Patent ID: 7997272

Claim:
A method of operating a ventilator assembly that includes a conduit providing inhalation and exhalation passages communicating with one another, and a respiration assembly capable of performing respiratory cycles including (1) an inhalation phase during which (a) a proportionally controlled inhalation valve communicating with the inhalation passage is relatively open for the passage of gas therethrough into the inhalation passage and to a patient, and (b) a proportionally controlled exhalation valve between the exhalation passage and an exhalation outlet in the ventilator assembly is relatively closed, and (2) an exhalation phase having a talking mode during which the proportionally controlled inhalation valve is relatively closed, restricting inhalation gas from the patient and the atmosphere, and the exhalation valve is relatively closed, and a non-talking mode during which the proportionally controlled inhalation valve is relatively closed, restricting inhalation gas from the patient and the atmosphere, and the proportionally controlled exhalation valve is relatively open, the method comprising acts of: operating the respiration assembly through respiratory cycles by a respiration assembly controller controlling the proportionally controlled inhalation and exhalation valves so that during the inhalation phase, the gas in the inhalation passage flows through a tube into the patient's airway and lungs with the tube inserted below the patient's vocal cords, and during the exhalation phase, the proportionally controlled exhalation valve is maintained relatively closed and the patient is allowed to exhale the gases in the patient's airway and lungs, around the tube and past the patient's vocal cords and out of the patient's mouth, thereby facilitating the patient's ability to speak, and monitoring the pressure within at least one of the passages during the inhalation and exhalation phases for purposes of determining a pressure within the patient for use in operating the ventilator assembly by controlling at least one of the proportionally controlled inhalation and exhalation valves, to regulate a desired pressure in at least one of the passages and the patient during both phases, further assisting the patient to talk during the exhalation phase.