Abstract: A breathing assistance system for providing breathing assistance to a patient includes a gas delivery system configured to generate a gas flow, a patient interface configured to interface with the patient, a connection system connected between the gas delivery system and the patient interface and configured to communicate the gas flow to the patient interface for delivery to the patient, and a sensor system remote from the gas delivery system and connected to at least one of the patient interface and the connection system. The sensor system may include a sensor for measuring a parameter, one or more actuators, and a power supply based on a turbine configured to be driven by the gas flow and an electrical generator coupled to the turbine and configured to generate electricity.

Abstract: A breathing assistance system for providing breathing assistance to a patient is provided. The breathing assistance system may include a ventilation system for supplying a gas flow, a conduit operatively coupled to the ventilation system, and a pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure of the gas flow through the conduit. The pressure sensor may include a structure configured to create a localized pressure drop in the gas flow proximate the pressure sensor structure.

Abstract: A method for determining the respiratory flow of a patient receiving bi-level respiratory therapy is provided. The method may include measuring the total air flow through a breathing area at a time approximately when the patient has completed exhalation, measuring the pressure in the breathing area, determining a constant representing a corrective flow factor by dividing the measured total air flow by the square root of the measured pressure, and determining the patient's respiratory flow by subtracting from a subsequent total air flow the product of constant and the square root of a subsequent pressure.

Abstract: A breathing assistance system configured to determine pressure drop may include a gas delivery system configured to deliver gas toward a patient, one or more sensors configured to measure one or more parameters of gas delivered by the gas delivery system, a calibration module, and a pressure drop calculation module. The calibration module may be configured to perform one or more pressure drop calibration tests, each pressure drop calibration test measuring a pressure drop in gas flowing through a breathing assistance system apparatus at a particular flow rate; and based at least on the results of the one or more pressure drop calibration tests, generating a non-linear equation relating (a) pressure drop in gas flowing through the breathing assistance system apparatus with (b) flow rate of gas flowing through the breathing assistance system apparatus.

Abstract: A breathing assistance system for providing breathing assistance to a patient is provided. The breathing assistance system may include a ventilation system for supplying a gas flow, a conduit operatively coupled to the ventilation system, and a pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure of the gas flow through the conduit. The pressure sensor may include a structure configured to create a localized pressure drop in the gas flow proximate the pressure sensor structure.

Abstract: A breathing assistance system for providing breathing assistance to a patient is provided. The breathing assistance system may include a ventilation system for supplying a gas flow, a conduit operatively coupled to the ventilation system, and a pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure of the gas flow through the conduit. The pressure sensor may include a structure configured to create a localized pressure drop in the gas flow proximate the pressure sensor structure.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for controlling air supplied under pressure to a patient suffering from sleep disorders such as apnoea. The apparatus measures and/or calculates the inspiratory air flow, volume and pressure to the airway. Controlled pressurized air is supplied to the patient's upper anatomical airway, wherein the apparatus measures the air flow and pressure to the airway. The apparatus determines whether to increase or decrease the pressure to the patient's airway based on a determination of one or more factors, such as the occurrence of hypopnoea, hyperventilation, obstructive or central apnoea, air leakage and acoustical vibrations. Occurrences of events representing a sleep problem may be stored by the apparatus and retrieved by a clinician at a later date.

Abstract: A breathing assistance system for providing breathing assistance to a patient includes a gas delivery system configured to generate a gas flow, a patient interface configured to interface with the patient, a connection system connected between the gas delivery system and the patient interface and configured to communicate the gas flow to the patient interface for delivery to the patient, and a sensor system remote from the gas delivery system and connected to at least one of the patient interface and the connection system. The sensor system may include a sensor for measuring a parameter, one or more actuators, and a power supply based on a turbine configured to be driven by the gas flow and an electrical generator coupled to the turbine and configured to generate electricity.

Abstract: A breathing assistance system includes a gas delivery system that generates a gas flow, a fluid source (e.g., a humidifier system or supplemental gas supply) located downstream from the gas delivery system that humidifies the gas flow generated by the gas delivery system, a gas flow conduit system for communicating the gas flow from the gas delivery system, and a flow regulation device. The flow regulation device is physically moveable between (a) an operational position that allows the gas flow generated by the gas delivery system to flow downstream past the flow regulation device via the gas flow conduit system, and (b) a protection position that prevents gasses and liquids flowing upstream through the gas flow conduit system from reaching the gas delivery system, and instead directs such gasses and liquids through an exhaust opening in the gas flow conduit system.

Abstract: A breathing assistance system for providing breathing assistance to a patient is provided. The breathing assistance system may include a ventilation system for supplying a gas flow, a conduit operatively coupled to the ventilation system, and a pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure of the gas flow through the conduit. The pressure sensor may include a structure configured to create a localized pressure drop in the gas flow proximate the pressure sensor structure.

Abstract: A breathing assistance system configured to determine pressure drop may include a gas delivery system configured to deliver gas toward a patient, one or more sensors configured to measure one or more parameters of gas delivered by the gas delivery system, a calibration module, and a pressure drop calculation module. The calibration module may be configured to perform one or more pressure drop calibration tests, each pressure drop calibration test measuring a pressure drop in gas flowing through a breathing assistance system apparatus at a particular flow rate; and based at least on the results of the one or more pressure drop calibration tests, generating a non-linear equation relating (a) pressure drop in gas flowing through the breathing assistance system apparatus with (b) flow rate of gas flowing through the breathing assistance system apparatus.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for delivering pressurized gas to an airway of a subject. The disclosure also provides a system for delivering pressurized gas to an airway of a subject. The disclosure further provides a computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions executable on a processor that include routines to monitor a respiratory flow rate from a subject, generate a filtered flow and a dynamic flow from the respiratory flow rate, and control a gas generator connected to a breathing device.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for controlling air supplied under pressure to a patient suffering from sleep disorders such as apnoea. The apparatus measures and/or calculates the inspiratory air flow, volume and pressure to the airway. Controlled pressurized air is supplied to the patient's upper anatomical airway, wherein the apparatus measures the air flow and pressure to the airway. The apparatus determines whether to increase or decrease the pressure to the patient's airway based on a determination of one or more factors, such as the occurrence of hypopnoea, hyperventilation, obstructive or central apnoea, air leakage and acoustical vibrations. Occurrences of events representing a sleep problem may be stored by the apparatus and retrieved by a clinician at a later date.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for controlling air supplied under pressure to a patient suffering from sleep disorders such as apnoea. The apparatus measures and/or calculates the inspiratory air flow, volume and pressure to the airway. Controlled pressurized air is supplied to the patient's upper anatomical airway, wherein the apparatus measures the air flow and pressure to the airway. The apparatus determines whether to increase or decrease the pressure to the patient's airway based on a determination of one or more factors, such as the occurrence of hypopnoea, hyperventilation, obstructive or central apnoea, air leakage and acoustical vibrations. Occurrences of events representing a sleep problem may be stored by the apparatus and retrieved by a clinician at a later date.

Abstract: A method for providing positive airway pressure treatment may include delivering breathing gas toward a patient at a first pressure, detecting one or more sleep respiratory events associated with the patient, and in response to detecting the one or more sleep respiratory events, automatically triggering a ramp function to increase the pressure of the breathing gas delivered toward the patient from the first pressure to a second pressure at a predetermined rate.

Abstract: A method for determining the respiratory flow of a patient receiving bi-level respiratory therapy is provided. The method may include measuring the total air flow through a breathing area at a time approximately when the patient has completed exhalation, measuring the pressure in the breathing area, determining a constant representing a corrective flow factor by dividing the measured total air flow by the square root of the measured pressure, and determining the patient's respiratory flow by subtracting from a subsequent total air flow the product of constant and the square root of a subsequent pressure.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for controlling air supplied under pressure to a patient suffering from sleep disorders such as apnoea. The apparatus measures and/or calculates the inspiratory air flow, volume and pressure to the airway. Controlled pressurized air is supplied to the patient's upper anatomical airway, wherein the apparatus measures the air flow and pressure to the airway. The apparatus determines whether to increase or decrease the pressure to the patient's airway based on a determination of one or more factors, such as the occurrence of hypopnoea, hyperventilation, obstructive or central apnoea, air leakage and acoustical vibrations. Occurrences of events representing a sleep problem may be stored by the apparatus and retrieved by a clinician at a later date.

Abstract: Controlled pressurized air is supplied to the upper anatomical airways of a patient suffering from a sleep disorder, such as apnoea. The apparatus measures the air flow and pressure to the airway, and determines whether to increase or decrease the pressure based on a determination of several factors, such is the occurrence of hypopnoea, hyperventilation, air leakage and acoustical vibrations. The method of controlling the pressure includes determining a mean amplitude of the flow of air to the patient during a predetermined number of respiratory cycles. A hypopnoea time counter is incremented when the amplitude of the flow of air during a current respiratory cycle is less than the mean amplitude of the flow of air multiplied by a hypopnoea factor. The pressure of the flow of air to the patient is increased when the hypopnoea time counter is greater than or equal to a hypopnoea time threshold.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling air supplied under pressure to a patient suffering from sleep disorders such as apnoea. Controlled pressurized air is supplied to the patient's upper anatomical airways by the apparatus according to the methods of the present invention. The apparatus measures the air flow and pressure to the airway, and determines whether to increase or decrease the pressure based on a determination of several factors, such as the occurrence of an obstructive or central apnoea, hyperventilation, air leakage and acoustical vibrations. Occurrences of apnoeas may be stored by the apparatus and read by a clinician at a later date.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling air supplied under pressure to a patient suffering from sleep disorders such as apnoea. Controlled pressurized air is supplied to the patient's upper anatomical airways by the apparatus according to the methods of the present invention. The apparatus measures and/or calculates the inspiratory air flow, volume and pressure to the airway. The apparatus further determines whether to increase or decrease the airway pressure based on a determination of several factors, such as the occurrence events representing a sleep problem, duration of inspiratory air flow, correspondence of the inspiratory air flow curve to a sinusoidal curve, air leakage and acoustical vibrations. Occurrences of events representing a sleep problem may be stored by the apparatus and read by a clinician at a later date.