Patent ID: 11944455
Assignee: LOS ANGELES BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE AT HARBOR-UCLA MEDICAL CENTER
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 12:
13. A method for performing an electrocardiogram, the method comprising:
applying an electrode strip to an area of skin on a human subject, the electrode strip comprising:
a flexible printed circuit board including multiple integrated electrodes and corresponding electrode wires integrated into the electrode strip, individual ones of the multiple integrated electrodes being configured to provide signals conveying information associated with electrocardiograms, the integrated electrodes being positioned on the electrode strip to align with one or more desired anatomical locations on the human subject;
three peripheral electrodes, RA (right arm), LA (left arm), and LL (left leg), which are electrically connected to the electrode strip via peripheral electrode wires, the peripheral electrode wires allowing each of the three individual peripheral electrodes to be pulled to a respective appropriate position for the electrocardiogram, wherein the RA peripheral electrode is configured to be pulled and placed proximate to a right arm of the human subject distal to a right shoulder joint; the LA peripheral electrode is configured to be pulled and placed proximate to a left arm of the human subject distal to a left shoulder joint; and the peripheral LL electrode is configured to be pulled and placed on a left side of the human subject distal to a left hip joint; and
a ground (GND) electrode located on the electrode strip, and not configured to be pulled to an external location,

wherein the electrode strip includes:
a horizontally extending first portion that includes a first textual, shape, and/or color placement indicator conveying that the first portion is configured to be placed on a sternum of the human subject centered between nipples of the human subject;
a second portion coupled to the first portion, the second portion declining at an angle relative to the first portion and connecting the first portion to a horizontally extending third portion, the third portion configured to extend below a left nipple of the human subject as a result of the declining of the second portion, the third portion including a second textual, shape, and/or color placement indicator conveying that a specific location on the third portion should point to the left nipple; and

coupling a connector disposed at and integrated with the electrode strip at a transition between the second portion and the third portion of the electrode strip with a data recorder via a cableless connection, wherein:
the connector includes a convergence of the electrode wires such that responsive to the connector being coupled with the data recorder, the data recorder receives signals from the electrodes via the connector,
the data recorder is configured to receive, record, and transmit, information associated with electrocardiograms,
the data recorder includes a housing, a processor, an integrated ECG analog frontend, a memory, a communications interface, a battery, a power button, and indicator lights, the indicator lights being configured to provide a status of the electrocardiogram and the data recorder, the indicator lights comprising a power indicator light configured to indicate whether the data recorder is on, a pairing indicator light configured to indicate whether one or more of the integrated and/or peripheral electrodes are coupled to the data recorder, and a recording indicator light configured to indicate whether the data recorder is recording information, at least two of the indicator lights being arranged in a row on a surface of the housing such that the indicator lights are visible when the housing is positioned on the human subject,
the housing includes the processor, the integrated ECG analog frontend, the memory, the communications interface, the battery, the power button, and the indicator lights, and has a length of less than 8 centimeters, a width of less than 8 centimeters, a thickness of less than 2 centimeters, and a weight of 1-10 ounces; and

activating the data recorder to begin receiving and recording information associated with an electrocardiogram,
wherein the electrode strip includes a stiffening board, the stiffening board disposed proximate to the connector and at least partially at the convergence of the electrode wires, the stiffening board being layered on top, below, and/or in between at least a portion of the electrode strip and/or the flexible printed circuit board, the stiffening board facilitating a rigid attachment between the connector and the electrode strip.