PYRO/PIEZO SENSOR AND STIMULATOR

• US 20100076251A1
• Filed: 09/18/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dymedix Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dymedix Corporation
• Inventors: Henke, Reinhold, Stasz, Peter
• Application Number:
  US12/562,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20100076251A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/56 Devices for preventing snoring by influencing the respiratory system by gas treatment A61M16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/802 Drive or control circuitry or methods for piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

This document discusses, among other things, an apparatus and method for detecting respiration information of a patient and for providing a stimulation to the patient. A sleep sensor transducer includes a pyro/piezoelectric film. A first and second electrode can attach to the film to transmit the detected respiration information to a closed loop neuromodulator and to receive stimulation energy from the closed loop neuromodulator to provide the stimulation.

Claims

1. A sleep therapy transducer for a patient, the sleep therapy transducer comprising:

a pyro/piezoelectric film configured to detect respiration information of the patient and configured to provide a stimulation to the patient;

a first electrode attached to a first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;

a second electrode attached to a second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;

wherein the first and second electrodes are configured to transmit the detected respiration information from the pyro/piezoelectric film to a closed loop neuromodulator and to receive stimulation energy from the closed loop neuromodulator; and

wherein the stimulation is provided to the patient using the received stimulation energy.

2. The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1, including a first adhesive to attach the first electrode to the first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film.

3. The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1, including a second adhesive to attach the second electrode to the second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film.

4. The sleep therapy transducer of claim 3, wherein the first and second adhesives include a conductive adhesive.

5. The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1, including a first wire coupled to the first electrode and a second wire coupled to the second electrode, the first and second wires configured to transmit detected respiration information from the pyro/piezoelectric film to a closed loop neuromodulator and to transmit stimulation energy from the closed loop neuromodulator to the pyro/piezoelectric film.

6. The sleep therapy transducer of claim 5, including:

a first adhesive film substantially covering the first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film, the first adhesive film to secure the first wire to the first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film, and

a second adhesive film substantially covering the second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film, the second adhesive film to secure the second wire to the second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film.

7. The sleep therapy transducer of claim 6, wherein the first adhesive film is a double sided adhesive film configured to secure the sleep therapy transducer to the patient.

8. The sleep therapy transducer of claim 7, wherein the double sided adhesive film is configured to provide acoustic impedance matching between the sleep therapy transducer and the patient'"'"'s skin.

9. The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1, wherein the pyro/piezoelectric film includes a metalized polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film.

10. The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1, wherein the sleep therapy transducer is configured to attach behind an ear of the patient.

11. The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1, wherein the sleep therapy transducer is configured to attach near a lip of the patient.

12. The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1, wherein the sleep therapy transducer is configured to attach over the patient'"'"'s nose.

13. The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1, wherein the sleep therapy transducer is configured to attach to the patient'"'"'s neck.

14. The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1, wherein the sleep therapy transducer is configured to emit at least one of a tactile stimulation or an acoustic stimulation.

15. A sleep therapy transducer for a patient, the sleep therapy transducer comprising:

a pyro/piezoelectric film configured to detect respiration information of the patient and configured to provide a stimulation to the patient;

a first electrode attached to a first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;

a second electrode attached to a second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;

a first conductive adhesive to attach the first electrode to the first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;

a second conductive adhesive to attach the second electrode to the second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;

a first wire coupled to the first electrode and a second wire coupled to the second electrode;

a first adhesive film substantially covering the first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film, the first adhesive film to secure the first wire to the first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;

a second adhesive film substantially covering the second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film, the second adhesive film to secure the second wire to the second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;

wherein the first and second wires are configured to transmit detected respiration information from the pyro/piezoelectric film to a closed loop neuromodulator, and to transmit stimulation energy from the closed loop neuromodulator to the pyro/piezoelectric film; and

wherein the first adhesive film is a double sided adhesive film configured to secure the sleep therapy transducer to the patient.

16. A method comprising:

detecting respiration information of a patient using a sleep therapy transducer attached to the patient, the sleep therapy transducer including a pyro/piezoelectric film;

transmitting the detected respiratory information from the sleep therapy transducer to a closed loop neuromodulator using a first electrode attached to a first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film and a second electrode attached to a second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;

receiving stimulation energy from the closed loop neuromodulator using the first and second electrodes; and

providing a stimulation to the patient using the received stimulation energy.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmitting the respiration information includes transmitting the respiration information using a using a single wire pair coupled to the first and second electrode.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiving the stimulation energy includes receiving the stimulation energy using the single wire pair coupled to the first and second electrode.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing the stimulation includes providing the stimulation behind an ear of the patient.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing the stimulation includes providing the stimulation near a lip of the patient.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing the stimulation includes providing the stimulation to the patient'"'"'s nose.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing the stimulation includes providing the stimulation to the patient'"'"'s neck.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing the stimulation includes providing at least one of tactile stimulation or acoustic stimulation.