Patent ID: 7734350

Claim:
A respiration stimulation apparatus for use during sleep, comprising: a detector configured to measure a respiratory cycle of a user during sleep and provide an output signal indicative of the respiratory cycle; a control device in communication with the detector, the control device receiving the output signal from the detector to monitor the respiratory cycle of the user, the control device comprising: an amplifier that amplifies the output signal received from the detector; a wave shaping circuit in communication with the amplifier, the wave shaping circuit changing the amplified output signal into a shaped signal indicative of the respiratory cycle; and a pause unit in communication with the wave shaping circuit, the pause unit analyzing the shaped signal received from the wave shaping circuit to determine a duration of the respiratory cycle and comparing the determined duration of the respiratory cycle to a preset period of time, if the determined duration exceeds the preset period of time then the pause unit activates a signal generator in communication with the pause unit; and a stimulator in communication with signal generator, the stimulator configured to apply an audible acoustic stimulus to an acoustic nerve of the user upon receipt of the signal from the signal generator during sleep.