# US 12,005,187 B2 · Power management in respiratory treatment apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,187 B2 - Document ID: US12005187B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/017,518 - Filed: 2020-09-10 - Published: 2020-12-31 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2008-09-10 - Assignees: ResMed Pty Ltd - Applicants: ResMed Pty Ltd - Inventors: Ronald James Huby; Andrew Roderick Bath; John David Oates - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005187B2 ## CPC - A61M 16/0003: {Accessories therefor, e.g. sensors, vibrators, negative pressure} - A61M 16/0069: {the speed thereof being controlled by respiratory parameters, e.g. by inhalation} - A61M 16/024: {including calculation means, e.g. using a processor} - A61M 16/1085: {after being humidified or mixed with a beneficial agent} - A61M 16/109: {the humidifying liquid or the beneficial agent} - A61M 16/1095: {in the connecting tubes} - A61M 16/16: Devices to humidify the respiration air {(A61M16/1045 takes precedence)} - A61M 16/0666: {Nasal cannulas or tubing (devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02)} - A61M 16/107: {in the inspiratory path} - A61M 16/12: by mixing different gases - A61M 16/161: {with means for measuring the humidity} - A61M 2016/0027: {pressure meter} - A61M 2016/0039: {in the inspiratory circuit} - A61M 2202/0208: Oxygen - A61M 2205/3368: Temperature - A61M 2205/502: User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards - A61M 2205/52: with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient - A61M 2205/8212: with means or measures taken for minimising energy consumption - A61M 2205/8262: connectable to external power source, e.g. connecting to automobile battery through the cigarette lighter - H02J 1/14: Balancing load and power generation in DC networks - H02J 2105/46: Medical devices, medical implants or life supporting devices - H02J 2105/59: {one of the loads acting as leader and the other or others acting as followers} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract A respiratory treatment apparatus provides respiratory treatment with improved power management control to permit more efficient power consumption and power supply units, such as battery powered operation. In one embodiment, power management prioritizes the flow generator (104) over other accessories such as the heating elements (111, 135) of a humidifier (112) and/or a delivery tube. The flow generator may control operations of the heating elements as a function of a detected respiratory cycle. For example, the timing of operation of the heating elements may be interleaved with the portion of an inspiratory phase of the respiratory cycle to permit the flow generator to operate during a peak power operation without a power drain or with a lower power drain from these components. Operations of distinct sets of components of the system (e.g., different heating elements) may also be interleaved to prevent simultaneous peak power operations. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A respiratory treatment device comprising: a flow generator; a first heater; a second heater; means for controlling the flow generator to provide a flow of breathable gas to a patient; means for controlling the first heater of a flow path of the flow generator; means for controlling the second heater of a flow path of the flow generator; means for controlling a first offset of respective operations of the first and second heaters; and means for controlling a second offset of the respective operations of the heaters and the flow generator by detecting a respiratory cycle and reducing a power setting of the first and second heaters during a portion of the detected respiratory cycle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the portion is a detected inspiratory phase of respiration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 further comprising: means for controlling an offset of respective operations of the flow generator and the heaters during an inspiratory rise time of an inspiratory phase while permitting concurrent operations of heaters heater and the flow generator during a remaining inspiratory time of the inspiratory phase. ### Claim 4 A method of control in a respiratory treatment device, the method comprising: controlling a flow generator to provide a flow of breathable gas to a patient; controlling first and second heater elements of a flow path of the flow generator; controlling a first offset of respective operations of the first and second heater elements; and controlling a second offset of the respective operations of the heater elements and the flow generator by detecting a respiratory cycle and reducing a power setting of the first and second heater elements during a portion of the detected respiratory cycle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein operation of the first and second heater elements is prevented during a portion of an inspiratory phase of a respiration cycle detected by the respiratory treatment device. ### Claim 6 A respiratory treatment apparatus comprising: a flow generator; a first heater; a second heater; a controller configured to: control the flow generator to provide a flow of breathable gas to a patient; control the first heater of a flow path of the flow generator; control the second heater of a flow path of the flow generator; control a first offset of respective operations of the first and second heaters; and control a second offset of the respective operations of the heaters and the flow generator by detecting a respiratory cycle and reducing a power setting of the first and second heaters during a portion of the detected respiratory cycle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the portion is a detected inspiratory phase of respiration. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to control interleaving of operations of the first heater with respect to the second heater to thereby avoid simultaneous peak power operations of the first heater and the second heater. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first heater is a humidifier heater and the second heater is a delivery tube heater. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to control interleaving by generating pulse width modulated control signals to the first heater and the second heater, wherein the pulse width modulated control signals of one of the first heater and the second heater are offset in time from the pulse width modulated control signals of the other heater of the first heater and the second heater. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller, the first heater, the second heater and the flow generator are coupled by a bus, and wherein the controller is configured to interrogate the first heater, the second heater and the flow generator to request status information over the bus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a power supply unit, and wherein the controller and the power supply unit are coupled by the bus, and wherein the controller is further configured to interrogate the power supply unit to request status information of the power supply unit over the bus. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the power supply unit comprises a battery.