System and method for alleviating sleep apnea
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for controlling a device to alleviate sleep apnea, comprising:
- determining whether a user is asleep;
determining that a breathing anomaly of the user is detected using a sensor operatively connected to the device;
if the user is not asleep while determining that the breathing anomaly is detected, precluding generation of an electromagnetic field from an electromagnet operatively connected to the device to widen an airway of the user; and
if the user is asleep while determining that the breathing anomaly is detected, generating the electromagnetic field from the electromagnet operatively connected to the device to widen the airway of the user, wherein generating the electromagnetic field comprises the electromagnet receiving a current from a source operatively connected to the device, and wherein generating the electromagnetic field further comprises,maintaining the current to the electromagnet at a first level for a predetermined amount of time, andin response to maintaining the current for the predetermined amount of time, decreasing the current to the electromagnet to a second level.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for controlling a device to alleviate sleep apnea comprises determining whether a user of the device is asleep by a microcontroller operatively connected to the device. Using a sensor operatively connected to the microcontroller, it is determined whether a breathing anomaly of the user is detected while the user is asleep. An electromagnet operatively connected to the device generates an electromagnetic field to widen an airway of the user in response to detecting the breathing anomaly while the user is asleep.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A method for controlling a device to alleviate sleep apnea, comprising:
-
determining whether a user is asleep; determining that a breathing anomaly of the user is detected using a sensor operatively connected to the device; if the user is not asleep while determining that the breathing anomaly is detected, precluding generation of an electromagnetic field from an electromagnet operatively connected to the device to widen an airway of the user; and if the user is asleep while determining that the breathing anomaly is detected, generating the electromagnetic field from the electromagnet operatively connected to the device to widen the airway of the user, wherein generating the electromagnetic field comprises the electromagnet receiving a current from a source operatively connected to the device, and wherein generating the electromagnetic field further comprises, maintaining the current to the electromagnet at a first level for a predetermined amount of time, and in response to maintaining the current for the predetermined amount of time, decreasing the current to the electromagnet to a second level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A system configured to alleviate sleep apnea, comprising:
-
a processor, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether a user is asleep; a sensor operatively connected to the processor configured to enable the processor to determine that a breathing anomaly of the user is detected; and an electromagnet operatively connected to the processor, wherein the electromagnet via the processor is configured to generate an electromagnetic field to widen an airway of the user if the user is asleep while determining that the breathing anomaly is detected via the sensor, wherein the processor is further configured to preclude generation of the electromagnetic field by the electromagnet operatively connected to the processor if the user is not asleep while determining that the breathing anomaly is detected via the sensor, wherein the electromagnet is further configured to receive a current from a power source operatively connected to the processor to generate the electromagnetic field, and wherein the processor is further configured to, maintain the current to the electromagnet at a first level for a predetermined amount of time, the processor further configured to decrease the current to the electromagnet to a second level in response to maintaining the current for the predetermined amount of time. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A computing system including a processor and a memory having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
-
determining, by the processor, whether a user is asleep; determining, by the processor, that an anomaly of the user is detected using a sensor operatively connected to the processor; if the user is not asleep while determining that the breathing anomaly is detected, precluding, by the processor, widening an airway of the user from an electromagnet operatively connected to the processor; and if the user is asleep while determining that the breathing anomaly is detected, widening, by the processor, the airway of the user, wherein widening the airway of the user comprises receiving, at the electromagnet operatively connected to the processor, a current from a source operatively connected to the processor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
Specification