System for analysis of biological voltage signals

Abstract

System for analyzing biological signals representative of voltage changes, including obtaining an analog biological signal representative of voltage changes, using digital processing software to digitize the biological signal, displaying the processed biological signal in analog form on a display in a time compressed format, wherein an amount of compression for the time compressed format is selected such that graphical patterns are made perceivable on the display that signify an abnormality in the biological signal, and visually analyzing the biological signal on the display to characterize the abnormality.

1 . System for analyzing biological signals representative of voltage changes, comprising an information processing system having digital processing software operable digitize said biological signal, and a display for displaying said digitized biological signal in analog form on a display in a time compressed format, wherein said information processing system enables an amount of compression for said time compressed format to be selected by an operator such that graphical patterns are made perceivable on the display that signify an abnormality in the biological signal, thereby enabling the operator to visually analyze said biological signal on said display to characterize said abnormality.  
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said biological signal is an electrocardiogram.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said information processing system enables independent channel enhancement of the dynamic range of said analog biological signal prior to said digitizing.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a library of patterns of biological signals, wherein visually analyzing includes attempting to match patterns in the biological signal with the library of patterns.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the information processing system enables independent optimization of the dynamic range in each channel to be performed prior to said digitizing.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said digitizing is performed by sampling said biological signal at at least 44,100 Hz per second per channel.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said digitizing is performed using quantization of at least 16 bits per sample per channel.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said digital processing software is digital audio processing software.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the information processing system uses time intervals in the biological signal to asses internal functional harmony of the biological signal.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a computer sound card that is used when digitizing the biological signal.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system enables visual analysis for abnormalities from the group consisting of: myocardial ischemia, arrhythmia, repolarization, depolarization heterogeneity, and pacemaker malfunction.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said system enables magnification of the displayed biological signal in a Y axis to enable at least microsecond levels of said biological signal to be viewed on said display.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said system enables magnification of the displayed biological signal in an X axis to enable at least microvolt levels of said biological signal to be viewed on said display.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said biological signal is an electroencephalogram.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said biological signal is a myogram.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said biological signal is a phonocardiogram.