Method and device for sleep analysis

• US 9,202,008 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cleveland Medical Devices Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cleveland Medical Devices Inc.
• Inventors: Frederick, Craig A., Kayyali, Hani, Schmidt, Robert N., Kolkowski, Brian M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): JIAN, SHIRLEY XUEYING
• Application Number:
  US11/811,157
• Time in Patent Office: 3,098 Days
• Field of Search: 3300-301, 128/204.23
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0475 Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4815 Sleep quality
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/721 using a separate sensor to detect motion or using motion information derived from signals other than the physiological signal to be measured
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The various embodiments of the method of the present invention include a method to improving or expanding the capacity of a sleep analysis unit or laboratory, a method sleep analysis testing a patient admitted for diagnosis or treatment of another primary medical condition while being treated or diagnosed for that condition, a method of sleep analysis testing a patient that cannot be easily moved or treated in a sleep analysis unit or laboratory and other like methods.

Claims

1. A method of expanding the capacity of a sleep analysis lab or unit comprising the steps of:

a) applying at least two sensors to a patient located in a facility remote to a sleep analysis unit or lab, the at least two sensors including a respiratory belt sensor and a patient airflow sensor;

b) connecting the at least two sensors to a wireless data acquisition system;

c) collecting data from the at least two sensors on the patient located in the remote facility while the patient is attempting to sleep;

d) transmitting wirelessly, at least in part, the data at substantially the same time as it is collected to the sleep analysis unit or lab or to a database accessible to individuals from the sleep analysis unit or lab; and

e) analysis of the data by individuals from the sleep analysis unit or lab to determine whether the patient suffers from a sleep disorder

wherein movement artifacts caused by patient movement are removed, at least in part, from the data prior to analysis using a processor and data from a third sensor.

2. A method of expanding the capacity of a sleep analysis lab or unit comprising the steps of:

a) applying at least two sensors to a patient located in a facility remote to a sleep analysis unit or lab, the at least two sensors including a respiratory belt sensor and a patient airflow sensor;

b) connecting the at least two sensors to a wireless data acquisition system;

c) collecting data from the at least two sensors on the patient located in the remote facility while the patient is attempting to sleep;

d) transmitting wirelessly, at least in part, the data at substantially the same time as it is collected to the sleep analysis unit or lab or to a database accessible to individuals from the sleep analysis unit or lab; and

e) analysis of the data by individuals from the sleep analysis unit or lab to determine whether the patient suffers from a sleep disorder

wherein analysis is computer assisted to draw attention to physiological and technological events in the data.

3. A method of sleep analysis or diagnosis on a patient admitted for diagnosis or treatment for other primary medical conditions comprising the steps of:

a) admitting a patient for diagnosis or treatment of a primary medical condition, other than a sleeping disorder, to a hospital room, other than one used primarily for sleep diagnosis or treatment;

b) suspecting that the patient may have a related or underlying sleep disorder;

c) applying at least two sensors to the patient, the at least two sensors including a respiratory belt sensor and a patient airflow sensor;

d) connecting the at least two sensors to a wireless data acquisition system;

e) collecting data from the patient located in the hospital room while the patient is attempting to sleep;

f) transmitting wirelessly, in part, the data at substantially the same time as it is collected to a sleep analysis unit or lab or to a database accessible to individuals from the sleep analysis unit or lab; and

g) analysis of the data to determine whether the patient suffers from a sleep disorder

wherein movement artifacts caused by patient movement are removed, at least in part, from the data prior to analysis using a processor and data from a third sensor.

4. A method of sleep analysis or diagnosis on a patient who cannot be moved to a sleep unit or lab, comprising the steps of:

a) suspecting that a patient may have a related or underlying sleep disorder;

b) applying at least two sensors to the patient, the at least two sensors including a respiratory belt sensor and a patient airflow sensor;

c) connecting the at least two sensors to a wireless data acquisition system;

d) collecting data from the patient at a location that is not a sleep unit or lab while the patient is attempting to sleep;

e) transmitting wirelessly, in part, the data with the wireless data acquisition system at substantially the same time as it is collected to a sleep analysis unit or lab or to a database accessible to individuals from the sleep analysis unit or lab; and

f) analysis of the data to determine whether the patient suffers from a sleep disorder

wherein movement artifacts caused by patient movement are removed, at least in part, from the data prior to analysis using a processor and data from a third sensor.