Acoustic measurement systems and methods
AssigneeResMed Pty Ltd
InventorsHayat Chamtie, Liam Holley, Phillip Anthony Burns
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A respiratory therapy (RT) system including one or more acoustic generators (8500) to produce an inaudible acoustic signal. The acoustic generator(s), such as when coupled to a patient interface or air circuit of a respiratory therapy device, may provide inaudible acoustic signals indicative of one or more parameters, such as a flow rate or a pressure of the flow of air, or a type of or useable life of a component (e.g. patient interface). The system may have an acoustic receiver that may detect one or more acoustic signals from the acoustic generator, the RT system, the patient or the environment.
Claims36
An acoustic generator in a system for treating a respiratory disorder in a patient, the system comprising a patient interface, a pressure generator configured to generate, for treating the respiratory disorder, a downstream air flow having a flow rate and a pressure, and an air path in fluid communication with an air outlet of the pressure generator and an air inlet of the patient interface,
- said acoustic generator located adjacent to or in the patient interface, said acoustic generator being in fluid communication with (a) said downstream air flow at a first end of the acoustic generator and (b) with air at ambient pressure external to the air path with the downstream air flow at a second end of the acoustic generator, said acoustic generator comprising:
- a windway inlet adapted to receive a sample portion of said downstream air flow into a windway, said windway having a windway outlet;
- a blade formation adjacent said windway outlet and adapted to interact with said sample portion of said downstream air flow to produce a turbulent flow of air;
- and
- an acoustic chamber in fluid communication with said windway and comprising a gas flow inlet at a first end of said acoustic chamber and a gas flow outlet at a second end of said acoustic chamber,
- wherein said acoustic generator is adapted to generate an inaudible acoustic signal having an acoustic frequency dependent upon:
- the flow rate of the downstream air flow delivered to the patient interface;
- or
- the pressure in the patient interface.
An acoustic generator in a system for treating a respiratory disorder in a patient, the system comprising a patient interface, a pressure generator configured to generate, for treating the respiratory disorder, a downstream air flow having a flow rate and a pressure, and an air path in fluid communication with an air outlet of the pressure generator and an air inlet of the patient interface,
- said acoustic generator located adjacent to or in said patient interface, said acoustic generator comprising a whistle with an inlet in fluid communication with said downstream air flow and with an outlet in fluid communication with air at ambient pressure;
- wherein said whistle is adapted to generate an inaudible acoustic signal having an acoustic frequency dependent on:
- the flow rate of the downstream air flow delivered to the patient interface;
- or
- the pressure in the patient interface.
A method for monitoring a respiratory therapy provided by a respiratory therapy (RT) device comprising a blower and a controller configured to control the blower, the respiratory therapy for treating a respiratory disorder in a patient, the method comprising:
- with an acoustic receiver, receiving an inaudible acoustic signal and generating an electrical signal representative of the inaudible acoustic signal, the inaudible acoustic signal being generated by an acoustic generator that is located adjacent to or in a patient interface receiving, at an inlet of the acoustic generator, a flow of breathable gas from the blower, and has a horn region in fluid communication with ambient air at ambient pressure, the inaudible acoustic signal having a frequency spectrum dependent upon either a gas flow rate or a pressure of the flow of breathable gas as the flow of breathable gas is provided to the patient interface;
- analysing the electrical signal with an acoustic processor to determine frequency spectral components in an inaudible frequency range attributable to the acoustic generator;
- and
- determining, in the acoustic processor, the pressure or the gas flow rate of the flow of breathable gas based on the frequency spectral components.
A processor readable medium having processor control instructions recorded therein for monitoring a respiratory therapy provided by a respiratory therapy (RT) device comprising a blower and a controller configured to control the blower, the respiratory therapy for treating a respiratory disorder in a patient, said processor control instructions comprising:
- instructions to, with an acoustic receiver, receive an inaudible acoustic signal, the inaudible acoustic signal being generated by an acoustic generator (a) coupled to a patient interface suitable for the respiratory therapy, (b) having an inlet receiving a breathable gas flow of the respiratory therapy, and (c) having an outlet external to the patient interface, wherein the inaudible acoustic signal has a frequency spectrum dependent upon either a gas flow rate or a pressure of a flow of the breathable gas as the flow of breathable gas is supplied to the patient interface;
- instructions to determine frequency spectral components in an inaudible frequency range attributable to the acoustic generator from the received inaudible acoustic signal;
- and
- instructions to determine the gas flow rate or gas pressure of the flow of breathable gas based on the frequency spectral components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.