System and method for sleep disorder diagnosis and treatment

A computer-implemented method for improving detection of sleep-related conditions, the method comprising:

• establishing, by use of a data processor, a wireless data communication interface between the data processor and a sleep metering system worn by a user, the sleep metering system including a sensor array, wireless transceiver, and a processor;
• positioning the sleep metering system for data recording externally and proximate to the user's abdomen to detect and measure airflow and respiratory effort in the user;
• collecting, by use of the sleep metering system sensor data from the user based on data signals from the sensor array of the sleep metering system;
• receiving, by use of the data processor, an abdominal effort waveform based on the collected sensor data from the sleep metering system, the abdominal effort waveform representing breathing pattern data corresponding to variations in the degree of the user's abdominal effort in a series of breaths over a given time interval;
• detecting, by use of the data processor, a sleep-related condition in the user by use of the breathing pattern data from the sleep metering system, the sleep-related condition including anomalies in breathing patterns of the user based on the breathing pattern data from the sleep metering system at a plurality of pre-defined time intervals within a single sleep period;
• and
• performing a dynamic re-configuration of the sleep metering system based on the detected sleep-related condition.

A system for improving detection of sleep-related conditions, the system comprising:

• a networked data processor;
• a memory, in data communication with the networked data processor;
• a sleep metering system in wireless data communication with the networked data processor, the sleep metering system being worn by the user and including a sensor array, wireless transceiver, and a processor, the sleep metering system being removably positioned for data recording externally and proximate to the user's abdomen to detect and measure airflow and respiratory effort in the user;
• and
• a sleep disorder diagnosis and treatment system, executable by the networked data processor, to:
• establish a wireless data communication interface between the networked data processor and the sleep metering system;
• activate the sleep metering system to collect sensor data from the user based on data signals from the sensor array of the sleep metering system;
• receive, at the networked data processor, an abdominal effort waveform based on the collected sensor data from the sleep metering system, the abdominal effort waveform representing breathing pattern data corresponding to variations in the degree of the user's abdominal effort in a series of breaths over a given time interval;
• detect a sleep-related condition in the user by use of the breathing pattern data from the sleep metering system, the sleep-related condition including anomalies in breathing patterns of the user based on the breathing pattern data from the sleep metering system at a plurality of pre-defined time intervals within a single sleep period;
• and
• perform a dynamic re-configuration of the sleep metering system based on the detected sleep-related condition.

A non-transitory machine-useable storage medium embodying instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

• establish a wireless data communication interface between a networked data processor and a sleep metering system, the sleep metering system being worn by a user and including a sensor array, wireless transceiver, and a processor, the sleep metering system being removably positioned for data recording externally and proximate to the user's abdomen to detect and measure airflow and respiratory effort in the user;
• activate the sleep metering system to collect sensor data from the user based on data signals from the sensor array of the sleep metering system;
• receive, at the networked data processor, an abdominal effort waveform based on the collected sensor data from the sleep metering system, the abdominal effort waveform representing breathing pattern data corresponding to variations in the degree of the user's abdominal effort in a series of breaths over a given time interval;
• detect a sleep-related condition in the user by use of the breathing pattern data from the sleep metering system, the sleep-related condition including anomalies in breathing patterns of the user based on the breathing pattern data from the sleep metering system at a plurality of pre-defined time intervals within a single sleep period;
• and
• perform a dynamic re-configuration of the sleep metering system based on the detected sleep-related condition.