US2003130588A1PendingUtilityA1
Method and system for analyzing respiratory tract sounds
Priority: Jan 10, 2002Filed: Jan 10, 2002Published: Jul 10, 2003
Est. expiryJan 10, 2022(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
A61B 7/026A61B 5/08A61B 7/003
38
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims
Abstract
A system and method for analyzing the respiratory tract sounds. The system comprises a plurality of transducers that are placed on the individual's skin over the thorax. A signal analysis module analyzes sound signals recorded by the transducers and produces a first analysis product. A display device displays an image based upon the first analysis product. The image includes a pattern with an overall shape corresponding to that of the respiratory system. Regions in the image that are suspected of having a pathological condition may be indicated.
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modified1 . A system for analyzing the respiratory tract of an individual, comprising:
(a) a plurality of transducers for placing in a plurality of a pre-defined locations on the individual's skin over the thorax; (b) a signal analysis module for analyzing sound signals recorded by each of said transducers to produce a first analysis product; and (c) a display, said display displaying an image based upon the first analysis product, which image includes a pattern with an overall shape corresponding to that of the respiratory system and an indication on said pattern of regions in the image which are suspected of having a pathological condition.
2 . A system for analyzing sounds in at least a portion of an individual's respiratory tract comprising:
(a) a plurality of N transducers, each transducer configured to be fixed on a surface of the individual over the thorax, the ith transducer being fixed at a location x i and generating a signal P(xi,t) indicative of pressure waves at the location x i ; for i=1 to N; and (b) a processor configured to receive the signals P(x i ,t) and determine an average acoustic energy {tilde over (P)}(x,t 1 ,t 2 ) at at least one position x over a time interval from a first time t 1 to a second time t 2 , {tilde over (P)} being determined in an algorithm involving at least one of the signals P(xi,t).
3 . The system according to claim 2 further comprising a two-dimensional display device.
4 . The system according to claim 3 wherein the processor is further configured to display a representation of the function {tilde over (P)}.
5 . The system according to claim 2 wherein the processor is further configured to compare the average acoustic energy {tilde over (P)} to one or more predetermined functions {tilde over (F)} and determine a function {tilde over (F)} 0 from among the functions {tilde over (F)} most similar to {tilde over (P)}.
6 . The system according to claim 5 wherein the processor is further configured to make a diagnosis based upon the determined function.
7 . The system according to claim 2 wherein the average acoustic energy {tilde over (P)} over a time interval from t 1 to t 2 is determined at a location x i of a transducer using the algebraic expression:
P
~
(
x
i
,
t
1
,
t
2
)
=
∫
t
1
t
2
P
2
(
x
i
,
t
)
t
.
8 . The system according to claim 2 wherein the function {tilde over (P)} is determined at one or more locations x in an algorithm comprising:
(a) determining an average acoustic energy {tilde over (P)}(x i ,t 1 ,t 2 ) over a time interval from t 1 to t 2 at a plurality of locations x i of transducers; and
(b) determining an average acoustic energy {tilde over (P)}(x,t 1 ,t 2 ) at at least one location x by interpolation of the determined {tilde over (P)}(x i ,t 1 ,t 2 ).
9 . The system according to claim 8 wherein an average acoustic energy {tilde over (P)}(x i ,t 1 ,t 2 ) is determined over a time interval from t 1 to t 2 at a plurality of locations x i of transducers using the algebraic expression:
P
~
(
x
i
,
t
1
,
t
2
)
=
∫
t
2
t
2
P
2
(
x
i
,
t
)
t
.
10 . The system according to claim 8 wherein an average acoustic energy is determined at at least one location x by interpolation of the determined {tilde over (P)}(x i ,t 1 ,t 2 ) using the algebraic expression:
P
~
(
x
,
t
1
,
t
2
)
=
∑
i
=
1
N
P
~
(
x
i
,
t
1
,
t
2
)
g
(
x
,
x
i
,
σ
)
(
2
)
where g(x,x i ,σ) is a kernal satisfying
∇
2
g
=
∂
g
∂
σ
(
3
)
∑
i
=
1
N
g
(
x
,
x
i
,
σ
)
is
approximately
equal
to
1.
(
4
)
11 . The system according to claim 10 wherein g(x,v i σ) is the kernal
g
(
x
,
x
i
,
σ
)
=
Exp
-
(
(
x
1
-
x
i
1
σ
)
2
2
σ
)
·
Exp
-
(
(
x
2
-
x
i
2
σ
)
2
2
σ
)
.
(
5
)
12 . The system according to claim 2 wherein the processor is configured to determine an average acoustic energy over a plurality of time intervals, each average acoustic energy being determined using an algorithm involving at least one of the signals P(x i ,t).
13 . The system according to claim 2 wherein the processor is configured to sequentially display on a display device a representation of each determined average acoustic energy.
14 . The system according to claim 2 wherein the processor is configured to:
(a) for each of one or more frequency bands,
(aa) subject the signals (P,x i ,t) to band pass filtering in the frequency band; and
(ab) determine an average acoustic energy function for the frequency band based upon at least one of the filtered signals.
15 . The system according to claim 14 wherein the processor is configured to display one or more of the average acoustic energy functions determined for a frequency band on a display device.
16 . A method for analyzing the condition of a respiratory tract of an individual, comprising:
(a) placing a plurality of sound transducers in pre-defined locations over one or both of an individual's thorax; (b) recording sound by each of said transducers over a period of time including at least one respiratory cycle; (c) analyzing the sound recorded at each location to obtain a first analysis product; and (d) combining the plurality of first analysis products into a display, said display comprising a pattern with an overall shape corresponding to that of the respiratory system and an indication of regions thereof that are suspected of having a pathological condition
17 . A method for analyzing sounds in at least a portion of an individual's thorax, comprising:
(a) obtaining N signals P(xi,t) for i=1 to N, the signal P(xi,t) being indicative of pressure waves at the location x i ; on a surface of the body over the thorax; (b) determining an average acoustic energy {tilde over (P)}(x,t 1 ,t 2 ) at at least one position x over a time interval from a first time t 1 to a second time t 2 , {tilde over (P)} determined in an algorithm involving at least one of the signals.
18 . The method according to claim 17 further comprising displaying a representation of {tilde over (P)} on a two-dimensional surface.
19 . The method according to claim 17 further comprising comparing the average acoustic energy {tilde over (P)} to one or more predetermined functions {tilde over (F)}and determining a function {tilde over (F)} 0 from among the functions {tilde over (F)} most similar to {tilde over (P)}.
20 . The method according to claim 17 wherein further comprising making a diagnosis based upon the determined function.
21 . The method according to claim 17 wherein the average acoustic energy over a time interval from t 1 to t 2 is determined at a location x i of a transducer using the algebraic expression:
P
~
(
x
i
,
t
1
t
2
)
=
∫
t
1
t
2
P
2
(
x
i
,
t
)
t
.
22 . The method according to claim 17 wherein the function {tilde over (P)} is determined at one or more locations x in an algorithm comprising;
(a) determining an average acoustic energy {tilde over (P)}(x i ,t 1 ,t 2 ) over a time interval from t 1 to t 2 at a plurality of locations x i of transducers; and
(b) determining an average acoustic energy {tilde over (P)}(x,t 1 ,t 2 ) at at least one location x by interpolation of the determined {tilde over (P)}(x,t 1 ,t 2 ).
23 . The method according to claim 22 wherein an average acoustic energy {tilde over (P)}(x,t 1 ,t 2 ) is determined over a time interval from t 1 to t 2 a at a plurality of locations of transducers using the algebraic expression:
P
~
(
xi
,
t
1
,
t
2
)
=
∫
t
1
t
2
P
2
(
x
i
,
t
)
t
24 . The method according to claim 22 wherein an average acoustic energy is determined at at least one location x by interpolation of the determined {tilde over (P)}(x,t 1 ,t 2 ) using the algebraic expression:
P
~
(
x
,
t
1
,
t
2
)
=
∑
i
=
1
N
P
~
(
x
i
,
t
1
,
t
2
)
g
(
x
,
x
i
,
σ
)
(
2
)
where g(x,x i ,σ) is a kernal satisfying
∇
2
g
=
∂
g
∂
σ
(
3
)
∑
i
=
1
N
g
(
x
,
x
1
,
σ
)
is approximately equal to 1.
(
4
)
25 . The method according to claim 24 wherein g(x,x i ,σ) is the kernal
g
(
x
,
x
i
,
σ
)
=
Exp
-
(
(
x
1
-
x
i
1
σ
)
2
2
σ
)
·
Exp
-
(
(
x
2
-
x
i
2
σ
)
2
2
σ
)
26 . An image of a two-dimensional representation of {tilde over (P)} produced by the method of claim 18 .
27 . The method according to claim 17 comprising determine an average acoustic energy over a plurality of time intervals, each average acoustic energy being determined using an algorithm involving at least one of the signals P(x i ,t) further comprising sequentially displaying on a display device a representation of each determined average acoustic energy.
28 . The method according to claim 17 further comprising, for each of one or more frequency bands:
(a) subjecting the signals P(x i ,t) to band pass filtering in the frequency band; and
(b) determining an average acoustic energy function for the frequency band based upon at least one of the filtered signals.
29 . The method according to claim 28 further comprising displaying on a display device one or more of the acoustic energy functions determined for a frequency band.
30 . A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for determining for at least one time interval, an average acoustic energy function {tilde over (P)} using an algorithm involving at least one signal P(x i ,t) indicative of pressure waves at a location x i on a body surface.
31 . A computer program product comprising a computer useable median having computer readable program code embodied therein analyzing sounds in at least a portion of an individual's body, the computer program product comprising:
computer readable program code for causing the computer to determine for at least one time interval, an acoustic energy function {tilde over (P)}, {tilde over (P)} being determined in algorithm involving at least one signal P(x i ,t) indicative of pressure waves at a location x i on a body surface.Join the waitlist — get patent alerts
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