Auto-titration bi-level pressure support system and method of using same

A bi-level auto-titration pressure support system comprising:

• a pressure generating system adapted to generate a flow of breathing gas at an inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) during inspiration and at an expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) during expiration;
• a patient circuit having a first end adapted to be coupled to the pressure generating system and a second end adapted to be coupled to an airway of a patient;
• a monitoring system associated with the patient circuit or the pressure generating system and adapted to measure a parameter indicative of a pressure at a patient's airway, a flow of gas in such a patient's airway, or both and to output a pressure signal indicative thereof, a flow signal indicative thereof, respectively, or both;
• and
• a controller coupled to the monitoring system and the pressure generating system, and adapted to control the IPAP and the EPAP independently based on the output of the monitoring system, wherein the controller is programmed to operate according to one control layer in a set of prioritized control layers, wherein each control layer in the set of prioritized control layers competes for control of the pressure generating system with the other control layers, and wherein each control layer implements a unique pressure control process for controlling the IPAP, the EPAP, or both.