Respiration feedback monitor system

• US 6,162,183 A
• Filed: 02/02/1999
• Issued: 12/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: J&J Engineering
• Original Assignee: J&J Engineering
• Inventors: Hoover, Jan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Cary
• Assistant Examiner(s): NATNITHITHADHA, NAVIN
• Application Number:
  US09/243,094
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 600/534, 600/531, 600/529, 600/535, 600/595
• US Class Current: 600/534
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion

Abstract

A system to monitor respiration activity of a user and provide appropriate feedback to the user includes a respiration feedback monitor sized and configured to be worn by the user. In the depicted embodiment, respiration activity is measured with components including a retractable cord coupled to an optical distance measurement device. Feedback is typically provided using vibrations of certain duration and repetition. The system operates under various user selectable operational modes. Each operational mode is associated with particular respiration feedback criteria used to determine appropriate feedback for the user. The respiration feedback criteria is related to respiration rate levels and respiration depth associated with respiration activity level measured for the user. Distribution plots such as histograms associated with respiration measurement contribute to aspects of the feedback criteria and help establish other aspects of appropriate feedback. The depicted embodiment includes a computer interface allowing respiration data recorded by the respiration feedback monitor to be sent to a computer system. The computer system is also used to adjust and download desired operational modes into the respiration feedback monitor.

Claims

1. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing sized and configured to be worn by a user;

a vibration output device affixed to the housing, the vibration output device configured to transmit a vibration signal perceptible by the user when the vibration output device is activated;

a non-rigid member configured to extend and retract with respect to at least a portion of the housing, to correspond to respiration of the user;

a signal generator affixed to the housing, the signal generator configured to generate distance signals indicating a distance related to the extension and retraction of the non-rigid member;

a memory configured to store respiration feedback criteria;

a processor affixed to the housing and coupled to the memory, the vibration output device and the signal generator, the processor configured to receive the distance signals and configured to turn on the vibration output device based on whether the distance signals satisfy the stored respiration feedback criteria; and

a mode switch wherein the user with the mode switch selects an operational mode having a particular respiration feedback criteria from a plurality of operational modes under which the processor operates wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the respiration feedback criteria of the selected operational mode based on the distance signals.

2. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing sized and configured to be worn by a user;

a vibration output device affixed to the housing, the vibration output device configured to transmit a vibration signal perceptible by the user when the vibration output device is activated;

a non-rigid member configured to extend and retract with respect to at least a portion of the housing, to correspond to respiration of the user;

a signal generator affixed to the housing, the signal generator configured to generate distance signals indicating a distance related to the extension and retraction of the non-rigid member;

a memory configured to store respiration feedback criteria;

a processor affixed to the housing and coupled to the memory, the vibration output device and the signal generator, the processor configured to receive the distance signals and configured to turn on the vibration output device based on whether the distance signals satisfy the stored respiration feedback criteria; and

a mode switch wherein the user with the mode switch selects an operational mode having a particular respiration feedback criteria from a plurality of operational modes under which the processor operates wherein the plurality of operational modes comprises;

Percent Time Amplitude Mode, Threshold Amplitude Mode, Media Frequency Mode, Prompted Exercise Mode, or Current Breath Frequency Mode.

3. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing sized and configured to be worn by the user;

an output device affixed to the housing, the output device configured to transmit a signal perceptible by the user when the output device is activated;

a processor affixed to the housing, the processor configured to receive distance signals and configured to activate the output device based on whether the distance signals satisfy a respiration feedback criteria to signify a feedback event; and

a signal generator affixed to the housing, the signal generator configured to generate the distance signals indicating distances varying with an extent of expansion and contraction of the user during respiration by the user, the signal generator comprising a light receiver configured to receive reflected light and a light reflector configured to reflect light to the light receiver, the light reflector configured to reflect light to the light receiver with an intensity based upon the extent of expansion and contraction of the user, the signal generator configured to generate the distance signal, based upon the intensity of the reflected light received by the light receiver.

4. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing sized and configured to be worn by the user;

an output device affixed to the housing, the output device configured to transmit a signal perceptible by the user when the output device is activated; and

a processor affixed to the housing, the processor configured to receive distance signals and configured to activate the output device based on whether the distance signals satisfy a respiration feedback criteria to signify a feedback event wherein the respiration feedback criteria are related to distance signal measurements and time measurements associated with the distance signals.

5. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing sized and configured to be worn by the user;

an output device affixed to the housing, the output device configured to transmit a signal perceptible by the user when the output device is activated; and

a processor affixed to the housing, the processor configured to receive distance signals and configured to activate the output device based on whether the distance signals satisfy a respiration feedback criteria to signify a feedback event wherein the respiration feedback criteria are associated with a threshold, tracking an average, or using a histogram.

6. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing sized and configured to be worn by the user;

an output device affixed to the housing, the output device configured to transmit a signal perceptible by the user when the output device is activated; and

a processor affixed to the housing, the processor configured to receive distance signals and configured to activate the output device based on whether the distance signals satisfy a respiration feedback criteria to signify a feedback event, the processor being further configured to turn on the vibration output device based on present correlation results compared with past correlation results wherein the past and present correlation results are based on correlations of a histogram of values associated with the distance signals correlated with an ideal histogram.

7. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing sized and configured to be worn by the user;

an output device affixed to the housing the output device configured to transmit a signal perceptible by the user when the output device is activated; and

a processor affixed to the housing, the processor configured to receive distance signals and configured to activate the output device based on whether the distance signals satisfy a respiration feedback criteria to signify a feedback event, the processor being further configured to adjust the respiration feedback criteria based on the distance signals.

8. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing sized and configured to be worn by the user;

an output device affixed to the housing, the output device configured to transmit a signal perceptible by the user when the output device is activated; and

a processor affixed to the housing, the processor configured to receive distance signals and configured to activate the output device based on whether the distance signals satisfy a respiration feedback criteria to signify a feedback event wherein the processor has a low power sleep mode and a higher power operational mode.

9. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing sized and configured to be worn by the user;

an output device affixed to the housing, the output device configured to transmit a signal perceptible by the user when the output device is activated; and

a processor affixed to the housing, the processor configured to receive distance signals and configured to activate the output device based on whether the distance signals satisfy a respiration feedback criteria to signify a feedback event wherein the distance signals are generated based upon a measured light intensity.

10. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing sized and configured to be worn by the user;

an output device affixed to the housing, the output device configured to transmit a signal perceptible by the user when the output device is activated; and

a processor affixed to the housing, the processor configured to receive distance signals and configured to activate the output device based on whether the distance signals satisfy a respiration feedback criteria to signify a feedback event wherein the processor determines respiration patterns of the user including respiration rates, respiration depths, and associated time measurements.

11. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing sized and configured to be worn by the user;

an output device affixed to the housing, the output device configured to transmit a signal perceptible by the user when the output device is activated; and

a processor affixed to the housing, the processor configured to receive distance signals and configured to activate the output device based on whether the distance signals satisfy a respiration feedback criteria to signify a feedback event wherein the processor is configured to process a plurality of operational modes comprising Percent Time Amplitude Mode, Threshold Amplitude Mode, Median Frequency Mode, Prompted Exercise Mode, or Current Breath Frequency Mode.

12. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing configured to be worn by the user;

a storage device affixed to the housing, the storage device configured to store data related to respiration;

a communication link configured to provide signals from the respiration feedback monitor system to a computer system wherein the data related to respiration is transferred to the computer system; and

a processor affixed to the housing configured to receive distance signals associated with the respiration data, the processor configured to transmit a signal to an output device based on the distance signals and respiration feedback criteria, the respiration feedback criteria received from the computer system via the interface cable and connector wherein the computer system is configured to adjust the respiration feedback criteria.

13. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing configured to be worn by the user;

a storage device affixed to the housing, the storage device configured to store data related to respiration;

a communication link configured to provide signals from the respiration feedback monitor system to a computer system wherein the data related to respiration is transferred to the computer system;

a processor affixed to the housing, the processor configured to receive distance signals associated with the respiration data, the processor configured to transmit a signal to an output device based on the distance signals and respiration feedback criteria received from the computer system; and

a connector configured to detachably connect the respiration feedback monitor system to a computer system wherein the computer system is configured to transfer parameters associated with a plurality of operational modes to the storage device, the processor performing according to the parameters associated with at least one of the operational modes.

14. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing configured to be worn by the user;

a storage device affixed to the housing, the storage device configured to store data related to respiration;

a communication link configured to provide signals from the respiration feedback monitor system to a computer system wherein the data related to respiration is transferred to the computer system; and

a mode switch wherein the user selects with the mode switch an operational mode from the plurality of operational modes stored in the storage device, the processor performing according to the parameters associated with the selected operational mode.

15. A respiration monitor system comprising:

a housing configured to be worn by the user;

a processor affixed to the housing configured to receive distance signals associated with respiration events of the user, the processor configured to turn on an output device based on respiration feedback criteria associated with the distance signals; and

a communication link configured to provide signals from a system computer to the respiration monitor system to a computer system wherein the computer system is configured to adjust the respiration feedback criteria wherein the respiration feedback criteria includes Percent Time Amplitude Mode, Threshold Amplitude Mod, Medium Frequency Mode, Prompted Exercise Mode, or Current Breath Frequency Mode.

16. A method comprising:

assigning parameter values for a plurality of operational modes associated with a respiration feedback monitor system;

selecting an operational mode from the plurality of operational modes;

generating respiration signals associated with respiration activity of the user;

analyzing the respiration signals based on an operational mode; and

transmitting a signal perceptible by the user based upon results of the analysis.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein assigning or analyzing is performed remote to where generating is performed.

18. The method of claim 16, further including:

adjusting respiration feedback criteria associated with the plurality of operational modes based upon results of the analysis.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the transmitted signal is a vibration signal.

20. A method of generating feedback for a user, the method comprising:

taking measurements related to at least one physical parameter associated with the user;

establishing feedback criteria defining a feedback event based on the measurements;

generating a histogram based on the measurements;

correlating the histogram with an ideal histogram;

comparing the correlation with past correlations to determine a trend; and

generating an amount of feedback for the user, the amount of feedback dependent upon the measurements, the feedback criteria, and the trend.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the feedback event relates to a second histogram based on the measurements.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the physical parameter depends upon the user'"'"'s respiration.

23. A feedback system for a user, the system comprising:

a sensor configured to transmit signals based upon a physical parameter associated with the user;

a memory storing a distribution plot and feedback criteria; and

a processor coupled to the probe member to receive the signals, and coupled to the memory, the processor configured to determine a measurement involving the physical parameter associated with the user based upon the received signal, wherein the processor is configured to generate a distribution plot based on the determined measurements, the processor is configured to calculate a correlation between the generated distribution plot and the distribution plot stored in the memory, the processor is configured to determine a feedback event based upon the determined measurements and the stored feedback criteria, wherein the processor is configured to establish a trend based upon a comparison between the calculated correlation and previous correlations, and wherein the processor is configured to generate feedback to the user based upon the measurements, the feedback criteria, and the trend.

24. The feedback system of claim 23 wherein the feedback event relates to a second distribution plot based on the determined measurements.

25. The feedback system of claim 23 wherein the physical parameter depends on the user'"'"'s respiration.

26. The feedback system of claim 23 wherein the stored distribution plot represents a model respiration pattern.

27. The feedback system of claim 23 wherein the processor and memory are monolithically integrated on the same integrated circuit.

28. The feedback system of claim 23 wherein the generated and stored distribution plots are histograms.