System and method of detecting sleep disorders
First Claim
1. A method for detecting a sleep disorder comprising:
- a) arranging, on a head of a subject, a system comprising;
i) a sensor capable of measuring a pitch angle and a roll angle of the subject'"'"'s head relative to an axis of gravity,ii) a controller responsive to signals from the sensor, andiv) a transducer responsive to the controller for creating a stimulus detectable by the subject;
b) from signals received from the sensor, estimating with the controller a percentage of closure of the subject'"'"'s airway from the angular position of the subject'"'"'s head relative to the axis of gravity; and
c) with the controller causing the transducer to generate the stimulus when the angular position of the subject'"'"'s head lies within a predefined range of positions determined to cause a sleep disorder,wherein the predefined range of positions comprises a predefined range of pitch angles extending between approximately 25° and
155°
relative to the axis of gravity and a predefined range of roll angles extending between approximately 25° and
155°
relative to a horizontal axis orthogonal to the axis of gravity.
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Abstract
An apparatus for detecting sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, includes a housing insertable into an ear canal of a subject. A sensor disposed within the housing measures a position of the subject'"'"'s head relative to an axis of gravity. A transducer is responsive to the sensor and is capable of creating a stimulus detectable by the subject under certain conditions. In various embodiments, a controller receives signals corresponding to a pitch angle and a roll angle of the subject'"'"'s head measured by the sensor, determines if the pitch and roll angles correspond to a sleep apnea inducing position, and causes the transducer to generate a stimulus upon determining that the subject'"'"'s head is in the sleep apnea inducing position more than a predetermined threshold number of times. Various parameters of the stimulus may be modified with successive stimulus generation until a non-sleep apnea inducing position is detected.
13 Citations
2 Claims
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1. A method for detecting a sleep disorder comprising:
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a) arranging, on a head of a subject, a system comprising; i) a sensor capable of measuring a pitch angle and a roll angle of the subject'"'"'s head relative to an axis of gravity, ii) a controller responsive to signals from the sensor, and iv) a transducer responsive to the controller for creating a stimulus detectable by the subject; b) from signals received from the sensor, estimating with the controller a percentage of closure of the subject'"'"'s airway from the angular position of the subject'"'"'s head relative to the axis of gravity; and c) with the controller causing the transducer to generate the stimulus when the angular position of the subject'"'"'s head lies within a predefined range of positions determined to cause a sleep disorder, wherein the predefined range of positions comprises a predefined range of pitch angles extending between approximately 25° and
155°
relative to the axis of gravity and a predefined range of roll angles extending between approximately 25° and
155°
relative to a horizontal axis orthogonal to the axis of gravity.
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2. A method for detecting sleep disorders comprising:
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A) positioning, on a head of a subject, a system comprising; i) a housing, ii) a sensor disposed within the housing and capable of measuring a pitch angle and a roll angle of the subject'"'"'s head relative to an axis of gravity, iii) a controller responsive to signals from the sensor, and iv) a transducer responsive to the controller for creating a stimulus detectable by the subject; B) receiving with the controller signals from the sensor corresponding to a position of the subject'"'"'s head relative to an axis of gravity, C) determining with the controller a pitch angle and a roll angle of the subject'"'"'s head relative to the axis of gravity, D) comparing with the controller the determined pitch angle and roll angle to a predefined range of threshold pitch angles and a predefined range of threshold roll angles predetermined to cause sleep disorders, E) modifying with the controller a flag count when the determined pitch angle and roll angle of the subject'"'"'s head lies within the predefined range of threshold pitch angles and the predefined range of threshold roll angles, F) determining with the controller when the flag count at least equals a predefined threshold, G) upon determining with the controller that the flag count at least equals the predefined threshold flag count, causing the transducer to generate the stimulus, and H) repeating B)-G) after a predefined time interval.
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Specification