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Publication Number
US-9973847-B2
Publication Date
2018-05-15
Expiration Date
Abstract
A mobile device-based stethoscope system that transmits, records, and analyzes sounds to generate a list of matching conditions and facilitates easy attachment across various electronic medical record platforms and other means of communication. The invention is configured to allow the use of either an integrated wireless stethoscope, or an in-line adapter for a conventional stethoscope. Patient sounds are sent from the selected stethoscope head to the mobile device having a software application that allows for the analysis, attachment, and further manipulation of the data.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a mobile device-based wireless stethoscope device that detects sounds picked up by a stethoscope head and transmits sound data wirelessly to a mobile device for detecting and analyzing sounds. An airway permitting acoustic transmission between an input tube and an output tube is disposed external to the stethoscope head and includes a first chamber and a second chamber in fluid communication. A microphone is disposed in the first chamber and is configured to detect sounds transmitted acoustically into the airway without blocking further acoustic transmission through the airway to the output tube.
A switching valve disposed within the airway permits acoustic transmission in an open position corresponding to an acoustic mode of operation and blocks acoustic transmission in a closed position corresponding to a digital mode of operation. A speaker is disposed in the second chamber between the switching valve and the output tube, and is configured to permit acoustic transmission down the airway in the acoustic mode and to provide sounds for transmission to the output tube in the digital mode. The wireless transmitter transmits sound data in both the acoustic mode and the digital mode.
In the computer-implemented workflow, the mobile device receives heart sound data wirelessly from the wireless stethoscope device and splits the heart sound data into segments representing a plurality of heartbeats, and further splits each segment into sections representing a heart sound cycle. The processor compares the heart sound data based on the segments and the sections to profiles in a database of pre-recorded sounds, each associated with at least one condition, determines at least one of the pre-recorded sounds that matches the heart sound data, and displays the at least one condition associated with the at least one matching pre-recorded sound.
The analysis can alternatively be performed at a remote application server, where heart sound data is received via a mobile device, segmented into heartbeats and heart sound cycle sections, compared to database profiles associated with conditions, and matched to determine at least one matching pre-recorded sound. Information on the at least one condition associated with the at least one matching pre-recorded sound is transmitted from the remote application server back to the mobile device for display. The workflow can further include converting patient heart sound data into a visually displayable format and storing genuine recordings and/or simulated model heart sound data as pre-recorded sounds.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims include an apparatus claim and two computer-implemented method claims. The inventive features cover a mode-selecting wireless stethoscope airway with chamber placement and microphone/speaker switching, and a segmentation-and-matching workflow that compares heart sound data against database profiles associated with conditions for display.
Chambered airway with non-blocking microphone detection
An airway with a first chamber and a second chamber in fluid communication disposed between an input tube and an output tube external to the stethoscope head, permitting acoustic transmission of sound; a microphone disposed in the first chamber configured to detect sounds picked up by the stethoscope head and transmitted acoustically into the airway without blocking further acoustic transmission of sound through the airway to the output tube.
Switching valve for acoustic mode versus digital mode
A switching valve disposed within the airway configured to permit acoustic transmission of sound in an open position corresponding to an acoustic mode of operation and to block acoustic transmission of sound in a closed position corresponding to a digital mode of operation; and a first chamber between the input tube and the switching valve such that the microphone detects sounds transmitted from the input tube when the valve is closed.
Mode-dependent speaker output for transmission
A speaker disposed in the second chamber between the switching valve and the output tube, configured to permit acoustic transmission of sound down the airway when the wireless stethoscope device is in the acoustic mode of operation and to provide sounds for transmission to the output tube when the wireless stethoscope device is in the digital mode of operation.
Wireless transmitter sends sound data for both modes
A wireless transmitter in communication with the microphone configured to receive sound data detected by the microphone and transmit the sound data wirelessly to a mobile device, wherein the wireless transmitter transmits sound data in both the acoustic mode of operation and the digital mode of operation.
Heartbeat and heart sound cycle segmentation for profile comparison
A method in which heart sound data received at a processor in a mobile device is split into a plurality of segments each representing a heartbeat, each segment is further split into a plurality of sections each representing a heart sound cycle, and the heart sound data based on the segments and sections is compared to profiles in a database of pre-recorded sounds, each pre-recorded sound associated with at least one condition.
Matching pre-recorded sounds and displaying associated conditions
The method determines at least one of the pre-recorded sounds that matches the heart sound data and displays, on a display in the mobile device, the at least one condition associated with the at least one matching pre-recorded sound.
Remote-server segmentation, comparison, and condition transmission for display
A computer-implemented method in which heart sound data is received at a remote application server from a wireless stethoscope via a mobile device, split into segments representing a plurality of heartbeats and further into sections representing a heart sound cycle, compared to profiles in a database of pre-recorded sounds associated with at least one condition, matched to determine at least one matching pre-recorded sound, and then information on the at least one condition associated with the at least one matching pre-recorded sound is transmitted to the mobile device for display.
Across the independent claims, the invention combines a chambered airway stethoscope architecture with a switching valve that selects acoustic versus digital operation while still providing microphone detection and wireless sound data transmission, with a segmentation-and-comparison workflow that matches segmented heart sound data to database profiles associated with conditions and displays the matched conditions, either on the mobile device or after remote server processing.
Stated Advantages
Displays the at least one condition associated with at least one matching pre-recorded sound based on received heart sound data.
Enables analysis of heart sound data by splitting into heartbeats and heart sound cycle sections and comparing against database profiles associated with conditions.
Allows processing either at a mobile device processor or at a remote application server and then transmitting matching condition information back to the mobile device for display.
Supports converting patient heart sound data into a visually displayable format for display on the mobile device.
Documented Applications
Detecting and analyzing sounds received from a wireless stethoscope device by receiving wirelessly transmitted heart sound data from a patient and displaying at least one associated condition on a mobile device display.
Remote analysis in which a remote application server receives wirelessly transmitted heart sound data from a patient via a mobile device, determines matching pre-recorded sounds, and transmits information on the associated condition to the mobile device for display.
Analyzing respiratory sound data or digestive sound data by comparing it to pre-recorded sound profiles in a database and displaying at least one associated condition (as further specified in dependent claims).
Storing pre-recorded sound data as genuine recordings and/or simulated model heart sound data in a database for use in the comparing and matching workflow (as further specified in dependent claims).
Updating/modifying database data based on a diagnosis received from the mobile device (as further specified in dependent claims).
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