System and method for detecting the onset of an obstructive sleep apnea event
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Abstract
There is disclosed a system and method for detecting the onset of an obstructive sleep apnea event before the obstructive sleep apnea event fully develops and before the cessation of breathing occurs. The system comprises one or more microphones capable of detecting breathing sounds within an airway of a person. The microphones generate signals representative of the breathing sounds and send the signals to a controller. The controller identifies at least one signal pattern that is associated with a breathing pattern of the person that occurs at the onset of an obstructive sleep apnea event. The controller may also identify at least one signal pattern that is associated with a partially occluded breathing pattern of the person. The controller identifies the signal patterns by using digital signal processing techniques to analyze the signals representative of breathing sounds. The method involves detecting breathing sounds within an airway of a person, generating signals representative of the breathing sounds, and identifying at least one signal pattern that is associated with a breathing pattern of the person that occurs at the onset of an obstructive sleep apnea event.
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Citations
47 Claims
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28. An apparatus for detecting the onset of an obstructive sleep apnea event before cessation of breathing occurs, said apparatus comprising:
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at least one microphone adapted to be acoustically associated with a person, wherein said microphone detects breathing sounds within an airway of said person and generates microphone signals representative of said breathing sounds; and
a controller that is coupled to said at least one microphone and that receives said microphone signals, wherein said controller comprises software that identifies within said microphone signals at least one signal pattern that is associated with a breathing pattern of said person that occurs at the onset of an obstructive sleep apnea event before cessation of breathing occurs. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for detecting the onset of an obstructive sleep apnea event before cessation of breathing occurs, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting breathing sounds within an airway of a person using at least one microphone adapted to be acoustically associated with said person;
generating microphone signals representative of said breathing sounds;
receiving said microphone signals in a controller that is coupled to said at least one microphone; and
using software within said controller to identify within said microphone signals at least one signal pattern that is associated with a breathing pattern of said person that occurs at the onset of an obstructive sleep apnea event before cessation of breathing occurs. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification