Improvements in heart activity monitoring during physical exercise

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016000336-A1
Application number	US-201314767225-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 14, 2013
Priority date	Feb 14, 2013
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer program monitor a user's heart activity during a physical exercise. A heart activity measurement signal representing the user's heart activity is acquired and a phase component of the heart activity measurement signal is monitored. On the basis of the monitoring of the phase component, one or more actions are carried out.

First claim

1 . An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising: acquiring a heart activity measurement signal of a user during a physical exercise performed by the user, wherein the heart activity measurement signal characterizes electric activity of a heart measured by at least one electrode pair in contact with the user's skin; monitoring a phase of the heart activity measurement signal; and determining an action to perform on the basis of the phase of the heart activity measurement signal and performing said action.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising determining a physiological parameter of the user from the phase of the heart activity measurement signal.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to performing operations comprising:
determining a periodicity of the phase of the heart activity measurement signal; and determining a respiratory rate of the user from the periodicity of the phase of the heart activity measurement signal.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
determining interference signal components in the acquired heart activity signal on the basis of the phase of the heart activity measurement signal; and eliminating the determined interference signal components from further analysis of the heart activity measurement signal.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
determining an average level of the phase of the heart activity measurement signal; determining a timing of phase samples of the heart activity measurement signal that deviate from the average level more than a predefined threshold; and eliminating signal components having said determined timing from further analysis of the heart activity signal.

6 . (canceled)

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
computing a deviation of the phase of the heart activity measurement signal; computing at least one correction factor from the deviation of the phase of the heart activity measurement signal; and computing a performance metric from the heart activity measurement signal by using the at least one correction factor.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
computing variability of R-R intervals from the heart activity measurement signal; and computing the performance metric from the variability of the R-R intervals by using the at least one correction factor.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising determining a phase of a QRS complex waveform of the heart activity measurement signal from the phase of the heart activity measurement signal and perform said action on the basis of phase of the QRS complex waveform.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
acquiring at least a second heart activity measurement signal of the user during the physical exercise, wherein the second heart activity measurement signal is measured by at least one electrode pair not used for measuring said heart activity signal; determining beforehand at least one phase of the heart activity measurement signal that results in a maximal absolute value of an R wave amplitude in QRS complex waveforms of the heart activity measurement signal; and computing phases of the heart activity measurement signals and select for further analysis a heart activity measurement signal that has its phase of the QRS complex waveform closest to the determined at least one phase of the QRS complex waveform that results in the maximal absolute value of the R wave amplitude.

11 . (canceled)

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising outputting, as said action, an instruction for the user to adjust at least one electrode measuring the heart activity data.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
computing a deviation of the phase of the QRS complex waveform; detecting that the deviation exceeds a predetermined threshold; and outputting, in response to said detecting, the instruction for the user to adjust the at least one electrode.

14 . (canceled)

15 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
determining beforehand at least one phase of the QRS complex waveform that results in a maximal absolute value of an R wave amplitude of the heart activity signal; determining whether or not the phase of the heart activity measurement signal is within a determined range from any phase of the QRS complex waveform that results in the maximal absolute value of the R wave; and outputting, upon determining that the phase of the QRS complex waveform outside the determined range, the instruction for the user to adjust the at least one electrode.

16 . (canceled)

17 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
computing an auxiliary signal approximating a wavelet transform of the heart activity signal; and computing the phase of the heart activity measurement signal by computing an argument of the auxiliary signal.

18 . A method for processing a heart activity measurement signal, the method comprising in an exercise monitoring apparatus perform operations comprising:
acquiring the heart activity measurement signal of a user during a physical exercise performed by the user, wherein the heart activity measurement signal characterizes electric activity of a heart and is measured by at least one electrode pair in contact with the user's skin; monitoring a phase of the heart activity measurement signal; and determining an action to perform on the basis of the phase of the heart activity measurement signal and performing said action.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said action comprises determining a physiological parameter of the user from

Assignees

• Polar Electro Oy

Inventors

• Pekonen Elias
• Kemppainen Juhani

Classifications

• A61B5/726

  using Wavelet transforms · CPC title

• A61B5/0245 Primary

  by using sensing means generating electric signals, {i.e. ECG signals} · CPC title

• A61B5/7203

  for noise prevention, reduction or removal · CPC title

• A61B5/6823

  Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip · CPC title

• A61B5/0816

  Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency (measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00) · CPC title