Patent ID: 7282032

Claim:
A self-contained diagnostic device for measuring a respiratory parameter of a subject having lungs with a capacity comprising: a portable housing including a tube defining a chamber; at least one of a mouthpiece and a mask releasably secured to said housing and in fluid communication with said chamber; at least one of an airflow sensor and a pressure sensor disposed in said housing in fluid communication with said chamber and adapted to measure at least one of airflow and pressure within the chamber; a pump disposed substantially entirely in said housing, said pump operated in an active mode and passive mode, said pump in said active mode enabling the subject to perform tidal breathing, said pump in said passive mode generating a gas flow of respiratory gas that travels through said chamber to the at least one of a mouthpiece and a face mask so that the respiratory gas inflates the lungs of the subject to a pre-selected portion of the capacity, said pump ceasing to provide the gas flow into the lungs after the respiratory gas inflates the lungs of the subject to the pre-selected portion of the capacity, said pump incapable of automatically sustaining continuous normal tidal breathing for the subject for multiple breaths in either of said active mode and said passive mode; and means for assisting in diagnosis of reduced pulmonary function resulting from at least one of smoke exposure, biological substance exposure, chemical substance exposure and a disease affecting the lungs of the subject.