System and method for managing sleep disorders
First Claim
1. A method for communicating information about a patient'"'"'s sleep, comprising the steps of:
- capturing analog sound information spontaneously emitted by a patient during a period of time associated with a sleep period of the patient;
converting the analog sound information into a digital form;
storing the digital form of the analog sound information into a first memory;
dividing a portion of the period of time associated with the sleep period into a plurality of epochs, each of the plurality of epochs having an attribute, the attribute being the same for each of the plurality of epochs;
determining, using a computer with corresponding computer code, a value of the attribute for each of the plurality of epochs;
selecting an epoch from the plurality of epochs in which the value of the attribute satisfies a specified criterion;
retrieving from the first memory the digital form of the analog sound information associated with the selected epoch;
converting the retrieved sound information into an analog form;
outputting the analog form of the retrieved sound information to a listener.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method for managing a patient having a sleep disorder, e.g. sleep apnea, snoring, sleep bruxism, upper airway resistance syndrome, etc. The method comprises monitoring physiological information from the patient, converting the physiological information to digital data, storing the digital data in a digital memory, identifying and characterizing epochs based on the digital data, and storing the identifying and characterizing information of the epochs in a digital memory. The method further comprises organizing the epochs according to an organization function that considers at least characterization information of the epochs, selecting an epoch based on the organizing of the epochs, and generating sound derived from the stored digital data associated with the selected epoch such that the patient hears the sound. In a specific embodiment, the physiological information monitored may include sound, e.g. respiratory sound emanating from the trachea, and/or tooth-grinding sounds.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for communicating information about a patient'"'"'s sleep, comprising the steps of:
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capturing analog sound information spontaneously emitted by a patient during a period of time associated with a sleep period of the patient; converting the analog sound information into a digital form; storing the digital form of the analog sound information into a first memory; dividing a portion of the period of time associated with the sleep period into a plurality of epochs, each of the plurality of epochs having an attribute, the attribute being the same for each of the plurality of epochs; determining, using a computer with corresponding computer code, a value of the attribute for each of the plurality of epochs; selecting an epoch from the plurality of epochs in which the value of the attribute satisfies a specified criterion; retrieving from the first memory the digital form of the analog sound information associated with the selected epoch; converting the retrieved sound information into an analog form; outputting the analog form of the retrieved sound information to a listener. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for communicating information about a patient'"'"'s sleep, the method comprising the steps of:
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capturing analog sound information spontaneously emitted by a patient during a period of time associated with a sleep period of the patient; converting the analog sound information into a digital form; storing the digital form of the analog sound information into a memory; dividing a portion of the period of time associated with the sleep period into a plurality of epochs, each of the plurality of epochs having an attribute, the attribute being the same for each of the plurality of epochs; determining, using a computer with corresponding computer code, a value of the attribute for reach of the plurality of epochs; ranking the plurality of epochs based at least in part on the values of the attribute for the plurality of epochs; selecting an epoch from the plurality of epochs based on the ranking; retrieving from the memory the digital form of the analog sound information associated with the selected epoch; converting the retrieved sound information into an analog form; outputting the analog form of the retrieved sound information to a listener. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification