Acoustic detection for respiratory treatment apparatus
AssigneeResMed Pty Ltd
InventorsLiam Holley, Dion Charles Chewe Martin, Steven Paul Farrugia
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus provide acoustic detection for automated devices such as respiratory treatment apparatus. In some embodiments of the technology, acoustic analysis of noise or sound pulses, such as a cepstrum analysis, based on signals of a sound sensor permits detection of obstruction such as within a patient interface, mask or respiratory conduit or within patient respiratory system. Some embodiments further permit detection of accessories such as an identification thereof or a condition of use thereof, such as a leak. Still further embodiments of the technology permit the detection of a patient or user who is intended to use the automated device.
Claims30
A respiratory therapy apparatus configured to generate a supply of pressurized air from an outlet and along an artificial airpath to a patient interface for a respiratory therapy, the respiratory therapy apparatus comprising:
- a motor and impeller adapted to generate the supply of pressurized air;
- a sensor configured to receive and transduce (a) a first acoustic signal generated by operation of the motor and impeller, and (b) a second acoustic signal (i) representative of the first acoustic signal having been reflected back from the patient interface along the artificial airpath, and (ii) corresponding to the patient interface;
- and
- a controller comprising one or more processors and coupled with the sensor, the controller configured to:
- generate one more signals for operating the motor and impeller to generate the supply of pressurized air, as the respiratory therapy, to the patient interface;
- process the transduced first acoustic signal and second acoustic signal;
- and
- detect the patient interface that is connected to the artificial airpath based on the processed transduced second acoustic signal, wherein the controller is configured to identify, using the processed transduced second acoustic signal, a model of the patient interface so as to differentiate the model of the patient interface from other patient interface models.
A method for operating a respiratory therapy apparatus comprising a motor and impeller configured to generate a supply of pressurized air from an outlet and along an artificial airpath to a patient interface for a respiratory therapy, the method comprising:
- operating a sensor to transduce (a) a first acoustic signal generated by operation of the motor and impeller, and (b) a second acoustic signal (i) representative of the first acoustic signal having been reflected back from the patient interface along the artificial airpath, and (ii) corresponding to the patient interface;
- and
- with a controller coupled with the sensor:
- processing the transduced first acoustic signal and the second acoustic signal, and
- detecting the patient interface connected to the artificial airpath based on the processed second acoustic signal, wherein the controller identifies, using the processed transduced second acoustic signal, a model of the patient interface so as to differentiate the model of the patient interface from other patient interface models;
- and
- controlling an operation of the motor and impeller to generate the supply of pressurized air, as the respiratory therapy, to the patient interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.