System And Method For Measuring Respiration With Accelerometers
First Claim
1. A method of detecting the respiration of a subject, the subject having a thorax, an abdomen, and a spine comprising a lower spinal region disposed between the coccyx and the thorax, comprising:
- affixing a first accelerometer to the subject'"'"'s lower spinal region, the first accelerometer having a first axis of sensitivity substantially perpendicular to a portion of the subject'"'"'s back, and configured to produce a first motion signal indicative of motion along the first axis of sensitivity;
affixing a second accelerometer to an anterior portion of the subject'"'"'s lower abdominal region, the second accelerometer having a second axis of sensitivity substantially parallel to the first axis of sensitivity, and configured to produce a second motion signal indicative of motion along the second axis of sensitivity, the first accelerometer and the second accelerometer disposed such that the subject'"'"'s abdomen is between the first accelerometer and the second accelerometer, and the first axis of sensitivity and the second axis of sensitivity pass through the subject'"'"'s abdomen; and
processing, in a circuit, the second motion signal and the first motion signal to produce a respiration signal, the respiration signal indicative of the motion of the subject'"'"'s abdomen in response to the subject'"'"'s respiration.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The respiration rate of a patient may be measured by sensing respiration motion using two MEMS devices, and by processing a respiration signal produced by processing the outputs of the two MEMS devices. Some embodiments dispose two accelerometers around a patient'"'"'s abdomen and determine respiratory motion from the difference between the outputs of the two accelerometers. Other embodiments dispose two non-identical accelerometers at substantially the same location on the patient'"'"'s body, such that each of the accelerometers is exposed to the same respiratory motion, and determine respiratory motion from the difference between the outputs of the two accelerometers.
8 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of detecting the respiration of a subject, the subject having a thorax, an abdomen, and a spine comprising a lower spinal region disposed between the coccyx and the thorax, comprising:
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affixing a first accelerometer to the subject'"'"'s lower spinal region, the first accelerometer having a first axis of sensitivity substantially perpendicular to a portion of the subject'"'"'s back, and configured to produce a first motion signal indicative of motion along the first axis of sensitivity; affixing a second accelerometer to an anterior portion of the subject'"'"'s lower abdominal region, the second accelerometer having a second axis of sensitivity substantially parallel to the first axis of sensitivity, and configured to produce a second motion signal indicative of motion along the second axis of sensitivity, the first accelerometer and the second accelerometer disposed such that the subject'"'"'s abdomen is between the first accelerometer and the second accelerometer, and the first axis of sensitivity and the second axis of sensitivity pass through the subject'"'"'s abdomen; and processing, in a circuit, the second motion signal and the first motion signal to produce a respiration signal, the respiration signal indicative of the motion of the subject'"'"'s abdomen in response to the subject'"'"'s respiration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of detecting the respiration of a patient, comprising:
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providing a first accelerometer affixed to the subject, the first accelerometer having a first response characteristic configured to produce a first output signal in response to both a respiration motion of the patient and a gross motion of the patient; providing a second accelerometer affixed to the subject, the second accelerometer having a second response characteristic configured to produce a second output signal in response to the gross motion of the patient, but not in response to the respiration motion of the patient; acquiring, using a circuit, from the first accelerometer, the first motion output signal; acquiring, using the circuit, from the second accelerometer, the second motion output signal; and determining, in the circuit, the difference between the second motion signal and the first motion signal to produce a respiration signal, the respiration signal produced in response to the subject'"'"'s respiration. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for detecting the respiration of a patient, comprising:
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a first accelerometer configured to be affixed to the patient so as to be subject to a gross motion of the patent and a respiration motion of the patient, the first accelerometer having a first response characteristic configured to produce a first output signal in response to both the respiration motion of the patient and the gross motion of the patient; a second accelerometer configured to be affixed to the patient so as to be subject to at least the gross motion of the patent, the second accelerometer having a second response characteristic configured to produce a second output signal in response to the gross motion of the patient, but not in response to the respiration motion of the patient; and a circuit configured to determine the difference between the second motion signal and the first motion signal and to produce a respiration signal, the respiration signal produced in response to the subject'"'"'s respiration. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification