Vibratory Cough Suppression

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a vibrational transducer, a placement band, a driver module and a control module. The placement band is configured to hold the vibrational transducer adjacent to the skin surface overlying the cricoid cartilage and trachea region of a patient's neck. The driver module is configured to apply a drive signal to the vibrational transducer. The control module is configured to receive at least one input configured to provide vibrational operating information and control the driver module to cause the vibrational transducer to apply a vibratory stimulation in an amount determined, at least in part, by the vibrational operating information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a. a vibrational transducer;   b. a placement band configured to hold the placement plate adjacent to the skin surface overlying the cricoid cartilage and trachea region of a patients' neck;   c. a placement plate containing a driver module and the vibrational transducer;   d. a driver module configured to apply a drive signal to the vibrational transducer;   e. a control module configured to:
 i. receive at least one input configured to provide vibrational operating information comprising, at least in part, cough detection information; 
 ii. control the driver module to cause the vibrational transducer to apply a vibratory stimulation in an amount determined, at least in part, by the vibrational operating information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a cough detection module configured to detect the presence of a persistent cough(s). 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the cough detection module employs at least one of an audio sensor, a pressure sensor and a vibration sensor to detect the presence of the persistent cough. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the vibrational operating information comprises persistent cough detection information. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the vibrational transducer is configured to produce a vibration between 40 and 120 Hz. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the amount is modulated in at least one of amplitude and frequency. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vibrational operating information comprises at least one of the following:
 a. on/off information;   b. vibration modulation information;   c. temporal vibration information;   d. amplitude vibration information; and   e. a combination of the above.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vibrational transducer comprises at least one of the following:
 a. a piezo-electric crystal;   b. a motor;   c. a speaker;   d. a shaker; and   e. a combination of the above.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the following connected to the input:
 a. an on-off switch;   b. a mode selector; and   c. a combination of the above.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at vibration sensor connected to the controller. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the controller employs the vibration sensor as part of an applied vibration feedback loop. 
     
     
         12 . A method of suppressing a persistent cough comprising:
 a. disposing a vibrational transducer on the skin surface overlying the cricoid cartilage and trachea region of a patients neck; and   b. applying a vibratory stimulation in response to a cough, via the vibrational transducer, in an amount determined at least in part, by externally provided vibrational operating information.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising detecting, via a persistent cough detection module, the presence of a persistent cough. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising employing at least one of an audio sensor and a vibration sensor to detect the presence of the persistent cough. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the vibrational operating information comprises cough detection information. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising causing the vibrational transducer to produce a vibration between 40 and 120 Hz. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising causing the vibrational transducer to produce a modulated vibration, the modulated vibration modulated in at least one of amplitude and frequency. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the vibrational operating information comprises at least one of the following:
 a. on/off information;   b. vibration modulation information;   c. temporal vibration information;   d. amplitude vibration information; and   e. a combination of the above.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the vibrational transducer comprises at least one of the following:
 a. a piezo-electric crystal;   b. a motor;   c. a speaker;   d. a shaker; and   e. a combination of the above.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the externally provided vibrational operating information further comprises vibration feedback information.