Respiratory biofeedback and performance evaluation system
First Claim
1. A system for measuring and displaying real time respiratory air flow in relation to an optimized air flow, comprising:
- means for measuring the respiratory air flow and for generating a signal representative of instantaneous volumetric flow rate;
means for displaying each of said measured respiratory air flow and said optimized air flow curve with respect to a time base and spatial relationship pre-established in connection with said optimized air flow curve;
means for sampling said integrated respiratory air flow signal to produce integrated sample values thereof in accordance with said pre-established time base and storing said integrated sample values in a second memory;
means for storing sample values of said optimized air flow curve as a standard waveform in a first memory;
means for reading out successive values of said standard waveform from said first memory and of said integrated sample values from said second memory, in sequence for each of said memories and at a rate synchronized with the rate of scan of said display means; and
means for comparing the position of the scanning beam of said display means with the values read out from each of said first and second memories for generating a video display signal when a value read from one of said memories corresponds with the position of the scanning beam, thereby to produce a display of that value on said display means.
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Abstract
A positive biofeedback training system which visually displays desired respiratory parameters along with performance. Suitable respiratory airflow transducer means is used to generate and compare flow signals in real time to the physician-, technician-, or teacher - prescribed desirable performance parameters, thus providing incentives to improve patient or student performance for respiratory maneuvers under varying circumstances. The system includes estimation means to quantitate deficiencies of volumetric, flow, pressure, or timing requirements to the ideal breathing patterns. The system includes methods and a flow signal is integrated to appropriate volume signal with relation to a time base. The system provides for detecting initiation of inspiration and resetting of ideal volumetric respiration pattern; comparing real time flow and volumetric signal with ideal flow and volumetric prescribed patterns, and visually displaying both ideal and real time performance on a suitable display.
This system is particularly adapted for clinic use to establish an ideal breathing pattern under various circumstances and to establish a mechanical prescription for adaptation in home use by a respiratory victim utilizing simpler device means. Appropriate performance deficiency indicators or performance enhancing indicators may be used. Appropriate performance signal recording devices and data analysis devices may be attached.
The system may be further adapted for optimizing breathing device performance, breathing testing performance, and other breathing training and evaluation parameters in normal subjects training to work in unusual environments or for use with musical instrument or voice training or pregnant delivering subjects and the like.
In the preferred embodiments of the invention, prescribed waveforms for inspiration flow, expiration flow, relative timing ratios of inspiration to expiration, etc. are read out of ROMs and compared with sample integrated airflow values from a RAM. A scanning beam rectilinear raster display is employed for converting digital values in real time superimposed patterns.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for measuring and displaying real time respiratory air flow in relation to an optimized air flow, comprising:
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means for measuring the respiratory air flow and for generating a signal representative of instantaneous volumetric flow rate; means for displaying each of said measured respiratory air flow and said optimized air flow curve with respect to a time base and spatial relationship pre-established in connection with said optimized air flow curve; means for sampling said integrated respiratory air flow signal to produce integrated sample values thereof in accordance with said pre-established time base and storing said integrated sample values in a second memory; means for storing sample values of said optimized air flow curve as a standard waveform in a first memory; means for reading out successive values of said standard waveform from said first memory and of said integrated sample values from said second memory, in sequence for each of said memories and at a rate synchronized with the rate of scan of said display means; and means for comparing the position of the scanning beam of said display means with the values read out from each of said first and second memories for generating a video display signal when a value read from one of said memories corresponds with the position of the scanning beam, thereby to produce a display of that value on said display means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A system for sensing and displaying in real time a variable analog function representative of a sensed biological condition for visual comparison with a related predetermined analog function representative of an optimal prescribed condition, comprising:
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means for generating an analog signal representative of the variable anolog function; display means having scanning means with a predetermined frame time; said display means comprising a scanning type display means having a predetermined scan raster and frame; first memory means for storing said predetermined analog function as a waveform; second memory means for digitally storing said variable analog function as a waveform; means for sensing said condition as an analog function and providing digital signals representative of the analog function for storage in said second memory means; means for reading out each of said first and second memories in timed relation to the scan of said display means, and means for generating a display in said display means when a value read out from either of said first and second memories corresponds to a current scanned position of said display means. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A real time biological performance evaluation and testing device which comprises:
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means for measuring respiratory air flow and generating a flow signal representative of said air flow; means for integrating said air flow signal with relation to a time base and generating a volumetric signal representative of the integrated air flow; means for detecting initiation of inspiration and resetting an ideal volumetric respiration pattern; means for comparing the volumetric signal with the ideal volumetric respiration pattern signal correlated with inspiration reset; and means for visually displaying the volumetric signal and ideal pattern in visually discernible superimposed observation modes on a dynamic display. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A training method for measuring and comparing respiration real time which comprises:
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measuring respiratory air flow and generating a flow signal representative of said air flow; integrating said air flow signal with relation to a time base and generating a real time volumetric signal representative of the integrated air flow; detecting initiation of inspiration and resetting an ideal volumetric respiration pattern; comparing the volumetric signal with the ideal volumetric respiration pattern signal correlated with inspiration reset; and visually displaying the volumetric signal and ideal pattern in visually discernible superimposed observation modes.
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Specification