Method and apparatus for treating bronchial asthma

• US 4,063,550 A
• Filed: 05/28/1976
• Issued: 12/20/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brian L. Tiep
• Original Assignee: Brian L. Tiep
• Inventors: Tiep, Brian L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, Wm. E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US05/690,850
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2 R, 128/2 K, 128/1 R, 128/2.05 S, 128/2.1 B, 35/22 R, 35/17
• US Class Current: 600/529
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/18 for improving respiratory function
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/905 Feedback to patient of biological signal other than brain electric signal

Abstract

An individual suffering from bronchial asthma can be trained to relax his or her bronchial muscles in order to facilitate breathing. In such training a microphone is located adjacent to the trachea of the individual and is utilized to provide a signal. This signal may be directly amplified and converted to an audible sound through the use of a speaker, but it is preferably utilized to provide a variable frequency signal corresponding to the amplitude of the signal from the microphone, and this latter signal is supplied to the speaker to provide a variable tone. This tonal variation effectively indicates to an individual the manner in which the individual is breathing. Such an individual can learn to control his or her breathing in such a manner as to regulate the frequency of the tone produced by the speaker so that the sound produced corresponds to the bronchial muscles being relaxed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in teaching an asthmatic patient to control his or her breathing so as to minimize the sound produced by the patient breathing which comprises:

microphone means for receiving sound, said microphone means being adapted to be located adjacent to the trachea of a patient,

means for providing a variable frequency response in accordance with an amplitude of the signal from said microphone means,

said means for providing a variable frequency response including means for providing a DC voltage which follows the peak value of a signal from said microphone means, said means for providing a DC voltage being connected to said microphone means,

means for varying the frequency of a signal produced by said means for providing a frequency response,

speaker means for providing an audible response corresponding to a variable frequency response,

voltage controlled oscillator means being connected to said means for providing a DC voltage and to said speaker means, and

switch means permitting said speaker means to be connected to either said microphone means or to said voltage-controlled oscillator means.

2. A biofeedback method in which a body condition capable of being controlled by a person is monitored so as to provide an output indication of said condition which is capable of being sensed by the person so that the person in sensing the body condition at any specific time can control the body condition a accordance with the output indication, in which said body condition is bronchial asthma, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring said bronchial asthma condition by locating a microphone adjacent to the trachea of said person,

providing a variable frequency tone which varies in accordance with changes in the noise picked up by said microphone, said variable frequency tone constituting said output indication, and

controlling the bronchial muscles of the person by the person in accordance with changes in the frequency of said tone so as to relax his or her bronchial muscles.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

said noise reaching said microphone is alternately amplified so as to be heard by said person and to provide said variable frequency tone.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

the amount said noise is amplified so as to be heard by said person is gradually decreased as the person becomes able to associate a tone of a specific frequency with muscle control sufficient to accomplish relaxation of the muscles controlling the bronchial passages.