Apparatus and method for breathing pattern determination using a non-contact microphone

• US 8,485,982 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 2breathe Technologies Ltd
• Original Assignee: InterCure Ltd.
• Inventors: Gavish, Benjamin, Doron, Yoram
• Primary Examiner(s): Natnithithadha, Navin
• Application Number:
  US11/958,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20090118631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,038 Days
• Field of Search: 600/481, 600/483, 600/484, 600529-543, 600/595
• US Class Current: 600/529
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/74 Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient indicating measured values G01D7/00; user input means input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/00 Inhalators drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04

Abstract

A method is provided for analyzing respiration of a subject (20). Using a non-contact microphone (22), a raw signal indicative of airflow sounds of the respiration is generated. The raw signal is analyzed to determine a first set of one or more parameters of the respiration. An algorithm is applied to the first set of parameters to derive a second set of one or more estimated parameters of the respiration that are not generally directly measurable in the raw signal. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. A method for modifying naturally-occurring multi-phase biorhythmic activity of a subject, the method comprising:

detecting, using a sensor, a signal indicative of the multi-phase biorhythmic activity;

analyzing, using a control unit, the signal to determine one or more parameters of a filter;

filtering, using the control unit, background noise from the signal using the filter having the parameters;

at least in part responsively to the filtered signal, determining, using the control unit, a stimulus input which is operative to change at least one aspect of the biorhythmic activity of the subject; and

providing the stimulus input to the subject, using a stimulator,

wherein the multi-phase biorhythmic activity includes respiration of the subject, and wherein detecting the signal comprises detecting the signal indicative of the respiration.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein filtering the background noise comprises frequency filtering the signal.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein filtering the background noise comprises performing non-frequency spectral analysis on the signal in order to classify the signal according to one or more variables.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the background noise is indicative of secondary biorhythmic activity different from the multi-phase biorhythmic activity, and wherein filtering the background noise from the signal comprises filtering the secondary biorhythmic activity-related background noise from the signal.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the background noise includes a heartbeat-related component of the signal, and wherein filtering the background noise from the signal comprises filtering the heartbeat-related component from the signal.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein filtering the background noise comprises removing non-frequency-related noise from the signal.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the non-frequency-related noise includes a heartbeat-related component of the signal, and wherein removing the non-frequency-related noise comprises removing the heartbeat-related component of the signal from the signal.

7. A method for modifying naturally-occurring multi-phase biorhythmic activity of a subject, the method comprising:

detecting, using a sensor, a signal indicative of the multi-phase biorhythmic activity;

analyzing, using a control unit, the signal to determine one or more parameters of a filter;

filtering, using the control unit, background noise from the signal using the filter having the parameters;

at least in part responsively to the filtered signal, determining, using the control unit, a stimulus input which is operative to change at least one aspect of the biorhythmic activity of the subject; and

providing the stimulus input to the subject, using a stimulator,

wherein filtering the background noise comprises performing spectral analysis on the signal to produce a frequency spectrum.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein performing the spectral analysis comprises frequency filtering the frequency spectrum.

10. Apparatus for modifying naturally-occurring multi-phase biorhythmic activity of a subject, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor, adapted to detect a signal indicative of the multi-phase biorhythmic activity;

a control unit, adapted to;

analyze the signal to determine one or more parameters of a filter,

filter background noise from the signal using the filter having the parameters, and

at least in part responsively to the filtered signal, determine a stimulus input which is operative to change at least one aspect of the biorhythmic activity of the subject; and

a stimulator, adapted to provide the stimulus input to the subject,

wherein the multi-phase biorhythmic activity includes respiration of the subject, and wherein the sensor is adapted to detect the signal indicative of the respiration.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control unit is adapted to filter the background noise by frequency filtering the signal.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control unit is adapted to filter the background noise by performing non-frequency spectral analysis on the signal in order to classify the signal according to one or more variables.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the background noise is indicative of secondary biorhythmic activity different from the multi-phase biorhythmic activity, and wherein the control unit is adapted to filter the secondary biorhythmic activity-related background noise from the signal.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the background noise includes a heartbeat-related component of the signal, and wherein the control unit is adapted to filter the heartbeat-related component from the signal.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control unit is adapted to filter the background noise by removing non-frequency-related noise from the signal.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the non-frequency-related noise includes a heartbeat-related component of the signal, and wherein the control unit is adapted to remove the heartbeat-related component of the signal from the signal.

16. Apparatus for modifying naturally-occurring multi-phase biorhythmic activity of a subject, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor, adapted to detect a signal indicative of the multi-phase biorhythmic activity;

a control unit, adapted to;

analyze the signal to determine one or more parameters of a filter,

filter background noise from the signal using the filter having the parameters, and

at least in part responsively to the filtered signal, determine a stimulus input which is operative to change at least one aspect of the biorhythmic activity of the subject; and

a stimulator, adapted to provide the stimulus input to the subject,

wherein the control unit is adapted to filter the background noise by performing spectral analysis on the signal to produce a frequency spectrum.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control unit is adapted to frequency filter the frequency spectrum.