Method and system of monitoring respiratory signal by radio

• US 7,828,742 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2007
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chungbuk National University Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation (Chungbuk National University)
• Original Assignee: Chungbuk National University, Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation
• Inventors: Lee, In Kwang, Cha, Eun Jong, Kim, Kyung Ah
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, II; Charles A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnithithadha; Navin
• Application Number:
  US11/879,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20080300503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 600529-543, 600/484
• US Class Current: 600/534
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes

Abstract

A method and system is provided for monitoring a respiratory signal by radio. The method includes the steps of: converting a change in electric resistance, which is caused by a change in abdominal circumference measured through a rubber waistband that is made of conductive rubber and is mounted on a lower garment of a testee during respiration, into a voltage signal, performing A/D conversion on the voltage signal, and transmitting the converted digital signal to a short distance by radio using a wireless communication protocol for ZigBee; and receiving the respiratory signal transmitted by radio, transmitting it to a computer unit by wire through an RS-232 port that is a serial communication port, and enabling a tester to monitor the respiratory signal through a screen.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a respiratory signal by radio, the method comprising:

attaching a single rubber waistband that is made of a conductive rubber to a lower garment of a testee so that the waistband completely surrounds the testee'"'"'s body;

a respiratory signal measuring and transmitting step of converting a change in electric resistance, which is caused by a change in abdominal circumference measured through the rubber waistband during respiration, into a voltage signal, performing analog/digital (A/D) conversion on the voltage signal, and transmitting the converted digital signal to a short distance by radio using a wireless communication protocol for ZigBee; and

a respiratory signal receiving and monitoring step of receiving the respiratory signal transmitted by radio, transmitting it to a computer unit by wire through an RS-232 port that is a serial communication port, and enabling a tester to monitor the respiratory signal through a screen.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rubber waistband is produced by mixing conductive particles into rubber so as to have the electric resistance from tens of Ω

to several kΩ

.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rubber waistband in the respiratory signal measuring and transmitting step is operated by one of four resistors constituting a Wheatstone bridge circuit, and undergoes the conversion of the electric resistance change thereof into the voltage signal.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voltage signal converted by the electric resistance change of the rubber waistband corresponds to the respiratory signal that is amplified through a differential amplifier circuit and minimizes high-band noise through a low pass filter circuit.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, prior to the respiratory signal receiving and monitoring step, a calibration procedure of performing a CO₂ inhalation test on each testee once, analyzing correlation between an abdominal respiratory signal and a tidal volume of the testee to calculate a regression line, and substituting the abdominal respiratory signal, measured in the respiratory signal measuring and transmitting step, into the regression line to measure the lung volume.