SLEEP APNEA AVOIDANCE AND DATA COLLECTION DEVICE

• US 20140228711A1
• Filed: 02/09/2013
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ali Mireshghi
• Original Assignee: Ali Mireshghi
• Inventors: Mireshghi, Ali
• Granted Patent: US 9,687,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/587
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/56 Devices for preventing snoring by influencing the respiratory system by gas treatment A61M16/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0022 by the tactile sense, e.g. vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0072 with application of electrical currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/332 Force measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 : Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 : with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 : battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8243 : by induction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/088 : on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/62 : Posture
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 : of respiratory organs

Abstract

A device for sleep apnea avoidance and data collection may include a sensor configured to sense a pressure and generate a first signal when the pressure exceeds a threshold. A signal generator module may be configured to generate a first stimulating signal in response to the first signal. The sensed pressure may include a pressure exerted on the sensor when a user of the device lies down on the device. The first stimulating signal may be configured to cause the user to change sleeping position, for example, from a first sleeping position that causes snoring to a second sleeping position that stops snoring.

Claims

1. A device for sleep apnea avoidance and data collection, comprising:

a sensor configured to sense a pressure and generate a first signal when the pressure exceeds a threshold; and

a signal generator module configured to generate a first stimulating signal in response to the first signal, wherein,

the sensed pressure includes a pressure exerted on the sensor when a user lies down on the device, the user being a user of the device, and

the first stimulating signal is configured to cause the user to change sleeping position.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a threshold module configured to set the threshold when the user lies down on the device, for a first time, on a designated bed.

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising a communication module configured to communicate with another device, wherein the other device includes at least one of a handheld device including a cellular phone, a tablet, and a personal assistant device (PDA), a laptop, or a desktop computer.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the communication module is further configured to receive information from the other device, the information including at least one of:

information related to a use of a bed including the information indicating the bed as the designated bed and the first time that the designated bed is used by the user,

information related to the threshold set by the user using an first interface on the other device,

information related to a selected first stimulating signal by the user using a second user interface on the other device, the information related to the selected first stimulating signal including at least one of a type or a magnitude of the selected stimulating signal,

information related to an audio alarm signal set by the user using a third user interface on the other device, the information related to an audio alarm signal including at least one of a type, a volume, or a trigger event, wherein the trigger event indicate a trigger event for activating the audio alarm signal.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the signal generator module is further configured to:

stop generating the first stimulating signal in response to receiving a stop signal from the sensor when the user changes sleeping position from a first sleeping position that causes snoring to a second sleeping position that stops snoring;

generate the first stimulating signal based on the information related to the selected stimulating signal.

6. The device of claim 4, further comprising an audio alarm signal generator configured to generate an audio alarm signal based on the information related to an audio alarm signal received from the other device, and one or more chargeable batteries, wherein the one or more chargeable batteries are configured to be charged wirelessly via the other device.

7. The device of claim 4, further comprising a counter module configured to start measuring an elapsed time in response to the first signal, and to generate a first change signal when the elapsed time reaches a first preset value, to generate a second change signal when the elapsed time reaches a second preset value, and to generate an alarm start signal when the elapsed time reaches a third preset value.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the signal generator module is configured to generate, respectively, a second stimulating signal and a third stimulating signal in response to the first and second change signals received from the counter module, wherein the information related to the second and third stimulating signals and the first and second preset values are received from the other device and are provided by the user through one or more user interfaces, and wherein each of the first, second, and third stimulating signals are identified by at least one of a frequency, a duty cycle, a magnitude, or a type.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the communication module is further configured to transmit to the other device history information to be stored in the other device and to be displayed to the user upon request, the history information including a date, a start time, and a stop time for each of the first, second, and third stimulating signals and the audio alarm signals that were generated, each time the device was used by the user.

10. A method for sleep apnea avoidance and data collection using a device, the method comprising:

configuring a sensor to sense a pressure and to generate a first signal when the pressure exceeds a threshold;

configuring a signal generator module to generate a first stimulating signal in response to the first signal; and

configuring the first stimulating signal to cause the user to change sleeping position, wherein the sensed pressure includes a pressure exerted on the sensor when a user lies down on the device, the user being a user of the device, and the device including the sensor and the signal generator module.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising configuring a threshold module to set the threshold when the user lies down on the device, for a first time, on a designated bed.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising configuring a communication module to communicate with another device, wherein the other device includes at least one of a handheld device including a cellular phone, a tablet, and a personal assistant device (PDA), a laptop, or a desktop computer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising configuring the communication module to receive information from the other device, the information including at least one of:

information related to a use of a bed including the information indicating the bed as the designated bed and the first time that the designated bed is used by the user,

information related to the threshold set by the user using an first interface on the other device,

information related to a selected first stimulating signal by the user using a second user interface on the other device, the information related to the selected first stimulating signal including at least one of a type or a magnitude of the selected stimulating signal,

information related to an audio alarm signal set by the user using a third user interface on the other device, the information related to an audio alarm signal including at least one of a type, a volume, or a trigger event, wherein the trigger event indicate a trigger event for activating the audio alarm signal.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising configuring the signal generator module to:

stop generating the first stimulating signal when the user changes sleeping position;

generate the first stimulating signal based on the information related to the selected stimulating signal.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising configuring an audio alarm generator to generate an audio alarm signal based on the information related to an audio alarm signal received from the other device.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising configuring a counter module to start measuring an elapsed time in response to the first signal, and to generate a first change signal when the elapsed time reaches a first preset value, and to generate a second change signal when the elapsed time reaches a second preset value.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising configuring the signal generator module to generate, respectively, a second stimulating signal and a third stimulating signal in response to the first and second change signals received from the counter module, wherein the information related to the second and third stimulating signals and the first and second preset values are received from the other device and are provided by the user through one or more user interfaces, and wherein each of the first, second, and third stimulating signals are identified by at least one of a frequency, a duty cycle, a magnitude, or a type.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising configuring the communication module to transmit to the other device history information to be stored in the other device and to be displayed to the user upon request, the history information including a date, a start time, and a stop time for each of the first, second, and third stimulating signals and the audio alarm signals that were generated, each time the device was used by the user.

19. A device for communicating with a sleep apnea avoidance device, the device comprising:

a communication module configured to wirelessly communicate with the sleep apnea avoidance device; and

an interface module configured to provide one or more user interfaces, wherein the user interfaces are configured to;

receive user information from a user including a user of the sleep apnea prevention device, the inputs being for communication to the sleep apnea avoidance device; and

display information received from the sleep apnea avoidance device, wherein the sleep apnea avoidance device comprises;

a sensor configured to sense a pressure and generate a first signal when the pressure exceeds a threshold; and

a signal generator module configured to generate a first stimulating signal in response to the first signal, wherein,

the sensed pressure includes a pressure exerted on the sensor when a user lies down on the device, the user being a user of the device, and

the first stimulating signal is configured to cause the user to change sleeping position.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising memory to store at least a portion of the information received from the sleep apnea prevention device, wherein the user information includes at least one of:

information related to a use of a bed including the information indicating the bed as a designated bed and a first time that the designated bed is used by the user,

information related to a threshold used by a sensor of the sleep apnea prevention device,

information related to a selected first stimulating signal including at least one of a type or a magnitude of the s elected stimulating signal, the selected stimulated signal being used by a signal generator module of the sleep apnea avoidance device,

information related to an audio alarm signal of the sleep apnea avoidance device including at least one of a type, a volume, or a trigger event, wherein the trigger event indicate a trigger event for activating the audio alarm signal.