System and method for processing electrophysiological signals
Inventors
Larsen, Sigge Nejst • Shadbolt, Victor • MacAdam, David P. • Wodlinger, Harold
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-11737698-B2
Publication Date
2023-08-29
Expiration Date
Abstract
An electrophysiology system including signal channels each of which processes an electrophysiological signal along a signal path extending from an input port that receives the analog electrophysiological signal, via an adjustable gain element that amplifies the electrophysiological signal, and via an ADC element that converts the analog signal into a corresponding digital signal, to an output port. The system further includes a monitoring element that generates a monitoring signal representative of a DC component of the electrophysiological signal and a gain control element that generates a control signal responsive to the monitoring signal. The control signal controls the gain setting of the gain element to cause a decrease in gain, if an increase in the magnitude of the DC component is determined; and/or an increase in gain, if a decrease in the magnitude of the DC component is determined.
Core Innovation
The invention describes an electrophysiology system that processes an electrophysiological signal including intracardiac ablation energy. The system receives the electrophysiological signal as an analog signal through an input port, amplifies the analog signal with an adjustable gain element according to a gain setting, and converts the amplified analog signal into a digital signal using an analog-to-digital (ADC) element. The digital signal corresponding to the electrophysiological signal is provided through an output port.
The system further includes a monitoring element configured to generate a monitoring signal representative of a magnitude of a DC component of the electrophysiological signal. A gain control element generates a control signal in response to the monitoring signal. The control signal controls the gain setting of the adjustable gain element to decrease gain in response to an increase in the magnitude of the DC component caused by activation of the intracardiac ablation energy, and to increase gain in response to a decrease in the magnitude of the DC component caused by deactivation of the intracardiac ablation energy.
In implementations, the document describes additional electrophysiology system configurations for digitization and gain handling, including gain compensation for signal display amplitude and monitoring of DC behavior tied to intracardiac ablation energy. The document also describes implementations using software and firmware instances on a computer portion and describes output data generation based on digital signals from the ADC element(s).
The invention also describes variants where DC-based gain control is applied across multiple ADC elements assigned to groups of signal channels, and where the same analog intracardiac signal is routed through parallel signal paths with respective ADC and gain elements. These implementations are described as supporting controlled gain/ADC behavior to maintain signal fidelity while handling changes associated with activation and deactivation of intracardiac ablation energy.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent claims (system claims directed to claim 1 and claim 17, and a method claim directed to claim 16). Across these independent claims, the coverage centers on a DC-component monitoring loop that drives inverse gain adjustment during intracardiac ablation energy activation/deactivation, within an analog-to-digital signal path that includes an adjustable gain element and an ADC element.
Dc-component monitored gain control for ablation energy
An electrophysiology system comprising one or more signal channels configured to receive an electrophysiological signal as an analog signal, amplify it with an adjustable gain element according to a gain setting, and convert it into a digital signal with an ADC element; a monitoring element generating a monitoring signal representative of a magnitude of a DC component of the electrophysiological signal; and a gain control element generating a control signal in response to the monitoring signal to decrease the gain in response to an increase in the magnitude of the DC component caused by activation of intracardiac ablation energy, and/or increase the gain in response to a decrease in the magnitude of the DC component caused by deactivation of the intracardiac ablation energy.
Dc-component monitored amplifying method responsive to ablation energy
A method of amplifying an electrophysiological signal in a signal channel comprising receiving the electrophysiological signal as an analog signal; amplifying the electrophysiological signal during a diagnostic phase with a gain according to a gain setting; converting the analog signal into a digital signal corresponding to the electrophysiological signal; monitoring the electrophysiological signal to obtain a magnitude of a DC component of the electrophysiological signal; controlling the gain setting of the adjustable gain element in response to an increase of the magnitude of the DC component by activation of intracardiac ablation energy and a decrease of the magnitude of the DC component by deactivation of the intracardiac ablation energy; and providing the digital signal as an output.
Monitoring element and gain control element for inverse DC-based gain adjustment
An electrophysiology system comprising one or more signal channels configured to process an electrophysiological signal that includes intracardiac ablation energy along a signal path from an input port receiving the electrophysiological signal as an analog signal, via an adjustable gain element and an ADC element to an output port providing the digital signal; a monitoring element generating a monitoring signal representative of a magnitude of a DC component of the electrophysiological signal; and a gain control element generating a control signal in response to the monitoring signal to decrease gain responsive to an increase in the magnitude of the DC component caused by activation of intracardiac ablation energy and/or increase gain responsive to a decrease in the magnitude of the DC component caused by deactivation of the intracardiac ablation energy.
Across the independent claims, the document covers an electrophysiology signal path that digitizes an analog intracardiac electrophysiological signal including ablation energy while monitoring a DC component magnitude and generating a control signal to inversely adjust adjustable gain in response to activation/deactivation of intracardiac ablation energy. The method claim mirrors this monitoring and gain-control behavior and includes a diagnostic phase and providing the digitized output.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
Interested in licensing this patent?