Automated hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus

Abstract

Described herein is a hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus comprising a breathing apparatus, a control system, a power unit, and one or more sensors. The breathing apparatus sealingly engages with one or more of a nose or a mouth of a user, to receive an inhalation airflow and an exhalation airflow of the user. The control system comprises one or more modulation units operated by one or more actuators and adapted to controllably reduce a breathing airflow volume of the user by modulating a resistance applied to the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow of the user, one or more air pressure sensors, one or more real-time physiological sensors, an input/output unit, a control unit, a memory, and a communication module. The control unit is adapted to operate in multiple modes, including, a first control mode, a second stress test mode, a third stress test mode, and a fourth control mode.

1 . A hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus for controlled reduction of breathing airflow volume of a user, comprising:
 a breathing apparatus sealingly engaging with one or more of a nose or a mouth of the user, to receive an inhalation airflow and an exhalation airflow of the user;   a control system, comprising:
 one or more modulation units operated by one or more actuators, and adapted to controllably reduce the breathing airflow volume of the user by modulating a resistance applied to the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow of the user; 
 one or more air pressure sensors for generating signals corresponding to air pressure generated by the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow; and 
 a control unit, adapted to:
 receive the signals corresponding to the air pressure generated by the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow, 
 determine an air pressure difference value based on a difference in peak value of the air pressure generated by the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow, in a defined time period as defined by a cycle of inhalation and exhalation, 
 compare the air pressure difference value with a target air pressure difference value, and 
 correspondingly send a control signal to the one or more actuators, for controlled manipulation of the one or more modulation units, based on the comparison between the air pressure difference value and the target air pressure difference value. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . A hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus for performing a hyper-carbonic breathing test, comprising:
 a breathing apparatus sealingly engaging with one or more of a nose or a mouth of the user, to receive an inhalation airflow and an exhalation airflow of the user;   a control system, comprising:
 one or more modulation units operated by one or more actuators, and adapted to controllably reduce breathing airflow volume of the user by modulating a resistance applied to the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow of the user; 
 one or more air pressure sensors for generating signals corresponding to air pressure generated by the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow; and 
 a control unit, adapted to:
 set a value of a target air pressure difference to a predefined low value, when the user begins to breathe with the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, 
 receive the signals corresponding to the air pressure generated by the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow, 
 determine an air pressure difference value based on a difference in peak value of the air pressure generated by the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow, in a defined time 
 
 period as defined by a cycle of inhalation and exhalation,
 compare the air pressure difference value with the target air pressure difference value, 
 correspondingly send a control signal to the one or more actuators, for controlled manipulation of the one or more modulation units, based on the comparison between the air pressure difference value and the target air pressure difference value, 
 vary the target air pressure difference value by a predefined value after a predefined time period, 
 repeat the aforementioned steps until a degree of closure reaches 100% or until the air pressure difference value reaches a predefined maximum value or until an end of the breathing test is reached or until a manual interruption is received from the user, and 
 determine a breathing stress score based on achieved degrees of closure and/or achieved levels of air pressure difference value. 
 
   
     
     
         3 . A hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus for performing a hyper-carbonic breathing test, comprising:
 a breathing apparatus sealingly engaging with one or more of a nose or a mouth of the user, to receive an inhalation airflow and an exhalation airflow of the user;   a control system comprising:
 one or more modulation units operated by one or more actuators, and adapted to controllably reduce breathing airflow volume of the user by modulating a resistance applied to the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow of the user; 
 one or more air pressure sensors for generating signals corresponding to air pressure generated by the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow; and 
 a control unit adapted to:
 set a value of a degree of closure of the one or more modulation units to zero, when the user begins to breathe with the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, 
 receive the signals corresponding to the air pressure generated by the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow, 
 determine an air pressure difference value based on a difference in peak value of the air pressure generated by the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow, in a defined time period as defined by a cycle of inhalation and exhalation, 
 vary the degree of closure by a predefined value after a predefined time period, 
 send a control signal to the one or more actuators, for controlled adjustment of the one or more modulation units, 
 repeat the aforementioned steps until the degree of closure reaches 100% or until the air pressure difference value reaches a predefined maximum value or until an end of the breathing test is reached or until a manual interruption is received from a user, and 
 determine a breathing stress score based on achieved degrees of closure and/or achieved air pressure difference values. 
 
   
     
     
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         8 . The hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is adapted to:
 receive one or more real-time physiological parameter values;   compare the one or more real-time physiological parameter values with corresponding one or more target physiological parameter values;   determine a difference between the one or more real-time physiological parameter values and the one or more target physiological parameter values; and   correspondingly set the target air pressure difference value or a target duration of inhalation or a target duration of exhalation, based on the difference between the one or more real-time physiological parameter values and the one or more target physiological parameter values.   
     
     
         9 . The hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus as of  claim 8 , wherein one or more physiological parameters are selected from a group consisting of: (i) a heart rate, (ii) an exhaled airflow pressure, (iii) an exhaled airflow volume, (iv) an inhaled airflow pressure, (v) an inhaled airflow volume, (vi) a breathing minute volume, (vii) a SpO 2  level, (viii) a Heart Rate Variability (HRV) level, (ix) a brainwave, (x) a blood pressure, (xi) a galvanic skin response, (xii) a degree of physical body (muscle) movement, (xiii) CO 2  content of exhaled air, (xiv) O 2  content of exhaled air, (xv) an exhaled airflow temperature, (xvi) an exhaled airflow humidity, (xvii) an exhaled airflow infrared heat radiation, (xviii) a body infrared heat radiation, (xix) an exhaled airflow speed, and (xx) an inhaled airflow speed. 
     
     
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         17 . The hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the breathing apparatus is one of: a breath training apparatus, a nasal respiratory resistance trainer, a mouth respiratory resistance trainer, an inhaler apparatus, and/or any such device capable of sealingly engaging with a breathing tube or with one or more of the nose or the mouth of the user, to receive the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow of the user. 
     
     
         18 . The hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the breathing apparatus is a mask apparatus, comprising of a mask and a strap, such that the strap is engaged to cause the mask to be sealingly engage with the nose or the mouth of the user. 
     
     
         19 . The hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the mask defines one or more modulation unit positioning holes for receiving and positioning the one or more modulation units thereon, one or more actuators positioning holes for receiving and positioning the one or more actuators thereon, one or more real-time physiological sensors positioning holes for receiving and positioning the one or more real-time physiological sensors thereon, one or more air pressure sensors positioning holes for receiving and positioning the one or more air pressure sensors thereon, and one or more control unit holding pockets for holding an Input/Output (I/O) unit, a power unit, and the control unit of the control system thereon. 
     
     
         20 . The hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more modulation units is one of: (i) a slider-type valve, (ii) a rotation-type valve, (iii) a butterfly valve, (iv) a gate valve, (v) a ball valve, and (vi) any other types of controllable valve. 
     
     
         21 . The hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more actuators is selected from a group consisting of: (i) a stepper motor, (ii) a servo motor, (iii) a linear actuator, or (iv) a hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
         22 . The hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines a breath score value based on a degree of closure of the one or more modulation units, and wherein the control unit determines a corrected breath score value as a function of: a) the breath score value, and b) a difference between the target air pressure difference value and the air pressure difference value. 
     
     
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         24 . The hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controlled manipulation of the one or more modulation units during inhalation is different relative to the controlled manipulation of the one or more modulation units during exhalation. 
     
     
         25 . A method for controlled reduction of breathing airflow volume of a user, by a hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, the method comprising:
 generating, by use of one or more air pressure sensors of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, signals corresponding to air pressure generated by an inhalation airflow and an exhalation airflow of a user;   determining, by use of a control system of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, an air pressure difference value based on a difference in peak value of the air pressure generated by the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow, in a defined time period as defined by a cycle of inhalation and exhalation;   comparing, by use of the control system of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, the air pressure difference value with a target air pressure difference value; and   controllably manipulating, by use of one or more actuators of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, one or more modulation units, based on the comparison between the air pressure difference value and the target air pressure difference value, to controllably modulate a resistance applied to the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow of the user for the controlled reduction of the breathing airflow volume of the user.   
     
     
         26 . A method of performing a hyper-carbonic breathing test, by a hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, the method comprising:
 setting a value of a target air pressure difference value to a predefined low value at an initial use of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus;   generating, by use of one or more air pressure sensors of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, signals corresponding to air pressure generated by an inhalation airflow and an exhalation airflow of a user;   determining, by use of a control system of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, an air pressure difference value based on a difference in peak value of the air pressure generated by the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow in a defined time period as defined by a cycle of inhalation and exhalation;   comparing, by use of the control system of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, the air pressure difference value with the target air pressure difference value;   sending, by use of the control unit, control signal to the one or more actuators, for controlled adjustment of one or more modulation units to controllably modulate a resistance applied to the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow of the user, based on the comparison between the air pressure difference value and the target air pressure difference value;   varying the target air pressure difference value by a predefined value after a predefined time period;   repeating the aforementioned steps until a degree of closure reaches 100% or until the air pressure difference value reaches a predefined maximum value or until an end of the breathing test is reached or until a manual interruption is received from a user; and   determining a breathing stress score based on achieved degrees of closure and/or achieved levels of air pressure difference value, during the duration of the breathing test.   
     
     
         27 . A method of performing a hyper-carbonic breathing test, by a hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, the method comprising:
 setting, by use of a control system of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, a value of a degree of closure of one or more modulation units to zero at an initial use of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus;   generating, by use of one or more air pressure sensors of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, signals corresponding to air pressure generated by an inhalation airflow and an exhalation airflow of a user;   determining, by use of the control system of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, an air pressure difference value based on a difference in peak value of the air pressure generated by the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow, in a defined time period as defined by a cycle of inhalation and exhalation;   varying, by use of the control system of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, the degree of closure of the one or more modulation units by a predefined value after a predefined time period;   sending, by use of the control system of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, control signal to the one or more actuators, for controlled adjustment of one or more modulation units to controllably modulate a resistance applied to the inhalation airflow and the exhalation airflow of the user;   repeating, by use of the control system of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, the aforementioned steps until the degree of closure reaches 100% or until the air pressure difference value reaches a predefined maximum value or until an end of the breathing test is reached or until a manual interruption is received from the user; and   determining, by use of the control system of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, a breathing stress score based on achieved degrees of closure and/or achieved levels of air pressure difference value.   
     
     
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         29 . The method of  claim 25 , comprising:
 determining, by use of one or more real-time physiological parameters sensors, one or more real-time physiological parameter values of the user;   receiving, by use of a control unit of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, one or more physiological parameter values;   comparing, by use of the control unit of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, the one or more real-time physiological parameter values with corresponding one or more maximum physiological parameter values;   correspondingly setting, by use of the control unit of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, the target air pressure difference value, a target duration of inhalation, or a target duration of exhalation to a defined target air pressure difference value, a defined duration of inhalation, or a defined duration of exhalation respectively, in case the one or more real-time physiological parameter values is below the one or more maximum physiological parameter values; and   correspondingly setting, by use of the control unit of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, the target air pressure difference value, the target duration of inhalation, or the target duration of exhalation to a default target air pressure difference value, a default duration of inhalation, or a default duration of exhalation respectively, in case the one or more real-time physiological parameter values is above the one or more maximum physiological parameter values.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , comprising:
 determining, by use of one or more real-time physiological parameters sensors, one or more physiological parameter value of the user;   receiving, by use of a control unit of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, the one or more physiological parameter values;   comparing, by use of the control unit of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, the one or more real-time physiological parameter values with corresponding one or more target physiological parameter values;   determining, by use of the control unit of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, a difference between one or more real-time physiological parameter values and the one or more target physiological parameter values; and   correspondingly setting, by use of the control unit of the hyper-carbonic breath training apparatus, the target air pressure difference value, a target duration of inhalation, or a target duration of exhalation based on the difference between the one or more real-time physiological parameter values and the one or more target physiological parameter values.   
     
     
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         36 . The method as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein one or more physiological parameters are selected from a group consisting of: (i) a heart rate, (ii) an exhaled airflow pressure, (iii) an exhaled airflow volume, (iv) an inhaled airflow pressure, (v) an inhaled airflow volume, (vi) a breathing minute volume, (vii) SpO 2  level, (viii) a HRV level, (ix) a brainwave, (x) a blood pressure, (xi) a galvanic skin response, (xii) a degree of physical body (muscle) movement, (xiii) a CO 2  content of exhaled air, (xiv) O 2  content of exhaled air, (xv) an exhaled airflow temperature, (xvi) an exhaled airflow humidity, (xvii) an exhaled airflow infrared heat radiation, (xviii) body infrared heat radiation, (xix) an exhaled airflow speed, and (xx) an inhaled airflow speed.