Patent US10736531 AI Biotech/Diagnostics: Cardio

Search All Patents in AI Biotech/Diagnostics: Cardio

Bardy Diagnostics | Website | LinkedIn | Headquarters: Seattle, Washington

Patent US10736531

Issued 2020-08-11

Subcutaneous Insertable Cardiac Monitor Optimized For Long Term, Low Amplitude Electrocardiographic Data Collection

Long-term electrocardiographic and physiological monitoring over a period lasting up to several years in duration can be provided through a continuously-recording subcutaneous insertable cardiac monitor (ICM). The sensing circuitry and the physical layout of the electrodes are specifically optimized to capture electrical signals from the propagation of low amplitude, relatively low frequency content cardiac action potentials, particularly the P-waves that are generated during atrial activation. In general, the ICM is intended to be implanted centrally and positioned axially and slightly to either the left or right of the sternal midline in the parasternal region of the chest. Additionally, the ICM includes an ECG sensing circuit that measures raw cutaneous electrical signals and performs signal processing prior to outputting the processed signals for sampling and storage.

Much More than Average Length Specification

View the Patent Matrix® Diagram to Explore the Claim Relationships

USPTO Full Text Publication >

2 Independent Claims

1. A subcutaneous insertable cardiac monitor (ICM) optimized for long term, low amplitude, electrocardiographic (ECG) data collection, comprising: an implantable housing comprised of a biocompatible material that is suitable for implantation within a living body; at least one pair of ECG sensing electrodes provided on a ventral surface and on opposite ends of the implantable housing operatively placed to facilitate sensing in closest proximity to the low amplitude, low frequency content cardiac action potentials that are generated during atrial activation; and electronic circuitry provided within the implantable housing, the electronic circuitry comprising: a low power microcontroller comprising firmware and operable to execute under modular micro program control as specified in the firmware; an ECG front end circuit interfaced to the microcontroller and configured to capture the cardiac action potentials sensed by at least the pair of ECG sensing electrodes which are output as ECG signals, the ECG front end comprising: a signal lead operable to sense the cardiac action potentials through one of the ECG sensing electrodes; a reference lead operable to sense the cardiac action potentials through the other of the ECG sensing electrodes; a termination resistor, a filter capacitor, and an operational amplifier through which a current of the sensed cardiac action potentials passes in a direct sequence prior to being output as the ECG signals; and a reference generator comprising a pair of resistors configured to inject a driven reference containing power supply noise and system noise into the body; and a non-volatile memory electrically interfaced with the microcontroller and operable to continuously store samples of the ECG signals.
11. A subcutaneous implantable loop recorder for long term electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring, comprising: a hermetically sealed implantable housing and comprised of a biocompatible material that is suitable for implantation within a living body of a patient; at least one pair of ECG sensing electrodes provided on a ventral surface and on opposite ends of the implantable housing operatively placed to facilitate sensing in closest proximity to the low amplitude, low frequency content cardiac action potentials that are generated during atrial activation; a power source comprised within the implantable housing; and electronic circuitry provided within the housing, the electronic circuitry comprising: a low power microcontroller comprising firmware and operable to execute under modular micro program control as specified in firmware; an ECG front end circuit interfaced to the microcontroller and configured to capture the cardiac action potentials sensed by at least the pair of ECG sensing electrodes which are output as ECG signals, the ECG front end comprising: a signal lead operable to sense the cardiac action potentials through one of the ECG electrodes; a reference lead operable to sense the cardiac action potentials through the other of the ECG electrodes; a termination resistor, a filter capacitor, and an operational amplifier through which a current of the sensed cardiac action potentials passes in a direct sequence prior to being output as the ECG signals; and a reference generator comprising a pair of resistors configured to inject a driven reference containing power supply noise and system noise into the body, the pair of resistance connected to the power source by a connection pair through which the pair of resistors receives the system noise and the power noise comprised in the driven reference signal; and a non-volatile memory electrically interfaced with the microcontroller and operable to continuously store samples of the ECG signals.