Apparatus for compensating for flow and pressure variances in pneumatic circuits
First Claim
1. An apparatus for compensating variances in a circuit used for applying airway pressure to a patient'"'"'s airway, comprising:
- a source of breathable gas provided under a controllable pressure;
a pneumatic circuit connection supplying the breathable gas from the source to the patient'"'"'s airway, wherein the pneumatic circuit connection exhibits a connection variance;
a sensor disposed proximal to the pneumatic circuit connection for ascertaining a circuit characteristic and producing a signal value representative thereof;
a memory storing a look-up table containing empirical values corresponding to known variances of pneumatic circuit connections;
a signal processor receiving and comparing the signal value with the empirical values to ascertain a deviation value; and
a controller connected to the signal processor and the source of breathable gas, wherein the controller adjusts the source in accordance with the deviation value.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for facilitating the respiration of a patient are disclosed which are particularly useful in treating mixed and obstructive sleep apnea and certain cardiovascular conditions, among others, by increasing nasal air pressure delivered to the patient'"'"'s respiratory passages just prior to inhalation and by subsequently decreasing the pressure to ease exhalation effort. The preferred apparatus includes a patient-coupled gas delivery device for pressurizing the patient'"'"'s nasal passages at a controllable pressure, and a controller coupled with the delivery device having a pressure transducer for monitoring the nasal pressure and a microcontroller for selectively controlling the nasal pressure. In operation, the controller determines a point in the patient breathing cycle just prior to inhalation and initiates an increase in nasal pressure at that point in order to stimulate normal inhalation, and subsequently lowers the nasal pressure to ease exhalation efforts. The invention further comprises an apparatus for compensating variances in a circuit used for supplying airway pressure to a patient'"'"'s airway having a sensor proximal to a pneumatic circuit connection for ascertaining a circuit characteristic and producing a signal value representative thereof, as well as a memory storing a look-up table containing empirical values corresponding to known variances of pneumatic circuit connections and signal processor receiving and comparing the signal value with the empirical values to ascertain a deviation value, and a controller connected to the signal processor and source of breathing gas to control delivery of breathing gas in accordance with the deviation value an apparatus for compensating variances in a circuit used for supplying airway pressure to a patient'"'"'s airway having a sensor proximal to a pneumatic circuit connection for ascertaining a circuit characteristic and producing a signal value representative thereof, as well as a memory storing a look-up table containing empirical values corresponding to known variances of pneumatic circuit connections and signal processor receiving and comparing the signal value with the empirical values to ascertain a deviation value, and a controller connected to the signal processor and source of breathing gas to control delivery of breathing gas in accordance with the deviation value.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for compensating variances in a circuit used for applying airway pressure to a patient'"'"'s airway, comprising:
-
a source of breathable gas provided under a controllable pressure; a pneumatic circuit connection supplying the breathable gas from the source to the patient'"'"'s airway, wherein the pneumatic circuit connection exhibits a connection variance; a sensor disposed proximal to the pneumatic circuit connection for ascertaining a circuit characteristic and producing a signal value representative thereof; a memory storing a look-up table containing empirical values corresponding to known variances of pneumatic circuit connections; a signal processor receiving and comparing the signal value with the empirical values to ascertain a deviation value; and a controller connected to the signal processor and the source of breathable gas, wherein the controller adjusts the source in accordance with the deviation value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method for compensating variances in a circuit used for applying positive pressure to a patient'"'"'s airway, comprising the steps of:
-
providing a source of breathable gas under a controllable pressure; providing a pneumatic circuit connection that carries the breathable gas from the source to the patient'"'"'s airway, wherein the pneumatic circuit connection includes a variance; ascertaining a circuit characteristic and producing a signal value representative thereof; providing a memory storing a look-up table containing empirical values corresponding to known variances of pneumatic circuit connections; comparing the signal value with the empirical values to obtain a deviation value; and controlling the source of breathable gas in accordance with the deviation value. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. An apparatus for compensating variances in a circuit used for applying positive pressure to a patient'"'"'s airway comprising:
-
a source of breathable gas provided under a controllable pressure; a pneumatic circuit connection supplying the breathable gas from the source to the patient'"'"'s airway, wherein the pneumatic circuit connection exhibits a pressure variance; a pressure sensor disposed proximal to the pneumatic circuit connection for ascertaining a circuit pressure and producing a signal value representative thereof; a memory storing a look-up table containing empirical values corresponding to known pressure variances of pneumatic circuit connections; a signal processor receiving and comparing the signal value with the empirical value to ascertain a deviation value; and a controller connected to the signal processor and the source of breathable gas, wherein the controller adjusts the pressure output of the source in accordance with the deviation value. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification