Ventilation Signal Synchronization for Home Therapy Supervision

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ventilation systems face challenges in synchronizing ventilation signals with diagnostic signals for therapy supervision, requiring complex manual synchronization efforts and often inaccurate synchronization due to differing internal clocks, necessitating visits to sleep laboratories or technical personnel for data evaluation.

Innovation Solution

A ventilation system with a synchronization unit that automatically synchronizes ventilation and diagnostic signals by identifying signal changes caused by the same events, using a synchronization unit to align time curves and allowing for manual fine adjustments, enabling synchronization without synchronized clocks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual synchronization of ventilation and diagnostic signals is performed, then synchronization accuracy can be improved, but the complexity of operation and time required increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronization accuracyVSAvoidoperational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-synchronization by automatically detecting common signal changes in both ventilation and diagnostic signals that originate from the same physiological events. The synchronization unit independently identifies corresponding features without requiring manual intervention, allowing the system to synchronize itself autonomously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical synchronization operations with an automated electronic signal processing system. The synchronization unit uses algorithmic detection and comparison of signal features to automatically align time curves, substituting human operators with computational methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Device complexity

If internal clocks of ventilator and diagnostic device are used for synchronization, then the synchronization process can be simplified, but synchronization accuracy deteriorates due to clock speed differences

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronization structureVSAvoidsynchronization accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The synchronization unit acts as an intermediary that receives both ventilation and diagnostic signals, detects common features in each signal type independently, and then uses these detected features as reference points to align the time curves. This intermediary processing step eliminates direct dependence on internal clock synchronization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a copy of the time relationship between physiological events as reflected in the ventilation signals and uses this copied temporal structure to align the diagnostic signals. By copying the temporal pattern from one signal type to another, the system achieves synchronization without relying on clock accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If therapy supervision is conducted in a sleep laboratory with extensive sensor networks, then data synchronization can be achieved, but patient comfort and accessibility deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata synchronizationVSAvoidpatient accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the essential synchronization function from the complex sleep laboratory environment and implements it in a standalone synchronization unit that can operate with portable diagnostic devices at home. By taking out the core synchronization capability, the system enables therapy supervision in comfortable home settings without requiring full laboratory infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of operation

If automated synchronization is implemented, then operational effort is reduced, but the reliability of synchronization may deteriorate without proper validation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational effortVSAvoidsynchronization reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The synchronization unit incorporates feedback mechanisms that validate the detected signal changes and the resulting synchronization. By continuously monitoring whether detected features correspond to actual physiological events and adjusting the synchronization accordingly, the system ensures reliable automated operation without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12521505B2Ventilation system comprising at least one ventilator and at least one diagnosis device and method of operating

Publication Date: 2026.01.13 LOWENSTEIN MEDICAL TECH SA

AI summary

Ventilation system (having a ventilator and having a diagnostic device, wherein the ventilator comprises a ventilation unit for generating a respiratory gas flow for ventilation and a detection unit (for detecting a ventilation signal characteristic for the respiratory gas flow over time. The diagnostic device comprises a sensor unit for detecting a diagnostic signal over time. The synchronization unit is operationally connected to the detection unit and the sensor unit and is suitable and configured for studying a time curve of the ventilation signal and a time curve of the diagnostic signal respectively for a signal change caused by the same event and bringing the curve of the ventilation signal and the curve of the diagnostic signal into chronological correspondence so that the event occurs simultaneously in both signal curves.