Device to detect and treat Apneas and Hypopnea

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the treatment of Sleep Apnea events and Hypopnea episodes wherein one embodiment comprises a wearable, belt like apparatus containing a microphone and a plethysmograph. The microphone and plethysmograph generate signals that are representative of physiological aspects of respiration, and the signals are transferred to an imbedded computer. The embedded computer extracts the sound of breathing and the sound of the heart beat by Digital Signal Processing techniques. The embedded computer has elements for determining when respiration parameters falls out of defined boundaries for said respiration parameters. This exemplary method provides real-time detection of the onset of a Sleep Apnea event or Hypopnea episode and supplies stimulation signals upon the determination of a Sleep Apnea event or Hypopnea episode to initiate an inhalation. In one embodiment, the stimulus is applied to the patient by a cutaneous rumble effects actuator and/or audio effects broadcasting.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a Microphone disposed proximal to a patient for sensing and conveying data indicative of respiration and providing corresponding signals;   a Plethysmograph for sensing and conveying data indicative of respiration and providing corresponding signals;   a computer configured for processing signals generated by the Microphone and Plethysmograph and generating a control signal in response thereto;   a patient stimulator, responsive to said computer control signal, comprising at least one of a mechanical tactile sensory stimulator,   an audio effects broadcaster,   a speaker, and   a Bluetooth Ear-bud.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said Plethysmograph is a resistive Plethysmograph. 
     
     
         3 . A method, comprising:
 detecting patient respiration with a microphone and generating corresponding signals;   detecting patient respiration with a plethysmograph and generating corresponding signals;   processing said microphone signals and said plethysmograph signals and including detecting a sleep disorder, wherein a corresponding control signal is provided when said sleep disorder is detected; and   stimulating said patient with at least one of a mechanical tactile stimulator, an audio effects broadcaster, a speaker, and a Bluetooth ear bud.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said wherein processing includes storing in memory signals derived from a process of self-calibration. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said storing signals of the processes of self-calibration is storing a collection of respirations that from a set of reference respirations. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said step of processing included calculating the parameters of amplitude, periodicity, and wave width of respiration for each respiration of the collection of respirations from the processes of self-calibrations. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said processing comprises processing according to a computer program using rules based processing to determine occurrences of Sleep Apnea events and Hypopnea episodes. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said computer program uses rules based processing to determine the parameters of the stimulation required to induce inspiration to terminate at least one of a Sleep Apnea event and Hypopnea episode. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said computer program uses rules based processing to determine the least amount of stimulation required to induce inspiration to terminate a Sleep Apnea event or Hypopnea episode. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said processing includes determining a the stimulus threshold the very first time that the patient uses the invention and storing the stimulus threshold values as that patient's stimulus baseline. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said processing includes using the stored stimulus threshold values as the initial parametric settings for the application of stimulus at the next and all subsequently detected Sleep Apnea events and Hypopnea episode. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said processing include applying fuzzy logic rules to constantly adjust the stored stimulus threshold values relative to which the initiation of an inspiration for each specific sleep cycle is determined. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said mechanical tactile sensory stimulator comprises a cutaneous rumble effects actuator disposed to engage a peripheral sensory area on the patient, said rumble effects actuator uses an eccentric bi-directional motor to generate at least one of pulsing, spinning, multiple, superimposed vibrations, and oscillating modes to stimulate the patient to induce inspiration. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said patient stimulator provides audio effects, said audio effects are a generated in response to at least one of a plurality of embedded sound files embedded in the inventions memory to stimulate the patient to induce inspiration. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said audio effects is broadcast to the patient to the patient by the use of Bluetooth wireless protocol. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further including a housing receiving at least said processor therein, and an adjustable belt receiving said housing thereon. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said processor comprises a rules based processor. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said processor provides stored stimulus threshold data corresponding to prior control signals generated to stimulate said patient. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said processor provides said control signal to at least one of said audio effects broadcaster, said speaker and said Bluetooth ear bud to be received and understood by said patient as plain, spoken language instructions as how to adjust the invention to provide desired monitoring of said patients' respirations during sleep. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 19  wherein said processor includes a memory having sound files corresponding to the plain, spoken language instructions.