Spirometer system and methods of data analysis

• US 9,706,946 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2013
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sparo Inc. (Convexity Scientific, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sparo Inc. (Convexity Scientific, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cohen, Abigail, Brimer, Andrew, Eliason, Braden, Neyman, Olga
• Primary Examiner(s): WESTON, TIFFANY C
• Application Number:
  US13/900,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20130317379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/06 Arrangements of multiple sensors of different types
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7253 characterised by using transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7465 Arrangements for interactive communication between patient and care services, e.g. by using a telephone network telemetry of measured physiological signal A61B5/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/3227 using fluidic oscillators fluidic oscillators per se F15C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/325 Means for detecting quantities used as proxy variables for swirl
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an electronic spirometer that empowers users to quantitatively track and proactively manage respiratory diseases via simple integration with mobile devices, tablets, and computers. In one aspect, patients will be able to connect with their doctors to determine medication dosage and efficacy, avoid environmental triggers, and prevent attacks and exacerbations.

Claims

1. A device for measuring a continuous flow rate of an air stream comprising:

a fluidic oscillator;

a nozzle to direct a portion of the airstream into the fluidic oscillator;

a detachable mouthpiece to reduce back pressure within the device, wherein the detachable mouthpiece defines a plurality of channels, at least one of the plurality of channels directs the portion of the airstream to the nozzle and at least one other channel vents another portion of the airstream to an environment external to the device;

the fluidic oscillator having a housing and at least one obstacle, to induce oscillations in the airstream, wherein a frequency of the oscillations correlates to the continuous flow rate of the airstream; and

at least one sensor to measure the oscillations of the airstream, the at least one sensor to generate an electronic signal corresponding to the oscillations measured and transmit the electronic signal to a computing device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the detachable mouthpiece is removably engaged to the fluidic oscillator.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the detachable mouthpiece is removably engaged to the fluidic oscillator through at least one of a snap-fit engagement, a friction-fit engagement, a threaded engagement, or a rotated projection engagement.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one channel and the at least one other channel are configured to divide the portion and the other portion of the airstream in a fixed ratio.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the portion of the airstream vented to the ambient air is no less than one-half of the airstream.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the portion of the airstream vented to the environment is at least two-thirds of a total volume of the airstream.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one channel and the at least one other channel each has a cross-section symmetrical normal to the direction of the airstream.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one channel and the at least one other channel correlate to at least one of the area of the incoming airstream, an average flow rate of the airstream, a maximum flow rate or a specific flow rate of the incoming air stream.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one channel and the at least one other channel convert a turbulent flow of the airstream to a laminar flow before entering the fluidic oscillator.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluidic oscillator is unidirectional or bi-directional.

11. The device of claim 1, where the fluidic oscillator is bidirectional and the at least one obstacle is symmetrical, the device further comprising:

an inlet nozzle to direct the other portion of the airstream into an oscillation chamber of the fluidic oscillator;

the symmetrical obstacle within the fluidic oscillator defining a first concave surface and a second concave surface, where the first portion of the airstream contacts the first concave surface in a forward direction to generate forward direction oscillations;

two or more pathways each defined by the housing and the symmetrical obstacle, wherein the two or more side channels direct the airstream around opposing sides of the symmetrical obstacle after contacting the first concave surface, wherein the two or more side channels further direct the other portion of the airstream to contact the second concave surface in a reverse direction to induce reverse direction oscillations.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the two or more side channels do not include feedback channels or loops.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor is proximal to the first concave surface and at least one other sensor proximal to the second concave surface.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor detects oscillations in both the forward and reverse direction.

15. The device of claim 1, where the fluidic oscillator is bidirectional and the device further comprising:

another fluidic oscillator having at least one second obstacle, to induce oscillations in the airstream in a reverse direction;

wherein the fluidic oscillator and the other fluidic oscillator are arranged in a stacked configuration.

16. The device of claim 12, further comprising another nozzle, the other nozzle having at least one reverse channel to vent a reverse portion of the airstream entering the other fluidic oscillator into the environment external to the device and at least one other reverse channel to direct another reverse portion of the airstream into a fluidic oscillator.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is selected from a group consisting of a pressure sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a microphone, and a thermal sensor.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one channel vents the portion of the airstream into the environment external to the device after entering the device and bypassing the fluidic oscillator.