Detection appliance and method for observing sleep-related breathing disorders

• US 20060276718A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResMed Humidification Technologies GmbH (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ResMed R&D Germany GmbH (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Madaus, Stefan, Klaus, Dieter, Stauffenberg, Caspar Graf von, Vogele, Harald, Heidmann, Dieter
• Granted Patent: US 10,154,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/538
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6825 Hand
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period

Abstract

The invention relates to a detection appliance and a method for detecting and evaluating a measuring signal that is indicative of the breathing of a sleeping person, in connection with the observation of sleep-related breathing disorders. The invention also relates to instruments for detecting signals that are indicative of the breathing of a patient. One aspect of the invention is to provide solutions that enable an especially reliable examination in terms of the occurrence of sleep-related sleeping disorders, especially in the usual surroundings of the person concerned. To this end, in a first embodiment, a mobile detection appliance includes a sensor device for detecting a nasal flow signal that is indicative of a nasal respiratory gas flow, and/or a respiratory flow signal that is indicative of an oral respiratory gas flow, in addition to an electronic data processing unit that includes a memory device and is used to process the respiratory flow signals that are indicative of the temporal course of the nasal and oral respiration. The data processing device is configured in such a way that it stores data that is indicative of the temporal course of the respiratory flow signals.

Claims

1. Mobile detection appliance with sensor device for acquiring a respiratory flow signal that is indicative of the respiratory gas flow, in addition to an electronic data processing unit which comprises a memory device and is used to process the respiratory flow signals that are indicative of the temporal course of the respiratory flow signal;

said data processing unit being configured in such a way that it stores data that is indicative of the temporal course of the respiratory flow signal.

2. Detection appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the data processing unit checks whether the acquired respiratory flow signal fulfils prescribed signal quality criteria.

3. Detection appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the data processing unit has access to a time-keeping device and that the data that is indicative off the respiratory flow signal is recorded in conjunction with time information.

4. Detection appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the data processing unit is provided with a data compression system.

5. Detection appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the data processing unit is configured in such a way that the recording process is initiated by a switching impulse triggered by the user.

6. Detection appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the data processing unit is designed in such a way that it stores the data when the acquired respiratory flow signals fulfil a certain criterion.

7. Detection appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that said detection appliance comprises a first pressure measurement connection to which a measurement cannula can be connected.

8. Detection appliance according to claim 7, characterized in that said detection appliance comprises a second pressure measurement connection for acquiring a second pressure measurement signal.

9. Detection appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that said detection appliance is designed in such a way that it can acquire separate respiratory flow signals that are indicative of the left and right nasal openings respectively.

10. Detection appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that said detection appliance comprises a device for detecting the chest expansion.

11-26. -26. (canceled)

27. Method for the provision of an evaluation result that is indicative of the physiological state and is based on measurement signals associated with the respiration of a person, where evaluation characteristics are generated from said measurement signals through the use of several analysis systems and a least one evaluation result is generated from a result generation step based thereon in which the evaluation characteristics are subjected to an associative analysis, whereby said measurement signals are acquired by a mobile detection appliance in the course of a signal acquisition phase preceding the analysis.

28. Method according to claim 27, characterized in that apnoea indicators are included among the indicators.

29. Method according to claim 27, characterized in that hypopnea indicators are included among the indicators.

30. Method according to claim 27, characterized in that flow limitation indicators are included among the indicators.

31. Method according to claim 27, characterized in that a contributing characteristic predominantly included among the evaluation characteristics is generated within a generation time window that is smaller than the association time window used in the associative analysis.

32. Method according to claim 27, characterized in that a physiological characterization of the user according to obstructive, central and/or mixed respiratory disorders occurs on the basis of an associative analysis.

33. Method according to claim 27, characterized in that the evaluation characteristics are generated on the basis of breathing stability criteria.

34. Method according to claim 27, characterized in that the evaluation characteristics are generated on the basis of statistical analysis procedures.

35. Method according to claim 27, characterized in that the evaluation characteristics are generated as an array of characteristics.

36. Method according to claim 27, characterized in that an evaluation characteristic is generated from the duration of normal respiration phases and/or normal respiration characterizing features and/or features representing the duration of regular or irregular respiration phases and/or regular and/or irregular features.

37-64. -64. (canceled)