US Patent No: 5,602,924
Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000
Electronic stethescope
Stats
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Feb 11, 1997
Issued date -
Dec 9, 1993
filing date -
08/164,382
serial no -
In Force
status
Importance
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Abstract
The electronic stethoscope is designed to minimize the influence of the various types of noise while optimizing auscultation of the sounds of interest, and to enable a cardiologist to auscultate mechanical heart valves. It comprises a probe for sensing sounds of interest produced within a patient's body and for converting these sounds to an electric signal, and an audio amplifier and earphones for reproducing the sounds of interest in response to this electric signal. The stethoscope comprises (a) a first filter unit having a frequency response that optimizes filtering of the tremor and passing of the low frequency sound components of interest in the range including the frequencies lower than 75 Hz, (b) a second filter unit having a frequency response that optimizes both attenuation of the ambient noise and passing of the sound components of interest in the range 110-1300 Hz, taking into consideration the variation of sensitivity of the human ear in function of frequency, (c) a third filter unit for passing the sounds of mechanical heart valves, and (d) a level detector detecting the amplitude level of the electric signal to activate a pulse generator of which the pulses are applied to the audio amplifier for momentarily and repeatedly disabling this audio amplifier when the detected amplitude level is higher than a predetermined amplitude level threshold.
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First Claim
Related Publications
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International Classification(s)
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Cited Art
| Patent Info | (Count) | # Cites | Year |
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| 4,534,058 Electronic stethoscope with automatic power shut-off | 18 | 1983 | |
| 4,618,986 Electronic stethoscope | 22 | 1983 | |
| 4,528,690 Compact hybrid stethoscope | 25 | 1984 | |
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| 4,607,643 Endotracheal tube/stethoscope combination | 20 | 1984 | |
| 4,917,107 Endotracheal tube/stethoscope combination | 12 | 1986 | |
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| 4,438,772 Differential stethoscope | 31 | 1982 | |
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| 4,991,581 Acoustic processing apparatus | 37 | 1988 | |
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| 5,010,889 Intelligent stethoscope | 80 | 1988 | |
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| 4,985,925 Active noise reduction system | 80 | 1988 | |
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| 5,003,605 Electronically augmented stethoscope with timing sound | 38 | 1989 | |
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| 5,025,809 Recording, digital stethoscope for identifying PCG signatures | 65 | 1989 | |
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| 4,220,160 Method and apparatus for discrimination and detection of heart sounds | 87 | 1978 | |
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| 4,783,814 Stethoscope having pseudostereophonic binaural enhancement | 16 | 1986 | |
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| 4,731,849 Electronic ausculscope | 12 | 1986 | |
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| 4,649,928 Noise-immune blood pressure measurement technique and system | 10 | 1985 | |
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| 5,022,405 Stethoscope for use in nuclear magnetic resonance diagnostics | 15 | 1988 | |
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| 4,302,627 Dental stethoscope | 8 | 1980 | |
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| 4,598,417 Electronic stethoscope | 34 | 1984 | |
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| 5,036,543 Noise suppression apparatus for FM receiver | 16 | 1990 | |
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| 4,720,866 Computerized stethoscopic analysis system and method | 26 | 1985 | |
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| 4,476,436 Power amplifier | 7 | 1982 | |
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| 4,792,145 Electronic stethoscope system and method | 60 | 1986 | |
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| 4,498,188 Electronic stethoscope for monitoring the operation of a prosthetic valve implanted in a patient's heart | 11 | 1983 | |
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| 4,401,125 Stethoscope securing pad | 18 | 1981 | |
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| 4,783,813 Electronic sound amplifier stethoscope with visual heart beat and blood flow indicator | 28 | 1986 | |
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| 4,594,731 Electronic stethoscope | 36 | 1984 | |
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| 4,254,302 Electronic stethoscope | 40 | 1979 | |
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| 5,172,358 Loudness control circuit for an audio device | 37 | 1990 | |
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| 4,218,584 Stethoscope for use on a horse | 13 | 1978 | |
| 4,424,815 Stethoscope-type recording system with stretched-in-time playback | 13 | 1980 | |
| 4,377,727 Stethoscope having means for measuring pulse frequency | 9 | 1980 | |
| 4,672,975 Stethoscope with image of periodically expanding and contracting heart | 13 | 1985 | |
| 4,821,327 Acoustical stethoscope with electrical filter | 13 | 1987 | |
| 4,972,841 Stethoscope with pulse rate display | 12 | 1988 | |