Internal registration of gas/air—and other fluid flows in a human body and use of pressure sensors for such registration

• US 6,216,702 B1
• Filed: 05/29/1997
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Camtech Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Camtech Incorporated
• Inventors: Gjersøe, Bjørn G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh X.
• Application Number:
  US08/864,787
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 128/897, 128/898, 128/200.24, 128/200.22, 128/205.23, 600/529, 600/532, 600/538
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0878 using temperature sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise

Abstract

A method for internal registration of the flow of a fluid into, in or out of a living body wherein one or a series of sensors are placed at one or more points along the flow path of the fluid and the registration takes place through the utilisation of the sensor'"'"'s or sensors'"'"' inherent, pressure and/or temperature—dependent physical and electrical properties, by measuring the temperature and the difference in temperature in the flowing fluid.

Claims

1. A method for measuring respiratory air pressure, respiratory air flow and other physiological parameters in a living body by utilization of just one sensor, the method comprising:

positioning a tube in an internal respiratory passageway of the living body in at least one position, the tube comprising a sensor positioned therein, the tube being positioned in order to locate the sensor within the respiratory passageway of the living body and exposing the sensor to pressure and flow of a medium flowing through the respiratory passageway, the sensor being capable of pressure measurements, and the sensor having temperature sensitive characteristics and capable of providing electrical signals in response to pressure and air flow thereon; and

measuring the respiratory air pressure, the respiratory air flow and optionally at least one other physiological parameter in the living body using the sensor;

wherein, the measurements of the respiratory air pressure, the respiratory air flow and the optional other physiological parameter are made independently of each other and simultaneously using said sensor, the sensor providing at least a pressure signal in response to the respiratory air pressure, at least a flow signal in response to the respiratory air flow and optionally at least another signal in response to the other physiological parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the other physiological parameter is anyone of a snoring sound, a heart beat sound or a heart beat frequency, or temperature.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a piezoresistive sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the tube contains more than one said sensor in order to measure said parameters in several positions of the respiratory passageway.

5. A method for measuring respiratory air pressure, respiratory air flow and other physiological parameters in a living body by utilization of just one senor, the sensor being a pressure sensor comprising indiffused electrical resistors suitable for pressure measurements, and the one pressure sensor having pressure and temperature sensitive characteristics and capable of providing electrical signals in response to pressure and temperature thereon;

and measuring the respiratory air pressure, the respiratory air flow and optionally at least one other physiological parameter in the living body using the sensor, wherein the measurements of respiratory air pressure, the respiratory air flow and the optional other physiological parameter are made using the one sensor, the sensor providing at least a pressure signal in response to the respiratory air pressure, at least a flow signal in response to the respiratory air flow, and optionally at least another signal in response to the other physiological parameter.