Respiration monitoring system and method

• US 10,314,517 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2018
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medical Design Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Medical Design Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Stone, Robert T
• Primary Examiner(s): Messersmith, Eric J
• Application Number:
  US16/117,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20180368732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 285 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0223 Magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/091 Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 Vests
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

A wearable respiration monitoring system and associated method that is configured to (i) determine three dimensional displacement of the spine of a subject with respect to the axial displacement of the subject'"'"'s chest wall, (ii) process the three dimensional anatomical data, (iii) determine at least one respiration parameter associated with the monitored subject as a function of the three dimensional anatomical data, and (iv) generate at least one respiration parameter signal representing the respiration parameter.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a respiration parameter of a subject, said subject comprising a spine and xyphoid process of the sternum, comprising the steps of:

providing a wearable respiration monitoring system that is configured to be removably positioned on a subject and cover at least a chest region and an upper back region of said subject when positioned on said subject,

said wearable respiration monitoring system comprising a respiration detection system comprising a power source, electronics module, permanent rare earth magnet and an electromagnetic coil, said electromagnetic coil being in communication with said rare earth magnet, said power source and electromagnetic coil being in communication with said electronics module,

said rare earth magnet being adapted to generate a three-dimensional alternating current (AC) magnetic field comprising a variable strength in at least one of said AC magnetic field dimensions,

said electromagnetic coil being adapted to receive said AC magnetic field, when said wearable respiration monitoring system is positioned on said subject and said rare earth magnet and said electromagnetic coil are in axial alignment, and detect said variable strength in said at least one of said AC magnetic field dimensions, said variable strength in at least one of said AC magnetic field dimensions representing a variation in distance between said rare earth magnet and said electromagnetic coil and, thereby, an anatomical displacement of said subject'"'"'s xyphoid process relative to said subject'"'"'s spine, during a respiration cycle of said subject,

said electromagnetic coil being further adapted to generate at least one anatomical displacement signal as a function of said variable strength in said at least one AC magnetic field dimension,

said electronics module being configured to receive said at least one anatomical displacement signal from said electromagnetic coil and determine at least one respiration parameter of said subject as a function of said at least one anatomical displacement signal;

positioning said wearable respiration monitoring system on a first subject, wherein said wearable respiration monitoring system is disposed proximate said first subject'"'"'s xyphoid process and spine;

initiating said respiration detection system with said electronic module of said wearable respiration monitoring system;

detecting a first variable strength in said at least one of said AC magnetic fields generated by said rare earth magnet with said electromagnetic coil;

generating a first anatomical displacement signal as a function of said first variable strength in said at least one AC magnetic field dimension with said electromagnetic coil; and

determining a first respiration parameter of said first subject as a function of said first anatomical displacement signal with said electronics module of said wearable respiration monitoring system.

2. A method of detecting a respiration parameter of a subject, said subject comprising a spine and xyphoid process of the sternum, comprising the steps of:

providing a wearable respiration monitoring system that is configured to be removably positioned on a subject and cover at least a chest region and an upper back region of said subject when positioned on said subject,

said wearable respiration monitoring system comprising a respiration detection system comprising a power source, electronics module, permanent rare earth magnet and an electromagnetic coil, said electromagnetic coil being in communication with said rare earth magnet, said power source and electromagnetic coil being in communication with said electronics module,

said rare earth magnet being adapted to generate a three-dimensional alternating current (AC) magnetic field comprising a variable strength in said AC magnetic field dimensions,

said electromagnetic coil being adapted to receive said AC magnetic field, when said wearable respiration monitoring system is positioned on said subject and said rare earth magnet and said electromagnetic coil are in axial alignment, and detect said variable strength in said AC magnetic field dimensions, said variable strength in said AC magnetic field dimensions representing variations in distance between said rare earth magnet and said electromagnetic coil in said AC magnetic field dimensions,

said electromagnetic coil being further adapted to generate a plurality of anatomical displacement signals as a function of said variable strengths in said AC magnetic field dimensions,

said electronics module being configured to receive said plurality of anatomical displacement signals from said electromagnetic coil and determine at least one respiration parameter of said subject as a function of said plurality of anatomical displacement signals;

positioning said wearable respiration monitoring system on a first subject, wherein said wearable respiration monitoring system is disposed proximate said first subject'"'"'s xyphoid process and spine;

initiating said respiration detection system with said electronic module of said wearable respiration monitoring system;

detecting a first plurality of variable strengths in said AC magnetic fields generated by said rare earth magnet with said electromagnetic coil;

generating a first plurality of anatomical displacement signals as a function of said first plurality of variable strengths in said AC magnetic fields with said electromagnetic coil; and

determining at least a first respiration parameter of said first subject as a function of said first plurality of anatomical displacement signals with said electronics module of said wearable respiration monitoring system.