Mask fititng system and method

• US 20060235877A1
• Filed: 06/06/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd. (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Price, Andrew Martin, Kwok, Philip Rodney, Robinson, Gary Christopher, Richard, Ron, Selvarjan, Karthikeyan, Vuletich, Ivan John, Kelly, John Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0622 having an underlying cushion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0633 with forehead support
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0661 with customised shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0216 Materials providing elastic properties, e.g. for facilitating deformation and avoid breaking
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders

Abstract

A mask fitting system (1) for selecting a mask system for a patient includes at least one terminal (6) which receives data unique to a patient. The patient data can be scanned in using a scanner, such as a handheld or 3-D scanner, or the relevant dimensions of the patient can be simply input into the terminal. A database (2) is provided to store mask system data relating to a plurality of potential mask system solutions for the patient. A communication channel (4) is provided by which the data received by the terminal can be compared with mask system data stored in a mask system database, so as to generate a best-fit mask system result. The best-fit result may include one or more mask system recommendations for the patient.

Claims

1. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient, the system comprising:

at least one terminal to receive patient data specific to the patient;

a mask system database to store mask system data relating to a plurality of mask systems; and

a communication channel by which patient data received by the at least one terminal can be compared with the mask system data stored in the mask system database, so as to select at least one preferred mask system from the plurality of mask systems for the patient.

2. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 1, wherein the patient data includes at least one of physical characteristics, the patient'"'"'s history with mask systems, and the patient'"'"'s sleeping characteristics.

3. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 2, wherein the physical characteristics include one or more of the following criteria:

age of the patient, facial hair of the patient, whether the patient wears dentures, and the sex of the patient.

4. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 2, wherein the patient'"'"'s history with mask systems includes information regarding the patient'"'"'s type of breathing, leak problems with prior mask systems, anxiety of the patient when wearing a mask system, and whether the patient prefers to watch TV or read while wearing a mask system.

5. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 2, wherein the physical characteristics of the patient include dimensions of the patient'"'"'s face.

6. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 5, wherein the dimensions include several dimensions obtained from the front and profile views of the patient.

7. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 6, wherein the dimensions include at least one of the depth, length and width of the patient'"'"'s nose.

8. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 1, wherein the at least one terminal includes a reader and a user interface with a display.

9. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 8, wherein the reader comprises a camera which provides an image of the patient to the display, wherein the image comprises at least one of a frontal image of the patient, a profile image of the patient and/or a nasal or nare image of the patient.

10. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 9, wherein the terminal includes a cursor visible on the display, the cursor being configured for movement to one or more positions on the frontal and/or profile images of the patient, to thereby derive dimensions of the patient via the image(s).

11. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 8, wherein the reader is a scanner that automatically obtains one or more dimensions from the patient without the use of a cursor.

12. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 11, wherein the scanner provides a 3-D model of the patient'"'"'s face, to electronically determine possible gaps between the patient'"'"'s face and the plurality of mask systems.

13. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 12, wherein the patient'"'"'s skin texture/firmness is taken into account to determine said possible gaps.

14. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 1, wherein the mask system data is obtained from a tagging device provided on each of the mask systems, the tagging device being selected from bar codes or the like.

15. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 1, wherein the system includes fuzzy logic to adapt to a user'"'"'s fit methods.

16. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 1, wherein the terminal includes a non-contact reader to obtain one or more dimensions of the patient.

17. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 1, wherein the terminal includes a contact reader to obtain one or more dimensions of the patient.

18. A mask fitting system for selecting a mask system for a patient according to claim 1, wherein the patient data is based on a scan of at least a portion of the patient, the mask system data is based on a scan of at least a portion of each of the plurality of mask systems, and a metric of best fit is determined based on a comparison of the scanned patient data and the scanned mask system data.

19. A method for selecting a mask system for a patient comprising:

receiving into a terminal patient data unique to the patient;

communicating at least a portion of the patient data to a mask system database;

comparing the patient data to mask system data stored in the mask system database to produce a best-fit mask system signal or result; and

communicating the best-fit mask system signal result to the terminal.

20. A method for operating a terminal for use in conjunction with a mask fitting system, the method comprising:

receiving patient data from the terminal;

communicating at least a portion of the patient data to a mask system database; and

displaying a best-fit mask result in accordance with a comparison of the patient data and mask system data of the mask system database.

21. A method of operating a mask system database used in conjunction with a mask fitting system, the method comprising:

storing mask system data for a plurality of mask systems;

receiving from a terminal patient data unique to a patient; and

generating a best-fit mask system result based on a comparison of the patient data and the mask system data.

22. A recording medium on which is recorded a control program for controlling a data processor used in conjunction with a mask fitting system, the recording medium including machine-readable instructions for causing the data processor to:

receive into a terminal patient data unique to a patient;

communicate at least a portion of the patient data to a mask system database including mask system data;

compare the patient data with the mask system data so as to provide a best-fit mask system result; and

communicate the best-fit mask system result from the mask system database to the terminal.

23. A recording medium on which is recorded a control program for controlling a data processor used in conjunction with a terminal of a mask fitting system, the recording medium including machine readable instructions for causing the data processor to:

read, receive or scan patient data unique to a patient;

communicate at least a portion of the patient data to a mask system database; and

provide a best-fit mask system result on the basis of a comparison of mask system data of the mask system database and the patient data.

25. A recording medium on which is recorded a control program for controlling a data processor used in conjunction with the mask fitting database of a mask fitting system according to claim 23, wherein the mask system data is created based on mask system grading criteria, and each of said plurality of mask systems is individually graded for each said mask system grading criteria.

24. A recording medium on which is recorded a control program for controlling a data processor used in conjunction with the mask fitting database of a mask fitting system, the recording medium including machine-readable instructions for causing the data processor to:

store mask system data for a plurality of mask systems;

receive from a terminal patient data unique to a patient; and

generate a best-fit mask system result in accordance with a comparison of the patient data and the mask system data.