US6017315A — Patient monitor and method of using same

Claim 1

Independent Claim 180 words

A patient monitoring apparatus, comprising: a user interface having an interior portion adapted to communicate with an airway of a user such that substantially all gas inhaled and exhaled by such a user enters said interior portion of said user interface; at least one vent element associated with said user interface and communicating said interior portion of said user interface with an ambient atmosphere outside said user interface, said at least one vent element and said user interface defining a flow element across which a pressure differential is created during inhalation and exhalation, said pressure differential being a pressure difference between a first pressure within said interior portion of said user interface and a pressure of said ambient atmosphere outside said user interface; a sensor communicating with said interior portion of said user interface, said sensor measuring a fluid characteristic resulting from said pressure differential and outputting a first signal indicative of said fluid characteristic; and a processing unit receiving said first signal and determining a quantitative value for a physiological characteristic of a user based on said first signal.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 180 words

A patient monitoring apparatus, comprising: a user interface having an interior portion adapted to communicate with an airway of a user such that substantially all gas inhaled and exhaled by such a user enters said interior portion of said user interface; at least one vent element associated with said user interface and communicating said interior portion of said user interface with an ambient atmosphere outside said user interface, said at least one vent element and said user interface defining a flow element across which a pressure differential is created during inhalation and exhalation, said pressure differential being a pressure difference between a first pressure within said interior portion of said user interface and a pressure of said ambient atmosphere outside said user interface; a sensor communicating with said interior portion of said user interface, said sensor measuring a fluid characteristic resulting from said pressure differential and outputting a first signal indicative of said fluid characteristic; and a processing unit receiving said first signal and determining a quantitative value for a physiological characteristic of a user based on said first signal.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 38 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is coupled to said user interface via a single hollow tube, wherein at least one of said sensor and said user interface is selectively detachable from said hollow tube.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 57 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising selecting means for selecting at least one of a plurality of types of said user interfaces to which said sensor is adapted to be coupled, wherein said processing unit determines said quantitative value for said physiological characteristic based on a type of user interface selected by said selecting means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 32 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit for transmitting to a remote receiver at least one of said first signal and a signal corresponding to said quantitative value.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 16 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said physiological characteristic is a characteristic associated with respiration.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 57 words

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said characteristic associated with respiration is at least one of a rate of flow of gas through said user interface and a volume of gas exiting said interior portion of said user interface over at least one of predetermined period of time and a predetermined portion of a respiratory cycle.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 40 words

An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said flow of gas through said user interface includes a flow resulting from patient snore, and wherein said processing unit determines a quantitative value for a volume of gas displaced by said snore.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 36 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit outputs a second signal indicative of said quantitative value, said apparatus further comprising an output device that converts said second signal into a human perceivable output.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 43 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is an airflow sensor and said fluid characteristic measured by said sensor is a rate of flow of gas through said sensor between said interior portion of said user interface and said ambient atmosphere.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 32 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is a pressure sensor and said fluid characteristic measured by said sensor is a pressure within said interior portion of said user interface.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an output device that converts said first signal into a human perceivable output indicative of said physiological characteristic.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 27 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said user interface is a mask that covers at least one of a nose and a mouth of said user.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 24 words

An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said at least one vent unit includes at least one fixed diameter hole defined in said mask.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 26 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said user interface is nasal canula having at least one prong that inserts into a nare of said user.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 59 words

An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said prong includes an opening defined at a distal end of said prong for communicating said interior portion of said user interface with a nasal cavity of said user, and wherein said at least one vent unit includes at least one fixed diameter hole defined in a proximal end of said prong.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 39 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said user interface is a chamber adapted to contain at least a portion of said user therein, said interior portion of said user interface corresponding to an interior portion of said chamber.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 33 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a breathing gas supply communicating with said interior portion of said user interface to provide breathing gas to said interior portion of said user interface.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 85 words

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said breathing gas supply is a positive pressure generating device that provides breathing gas to said user at a positive pressure that is greater than said second pressure of said ambient atmosphere outside said user interface, and wherein said user interface includes a mask that covers at least one of a nose and a mouth of said user and at least a portion of a gas delivery conduit that connects said positive pressure generating device to said mask.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 40 words

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said at least one vent unit includes at least one fixed diameter hole defined in at least one of said mask and a portion of said gas delivery conduit proximate to said mask.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 212 words

A patient monitoring apparatus, comprising: a user interface having an interior portion adapted to communicate with an airway of a user such that substantially all gas inhaled and exhaled by such a user enters said interior portion of said user interface; at least one vent element associated with said user interface and communicating said interior portion of said user interface with an ambient atmosphere outside said user interface, said at least one vent element and said user interface defining a flow element across which a pressure differential is created during inhalation and exhalation, said pressure differential being a pressure difference between a first pressure within said interior portion of said user interface and a pressure of said ambient atmosphere outside said user interface; a sensor communicating with said interior portion of said user interface, said sensor measuring a fluid characteristic resulting from said pressure differential and outputting a first signal indicative of said fluid characteristic; a breathing gas supply communicating with said interior portion of said user interface to provide breathing gas to said interior portion of said user interface; and means for accounting for an offset in said first signal output by said sensor, said offset being caused by said supply of gas to said interior portion by said gas supply.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 212 words

A patient monitoring apparatus, comprising: a user interface having an interior portion adapted to communicate with an airway of a user such that substantially all gas inhaled and exhaled by such a user enters said interior portion of said user interface; at least one vent element associated with said user interface and communicating said interior portion of said user interface with an ambient atmosphere outside said user interface, said at least one vent element and said user interface defining a flow element across which a pressure differential is created during inhalation and exhalation, said pressure differential being a pressure difference between a first pressure within said interior portion of said user interface and a pressure of said ambient atmosphere outside said user interface; a sensor communicating with said interior portion of said user interface, said sensor measuring a fluid characteristic resulting from said pressure differential and outputting a first signal indicative of said fluid characteristic; a breathing gas supply communicating with said interior portion of said user interface to provide breathing gas to said interior portion of said user interface; and means for accounting for an offset in said first signal output by said sensor, said offset being caused by said supply of gas to said interior portion by said gas supply.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 165 words

A patient monitoring apparatus, comprising: a user interface having an interior portion adapted to communicate with an airway of a user such that substantially all gas inhaled and exhaled by such a user enters said interior portion of said user interface; first venting means, associated with said user interface, for communicating said interior portion of said user interface with an ambient atmosphere outside said user interface, said first venting means and said user interface defining a flow element across which a pressure differential is created during inhalation and exhalation, said pressure differential being a pressure difference between a first pressure within said interior portion of said user interface and a pressure of said ambient atmosphere outside said user interface; sensing means for measuring a fluid characteristic resulting from said pressure differential and outputting a first signal indicative of said fluid characteristic; and processing means, receiving said first signal, for determining a quantitative value for a physiological characteristic of said patient based on said first signal.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 165 words

A patient monitoring apparatus, comprising: a user interface having an interior portion adapted to communicate with an airway of a user such that substantially all gas inhaled and exhaled by such a user enters said interior portion of said user interface; first venting means, associated with said user interface, for communicating said interior portion of said user interface with an ambient atmosphere outside said user interface, said first venting means and said user interface defining a flow element across which a pressure differential is created during inhalation and exhalation, said pressure differential being a pressure difference between a first pressure within said interior portion of said user interface and a pressure of said ambient atmosphere outside said user interface; sensing means for measuring a fluid characteristic resulting from said pressure differential and outputting a first signal indicative of said fluid characteristic; and processing means, receiving said first signal, for determining a quantitative value for a physiological characteristic of said patient based on said first signal.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 33 words

An apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising means for converting a second signal, which is produced by said processing means and is indicative of said quantitative value, into a human perceivable output.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 43 words

An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said user interface is a mask that covers at least one of a nose and a mouth of said user, and wherein said venting means includes at least one fixed diameter hole defined in said mask.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 76 words

An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said user interface is nasal cannula having at least one prong that inserts into a nare of said user, said at least one prong having an opening defined at a distal end thereof for communicating said interior portion of said user interface with a nasal cavity of said user, and wherein said venting means includes at least one fixed diameter hole defined in a proximal end of said prong.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 22 words

An apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising means for providing a breathing gas to said interior portion of said user interface.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 181 words

A patient monitoring method, comprising the steps of: providing a user interface having an interior portion adapted to communicate with an airway of a user such that substantially all gas inhaled and exhaled by such a user enters said interior portion of said user interface, said user interface having at least one vent element associated therewith for communicating said interior portion of said user interface with an ambient atmosphere outside said user interface, said at least one vent element and said user interface defining a flow element across which a pressure differential is created during inhalation and exhalation, said pressure differential being a pressure difference between a first pressure within said interior portion of said user interface and a pressure of said ambient atmosphere outside said user interface; passing a gas through said flow element during at least one of said inhalation and said exhalation; measuring a fluid characteristic resulting from said pressure differential; outputting a first signal that corresponds to said fluid characteristic; and using said first signal to determine a quantitative value for a physiological characteristic of said patient.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 181 words

A patient monitoring method, comprising the steps of: providing a user interface having an interior portion adapted to communicate with an airway of a user such that substantially all gas inhaled and exhaled by such a user enters said interior portion of said user interface, said user interface having at least one vent element associated therewith for communicating said interior portion of said user interface with an ambient atmosphere outside said user interface, said at least one vent element and said user interface defining a flow element across which a pressure differential is created during inhalation and exhalation, said pressure differential being a pressure difference between a first pressure within said interior portion of said user interface and a pressure of said ambient atmosphere outside said user interface; passing a gas through said flow element during at least one of said inhalation and said exhalation; measuring a fluid characteristic resulting from said pressure differential; outputting a first signal that corresponds to said fluid characteristic; and using said first signal to determine a quantitative value for a physiological characteristic of said patient.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 34 words

A method according to claim 26, wherein said step of using said first signal to determine a quantitative value for said physiological characteristic includes determining a quantitative value for a characteristic associated with respiration.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 72 words

A method according to claim 27, wherein said step of using said first signal to determine a quantitative value for said characteristic associated with respiration includes determining at least one of a rate of flow of gas through said user interface and a volume of gas exiting said interior portion of said user interface over at least one of a predetermined period of time and a predetermined portion of a respiratory cycle.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of outputting, in a human perceivable manner, said quantitative value for said physiological characteristic of said patient.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 48 words

A method according to claim 26, wherein said measuring step is accomplished using an airflow sensor and said fluid characteristic measured during said measuring step is a rate of flow of gas through said airflow sensor between said interior portion of said user interface and said ambient atmosphere.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 36 words

A method according to claim 26, wherein said measuring step is accomplished using a pressure sensor and said fluid characteristic measured by said pressure sensor is a pressure within said interior portion of said user interface.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of outputting, in a human perceivable manner, information indicative of said physiological characteristic of said patient.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 73 words

A method according to claim 26, wherein said user interface is a mask that covers at least one of a nose and a mouth of said user and wherein said step of passing a gas through said flow element during at least one of said inhalation and said exhalation includes directing a first portion of said gas from said interior portion to ambient atmosphere through a fixed diameter hole defined in said mask.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 75 words

A method according to claim 26, wherein said user interface is nasal canula having at least one prong that inserts into a nare of said user and said step of passing a gas through said flow element during at least one of said inhalation and said exhalation includes directing a first portion of said gas from an interior portion of said prong through a fixed diameter hole defined in a proximal end of said prong.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 87 words

A method according to claim 26, wherein said user interface is a chamber adapted to contain at least a portion of said user therein, said interior portion of said user interface corresponding to an interior portion of said chamber, and said step of passing a gas through said flow element during at least one of said inhalation and said exhalation includes directing a first portion of said gas from said interior portion of said chamber through a fixed diameter hole defined in a portion of said chamber.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of supplying a breathing gas to said interior portion of said user interface.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 203 words

A patient monitoring method, comprising the steps of: providing a user interface having an interior portion adapted to communicate with an airway of a user such that substantially all gas inhaled and exhaled by such a user enters said interior portion of said user interface, said user interface having at least one vent element associated therewith for communicating said interior portion of said user interface with an ambient atmosphere outside said user interface, said at least one vent element and said user interface defining a flow element across which a pressure differential is created during inhalation and exhalation, said pressure differential being a pressure difference between a first pressure within said interior portion of said user interface and a pressure of said ambient atmosphere outside said user interface; passing a gas through said flow element during at least one of said inhalation and said exhalation; measuring a fluid characteristic resulting from said pressure differential; outputting a first signal that corresponds to said fluid characteristic; supplying a breathing gas to said interior portion of said user interface; and accounting for an offset in said first signal output, said offset being caused by supplying said breathing gas to said interior portion by said gas supply.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 203 words

A patient monitoring method, comprising the steps of: providing a user interface having an interior portion adapted to communicate with an airway of a user such that substantially all gas inhaled and exhaled by such a user enters said interior portion of said user interface, said user interface having at least one vent element associated therewith for communicating said interior portion of said user interface with an ambient atmosphere outside said user interface, said at least one vent element and said user interface defining a flow element across which a pressure differential is created during inhalation and exhalation, said pressure differential being a pressure difference between a first pressure within said interior portion of said user interface and a pressure of said ambient atmosphere outside said user interface; passing a gas through said flow element during at least one of said inhalation and said exhalation; measuring a fluid characteristic resulting from said pressure differential; outputting a first signal that corresponds to said fluid characteristic; supplying a breathing gas to said interior portion of said user interface; and accounting for an offset in said first signal output, said offset being caused by supplying said breathing gas to said interior portion by said gas supply.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 31 words

A method according to claim 37, wherein said step of supplying said breathing gas to said interior portion includes supplying said breathing gas at variable pressure levels during a respiratory cycle.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 98 words

A patient monitoring apparatus, comprising: a user interface having an interior portion adapted to communicate with an airway of a user; means for measuring at least one of a gas flow between such a user and said user interface and a pressure within said user interface during said gas flow and for outputting a signal indicative thereof; and means for processing said signal to determine a quantitative volume for an amount of gas displaced during at least a portion of a time interval in which one of a sound and a vibration is generated in a user's airway.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 98 words

A patient monitoring apparatus, comprising: a user interface having an interior portion adapted to communicate with an airway of a user; means for measuring at least one of a gas flow between such a user and said user interface and a pressure within said user interface during said gas flow and for outputting a signal indicative thereof; and means for processing said signal to determine a quantitative volume for an amount of gas displaced during at least a portion of a time interval in which one of a sound and a vibration is generated in a user's airway.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 29 words

An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said processing means also determines a location of a structure in said patient that causes a snore based on said quantitative volume.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 73 words

A patient monitoring method, comprising: providing a user interface having an interior portion adapted to communicate with an airway of a user; measuring gas flow between said user and said user interface; and processing said gas flow to determine a quantitative volume for an amount of gas displaced during at least a portion of a time interval in which at portion of a user's airway generates one of a sound and a vibration.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 73 words

A patient monitoring method, comprising: providing a user interface having an interior portion adapted to communicate with an airway of a user; measuring gas flow between said user and said user interface; and processing said gas flow to determine a quantitative volume for an amount of gas displaced during at least a portion of a time interval in which at portion of a user's airway generates one of a sound and a vibration.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method according to claim 41, wherein said processing step includes determining a location of a structure in said patient that causes a snore based on said quantitative volume.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-01-24	2003-07-26	2004-01-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-01-24	2007-07-26	2008-01-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-01-24	2011-07-26	2012-01-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Patient monitor and method of using same

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