Respiratory Therapy Interface Detection From Pressure-Flow Curves

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing respiratory therapy systems face challenges in accurately identifying components such as patient interfaces and estimating therapy parameters, leading to inefficiencies and increased complexity and cost, while also potentially creating compatibility issues and environmental waste.

Innovation Solution

The technology employs automated characterization of respiratory therapy systems through statistical analysis of sensor signals during therapy, allowing for robust leak flow rate estimation and adjustment of therapy properties based on identified patient interfaces, using pressure and flow rate signals to determine optimal treatment parameters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If automated characterization through statistical analysis of sensor signals is implemented, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent identification accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-characterization by automatically analyzing sensor signals from its own operation to identify patient interface components and estimate therapy parameters, eliminating the need for external manual identification procedures while improving measurement precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical identification methods with automated statistical analysis of pressure and flow rate sensor signals, using computational algorithms to characterize the respiratory therapy system and identify components based on signal patterns

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

2Productivity

If manual component identification and parameter estimation methods are used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity and therapy efficiency decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetherapy setup efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary characterization of the respiratory therapy system during initial setup by analyzing sensor signals to identify patient interface components and estimate therapy parameters before formal therapy begins, improving overall therapy setup efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from pressure and flow rate sensor signals during therapy operation to continuously monitor and identify patient interface components, adjusting therapy parameters based on the characterized system properties to improve therapy efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4045122B1Characterising systems for respiratory therapy
Publication Date: 2025.11.26 RESMED PTY LTD
  • EP4045122B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4045122B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4045122B1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

Apparatus and methods provide system characterisation such as for operation of respiratory treatment apparatus. Such a characterisation may include a determination of a patient interface type and/or an event such as a leak or blocked vent. For a characterisation, one or more controller(s) or processor(s) may be configured to make a determination of parameters that best fit a template curve, such as a quadratic function, to a plurality of measurements, such as data points. Each data point may include a pressure value, and a flow rate value at the pressure value. Parameters from the function may then be applied, such as with a data structure to characterize the system, such as with an identification of the patient interface type from the parameters. In some versions, parameter(s) of operation of the apparatus may be adjusted based on the characterisation, such as by using the parameters of the template.