SLEEP DISORDER APPLIANCE COMPLIANCE

• US 20150150501A1
• Filed: 12/02/2013
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ethos-United-I LLC
• Original Assignee: United Sciences LLC
• Inventors: GEORGE, EOHAN, HATZILIAS, KAROL, SHARPE, WESS ERIC, PATEL, MAYOOR, PINGALI, GOVINDA, POZGAY, BRIAN, RAUBOLT, JIM, THOMPSON, JACOB
• Application Number:
  US14/094,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20150150501A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0204 Acoustic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/398 Electrooculography [EOG], e.g. detecting nystagmus; Electroretinography [ERG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are described for determining sleep disorder appliance compliance. Embodiments include receiving, in a sleep disorder compliance module through one or more sensors of an earpiece worn within an ear of a sleeping patient, information regarding the sleep of the patient; deriving, by the sleep disorder compliance module from the information regarding the sleep of the patient, one or more biometric values capable of indicating whether the patient is using a sleep disorder appliance; and determining, by the sleep disorder compliance module, whether the one or more biometric values indicate that the sleeping patient is presently using the sleep disorder appliance.

Claims

1. A method of determining sleep disorder appliance compliance, the method comprising:

receiving, in a sleep disorder compliance module through one or more sensors of an earpiece worn within an ear of a sleeping patient, information regarding the sleep of the patient;

deriving, by the sleep disorder compliance module from the information regarding the sleep of the patient, one or more biometric values capable of indicating whether the patient is using a sleep disorder appliance;

determining, by the sleep disorder compliance module, whether the one or more biometric values indicate that the sleeping patient is presently using the sleep disorder appliance.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information comprises electromyography, audio, and piezoelectricity.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the biometric values comprise jaw muscle tension, snoring, and ear canal shape.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sleep disorder is sleep apnea.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the sleep disorder is sleep hypopnea.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the sleep disorder appliance is an oral splint.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising recording, by the sleep disorder compliance module, an indication that the patient is using the sleep disorder appliance.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising notifying, by the sleep disorder compliance module, the patient that the patient is not using the sleep disorder appliance.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising notifying, by the sleep disorder compliance module, an administrator that the patient is not using the sleep disorder appliance.

10. A method of determining sleep disorder appliance compliance, the method comprising:

receiving, in a sleep disorder compliance module through one or more sensors of an earpiece worn within an ear of a sleep disorder patient, information from the sleep disorder appliance indicating whether the patient is using a sleep disorder appliance; and

determining, by the sleep disorder compliance module in dependence upon the received information, whether the patient is presently using the sleep disorder appliance.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the information comprises radio frequency information.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the sleep disorder is sleep apnea.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the sleep disorder is sleep hypopnea.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the sleep disorder appliance is an oral splint.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising recording, by the sleep disorder compliance module, an indication that the patient is using the sleep disorder appliance.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising notifying, by the sleep disorder compliance module, the patient that the patient is not using the sleep disorder appliance.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising notifying, by the sleep disorder compliance module, an administrator that the patient is not using the sleep disorder appliance.

18. Apparatus for determining sleep disorder appliance compliance, the apparatus comprising:

an earpiece (204) having integrated sensors (202) capable of sensing, when the earpiece is worn within an ear of a sleeping patient (222), information regarding the sleep of the patient; and

a sleep disorder compliance module (114) operably coupled to the sensors (202) and configured to derive from the sensed information one or more biometric values capable of indicating whether the patient is using a sleep disorder appliance and determine whether the one or more biometric values indicate that the sleeping patient is presently using the sleep disorder appliance.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the sleep disorder is sleep apnea.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the sleep disorder appliance is an oral splint.