Patent ID: 6186142
Filing Date: 2001-02-13
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A method of delivering respiratory oxygen to a patient comprising:providing an oxygen delivery system comprising an oxygen delivery device, a respiration sensor, and an oxygen source;placing the delivery device in fluid communication with the respiration sensor and monitoring variations in respiration with the respiration sensor to determine when the patient is inhaling;placing the oxygen source in fluid communication with the delivery device;delivering oxygen to the delivery device from the oxygen source when the patient is inhaling;removing the respiration sensor from fluid communication with the delivery device when delivering oxygen to the delivery device from the oxygen source;placing the respiration sensor in fluid communication with the delivery device after delivering oxygen to the delivery device from the oxygen source;monitoring variations in respiration with the respiration sensor after delivering oxygen to the delivery device from the oxygen source to determine when the patient is exhaling;resuming the monitoring of variations in respiration with the respiration sensor to determine that the patient is inhaling after determining that the patient has exhaled; andmonitoring a signal produced by the respiration sensor when it is not in fluid communication with the delivery device; andcompensating for drift in the signal generated by the respiration sensor based on the monitoring when the respiration sensor is not in fluid communication with the delivery device.