LOGIC CIRCUIT DEVICE FOR THERMAL RECORDER MECHANISM
FOR ECG DEVICES
A) TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention generally relates to theniial recorder devices used for ECG devices and more particularly to a logic control device for a thermal recorder mechanism for improving the printing resolution and speed to achieve a desired printing quality and resolution.
B) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The currently available recorder mechanism such as Fujitsu's FTP-644MCL001 is provided with a serial interface card, which supports a maximum recording speed of 30 mm/sand a printing resolution of 8 dots/mm. A printing resolution beyond 8dots/mm is not achievable at a printing speed of 50mm/s with the currently available serial interface card. But a recording speed in the range of 5 to 50 mm/s is desired for ECG Devices. The printing quality obtained on the recorder mechanism using the available serial interface card at a resolution of 8 dots/mm is not up to the desired level for ECG devices.
[0003] As the printing method used is a Thermal Line Dot Method, the waveform printed on the paper has steps on it Hence the quality of the waveform can only be

improved by improving the resolution i.e. from 8 dots/mm to 16 dots/mm. In order to increase the printing resolution from 8 dots/mm to 16 dots/mm using the currently available recorder mechanism, the same line has to be printed in half of the time currently required to print one line. The heating time of the thermal arrays in the recorder mechanism is to be adjusted to obtain the desired printing quality.
[0004] Hence there is a need to develop a hardware and software control system to operate the recorder at an optimum operating speed of 50 mm/s. So, an improved indigenous serial interface circuitry with an algorithm is to be developed for the currently available recorder mechanism to achieve a desired printing speed and quality.
[0005] The US patent No. 5672020 discloses a high-resolution combination thermal printer. The device has upper class shell structure provided between open and close positions to prevent or establish contact between printing media guide and a printing media. The device has guide bar placement block and spring operated to ensure proper positioning of printing media guide.
[0006] The US patent No.5835558 discloses a high-density recording device provided with a compensating data generator circuit to convert one data line of data under interest as printing data into several lines of compensation data. A control circuit adjusts the time for activating the recording elements based on the compensation data to perform dot recording with a density in sub scanning direction different from dot density of image data.

[0007] The US patent No. 5294996 discloses a resolution-converting unit which generates and records several lines of image data based on recording dot size control signal and input data, to improve resolution of data to be recorded.
[0008] The US patent No. 5123082 discloses an image data recorder with a resolution density transformation device to convert a digital input data signal with a resolution density of 600 dpi into data into image data with a resolution density of 600 dpi. The input image data is converted into multi-value image data of 600 dpi using two-dimensional filtering process. The analog signal is smoothed and converted into digital data by a constant threshold signal so that output digital signal has a higher resolution.
[0009] Thus none of the prior art devices provide an improved serial interface card with an improved logic circuit device to improve the printing speed and the printing resolution using the currently available recorder mechanisms to a desired level for ECG applications.
C) OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The primary object of the present invention is to provide a logic circuit device for a thermal recorder mechanism to improve the printing speed and the resolution.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a logic circuit device which may be added to the currently available thermal recorder mechanism easily to improve the printing speed and the resolution.
[0012] Yet another object of the present invention is to develop a logic circuit device to improve the printing speed and the resolution to desired level using the currently available thermal recorder mechanism.
[0013] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
D) SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The abovementioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein and which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.
[0015] The various embodiments of the present invention provide a logic circuit device and a method for a thermal recorder mechanism to improve the printing resolution and the speed.

[0016] According to one embodiment of this invention, a logic circuit device is provided to improve the printing resolution and the printing speed of existing recorder mechanism.
[0017] A hardware and software control system is developed to improve the optimum operating speed of the thermal recorder mechanism to 50 ram/s. The logic circuit device is used to adjust the heating time of the thermal arrays in the recorder mechanism to obtain the printing resolution and quality. A double plotting technique is used to improve the printing intensity of the dots. The strobe width is varied for different speeds through a CPLD, to improve the resolution to achieve a desired waveform quality. The quality of the paper is also improved to reduce the dot printing time to improve the printing speed and resolution to a desired level.
[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a logic circuit device is provided in a thermal recorder mechanism to improve the printing speed and the resolution of the thermal recorder mechanism. An ECG acquisition module is connected to the patients to measure the physiological parameter like heart rate of a patient. The acquired ECG signals from the ECG module are fed to a processor for processing the ECG waveform and the data. The processor has an ECG data processing unit to analyze the acquired ECG signals. A system setting device is used to set the data required for plotting the ECG signals on the thermal paper based on the user data input through a key board. The output data from the processing unit and the system setting device are passed to a recorder data formatting and driver unit for formatting the acquired waveform data based on the received setting information. The

output data from the controller and the CPLD are fed to the thermal recorder so that the thermal recorder plots the received formatted wave form data on a thermal paper at a desired printing resolution and printing speed based on the control signal received from the CPLD,
[0019] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided to improve the printing speed and the resolution in a thermal recorder mechanism. The ECG data are acquired from a patient using an ECG device. The wave form processing of the acquired ECG data is performed using a processor module. The wave form processed data are sent to a recorder and formatter module for formatting the waveform and setting information to plot the acquired ECG data on a thermal paper. The processed waveform data of the acquired ECG signals are formatted using a waveform formatting device. Then a recorder driver regulated the data flow control of the formatted wave form data and generates control signal. The generated control signals are passed to the recorder through a CPLD.
[0020] Thus the various embodiments of the present invention provide a logic control device and method to improve the printing resolution and the speed of the acquired waveform data. The acquired ECG data are printed with desired printing resolution and speed without changing the existing thermal recorder mechanism.
[0021] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

E) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] The other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings in which:
[0023] FIGURE, 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of a ECG device provided with the logic circuit device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIGURE. 2 illustrates a functional block diagram of a logic circuit device for thermal printer mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] Although specific features of the present invention are shown in some drawings and not in others. This is done for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the present invention.
F) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which the specific embodiments that may be practiced is shown by way of illustration. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and it is to be understood that the logical, mechanical and other changes may be made without

departing from the scope of the embodiments. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense.
[0027] The various embodiments of the present invention provide a logic circuit device and a method for a thermal recorder mechanism to improve the printing resolution and the speed.
[0028] According to one embodiment of this invention, a logic circuit device is provided to improve the printing resolution and the printing speed of existing recorder mechanism.
[0029] A hardware and software control system is developed to improve the optimum operating speed of the thermal recorder mechanism to 50 mm/s. The logic circuit device is used to adjust the heating time of the thermal arrays in the recorder mechanism to obtain the printing resolution and quality. A double plotting technique is used to improve the printing intensity of the dots. The strobe width is varied for different speeds through a CPLD, to improve the resolution to achieve a desired waveform quality. The quality of the paper is also improved to reduce the dot printing time to improve the printing speed and resolution to a desired level
[0030] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a logic circuit device is provided in a thermal recorder mechanism to improve the printing speed and the resolution of the thermal recorder mechanism. An ECG acquisition module is connected to the patients to measure the physiological parameter like heart rate of a

patient. The acquired ECG signals from the ECG module are fed to a processor for processing the ECG waveform and the data. The processor has an ECG data processing unit to analyze the acquired ECG signals. A system setting device is used to set the data required for plotting the ECG signals on the thermal paper based on the user data input through a key board. The output data from the processing unit and the system setting device are passed to a recorder data formatting and driver unit for formatting the acquired waveform data based on the received setting information. The output data from the controller and the CPLD are fed to the thermal recorder so that the thermal recorder plots the received formatted wave form data on a thermal paper at a desired printing resolution and printing speed based on the control signal received from the CPLD.
[0031] An ECG acquisition module is connected to the patients to measure the physiological parameter like heart rate of a patient. The acquired ECG signals from the ECG module are fed to a thermal recorder through a main board including an ECG data processing module, a system setting device, a recorder data formatter and driver module, a CPLD module. The acquired ECG signals are first sent to the ECG data processing module and analyzed to obtain the ECG waveform data. A key board is connected to the system setting device to receive the input data related to the resolution and printing speed from a user. The system setting device generates and sets the data required for plotting the ECG signals on the thermal paper at a desired printing speed and printing resolution based on the input user data. The output ECG waveform data from the ECG data processing module and the generated setting data from the system setting device are forwarded to a recorder data formatting and driver

unit so that the received ECG waveform data from the ECG data processing module are formatted based on the received setting data/information.
[0032] The recorder data formatter and driver block includes a recorder data formatter module and a recorder driver module. The recorder data formatter module comprises a recorder waveform processing unit, a recorder character processing unit, a logic circuit unit embedded with a double plotting algorithm and a recorder output array unit. The processed ECG waveform data are input into the recorder waveform processing unit for formatting the processed ECG waveform data.
[0033] The Processed ECG waveform data received from the ECG processing modules are formatted to plot the waveform on the paper. This real time ECG data is formatted to arrange the data in such a way that the ECG data corresponding to lmV will be plotted to 5mm or 10mm or 20mm in height depending on the generated settings of the system. The formatter also judges the plotting location of a received ECG data so that the received and processed ECG data are plotted in the respective spot corresponding to the time of receipt of the ECG data. The received and formatted ECG data are plotted also at three 3 different speeds. The three different speeds, at which the data may be plotted, are equal to 5mm/s, 25mm/s and 50mm/s.
[0034] The setting information generated at the setting information unit based on the received user input data corresponding to the desired printing speed and resolution are forwarded to the recorder character processing unit. The characters corresponding to

the system settings, lead information and fault information need to be printed over the paper. The characters corresponding to the system settings, lead information and fault information are generated by the recorder character processing unit provided in the formatting block of the recorder formatter.
[0035] The output of the recorder waveform processing unit and that of the recorder character processing unit are fed to a logic circuit device provided with a double plotting algorithm. The logic circuit device arranges the data in such a way that the ECG data corresponding to lmV will be plotted to 5mm or 10mm or 20mm in height depending on the generated settings of the system. The logic circuit device also judges the plotting location of a received ECG data so that the received and processed ECG data are plotted in the respective spot corresponding to the time of receipt of the ECG data. The received and formatted ECG data are plotted also at three 3 different speeds. The three different speeds, at which the data may be plotted, are equal to 5mm/s, 25mm/s and 5Omm/s.
[0036] The output of the logic circuit device provided with a double plotting algorithm is fed to a recorder output array so that the characters are plotted at different speeds by adjusting the heating time of the thermal arrays and by using a double plotting technique. The resolution and. printing speed are improved without carrying out a major hardware change in the printer mechanism.

[0037] Once the data is formatted, the double plotting algorithm is used to plot the same data twice on the adjacent lines to get the desired darkness on the paper. The logic circuit device provided with the double plotting algorithm is use to not only store the previous data history or the data collected in the past but also to make all the decision related to a double plotting technique. The final formatted data containing the complete information of waveform and characters are stored in the buffer before being sent to a thermal recorder. The data are arranged as the information for one horizontal line and in the bunch of 20 such lines.
[0038] The formatted data from the data recorder data formatting block is output to a recorder driver. The recorder driver unit is provided with a data flow controller module and a control signal generator module. The recorder driver functionalities are used to detect any error in the recorder mechanism. The recorder driver unit provides the support for the sending the formatted data to the recorder module* The data flow controller regulates the transmission of the formatted data to the recorder mechanism so that the received formatted data is plotted at the desired printing resolution and the speed.
[0039] The control signal generator is provided with a CPLD to generate the strobe signal and the other control signals to control the recorder mechanism. Different combinations of signals are generated by the recorder driver unit to indicate the different modes of operation of the recorder to the CPLD based on the expected/desired speed of printing. The CPLD generates the strobe signal and any

other control signals required by the Recorder mechanism, based on the input from the recorder driver module in the micro controller. The signals are generated with the exact timing required by the recorder mechanism, to enable the proper working of the recorder mechanism to plot the received ECG data at a desired speed and printing resolution.
[0040] The output data from the controller and the CPLD are fed to the thermal recorder so that the thermal recorder plots the received formatted wave form data on a thermal paper at a desired printing resolution and printing speed based on the control signal received from the CPLD.
[0041] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided to improve the printing speed and the resolution in a thermal recorder mechanism. The ECG data are acquired from a patient using an ECG device. The wave form processing of the acquired ECG data is performed using a processor module. The wave form processed data are sent to a recorder and formatter module for formatting the waveform and setting information to plot the acquired ECG data on a thermal paper. The processed waveform data of the acquired ECG signals are formatted using a waveform formatting device. Then a recorder driver regulates the data flow control of the formatted wave form data and generates control signal The generated control signals are passed to the recorder through a CPLD. The output data from the controller and the CPLD are fed to the thermal recorder so that the thermal recorder plots the received formatted wave form data on a thermal paper at a desired

printing resolution and printing speed based on the control signal received from the CPLD.
[0042] According to the embodiment, a method is provided for improving the printing resolution and the speed of the acquired ECG waveform in a thermal recorder mechanism using a double plotting technique. The ECG data are acquired from a patient using an ECG device. The acquired ECG signals from the ECG module are fed to a microcontroller provided with an ECG processing module and a system setting device. The received ECG data are analyzed in the ECG processing module to obtain the ECG waveform data. The data required for plotting the ECG signals is set on the thermal paper using the system data setting device based on the user data input through a key board. The output data from the processing unit and the system data setting device are passed to a recorder data formatting and driver unit for formatting the acquired waveform data based on the received setting information.
[0043] The processed ECG waveform data are input into the recorder waveform processing unit in the recorder data formatting and driver unit for formatting the processed ECG waveform data. The Processed ECG waveform data received from the ECG processing modules are formatted to plot the waveform on the paper. This real time ECG data is formatted to arrange the data in such a way that the ECG data corresponding to lmV will be plotted to 5mm or 10mm or 20mm in height depending on the generated settings of the system. The formatter also judges the plotting location of a received ECG data so that the received and processed ECG data are plotted in the respective spot corresponding to the time of receipt of the ECG data. The received

and formatted ECG data are plotted also at three 3 different speeds. The three different speeds, at which the data may be plotted, are equal to 5rnm/s, 25mm/s and 5Omm/s.
[0044] The setting information generated at the setting information unit based on the received user input data corresponding to the desired printing speed and resolution are forwarded to the recorder character processing unit provided in the recorder data formatting and driver unit. The characters corresponding to the system settings, lead information and fault information need to be printed over the paper. The characters corresponding to the system settings, lead information and fault information are generated by the recorder character processing unit provided in the formatting block of the recorder formatter.
[0045] The output of the recorder waveform processing unit and that of the recorder character processing unit are fed to a logic circuit device provided with a double plotting algorithm. The logic circuit device arranges the data in such a way that the ECG data corresponding to lmV will be plotted to 5mm or 10mm or 20mm in height depending on the generated settings of the system. The logic circuit device also judges the plotting location of a received ECG data so that the received and processed ECG data are plotted in the respective spot corresponding to the time of receipt of the ECG data. The received and formatted ECG data are plotted also at three 3 different speeds. The three different speeds, at which the data may be plotted, are equal to 5mm/s, 25mm/s and 5Omm/s.

[0046] The output of the logic circuit device provided with a double plotting algorithm is fed to a recorder output array so that the characters are plotted at different speeds by adjusting the heating time of the thermal arrays and by using a double plotting technique. The resolution and printing speed are improved without carrying out a major hardware change in the printer mechanism.
[0047] Once the data is formatted, the double plotting algorithm is used to plot the same data twice on the adjacent lines to get the desired darkness on the paper. The logic circuit device provided with the double plotting algorithm is use to not only store the previous data history or the data collected in the past but also to make all the decision related to a double plotting technique. The final formatted data containing the complete information of waveform and characters are stored in the buffer before being sent to a thermal recorder. The data are arranged as the information for one horizontal line and in the bunch of 20 such lines.
[0048] The formatted data from the data recorder data formatting block is output to a recorder driver unit provided with a data flow controller module and a control signal generator module. The recorder driver functionalities are used to detect any error in the recorder mechanism. The recorder driver unit provides the support for the sending the formatted data to the recorder module. The data flow controller regulates the transmission of the formatted data to the recorder mechanism so that the received formatted data is plotted at the desired printing resolution and the speed.

[0049] The control signal generator is provided with a CPLD to generate the strobe signal and the other control signals to control the recorder mechanism* Different combinations of signals are generated by the recorder driver unit to indicate the different modes of operation of the recorder to the CPLD based on the expected/desired speed of printing. The CPLD generates the strobe signal and any other control signals required by the Recorder mechanism, based on the input from the recorder driver module in the micro controller. The signals are generated with the exact timing required by the recorder mechanism, to enable the proper working of the recorder mechanism to plot the received ECG data at a desired speed and printing resolution.
[0050] The output data from the controller and the CPLD are fed to the thermal recorder so that the thermal recorder plots the received formatted wave form data on a thermal paper at a desired printing resolution and printing speed based on the control signal received from the CPLD.
[0051] The FIG.l illustrates a functional block diagram of a ECG device provided with the logic circuit device according to one embodiment of the present invention. An ECG acquisition module is connected to the patients to measure the physiological parameter like heart rate of a patient. The acquired ECG signals from the ECG module are fed to a microprocessor for processing the ECG waveform and the data. The micro processor has an ECG data processing unit to analyze the acquired ECG

signals, A system setting device is provided in the micro processor to set the data required for plotting the ECG signals on the thermal paper based on the user data input through a key board. The output data from the processing unit and the system setting device are passed to a recorder data formatting and driver unit for formatting the acquired waveform data based on the received setting information. The output data from the recorder data formatter and driver unit are supplied to a CPLD and to a thermal recorder so that the thermal recorder plots the received formatted wave form data on a thermal paper at a desired printing resolution and printing speed based on the control signal received from the CPLD.
[0052] The FIG• 2 illustrates a functional block diagram of a logic circuit device for thermal printer mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention. An ECG acquisition module is connected to the patients to measure the physiological parameter like heart rate of a patient. The acquired ECG signals from the ECG module are fed to a thermal recorder through a main board including an ECG data processing module, a system setting device, a recorder data formatter and driver module, a CPLD module. The acquired ECG signals are first sent to the ECG data processing module and analyzed to obtain the ECG waveform data. A key board is connected to the system setting device to receive the input data related to the resolution and printing speed from a user. The system setting device generates and sets the data required for plotting the ECG signals on the thermal paper at a desired printmg speed and printing resolution based on the input user data. The output ECG waveform data from the ECG data processing module and the generated setting data from the system setting device are forwarded to a recorder data formatting and driver

unit so that the received ECG waveform data from the ECG data processing module are formatted based on the received setting data/information.
[0053] The recorder data formatter and driver block includes a recorder data formatter module and a recorder driver module. The recorder data formatter module comprises a recorder waveform processing unit, a recorder character processing unit, a logic circuit unit embedded with a double plotting algorithm and a recorder output array unit. The processed ECG waveform data are input into the recorder waveform processing unit for formatting the processed ECG waveform data.
[0054] The Processed ECG waveform data received from the ECG processing modules are formatted to plot the waveform on the paper. This real time ECG data is formatted to arrange the data in such a way that the ECG data corresponding to lmV will be plotted to 5mm or 10mm or 20mm in height depending on the generated settings of the system. The formatter also judges the plotting location of a received ECG data so that the received and processed ECG data are plotted in the respective spot corresponding to the time of receipt of the ECG data. The received and formatted ECG data are plotted also at three 3 different speeds. The three different speeds, at which the data may be plotted, are equal to 5mm/s, 25mm/s and 5Omm/s.
[0055] The setting information generated at the setting information unit based on the received user input data corresponding to the desired printing speed and resolution are forwarded to the recorder character processing unit. The characters corresponding to

the system settings, lead information and fault information need to be printed over the paper. The characters corresponding to the system settings, lead information and fault information are generated by the recorder character processing unit provided in the formatting block of the recorder formatter.
[0056] The output of the recorder waveform processing unit and that of the recorder character processing unit are fed to a logic circuit device provided with a double plotting algorithm. The logic circuit device arranges the data in such a way that the ECG data corresponding to lmV will be plotted to 5mm or 10mm or 20mm in height depending on the generated settings of the system. The logic circuit device also judges the plotting location of a received ECG data so that the received and processed ECG data are plotted in the respective spot corresponding to the time of receipt of the ECG data. The received and formatted ECG data are plotted also at three 3 different speeds. The three different speeds, at which the data may be plotted, are equal to 5mm/s, 25mm/s and 5Omm/s.
[0057] The output of the logic circuit device provided with a double plotting algorithm is fed to a recorder output array so that the characters are plotted at different speeds by adjusting the heating time of the thermal arrays and by using a double plotting technique. The resolution and printing speed are improved without carrying out a major hardware change in the printer mechanism.

[0058] Once the data is formatted, the double plotting algorithm is used to plot the same data twice on the adjacent lines to get the desired darkness on the paper. The logic circuit device provided with the double plotting algorithm is use to not only store the previous data history or the data collected in the past but also to make all the decision related to a double plotting technique. The final formatted data containing the complete information of waveform and characters are stored in the buffer before being sent to a thermal recorder. The data are arranged as the information for one horizontal line and in the bunch of 20 such lines.
[0059] The formatted data from the data recorder data formatting block is output to a recorder driver. The recorder driver unit is provided with a data flow controller module and a control signal generator module. The recorder driver functionalities are used to detect any error in the recorder mechanism. The recorder driver unit provides the support for the sending the formatted data to the recorder module. The data flow controller regulates the transmission of the formatted data to the recorder mechanism so that the received formatted data is plotted at the desired printing resolution and the speed.
[0060] The control signal generator is provided with a CPLD to generate the strobe signal and the other control signals to control the recorder mechanism. Different combinations of signals are generated by the recorder driver unit to indicate the different modes of operation of the recorder to the CPLD based on the expected/desired speed of printing. The CPLD generates the strobe signal and any

other control signals required by the Recorder mechanism, based on the input from the recorder driver module in the micro controller. The signals are generated with the exact timing required by the recorder mechanism, to enable the proper working of the recorder mechanism to plot the received ECG data at a desired speed and printing resolution.
[0061] The output data from the controller and the CPLD are fed to the thermal recorder so that the thermal recorder plots the received formatted wave form data on a thermal paper at a desired printing resolution and printing speed based on the control signal received from the CPLD.
[0062] Thus the various embodiments of the present invention provide a logic control device and method to improve the printing resolution and the speed of the acquired waveform data. The acquired ECG data are printed with desired printing resolution and speed without changing the existing thermal recorder mechanism.
G) ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[0063] The printing resolution and the speed is improved to a desired level in the currently available recorder mechanism by improving the hardware and software control system to adjust the heating time of the thermal arrays and by using double plotting technique. The resolution and printing speed are improved without carrying out a major hardware change in terms of: -

a) Change in the recorder mechanism with lesser thermal resistance and hence supporting higher speeds.
b) Change in the controller used to handle more overload of tasks to be executed to achieve the improvement of resolution on the recorder mechanism.
[0064] Although the invention is described with various specific embodiments, it will be obvious for a person skilled in the art to practice the invention with modifications. However, all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the claims.
[0065] It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the present invention described herein and all the statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall there between.

CLAIMS
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A serial recorder interface for thermal recorder mechanism for ECG device,
the interface comprising:
An ECG data processing module;
A system data setting device;
A recorder data formatter and driver unit connected to the ECG data processing module and the system data setting device; and
A CPLD module;
Wherein the recorder data formatter and the driver unit is provided with a logic circuit device to improve the printing speed and the resolution of the ECG data plotted using a thermal recorder mechanism.
2. The interface according to claim 15 wherein the logic circuit device is
provided with a double plotting algorithm to plot the same data twice on the

adjacent lines to get the desired darkness of the plotted ECG waveform data on a thermal paper.
3. The interface according to claim 1, wherein the CPLD generates the strobe signal and control signals to regulate the operation of the recorder mechanism based on the input from the recorder data formatter and driver unit,
4. The interface according to claim 1, wherein the ECG data processing module analyzes the received ECG signals to acquire the ECG waveform data.
5. The interface according to claim 1, wherein the system data setting device generates the setting information to be plotted on a thermal paper based on the input data from a user.
6. The interface according to claim 1, wherein the recorder data formatter and driver unit includes a recorder formatter module and a recorder driver module.
7. The interface according to claim 6, wherein the recorder formatter module includes a recorder wave form processing module, recorder character processing module, logic circuit device and a recorder output array unit.
8. The interface according to claim 7, wherein the recorder waveform processing module analyzes the processed ECG data received from the ECG data

processing module to format the received ECG data for plotting the ECG waveform on the thermal paper.
9. The interface according to claim 7, wherein the character processing module generates the characters corresponding to the generated system setting information, lead information and fault information to be printed on the paper.
10. The interface according to claim 7, wherein the recorder output array unit controls the character plotting process at different speeds by adjusting the arrangement of the array elements in the thermal recorder mechanism.
11. The interface according to claim 6, wherein the recorder driver module includes a data flow controller and a control signal generator.
12. The interface according to claim 11, wherein the data flow controller
regulates the data feed rate of the processed and formatted ECG waveform
data to the thermal recorder module.
13. The interface according to the claim 11, wherein the recorder driver module
triggers the CPLD to generate the strobe and control signals to regulate the
plotting process in the thermal recorder module.

14. An ECG device comprising the interface mechanism represented by the claim 1.
15. A printing resolution and printing speed improvement method in the thermal recorder mechanism, the method comprising:
acquiring the ECG signals from a patient using an ECG module;
processing the acquired ECG signals using a processing module to obtain
ECG waveform data;
generating the system setting information for a thermal recorder based on the
received input data using a system data setting unit;
formatting the ECG waveform data and the setting information using a
recorder data formatter and driver module; and
plotting the formatted ECG waveform data using a double plotting technique.
16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the formatted same ECG wave form data are plotted twice on the adjacent lines to get the desired darkness on the thermal paper.
17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising of storing the final formatted data in a buffer before being sent to a recorder.
18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising of generating strobe signal and control signal based on input data received from a recorder driver

module to ensure that the signals are generated at the exact timing required by the recorder.

To,
The Controller of Patents,
The Patent office,
At Chennai