Apparatus and method for the treatment of sleep related disorders

• US 7,387,608 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2005
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David A. Dunlop, Robert Dale Jr. Gunderman
• Original Assignee: David A. Dunlop, Robert Dale Jr. Gunderman
• Inventors: Dunlop, David A, Gunderman, Robert Dale Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, II; Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnithithadha; Navin
• Application Number:
  US11/098,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20050222503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 600/481, 600/483, 600500-504, 600/300, 600/301, 600323-340
• US Class Current: 600/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/06 Children, e.g. for attention deficit diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B

Abstract

An apparatus to detect the onset of sleep apnea, and to provide an automated way to awaken the sleeping patient at the onset of sleep apnea. The apparatus may also contain a recording device or computer that captures blood oxygen levels and pulse rates throughout the period of sleep, and may contain computer programs, algorithms, subroutines or logic to determine the level of blood oxygen and pulse rate that indicates the onset of a sleep apnea event. The method of arousing the patient from sleep at the onset of a sleep apnea event will decrease or eliminate the occurrence of sleep apnea, arrhythmia, and partial epilepsy over time.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the treatment of sleep related disorders in a patient, said apparatus comprising:

a. a patient probe for sensing and conveying data indicative of pulse rate and blood oxygen content to a device;

b. a device connected to the patient probe for measuring pulse rate and blood oxygen content of a patient;

c. a means for detecting the onset of a sleep related disorder using pulse rate and blood oxygen content information as measured by the device;

d. an alarm for modifying the patient'"'"'s sleep that is activated upon an indication of the onset of a sleep related disorder; and

e. a computer including a computer program, wherein said computer program extracts data from said device, compares said data to historical baseline data, and dynamically adjusts threshold values of said pulse rate and said blood oxygen content at which to activate said alarm.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the device is a pulse-oximeter.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said alarm is an audible alarm.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said alarm is a visual alarm.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said alarm is a mechanical alarm.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said alarm is in wireless communication with said device.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said patient probe is in wireless communication with said device.