Abstract: Methods and apparatus may implement controlled generation of oxygen enriched air in an oxygen concentrator while implementing control that reduces pneumatic imbalance between the concentrator's canisters, such as dynamic pressure imbalance or other pneumatic characteristic. One or more controllers may regulate operation of a compressor that feeds a pressurised air stream to the concentrator's canisters. This may regulate speed of the compressor to a speed set point for generating the pressurised stream. The regulating may involve generating a compressor control signal having a characteristic parameter such as a power parameter. The controller(s) may operate valve(s) in a cyclic pattern so as to produce oxygen enriched air in an accumulator. A cycle of the cyclic pattern may include a plurality of phases, where each of the plurality of phases has a duration. The controller(s) may then generate a dynamic adjustment to the duration(s) based on an evaluation of the characteristic parameter.

Abstract: A method and system to manage a respiratory condition of a patient. An oxygen concentrator is configured to generate and deliver oxygen enriched air to the patient according to a selected dosage. The oxygen concentrator senses and collects physiological data of the patient and collects operational data during the generation and delivery of oxygen enriched air. The oxygen concentrator adjusts the dosage of oxygen enriched air based on the sensed physiological data. The oxygen concentrator transmits operational data and the physiological data to a health data analysis engine. The health data analysis engine collects the data transmitted by the oxygen concentrator. The health analysis engine detects a triggering event based on the collected data and determines an action to resolve the detected triggering event.

Abstract: Oxygen concentrator apparatus provides variation in therapy gas during a breathing cycle such as by varying flow rate and/or oxygen purity of enriched air. The apparatus may include a compressor and a valve set that operates sieve bed(s) for the enriching air and to vent exhaust gas from the bed(s). The therapy gas may include released enriched air and exhaust gas. The apparatus has a supply valve to selectively release enriched air from an accumulator via a primary path to a delivery conduit. The apparatus may include a secondary path, such as with a valve, to release a portion of exhaust gas to the delivery conduit. A controller actuates the valve set to produce the enriched air, and the supply valve to release enriched air to the delivery conduit. The controller may actuate the secondary valve in anti-sync with the supply valve to release exhaust gas to the delivery conduit.

Abstract: An oxygen concentrator (100) may have a moisture conditioning system. In some implementations, the concentrator includes a compressor to induce feed gas into the concentrator. A first pathway may receive the feed gas from the compression system. The first pathway may be configured to draw moisture to produce moisture reduced feed gas. The first pathway may lead the moisture reduced feed gas to sieve bed(s) which produce oxygen enriched air with the moisture reduced feed gas. An accumulator may be configured to receive the produced oxygen enriched air from the sieve bed(s). A second pathway from the accumulator may apply the drawn-out moisture to the produced enriched air to produce humidified enriched air. A third pathway may transfer the drawn-out moisture from the first pathway to the second pathway. An outlet coupled with the second pathway may release the humidified enriched air from the concentrator for a user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing the power consumption of an oxygen concentrator are disclosed. An oxygen concentration system may comprise a compression system, a canister system, one or more processors, and at least one of a pressure sensor or a movement sensor. The one or more processors may be configured to transition the oxygen concentration system to at least one of a prescribed mode of operation or a standby mode of operation. The timing of the transition may be based on at least one of a number of breaths detected from the pressure signals generated by the pressure sensor or an estimated energy content of the movement signal generated by the movement sensor. A predetermined volume or concentration of oxygen enriched air may be supplied to a user during the prescribed mode of operation. A reduced power may be provided to the compression system during the standby mode of operation.

Abstract: A user-replaceable receptacle for an oxygen concentrator includes a containment structure and a desiccant disposed within the containment structure. An inlet end of the containment structure allows feed gas to be introduced into the desiccant. An outlet end of the containment structure allows the feed gas to exit the containment structure. A connection mechanism couples the outlet end of the containment structure to a gas separation adsorbent. The connection mechanism is operable between an unconnected position and a connection position. The desiccant in the user-replaceable receptacle removes water moisture from the feed gas prior to exiting the outlet end of the containment structure, thereby reducing exposure of the gas separation adsorbent to water.

Abstract: A tank for accumulating oxygen enriched air from an oxygen concentration device is disclosed. The oxygen concentration device includes a canister including a nitrogen-adsorbent material. A compressor is coupled to the canister. The compressor compresses air for the canister to produce oxygen enriched air in a swing adsorption process. The tank includes a closed container for collecting oxygen enriched air produced in the canister. An inlet is coupled to the container. An outlet in the container allows a patient to inhale the collected oxygen enriched air. An adsorbent material within the container adsorbs oxygen enriched air added to the tank from the canister.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide controlled operations in an oxygen concentrator (100) such as by adjusting valve opening time to regulate amount of oxygen enriched air released to a user. The apparatus may generate, with a sensor configured to sense pressure at a location associated with accumulation of enriched air produced by the concentrator, a signal representing measured pressure of the accumulated enriched air. The apparatus may generate, with a sensor, a signal indicative of respiration of a user of the concentrator. The apparatus may include a controller configured to receive the measured pressure and respiration signals. The controller may control, responsive to the respiration indication and according to a target duration, actuation of a valve adapted to release a bolus of accumulated oxygen enriched air. The controller may dynamically determine the target duration during the release of the bolus according to a function of a value of the measured pressure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for producing oxygen enriched air using vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) are disclosed. In one implementation, an oxygen concentrator includes a canister system having at least one canister, a pumping system having at least one motor-controlled pump, a set of valves pneumatically coupling the canister system and the pumping system, and a controller. The canister is configured to receive a gas separation adsorbent. The controller is configured to control operation of the pumping system and the set of valves to: selectively pneumatically couple the motor-controlled pump and the canister so as to pressurize the canister and selectively pneumatically couple the motor-controlled pump and the canister so as to evacuate the canister.

Abstract: Oxygen concentrator methods and apparatus estimate sieve bed effective capacity. Estimation applies function(s) to a parameter of a measured pressure-time characteristic of the bed, characteristic of a phase of an adsorption cycle of the concentrator at a predetermined motor speed of its compression system. Estimation may involve operating the concentrator at a predetermined bed pressure and measuring a mass flow of gas entering or exiting the bed, and may use the measured mass flow and one or more functions. Estimation may involve a measured bed exhaust mass flow for a purge phase when bed pressure is regulated to maintain a predetermined target pressure using motor speed adjustment. The estimation may apply exhaust mass flow function(s) to the measured exhaust mass flow. Estimation of the effective capacity may involve applying motor speed function(s) to measured motor speed, such as an adjusted one for regulating canister pressure to achieve a target pressure.

Abstract: A sieve bed assembly for an oxygen concentration device is disclosed. The oxygen concentration device including a compressor compressing air. The sieve bed assembly includes a canister including an intake for connection to the compressor. A block of adsorbent material produces oxygen enriched air from the compressed air from the compressor in a swing adsorption process. An outlet is provided for drawing the produced oxygen enriched air.

Abstract: A battery cell housing and control system enables the use of liquid battery power systems in various applications, including downhole environments. The cell housing includes a plurality of conductive terminals spaced there-around to provide conductivity between the electrochemical solution and the load. Sensors provide orientation data to the control system to thereby determine which terminals should be activated to provide power to a load.

Abstract: A battery cell housing and control system enables the use of liquid battery power systems in various applications, including downhole environments. The cell housing includes a plurality of conductive terminals spaced there-around to provide conductivity between the electrochemical solution and the load. Sensors provide orientation data to the control system to thereby determine which terminals should be activated to provide power to a load.

Abstract: A battery cell housing and control system enables the use of liquid battery power systems in various applications, including downhole environments. The cell housing includes a plurality of conductive terminals spaced there-around to provide conductivity between the electrochemical solution and the load. Sensors provide orientation data to the control system to thereby determine which terminals should be activated to provide power to a load.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electronically coupling electronics in downhole tools without a harness is described. The apparatus includes one or more electronics boards, which may be disposed around a tool insert and electronically coupled using a backplane. The backplane may comprise one or more backplane segments, and each of the segments may comprise two printed circuit boards communicatively coupled to each other. The two printed circuit boards may be on opposite sides of a base metal ring and may be coupled to each other via connectors in a cavity of the base metal ring. Dampers may be placed between the base metal ring and each of the printed circuit boards. The printed circuit boards my optionally include an identification chip for storing information concerning the electronics boards coupled to the backplane. Additionally or alternatively, the printed circuit boards may optionally include active device chips that dynamically route signals based on which electronics boards are coupled to the backplane.

Abstract: A battery cell housing and control system enables the use of liquid battery power systems in various applications, including downhole environments. The cell housing includes a plurality of conductive terminals spaced there-around to provide conductivity between the electrochemical solution and the load. Sensors provide orientation data to the control system to thereby determine which terminals should be activated to provide power to a load.

Abstract: A terminal data stream (TDS) is received and converted in a pixel-based representation. The pixel-based representation is stored in a frame buffer and a video signal based on the contents of the frame buffer is provided to a video multiplexor. The video multiplexor is also coupled to a video signal from a computer system, and the video multiplexor routes the video signal from the frame buffer to a display device.

Abstract: A computer system detects that it is coupled to a pedestal having a cooling fan. The computer system signals the cooling fan of the pedestal to operate, and signals cooling fans within the computer system to operate at lower rotational speeds having lower acoustic levels.

Abstract: A terminal data stream (TDS) is received and converted in a pixel-based representation. The pixel-based representation is stored in a frame buffer and a video signal based on the contents of the frame buffer is provided to a video multiplexor. The video multiplexor is also coupled to a video signal from a computer system, and the video multiplexor routes the video signal from the frame buffer to a display device.

Abstract: A computer system detects that it is coupled to a pedestal having a cooling fan. The computer system signals the cooling fan of the pedestal to operate, and signals cooling fans within the computer system to operate at lower rotational speeds having lower acoustic levels.