Compression of ECG signal using video codec technology-like scheme

In this paper, we present a method using video codec technology to compress ECG signals. This method exploits both intra-beat and inter-beat correlations of the ECG signals to achieve high compression ratios (CR) and a low percent root mean square difference (PRD). Since ECG signals have both intra-beat and inter-beat redundancies like video signals, which have both intra-frame and inter-frame correlation, video codec technology can be used for ECG compression. In order to do this, some pre-process will be needed. The ECG signals should firstly be segmented and normalized to a sequence of beat cycles with the same length, and then these beat cycles can be treated as picture frames and compressed with video codec technology. We have used records from MIT-BIH arrhythmia database to evaluate our algorithm. Results show that, besides compression efficiently, this algorithm has the advantages of resolution adjustable, random access and flexibility for irregular period and QRS false detection.