Patent ID: 6135106
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
In a positive airway pressure apparatus including a gas delivery unit operable to deliver pressurized gas to a patient's airway during successive patient breath cycles, a sensor operably connected with said unit and a controller coupled with said sensor, the improvement which comprises:said sensor operable to measure a patient breath-indicating parameter selected from the group consisting of pressure, air flow direction and combinations thereof in said unit and to generate a sensor output corresponding to said parameter;said output presenting high and low peaks during a breath; andsaid controller receiving said sensor output for analyzing the output to determine use or non-use of the apparatus by the patient as a function of said measured parameter and operable for analyzing said peaks and comparing said peaks to peak data representative of previous breaths of the patient for determining whether current high and low peaks are representative of an actual breath.