Measuring System, Computer Program, Set of a Measuring Device and a Computer Program and Method for Operating the Measuring System

• US 20090270751A1
• Filed: 04/22/2009
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microlife Intellectual Property GmbH
• Original Assignee: Microlife Intellectual Property GmbH
• Inventors: Peng, Hsieng Chin, Lin, Kin-Yuan
• Application Number:
  US12/427,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20090270751A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/538
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0873 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/091 Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots

Abstract

A measuring system for electronically measuring the volume flow expired and/or inspired by a user, comprises a measuring unit for continuously monitoring the volume flow of air when the user is expiring and/or inspiring, a first memory section for storing data of a reference expiration and/or inspiration volume flow profile and at least a second memory section for storing data of a measured expiration and/or inspiration volume flow profile. A representation of the reference flow profile and the measured flow profile is displayed, which allows a comparison of the profiles.

Claims

1. A measuring system for electronically measuring at least one of the volume flow expired and the volume flow inspired by a user, the system comprising a measuring device, with

a measuring unit for continuously monitoring the volume flow of air streaming through a section of the measuring device when the user is at least one of expiring or inspiring, thereby generating data of at least one of an expiration and an inspiration volume flow profile,

a first memory section for storing data of at least one of a reference expiration and a reference inspiration volume flow profile and

at least a second memory section for storing data of at least one of a measured expiration and inspiration volume flow profile, the measuring system further comprising

means for selecting a measured flow profile and storing it as a reference flow profile, and

display means for displaying flow profiles, wherein the measuring system is construed for displaying a representation of the reference flow profile and the measured flow profile, which allows a comparison of the profiles.

2. A measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device is a flow meter.

3. A measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the display means allow simultaneously displaying the reference flow profile and the measured flow profile.

4. A measuring system according to claim 3, wherein the display means allow displaying the reference flow profile and the measured flow profile in parallel.

5. A measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the display means are formed as a display integrated into the measuring device.

6. A measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the measuring system comprises display means formed as a separate display unit connected to or connectable to the measuring device.

7. A measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device comprises an interface for data transfer.

8. A measuring system according to claim 7, wherein the interface for data transfer is adapted for importing data of a reference flow profile or exporting data of measured volume flow profiles.

9. A measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device comprises means for measuring the air flow by infrared measurement.

10. A measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the measuring system comprises means for automatically comparing a measured flow profile and a reference flow profile.

11. A software program comprising program code means for performing the following steps when said program is run on a microprocessor,

receiving data measured by a measuring device, said data representing at least one of the volume flow expired and the volume flow inspired by a user;

generating at least one of an expiration flow profile and an inspiration flow profile on the basis of said data;

storing said profile on a memory storage;

wherein the software program comprises further program code means for performing the step of displaying a representation of at least two flow profiles, which allows a comparison of the profiles, on display means being connected with the microprocessor, and further program code means for performing the step of selecting at least one of an expiration flow profile and inspiration flow profile as a reference flow profile and storing it in a memory.

12. A software program according to claim 11, wherein the software program comprises code for displaying at least two profiles in parallel.

13. A software program according to claim 11 comprising further program code means for performing the step of

uploading a reference profile from a memory and displaying as one of the profiles.

14. A software program according to claim 11 comprising further program code means for performing the step of

determining and displaying or for determining and displaying and storing at least one of PEF and FEV1 values basing on the received data.

15. A software program according to claim 11 comprising further program code means for performing the step of

creating an output signal depending on a difference of the reference profile and at least one of a measured expiration and inspiration flow profile.

16. A set of a measuring device for measuring at least one of the volume flow expired and the volume flow inspired by a user with a data communication interface to a peripheral device, and a software program implementable on the peripheral device according to claim 11.

17. A method for operating a measuring system, comprising the steps of

continuously monitoring the flow of air streaming through a section of the device when the user is at least one of expiring and inspiring, thereby generating data of at least one of an expiration volume flow profile and an inspiration volume flow profile,

storing data of at least one measured volume flow profile in at least one memory section and

selecting a reference flow profile from measured volume data and

storing a reference flow profile in a first memory section and

displaying a representation of a reference flow profile and the at least one measured flow profile, which allows a comparison of the profiles.

19. A method according to claim 19, wherein the displaying is in parallel.

18. A method according to claim 19, comprising the step of displaying a representation of a reference flow profile and the at least one measured flow profile simultaneously.