least 16-bits per sample per channel. The digital processing software is preferably digital audio processing software.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Method of analyzing biological signals, comprising obtaining a magnetic recording media having an analog biological signal recorded thereon, using digital processing software to digitize said biological signal, displaying said processed biological signal in analog form on a display, and visually analyzing said biological signal on said display.  
     
     
         2 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein said biological signal is an electrocardiogram.  
     
     
         3 . Method of  claim 1 , further including performing independent channel enhancement of the dynamic range of said analog biological signal prior to said digitizing.  
     
     
         4 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying includes displaying said biological signal in time compressed form.  
     
     
         5 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein visually analyzing includes attempting to match patterns in said biological signal with a given library of patterns.  
     
     
         6 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein electronic independent optimization of the dynamic range in each channel is done prior to said digitizing.  
     
     
         7 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein said digitizing is performed by sampling said biological signal at at least approximately 44,100 Hz per second per channel.  
     
     
         8 . Method of  claim 7 , wherein said digitizing is performed using quantization of at least 16-bits per sample per channel.  
     
     
         9 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein said digital processing software is digital audio processing software.  
     
     
         10 . Method of  claim 1 , further including the step of using time intervals in the biological signal to asses internal functional harmony of the biological signal.  
     
     
         11 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein digitizing includes using computer sound cards to digitize the biological signal.  
     
     
         12 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein visually analyzing said displayed signal includes looking for abnormalities from the group consisting of: myocardial ischemia, arrhythmia, repolarization, depolarization heterogeneity, and pacemaker malfunction.  
     
     
         13 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein said displaying includes magnifying said displayed biological signal in a Y axis to enable at least microsecond levels of said biological signal to be viewed.  
     
     
         14 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein said displaying includes magnifying said displayed biological signal in an X axis to enable at least microvolt levels of said biological signal to be viewed.  
     
     
         15 . Method of  claim 1 , further including using said method for mass screening of the human population for abnormalities.  
     
     
         16 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein said magnetic recording media is a cassette tape and said digitization includes using a slow playback speed for said cassette tape.  
     
     
         17 . Method of  claim 16 , wherein said slow playback speed is selected to be approximately 40 mm per second.  
     
     
         18 . Method of  claim 8 , wherein said magnetic recording media is a cassette tape and said digitization includes using a slow playback speed for said cassette tape.  
     
     
         19 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein said biological signal is an electroencephalogram.  
     
     
         20 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein said biological signal is a myogram.  
     
     
         21 . Method of  claim 1 , wherein said biological signal is a phonocardiogram.