Respiratory Pressure Cycling Using Patient Effort Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing respiratory treatment apparatuses face challenges in synchronizing pressure treatment with patient respiration, leading to increased work of breathing and asynchrony, which can result in negative patient outcomes.

Innovation Solution

The technology employs automated methods to detect and synchronize pressure treatment with patient respiration by distinguishing between flow generated by the patient and the apparatus, using mathematical modeling and real-time data processing to adapt cycling criteria based on respiratory mechanics and muscle effort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If automated methods are used to detect and synchronize pressure treatment with patient respiration, then synchronization is improved and patient work of breathing is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesynchronizationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical sensing systems with mathematical modeling and signal processing algorithms. The processor uses measured flow signals and respiratory mechanics parameters (compliance, resistance) to compute patient muscle effort and determine cycling points, substituting physical sensors with computational methods to achieve accurate synchronization while managing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-calibration and adaptive adjustment by continuously measuring respiratory mechanics and automatically updating cycling criteria. The processor adapts to each patient's unique respiratory characteristics without requiring manual setup or intervention, enabling the complex synchronization function to serve itself through automated parameter adjustment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If cycling criteria are adapted to match patient respiratory patterns, then treatment efficacy is enhanced and asynchrony is minimized, but measurement precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetreatment efficacyVSAvoidmeasurement precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary measurement and characterization of patient respiratory mechanics (compliance, resistance, time constants) during initial cycles before adapting cycling criteria. This preliminary action establishes baseline parameters that enable subsequent precise adaptation without requiring ultra-high measurement precision during the adaptation phase itself

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cycling criteria dynamically adapt to patient respiratory patterns through continuous monitoring and adjustment. The system transitions from fixed, predetermined cycling thresholds to variable, patient-specific criteria that evolve with changing respiratory mechanics, enhancing treatment efficacy while tolerating normal measurement variations through adaptive feedback

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4112110B1Adaptive cycling for respiratory treatment apparatus
Publication Date: 2026.01.21 RESMED PTY LTD
  • EP4112110B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4112110B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4112110B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A data storage medium comprising processor control instructions for controlling operation of a processor to perform an automated processing method to determine a signal indicative of patient respiration for synchronization of a respiratory treatment apparatus, the method comprising: determining a first inspiratory flow measure with a flow sensor; determining a second inspiratory flow measure; and determining, with a processor, a patient respiration measure as a function of the first inspiratory flow measure, the second inspiratory flow measure and an estimate of respiratory resistance and compliance derived from an expiratory portion of a flow measure of the flow sensor, the patient respiratory measure representing patient respiratory muscle effort; and determining a timing for switching a pressure treatment based on the respiration measure.