Respiration monitoring system and method
First Claim
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1. A respiration monitoring system for monitoring respiration parameters of a subject, comprising:
- (a) a first temperature sensor;
(b) a thermoelectric generator thermally coupled to said first temperature sensor for generating an electrical signal of the subject respiration that depends on a preset temperature of said thermoelectric generator and the temperature of the subject'"'"'s respiration, said thermoelectric generator to be driven to a calculated preset temperature;
(c) a second temperature sensor to measure an ambient temperature;
(d) a feedback error signal processor coupled to said thermoelectric generator and configured to develop and output a processed electrical signal that depends on said ambient temperature, said calculated preset temperature and said subject'"'"'s respiration temperature; and
(e) a compensating power controller electrically coupled to said feedback error signal processor and said thermoelectric generator for developing a compensating electrical signal input to said thermoelectric generator to drive said thermoelectric generator to said calculated preset temperature.
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Abstract
A respiration monitoring system includes a thermoelectric generator that may be mounted within a mask enclosure or free-standing, covering all or part of the nose and/or mouth of a subject. A first temperature sensor is attached to the thermoelectric generator for measuring the subject'"'"'s breath. A power controller develops a difference between a preset temperature and the subject'"'"'s breath temperature that is then inserted into a feedback error signal and then into a power controller which regulates the power to the thermoelectric generator to maintain a preset temperature.
75 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A respiration monitoring system for monitoring respiration parameters of a subject, comprising:
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(a) a first temperature sensor; (b) a thermoelectric generator thermally coupled to said first temperature sensor for generating an electrical signal of the subject respiration that depends on a preset temperature of said thermoelectric generator and the temperature of the subject'"'"'s respiration, said thermoelectric generator to be driven to a calculated preset temperature; (c) a second temperature sensor to measure an ambient temperature; (d) a feedback error signal processor coupled to said thermoelectric generator and configured to develop and output a processed electrical signal that depends on said ambient temperature, said calculated preset temperature and said subject'"'"'s respiration temperature; and (e) a compensating power controller electrically coupled to said feedback error signal processor and said thermoelectric generator for developing a compensating electrical signal input to said thermoelectric generator to drive said thermoelectric generator to said calculated preset temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of monitoring respiration of a subject, including the steps of:
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(a) measuring a subject'"'"'s respiration temperature by a first temperature sensor coupled to a thermoelectric generator; (b) measuring an ambient temperature by a second temperature sensor positioned to measure the ambient temperature; (c) calculating a thermoelectric generator preset temperature within a feedback error signal processor; (d) forming a processed electrical signal based upon said subject'"'"'s respiration temperature and said thermoelectric preset temperature; (e) developing a compensating electrical signal within a compensating power controller electrically coupled to said feedback error signal processor; (f) applying said compensating electrical signal to said thermoelectric generator so as to drive said thermoelectric generator to said thermoelectric generator preset temperature; and
,(g) repeating steps (a) through (f) throughout a plurality of breathing cycles of said subject. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification