Three-dimensional waveform display for a breathing assistance system

• US 7,784,461 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2006
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Davis, Michael K., Upham, Gail Frances, Seetharaman, Mahesh K., Figueiredo, David Luis
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas; Steven O
• Application Number:
  US11/535,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 600/529, 600/300, 600/301, 715/709, 715/810, 128/204, 128/204.23, 128/204.21, 128/204.22
• US Class Current: 128/204.23
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An apparatus configured to display a three-dimensional representation of a waveform for a breathing assistance system may include a processor and a display device. The processor may be configured to receive signals from one or more sensors over a plurality of time periods and generate multiple instances of a waveform based on the received signals, each instance corresponding to one of the plurality of time periods. The display device may be configured to cooperate with the processor to display a graphical three-dimensional representation of the waveform over time. The three-dimensional representation may include graphical representations of the multiple instances of the waveform displayed simultaneously.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to display a three-dimensional representation of a waveform for a breathing assistance system, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive signals from one or more sensors over a plurality of breaths; and

generate multiple instances of a two-dimensional waveform based on the received signals, each instance corresponding to one of the plurality of breaths; and

a display device configured to cooperate with the processor to simultaneously display graphical representations of the multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform, the multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform being graphically offset from each other to create a three-dimensional representation of the multiple waveform instances over time.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional representation includes at least five instances of the two-dimensional waveform displayed simultaneously.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each instance of the two-dimensional waveform indicates at least one characteristic of gas delivered by a breathing assistance apparatus.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each instance of the two-dimensional waveform comprises a loop.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein instance of the two-dimensional waveform comprises a curve.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional representation provides a graphical indication of changes in the two-dimensional waveform over time.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each instance of the two-dimensional waveform corresponds to one breath.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the processor is operable to calculate an average waveform based on at least two instances of the waveform; and

the three-dimensional representation includes an average waveform graphic indicating the calculated average waveform.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the average waveform graphic is automatically updated over time.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the average waveform graphic is displayed using a different display characteristic than the multiple instances of the waveform in the three-dimensional representation of the waveform such that the average waveform graphic is visually distinct from the multiple instances of the waveform.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the display characteristic is selected from the group consisting of color, brightness, line thickness, and dashed line versus continuous line.

12. An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a user interface allowing a user to select the number of instances of the waveform to include in the average waveform calculation.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a user interface allowing a user to select a time duration that defines the number of instances of the waveform to include in the average waveform calculation.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a user interface allowing a user to select the number of instances of the waveform to include in the three-dimensional representation of the waveform.

15. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a user interface allowing a user to select a time duration to display using the three-dimensional representation of the waveform.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the most recent or current instance of the waveform is displayed using a different display characteristic than other instances of the waveform in the three-dimensional representation of the waveform such that the most recent or current instance is visually distinct from the other instances of the waveform.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the display characteristic is selected from the group consisting of color, brightness, line thickness, and dashed line versus continuous line.

18. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

each instance of the two-dimensional waveform corresponds to a breath, each breath including an inspiratory phase and an expiratory phase, each instance of the two-dimensional waveform including an inspiratory portion corresponding to the inspiratory phase of the breath and an expiratory portion corresponding to the expiratory phase of the breath; and

for at least one displayed instance of the two-dimensional waveform, the inspiratory portion is displayed using a different display characteristic than expiratory portion such that the inspiratory portion is visually distinct from the expiratory portion.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the display characteristic is selected from the group consisting of color, brightness, line thickness, and dashed line versus continuous line.

20. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional representation of the waveform can be rotated.

21. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional representation of the waveform can be zoomed in or out.

22. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform are displayed relative to each other in a cascading manner.

23. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional representation of the waveform is automatically updated such that newer instances of the two-dimensional waveform replace older instances of the two-dimensional waveform in the three-dimensional representation.

24. A display device configured to display a graphical three-dimensional representation of a two-dimensional waveform over time, the three-dimensional representation including graphical representations of multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform displayed simultaneously, wherein the multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform are generated based on signals from one or more sensors over a plurality of breaths, each instance corresponding to one of the plurality of breaths, and wherein the multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform are graphically offset from each other to provide the three-dimensional representation of the multiple waveform instances over time.

25. Logic instructions encoded in computer-readable media and when executed by a processor, operable to:

receive signals from one or more sensors over a plurality of breaths;

generate multiple instances of a two-dimensional waveform based on the received signals, each instance corresponding to one of the plurality of breaths; and

cause the simultaneous display of graphical representations of the multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform, the multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform being graphically offset from each other to create a three-dimensional representation of the multiple waveform instances over time.

26. A breathing assistance device configured to display a three-dimensional representation of a waveform over time, comprising:

processing means for generating waveforms, the processing means configured to;

receive signals from one or more sensors over a plurality of breaths;

generate multiple instances of a two-dimensional waveform based on the received signals, each instance corresponding to one of the plurality of breaths; and

display means for cooperating with the processing means to simultaneously display graphical representations of the multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform, the multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform being graphically offset from each other to create a three-dimensional representation of the multiple waveform instances over time.