Cough Analysis

Abstract

A computer-implemented method comprises: (A) receiving first acoustic data representing a first cough train of a first human subject, wherein the first cough train comprises at least one first cough of the first human subject; (B) identifying at least one first value of at one first acoustic property of the first acoustic data; and (C) determining, based on the at least one first value of the at least one first acoustic property, whether the first acoustic data indicates that the first human subject has a severe respiratory illness.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 (A) receiving first acoustic data representing a first cough train of a first human subject, wherein the first cough train comprises at least one first cough of the first human subject;   (B) identifying at least one first value of at one first acoustic property of the first acoustic data;   (C) determining, based on the at least one first value of the at least one first acoustic property, whether the first acoustic data indicates that the first human subject has a severe respiratory illness.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first cough train consists of exactly one cough of the first human subject. 
     
     
         3 . The method of claim A, wherein the first cough train comprises a plurality of coughs of the first human subject. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (C) comprises determining, based on the at least one first value of the at least one first acoustic property, that the first acoustic data indicates that the first human subject has a severe cough-transmissible respiratory illness. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (C) comprises determining, based on the at least one first value of the at least one first acoustic property, that the first acoustic data indicates that the first human subject has a severe cough-generating respiratory illness. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (C) comprises determining that the first acoustic data indicates that the first human subject has a severe respiratory illness, and wherein the method further comprises:
 (D) receiving second acoustic data representing a second cough train of a second human subject, wherein the second cough train comprises at least one second cough of the second human subject;   (E) identifying at least one second value of at least one second acoustic property of the second acoustic data;   (F) determining, based on the at least one second value of the at least one second acoustic property, that the second acoustic data indicates that the second human subject does not have a severe respiratory illness.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (D) before (C), determining, based on at least one second value of at least one second acoustic property, that the first acoustic data represents a cough of the first human subject.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 (E) receiving second acoustic data representing a sound generated by a second human subject;   (F) determining, based on at least one third value of at least one third acoustic property of the second acoustic data, that the second acoustic data does not represent a cough of the second human subject.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (A) comprises receiving the first acoustic data using an acoustic data acquisition device not in contact with the first human subject's body. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the acoustic data acquisition device comprises a microphone. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (C) comprises:
 (C)(1) determining, based on the at least one first value of the at least one first acoustic property, that the first acoustic data indicates that the first human subject has a severe cough-transmissible respiratory illness; and   (C)(2) identifying, based on the at least one first value of the at least one first acoustic property, a type of the severe cough-transmissible respiratory illness.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein (C)(2) comprises determining whether the severe cough-transmissible respiratory illness is of a type that can propagate via epidemics. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one acoustic property comprises a landmark instance identifying a point in the first acoustic data that marks a discrete event. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the landmark instance comprises an instance of a consonantal landmark. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the landmark instance comprises an instance of a vocalic landmark. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein (C) comprises identifying, within the first acoustic data, an inspiration phase of a first cough in the first cough train, a compression phase of the first cough, and an expiration phase of the first cough. 
     
     
         17 . A computer-readable medium tangibly storing computer program instructions which are adapted to be executed by a computer processor to perform a method comprising:
 (A) receiving first acoustic data representing a first cough train of a first human subject, wherein the first cough train comprises at least one first cough of the first human subject;   (B) identifying at least one first value of at one first acoustic property of the first acoustic data;   (C) determining, based on the at least one first value of the at least one first acoustic property, whether the first acoustic data indicates that the first human subject has a severe respiratory illness.   
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 (A) receiving first acoustic data representing a first cough train of a first human subject, wherein the first cough train comprises at least one first cough of the first human subject;   (B) identifying at least one first value of at least one first acoustic property of the first acoustic data; and   (C) determining, based on the at least one first value of the at least one first acoustic property, whether the first acoustic data indicates that the first human subject has an abnormal pulmonary system.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein (C) comprises determining, based on the at least one first value of the at least one first acoustic property, whether the first acoustic data indicates that the first human subject has a normal pulmonary system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first cough train consists of exactly one cough of the first human subject. 
     
     
         21 . The method of claim B, wherein the first cough train comprises a plurality of coughs of the first human subject. 
     
     
         22 . A computer-readable medium tangibly storing computer program instructions which are adapted to be executed by a computer processor to perform a method comprising:
 (A) receiving first acoustic data representing a first cough train of a first human subject, wherein the first cough train comprises at least one first cough of the first human subject;   (B) identifying at least one first value of at least one first acoustic property of the first acoustic data; and   (C) determining, based on the at least one first value of the at least one first acoustic property, whether the first acoustic data indicates that the first human subject has an abnormal pulmonary system.   
     
     
         23 . A method comprising:
 (A) requesting that a human subject cough;   (B) using a microphone to receive live acoustic data representing a cough train of the human subject, wherein the cough train comprises at least one cough of the human subject; and   (C) analyzing the live acoustic data to determine whether the cough train indicates that the human subject has a severe respiratory illness.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the cough train consists of exactly one cough of the human subject. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the cough train comprises a plurality of coughs of the human subject. 
     
     
         26 . A computer-readable medium tangibly storing computer program instructions which are adapted to be executed by a computer processor to perform a method comprising:
 (A) requesting that a human subject cough;   (B) using a microphone to receive live acoustic data representing a cough train of the human subject, wherein the cough train comprises at least one cough of the human subject; and   (C) analyzing the live acoustic data to determine whether the cough train indicates that the human subject has a severe respiratory illness.