Electronic apparatus control using a breathing assistance apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10828438-B2
Application number	US-201214110083-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2012
Priority date	Apr 7, 2011
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

A breathing gases supply apparatus 1 can comprise a blower 103/105 and breathing circuit for delivering breathing gases to a patient. The apparatus also can comprise a first controller 109 , the controller 109 configured to receive input from at least one sensor 110 - 112 indicative of patient breathing, and a transmitter 201 configured to communicate with the controller 109 and transmit control signals to an electronic apparatus 203 . The controller 109 can be configured to determine sleep in a patient based on the occurrence of a breathing pattern indicative of sleep, detected from the input received from the sensor 110 - 112 and upon determining sleep, operate the transmitter 201 to send a control signal to control an electronic apparatus 203.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A breathing gases supply apparatus comprising:
a blower and a breathing circuit for delivering breathing gases to a patient, the blower being enclosed by a housing, a controller disposed within the housing and configured to receive input from at least one sensor indicative of patient breathing, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a voltage sensor, a current sensor, an EEG sensor, and an accelerometer,
a transmitter disposed within the housing and configured to communicate with the controller and transmit a control signal to remotely control an external home electronic apparatus that is an apparatus other than a breathing gases supply apparatus, the external home electronic apparatus being disposed outside of the housing and not mechanically coupled to the housing,
wherein the controller is configured to determine an onset of sleep and a sleep state of the patient which is an asleep state based on the occurrence of a sleep disorder breathing (SBD) event indicative of the asleep state, detected from the input received from the sensor, and upon determining the asleep state, operate the transmitter to send the control signal to control a state of operation of the external home electronic apparatus based on the asleep state, and wherein the controller is configured to operate the transmitter to send the control signal to turn off the external home electronic apparatus or turn off a function of the external home electronic apparatus or both when the determined sleep state is the asleep state.

2. A breathing gases supply apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the SDB event is one or more of a flow limitation, hypopnea or apnea.

3. A breathing gases supply apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the asleep state based on the any one or more of the following:
number of SDB events,
duration of SDB events,
spread of SDB events, or
types of SDB events.

4. A breathing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the breathing pattern indicative of the asleep state is a rhythmic or erratic breathing pattern, or a change between a rhythmic or erratic breathing pattern.

5. A breathing gases supply apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transmitter utilises infrared, RF or sonic energy to send the control signal.

6. A breathing gases supply apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the external home electronic apparatus is further configured to transmit a signal to the controller and the controller further configured to receive the signal from the other external home electronic apparatus.

7. A breathing gases supply apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the external home electronic apparatus is one or more of:
a television,
a radio
a lights,
a heater,
an air conditioner,
a heat pump,
a media player, or
an alarm clock.

8. A breathing gases supply apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor or a flow sensor.

9. A breathing gases supply apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to operate an alarm when the determined sleep state is a shallow sleep state or a REM sleep state.

10. A breathing gas supply apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the alarm by generating an alarm signal for controlling a state of operation of an alarm device to turn on the alarm device or an alarm function of the alarm device or both when the determined sleep state is a shallow sleep state or a REM sleep state.

11. A breathing gases supply apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the alarm device is an alarm clock or other electronic apparatus.

12. A breathing gases supply apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the alarm device is external to the breathing gases supply apparatus and the controller is further configured to operate the transmitter using the generated alarm signal to send a control signal to the alarm device to turn on the alarm device or the alarm function of the alarm device or both when the determined sleep state is the shallow sleep state or a REM sleep state.

13. A breathing gases supply apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the alarm device is integral with the breathing gases supply apparatus.

14. A breathing gases supply apparatus comprising:
a blower and a breathing circuit for delivering breathing gases to a patient, the blower being enclosed by a housing,
a controller disposed within the housing and configured to receive input from at least one sensor indicative of patient breathing, wherein the controller is configured to receive an input from the sensor at a sampling rate determined by an internal clock of the controller,
a transmitter disposed within the housing and configured to communicate with the controller and transmit a control signal to remotely control an external home electronic apparatus that is an apparatus other than the breathing gases supply apparatus, the external home electronic apparatus being disposed outside of the housing and not mechanically coupled to the housing,
wherein the controller is configured to determine an onset of sleep and sleep in a patient based on the occurrence of a sleep disorder breathing (SBD) event indicative of sleep, detected from the input received from the sensor, and upon determining sleep, operate the transmitter to send the control signal to switch off the external home electronic apparatus.

15. A breathing gases supply apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor or a flow sensor.

16. A breathing gases supply apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to determine sleep based on any one or more of the following:
number of SDB events,
duration of SDB events,
spread of SDB events, or
types of SDB events.

17. A breathing apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the SBD event indicative of sleep is a rhythmic or erratic breathing pattern, or a change between a rhythmic or erratic breathing pattern.

18. A breathing gases supply apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the apparatus comprises at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of:
flow sensor,
pressure sensor,
humidity sensor,
sound sensor,
mass flow sensor,
voltage sensor,
current sensor,
sensor or sensors to determine the state of the external electronic apparatus,
EEG sensor,
position sensor, and
accelerometer.

19. A breathing gases supply apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the external home electronic apparatus is one or more of:
a television,
a radio
a lights,
a heater,
an air conditioner,
a heat pump,
a media player, or
an alarm clock.

Assignees

• Thompson James Malcolm
• Cresswell Fiona Elizabeth
• Kuriger Donald Roy
• Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd

Inventors

• Thompson James Malcolm
• Cresswell Fiona Elizabeth
• Kuriger Donald Roy

Classifications

• A61B5/4836

  Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods (A61B5/0036 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61M16/161

  with means for measuring the humidity · CPC title

• A61B2562/029

  Humidity sensors · CPC title

• A61M21/02

  for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia (for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021) · CPC title

• A61M2021/0083

  especially for waking up · CPC title