Patent Publication Number: US-2023135680-A1

Title: Portable heart monitor system

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present general inventive concept relates generally to heart health, and particularly, to a portable heart monitor system. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Heart rate monitors are one of the most commonly used and beneficial pieces of equipment in the medical industry. However, the heart rate monitor can be tedious to set up due to numerous wires, and bulky monitors to display information on a heart being monitored. 
     Moreover, the heart rate monitor often hampers the patient&#39;s movement, thus making it difficult and uncomfortable for patients to move without feeling restricted. Also, the current design is a time-consuming process for healthcare providers during preparation of the patient for monitoring. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a portable heart monitoring system that simplifies set up of the heart monitor on a patient and facilitates movement while wearing the heart monitor. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present general inventive concept provides a portable heart monitor system. 
     Additional features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept. 
     The foregoing and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a portable heart monitor system, including a wearable electrocardiogram device to be worn by a user to detect at least one of a heart rate, a heart rhythm, and a level of oxygen saturation, and a wearable monitoring device to be worn by the user and connected to the wearable electrocardiogram device to display at least one of the heart rate, the heart rhythm, and the level of oxygen saturation. 
     The wearable electrocardiogram device may include an electrocardiogram body, a plurality of leads detachably connected to at least a portion of the electrocardiogram body to detect at least one of a heart rate and a heart rhythm, and a pulse oximeter disposed on at least a portion of the electrocardiogram body to detect the level of oxygen saturation. 
     The wearable electrocardiogram device may further include a lead connector disposed on and within at least a portion of the electrocardiogram body to magnetically receive each of the plurality of leads thereon. 
     The wearable electrocardiogram device may further include a lead connector disposed on and within at least a portion of the electrocardiogram body to wirelessly connect the plurality of leads to the electrocardiogram body. 
     The wearable monitoring device may receive at least one oral command to adjust at least one setting thereof. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and/or other features and utilities of the present generally inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a plan view of a portable heart monitor system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various example embodiments (a.k.a., exemplary embodiments) will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodiments are illustrated. In the figures, the thicknesses of lines, layers and/or regions may be exaggerated for clarity. 
     Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the figures and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure. Like numbers refer to like/similar elements throughout the detailed description. 
     It is understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art. However, should the present disclosure give a specific meaning to a term deviating from a meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill, this meaning is to be taken into account in the specific context this definition is given herein. 
     List of Components 
     Portable Heart Monitor System  100   
     Wearable Electrocardiogram Device  110   
     ECG Body  111   
     Leads  112   
     Lead Connector  113   
     Communication Unit  114   
     Pulse Oximeter  115   
     Power Button  116   
     Power Source  117   
     Wearable Monitoring Device  120   
     Monitor Body  121   
     Display Unit  122   
     Communication Unit  123   
     Power Source  124   
     Strap  125   
       FIG.  1    illustrates a plan view of a portable heart monitor system  100 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. 
     The portable heart monitor system  100  may be constructed from at least one of metal, plastic, wood, glass, and rubber, etc., but is not limited thereto. 
     The portable heart monitor system  100  may include a wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) device  110  and a wearable monitoring device  120 , but is not limited thereto. 
     The wearable ECG device  110  may include an ECG body  111 , a plurality of leads  112 , a lead connector  113 , a communication unit  114 , a pulse oximeter  115 , a power button  116 , and a power source  117 , but is not limited thereto. 
     The ECG body  111  may be removably connected to at least a portion of a body of a user  10 . More specifically, the ECG body  111  may use a fastener, such as an adhesive (e.g., tape, glue). As such, the ECG body  111  may be worn by the user  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   , the plurality of leads  112  is illustrated to have four leads. However, the plurality of leads  112  may have twelve leads, six leads, and/or two leads. Moreover, a number of the plurality of leads  112  may be customized based on a preference of the user  10 . In other words, the plurality of leads  112  may be detachably connected to at least a portion of the ECG body  111 . 
     Each of the plurality of leads  112  may include an electrode, but is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the plurality of leads  112  may have a type, such as limb leads, augmented limb leads, and/or precordial leads. Each of the plurality of leads  112  may be removably connected via the electrode to at least a portion of the body of the user  10  based on the type of lead corresponding to a position of the body of the user  10 . Furthermore, each of the plurality of leads  112  may measure an electrical potential difference between a corresponding location of attachment of each of the plurality of leads  112 . As such, the plurality of leads  112  may detect a heart rate, a heart rhythm, and/or a glucose level. 
     The lead connector  113  may include a plurality of jacks, but is not limited thereto. 
     The lead connector  113  may be disposed on and/or within at least a portion of the ECG body  111 . The lead connector  113  may magnetically receive each of the plurality of leads  112  on at least one of the plurality of jacks, such that the plurality of leads  112  may magnetically connect to the ECG body  111 . Alternatively, the plurality of leads  112  may be wirelessly connected to the lead connector  113 . 
     The communication unit  114  may include a device capable of wireless or wired communication between other wireless or wired devices via at least one of Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, infrared (IR) wireless communication, satellite communication, broadcast radio communication, Microwave radio communication, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Zigbee, near field communication (NFC), and radio frequency (RF) communication, USB, global positioning system (GPS), Firewire, and Ethernet. 
     The communication unit  114  may be disposed on and/or within at least a portion of the ECG body  111 . The communication unit  114  may transmit at least one lead signal therefrom. For example, the communication unit  114  may transmit data to a cardiologist to provide real time info on heart activity and facilitate deciphering cardiac emergencies. 
     The pulse oximeter  115  may be disposed on at least a portion of the ECG body  111 . Alternatively, the pulse oximeter  115  may be a wearable device that is separate from the ECG body  111 . As such, the pulse oximeter  115  may be a bracelet, an anklet, an attachment on a finger, an attachment on a foot, an attachment on an earlobe, a strap, a watch, and an armband, etc., but is not limited thereto. 
     Moreover, the pulse oximeter  115  may activate in response to the pulse oximeter  115  being connected to the user  10 . The pulse oximeter  115  may monitor a level of oxygen saturation in blood of the user  10 . 
     The pulse oximeter  115  may measure the level of oxygen saturation in the blood of the user  10  to detect fluctuations in the level of oxygen saturation as a result of the user  10  having difficulty breathing. Thus, the pulse oximeter  115  detecting a low level of oxygen saturation may indicate the user has difficulty breathing. Furthermore, the communication unit  114  may transmit at least one pulse oximeter signal therefrom. 
     The power button  116  may be disposed on at least a portion of the ECG body  111 . The power button  116  may turn on the plurality of leads  112 , the lead connector  113 , the communication unit  114 , and/or the pulse oximeter  115  in response to depressing the power button a first time. The power button  116  may turn off the plurality of leads  112 , the lead connector  113 , the communication unit  114 , and/or the pulse oximeter  115  in response to depressing the power button a second time. 
     The power source  117  may include a battery and a solar cell, but is not limited thereto. 
     The power source  117  may be disposed within at least a portion of the ECG body  111 . The power source  117  may provide power to the plurality of leads  112 , the lead connector  113 , the communication unit  114 , the pulse oximeter  115 , and/or the power button  116 . Additionally, the power source  117  may be magnetically charged using induction. 
     The wearable monitoring device  120  may include a monitor body  121 , a display unit  122 , a communication unit  123 , a power source  124 , and a strap  125 , but is not limited thereto. 
     Referring again to  FIG.  1   , the monitor body  121  is illustrated to have an oval shape. However, the monitor body  121  may be rectangular, circular, conical, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, or any other shape known to one of ordinary skill in the art, but is not limited thereto. The monitor body  121  may be removably connected to at least a portion of the body of the user  10 . In other words, the monitor body  121  may be worn by the user  10 . 
     The display unit  122  may include a plasma screen, an LCD screen, a light emitting diode (LED) screen, an organic LED (OLED) screen, a computer monitor, a hologram output unit, a sound outputting unit, or any other type of device that visually or aurally displays data. Also, the display unit  122  may be a touch-screen that receives an input thereon. 
     The display unit  122  may be disposed on at least a portion of the monitor body  121 . Referring again to  FIG.  1   , the display unit  122  may span an entire size of a side of the monitor body  121  to facilitate viewing thereof. The display unit  122  may display the heart rate, the heart rhythm, the glucose level, and/or the level of oxygen saturation. As such, the display unit  122  may display data detected by the plurality of leads  112  and/or the pulse oximeter  115 . 
     Furthermore, the display unit  122  may receive at least one oral command to adjust at least one setting of the display unit  122 . Also, the display unit  122  may receive the at least one oral command to notify a third party (e.g., a doctor, a cardiologist, a family member, a friend, etc.) during an emergency event (e.g., a heart attack, arrythmia). 
     The communication unit  123  may include a device capable of wireless or wired communication between other wireless or wired devices via at least one of Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, infrared (IR) wireless communication, satellite communication, broadcast radio communication, Microwave radio communication, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Zigbee, near field communication (NFC), and radio frequency (RF) communication, USB, global positioning system (GPS), Firewire, and Ethernet. 
     The communication unit  123  may be disposed within at least a portion of the monitor body  121 . The communication unit  123  may wirelessly receive the at least one lead signal and/or the at least one pulse oximeter signal from the communication unit  114 . Accordingly, the display unit  122  may display data detected from the plurality of leads  112  and/or the pulse oximeter  115 , and received from the communication unit  123 . 
     The power source  124  may include a battery and a solar cell, but is not limited thereto. 
     The power source  124  may be disposed within at least a portion of the ECG body  111 . The power source  124  may provide power to the display unit  122  and/or the communication unit  123 . Additionally, the power source  124  may be magnetically charged using induction. 
     The strap  125  may be disposed on at least a portion of the monitor body  121 . Therefore, the strap  125  may facilitate wearing of the monitor body  121  by the user  10 . 
     Therefore, the portable heart monitor system  100  may facilitate movement by the user  10  due to having less wires. Also, the portable heart monitor system  100  requires less management by health care workers to connect the portable heart monitor system  100  to the user  10 . 
     The present general inventive concept may include a portable heart monitor system  100 , including a wearable electrocardiogram device  110  to be worn by a user to detect at least one of a heart rate, a heart rhythm, and a level of oxygen saturation, and a wearable monitoring device  120  to be worn by the user and connected to the wearable electrocardiogram device  110  to display at least one of the heart rate, the heart rhythm, and the level of oxygen saturation. 
     The wearable electrocardiogram device  110  may include an electrocardiogram body  111 , a plurality of leads  112  detachably connected to at least a portion of the electrocardiogram body  111  to detect at least one of a heart rate and a heart rhythm, and a pulse oximeter  115  disposed on at least a portion of the electrocardiogram body  111  to detect the level of oxygen saturation. 
     The wearable electrocardiogram device  110  may further include a lead connector  113  disposed on and within at least a portion of the electrocardiogram body  111  to magnetically receive each of the plurality of leads  112  thereon. 
     The wearable electrocardiogram device  110  may further include a lead connector  113  disposed on and within at least a portion of the electrocardiogram body  111  to wirelessly connect the plurality of leads  112  to the electrocardiogram body  111 . 
     The wearable monitoring device  120  may receive at least one oral command to adjust at least one setting thereof. 
     Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.