Three-dimensional waveform display for a breathing assistance system

• US 8,453,645 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Figueiredo, David Luis, Davis, Michael K., Seetharaman, Mahesh K., Upham, Gail Frances
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGLAS, STEVEN O
• Application Number:
  US12/842,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20100282259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204, 128/204.23, 128/204.21, 128/204.22, 600/529, 600/300, 600/301, 715/709, 715/810
• 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. A system for displaying respiratory data, comprising:

a processor that generates multiple instances of a two-dimensional waveform based on respiratory data obtained from a patient, each instance representing one or more of a plurality of breaths of the patient; and

a display device that displays graphical representations of the multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform, the multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform being simultaneously displayed and graphically offset from each other to create a three-dimensional representation of the multiple waveform instances over time.

2. A system 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.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional representation provides a graphical indication of changes in the two-dimensional waveform over time.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein each instance of the two-dimensional waveform corresponds to one breath.

5. A system 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.

6. A system 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.

7. A system 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.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the respiratory data are obtained from the patient via at least one breathing assistance apparatus.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the display device is remote from breathing assistance apparatus.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein the processor is remote from breathing assistance apparatus.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the respiratory data are stored in memory accessible to the processor.

12. A medical ventilator comprising:

a display device configured to display a graphical three-dimensional representation of multiple instances of two-dimensional waveforms, 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,

wherein the multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform are simultaneously displayed and graphically offset from each other over time to create the three-dimensional representation.

13. A medical ventilator of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a sensor in the ventilator.

14. A medical ventilator of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a sensor remote from the ventilator and wherein the signal from the at least one remote sensor is transmitted to the ventilator.

15. A medical ventilator of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is selected from a pressure sensor, a flow meter, a transducer, an oxygen sensor, a CO2 sensor, a nitrogen sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and a valve position sensor.

16. A medical device comprising:

a processor;

one or more sensors; and

means for displaying a graphical three-dimensional representation of multiple instances of two-dimensional waveforms, wherein the multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform are generated based on signals from the one or more sensors over a plurality of breaths of a patient, each instance corresponding to one of the plurality of breaths,

wherein the multiple instances of the two-dimensional waveform are simultaneously displayed and graphically offset from each other over time to create the three-dimensional representation.