Device and method for sleep apnea management using SpO2

• US 20080269832A1
• Filed: 04/26/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Original Assignee: Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Inventors: Chung, Joanne Wai Yee, Cheung, Ching Ching, Wong, Thomas Kwok Shing, Fan, Ka Lun, Lau, Yin Ki, Au, Wai Man, Gohel, Mayur Danny Indulal, Yu, Winnie Wing Man, Ng, Siu Luen
• Application Number:
  US11/790,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20080269832A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/42
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 of respiratory organs

Abstract

The present invention relates to an anti-sleep apnea device including two electrodes and a pulse oximeter, adapted to be disposed on the user'"'"'s wrist for releasing electrical pulses to an acupoint of the user, and a method of monitoring and treating sleep-apnea, whereby monitoring occurs via a pulse oximeter and treatment occurs by providing electrical stimulation to specific acupoint on the user.

Claims

1. A sleep apnea device, comprising

a pulse oximeter;

an energy source;

a micro control unit;

a capacitor;

electric circuitry;

a smart fabric;

and a pair of electrodes which are adapted to be disposed on a user'"'"'s limb for releasing electrical pulses to an acupoint of said user.

2. The sleep apnea device of claim 1, wherein said pulse oximeter is used on translucent part of the body.

3. The sleep apnea device of claim 1, further comprising memory storage.

4. The sleep apnea device of claim 1, wherein said electronic circuitry can be one or more selected from the group consisting of switches, actuators, DC/DC converters, transformers, and rectifiers.

5. The sleep apnea device of claim 1, further comprising a timer connected to said capacitor.

6. The sleep apnea device of claim 1, further comprising algorithms for sleep apnea detection.

7. The sleep apnea device of claim 1, wherein said energy source is a battery.

8. The sleep apnea device of claim 1, wherein said acupoint is an acupoint along the Lung meridian.

9. The sleep apnea device of claim 8, wherein said acupoint is LU7.

10. The sleep apnea device of claim 1, wherein said smart fabric is a resilient material for providing a suitable resilience to wrap around the wrist of the user.

11. A method of monitoring and treating sleep apnea, comprising the steps of

turning “

on”

a sleep apnea device of claim 1;

setting said device;

monitoring blood oxygen level of the user via a pulse oximeter;

determining if there is desaturation of the user'"'"'s blood between about 10 to about 20 seconds;

If desaturation is determinated, then performing the following step,

releasing electrical stimulation to an acupoint;

and

continuing to monitor blood-oxygen level of user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein setting said device comprises pressing a “

SET”

button on said device to store energy on a high voltage capacitor.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of testing said device following setting said device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein monitoring blood-oxygen level of the user comprises connecting the pulse oximeter to a translucent body part.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein determining if there is desaturation of the user'"'"'s blood occurs for about 10 seconds.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein releasing said electrical stimulation occurs at an acupoint along the Lung meridian.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein releasing said electrical stimulation occurs at the LU7 acupoint.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein releasing said electrical stimulation comprises releasing a bi-phasic burst signal at a range of 1 to 20 bursts per second for a range of 1 second to 1 minute.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein releasing said electrical stimulation comprises releasing a bi-phasic burst signal at a range of 2 to about 4 seconds for a range of about 8 seconds to about 10 seconds.