Wearable monitor system computing patient heart rate by multiplying ECG signals from different channels

1. An external monitoring device, comprising:

a measurement circuit configured to sense a first Electrocardiogram (ECG) signal of a user from a first vector, and a second ECG signal of the user from a second vector distinct from the first vector contemporaneously with sensing the first ECG signal; and

a processor configured to:

multiply values of the first ECG signal with values of the second ECG signal to derive a product waveform,

detect, in the product waveform, peaks that exceed a detection threshold,

measure durations of time intervals between pairs of successive ones of the detected peaks, and

compute a heart rate of the user from the measured durations of the time intervals; and

a communication module configured to transmit the computed heart rate;

wherein:

the second ECG signal is time-shifted with respect to the first ECG signal to derive a time-shifted second ECG signal, and

the product waveform is derived by multiplying values of the time-shifted second ECG signal.

2. The external monitoring device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a display to display the computed heart rate.

3. The external monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first ECG signal is high-pass filtered to derive a high-pass filtered first ECG signal, and

the product waveform is derived by multiplying values of the high-pass filtered first ECG signal instead of multiplying values of the first ECG signal.

4. The external monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein:

a third vector is further defined,

the measurement circuit is further configured to sense a third ECG signal from the third vector, and

the processor is further configured to:

multiply values of the third ECG signal with the values of the first ECG signal and of the second ECG signal to derive the product waveform.

5. The external monitoring device of claim 4 , wherein:

a fourth vector is further defined,

the measurement circuit is further configured to sense a fourth ECG signal from the fourth vector, and

the processor is further configured to:

multiply values of the fourth ECG signal with the values of the first ECG signal, of the second ECG signal and of the third ECG signal, to derive the product waveform.

6. The external monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein:

when a peak is detected at a certain moment, no other peaks are detected for an inactive time period after the certain moment.

7. The external monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein:

the detection threshold changes with time.

8. The external monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein:

the processor is further configured to:

responsive to a certain one of the peaks being thus detected, determine a certain amplitude of the certain detected peak, and

establish the detection threshold responsive to the determined certain amplitude.

9. The external monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein:

the processor is further configured to:

detect a first test peak occurring in the first ECG signal,

detect a second test peak occurring in the second ECG signal,

detect a time lag between the first test peak and the second test peak, and in which the second ECG signal is time-shifted according to the time lag.

10. The external monitoring device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an energy storage module configured to store an electrical charge; and

a discharge circuit coupled to the energy storage module;

wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine from a subsequent ECG signal after the first ECG signal whether a shock criterion is met, and

control, responsive to the shock criterion being met, the discharge circuit to discharge the stored electrical charge through the user to deliver a shock to the user.

11. The external monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

determine a time delay between the first ECG signal and the second ECG signal, and

the second signal is time-shifted by an amount equal to the time delay.

12. A wearable monitor system, comprising:

a support structure configured to be worn by a user;

a measurement circuit configured to sense a first Electrocardiogram (ECG) signal from a first vector, and a second ECG signal from a second vector distinct from the first vector contemporaneously with sensing the first ECG signal;

a processor configured to:

multiply values of the first ECG signal with values of the second ECG signal to derive a product waveform,

detect, in the product waveform, peaks that exceed a detection threshold,

measure durations of time intervals between pairs of successive ones of the detected peaks, and

compute a heart rate of the user from the measured durations of the time intervals; and

a screen to display the computed heart rate;

wherein:

the second ECG signal is time-shifted with respect to the first ECG signal to derive a time-shifted second ECG signal, and

the product waveform is derived by multiplying values of the time-shifted second ECG signal.

13. The wearable monitor system of claim 12 , wherein:

the first ECG signal is high-pass filtered to derive a high-pass filtered first ECG signal, and

the product waveform is derived by multiplying values of the high-pass filtered first ECG signal instead of multiplying values of the first ECG signal.

14. The wearable monitor system of claim 12 , wherein:

a third vector is further defined,

the measurement circuit is further configured to sense a third ECG signal from the third vector, and

the processor is further configured to:

multiply values of the third ECG signal with the values of the first ECG signal and of the second ECG signal to derive the product waveform.

15. The wearable monitor system of claim 14 , wherein:

a fourth vector is further defined,

the measurement circuit is further configured to sense a fourth ECG signal from the fourth vector, and

the processor is further configured to:

multiply values of the fourth ECG signal with the values of the first ECG signal, of the second ECG signal and of the third ECG signal, to derive the product waveform.

16. The wearable monitor system of claim 12 , wherein:

when a peak is detected at a certain moment, no other peaks are detected for an inactive time period after the certain moment.

17. The wearable monitor system of claim 12 , wherein:

the detection threshold changes with time.

18. The wearable monitor system of claim 12 , wherein:

the processor is further configured to:

responsive to a certain one of the peaks being thus detected, determine a certain amplitude of the certain detected peak, and

establish the detection threshold responsive to the determined certain amplitude.

19. The wearable monitor system of claim 12 , wherein:

the processor is further configured to:

detect a first test peak occurring in the first ECG signal,

detect a second test peak occurring in the second ECG signal,

detect a time lag between the first test peak and the second test peak, and in which the second ECG signal is time-shifted according to the time lag.

20. The wearable monitor system of claim 12 , further comprising:

electrodes configured to be attached at different locations of a body of the user to define at least the first vector and the second vector.

21. The wearable monitor system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to:

determine a time delay between the first ECG signal and the second ECG signal, and

the second signal is time-shifted by an amount equal to the time delay.

22. A method for a wearable monitor system, the wearable monitor system including a support structure configured to be worn by a user, a measurement circuit and a processor, the method comprising:

sensing a first Electrocardiogram (ECG) signal from a first vector;

sensing a second ECG signal from a second vector distinct from the first vector substantially contemporaneously with sensing the first ECG signal;

multiplying values of the first ECG signal with values of the second ECG signal to derive a product waveform;

detecting, in the product waveform, peaks that exceed a detection threshold;

measuring durations of time intervals between pairs of successive ones of the detected peaks;

computing a heart rate of the user from the measured durations of the time intervals; and

displaying the computed heart rate on a display;

wherein:

the second ECG signal is time-shifted with respect to the first ECG signal to derive a time-shifted second ECG signal, and

the product waveform is derived by multiplying values of the time-shifted second ECG signal instead of multiplying values of the sensed second ECG signal.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

determining a time delay between the first ECG signal and the second ECG signal, and

time-shifting the second ECG signal by an amount equal to the time delay.