A ventilation device having at least one compressed gas source for respiratory gas and a sensor unit for determining respiratory gas flow and a control unit as well as a memory, wherein the control unit comprises: - a course analyzer which is configured to ascertain a course of at least one signal recorded by the sensor unit and to temporarily store said course in the memory; - a contour analyzer which is configured and designed to recognize the presence or absence of particular respiratory states or ventilation states from the course of the current time period; - a breathing pattern analyzer which is configured and designed to ascertain an individual breathing pattern of a patient from at least two of the courses by means of weighted averaging of individual breathing patterns, wherein the weighting depends on the states recognized by the contour analyzer; - a transformation function which is configured to convert the individual breathing pattern into a pressure profile by means of at least one mathematical map, and in the process also taking into account specifications of a user which are read in via an operating element or an operating and information system or an interface of the device, wherein - the pressure profile takes into account the individual breathing pattern and the specifications of a user and wherein - the pressure profile comprises a sequence of pressure levels and/or pressure waveforms and/or pressure plateaus and/or pressure ramps which substantially reflect, at least partially, corresponding parts, for example the frequency and/or the I/E ratio and/or the minute volume and/or inspirations and expirations, of the patient's breathing from the course and/or the breathing pattern; and - a pressure profile applicator which is configured to actuate the compressed gas source taking into account the pressure profile, wherein - the pressure profile applicator optimizes the provided pressure profile for the momentary course of the breath based on the results of the course analyzer and from that continuously transfers the momentary target pressure to the compressed gas source. - a course analyzer which is configured to ascertain a course of at least one signal recorded by the sensor unit and to temporarily store said course in the memory; - a contour analyzer which is configured and designed to recognize the presence or absence of particular respiratory states or ventilation states from the course of the current time period; - a breathing pattern analyzer which is configured and designed to ascertain an individual breathing pattern of a patient from at least two of the courses by means of weighted averaging of individual breathing patterns, wherein the weighting depends on the states recognized by the contour analyzer; - a transformation function which is configured to convert the individual breathing pattern into a pressure profile by means of at least one mathematical map, and in the process also taking into account specifications of a user which are read in via an operating element or an operating and information system or an interface of the device, wherein - the pressure profile takes into account the individual breathing pattern and the specifications of a user and wherein - the pressure profile comprises a sequence of pressure levels and/or pressure waveforms and/or pressure plateaus and/or pressure ramps which substantially reflect, at least partially, corresponding parts, for example the frequency and/or the I/E ratio and/or the minute volume and/or inspirations and expirations, of the patient's breathing from the course and/or the breathing pattern; and - a pressure profile applicator which is configured to actuate the compressed gas source taking into account the pressure profile, wherein - the pressure profile applicator optimizes the provided pressure profile for the momentary course of the breath based on the results of the course analyzer and from that continuously transfers the momentary target pressure to the compressed gas source.