Patent ID: 8469026

Claim:
A control unit for a ventilator configured for connection to a patient for breathing therapy, said control unit comprising: a first control input that receives, via an electrical path from a first detector, at least one bioelectrical signal representing electrical activity generated in the patient due to breathing by the patient; control circuitry supplied with said at least one bioelectrical signal and configured to operate a pneumatic unit of the ventilator in a first mode in which a first mode control signal is generated from the electrical activity represented by said bioelectric signal; a control output configured to output the first mode control signal to the pneumatic unit; a second control input that receives, from a second detector, a breathing parameter related to mechanical breathing dynamics of the patient; and said control circuitry being configured to determine when said bioelectrical signal is absent from said first control input and to analyze said breathing parameter to determine whether the absence of the bioelectric signal from said first control input is due to disruption of said electrical path, if so, to switch from operating said pneumatic unit in said first mode to operate said pneumatic unit in a second mode in which a second mode control signal is generated from the mechanical breathing dynamics related to said breathing parameter, and in which said control output outputs said second control signal to said pneumatic unit.