Patent ID: 7900626

Claim:
A system for controlling breathing of a patient, comprising: a respiratory conduit configured to be coupled to a patient interface device and to a pressurized air generating device; said respiratory conduit includes at least three air flow control devices, each of said air flow control devices comprises an orifice being in communication with ambient air, said airflow control devices being positioned between said patient interface device and said pressurized air generating device; and said respiratory conduit includes at least two volumes, wherein one volume is positioned between a first air flow control device and a second air flow control device and another volume is positioned between a second air flow control device and a third air flow control device, wherein said volumes are partial dead space volumes configured to accumulate at least a portion of breath expired by the patient, wherein said air flow control devices and said volumes are configured to control a rate of excretion of carbon dioxide from said respiratory conduit and a concentration of said carbon dioxide in blood of the patient, wherein said air flow control devices and said volumes are configured to allow a range of amounts of said carbon dioxide excreted from said respiratory conduit to be substantially equal to a range of production of said carbon dioxide by the patient during a period of time, wherein said first air flow control device is configured to allow an escape of an amount of said carbon dioxide that is lower than or equal to said amount of said carbon dioxide produced by the patient during a period of time, and wherein said second air flow control device is configured to allow an escape of an amount of said carbon dioxide that is based on i) said amount of carbon dioxide allowed to escape from said first air flow control device, and ii) a maximum total amount of carbon dioxide produced by the patient during a period of time.