The present system relates to a system for monitoring the performance of a gas flow module which determines flow characteristics of a gas flow for example to a system for performing automated pneumatic testing of a gas flow module such as a respiration gas flow module, and a method of operation thereof.
Typically, ventilation systems provide a ventilation gas mixture to mechanically ventilate a patient coupled thereto. Characteristics of this gas mixture such as volume, flow, and pressure can be determined using a flow sensor. Conventional flow sensors incorporate a pneumatic system that can leak and, as such, require manual testing using a suitable tester such as a manually operated syringe on a periodic basis to detect leaks. Unfortunately, manual testing of pneumatic systems is difficult and time consuming to perform, especially when performed in the field. For example, conventional pneumatic system testing methods which use the manually-operated syringe require a user to manually manipulate the syringe to pressurize a pneumatic system and thereafter manually check for leaks. Unfortunately, this test can only detect a single failure mode and results that can often vary. Accordingly, embodiments of the present system may overcome these and other disadvantages in the prior art systems.
The system(s), device(s), method(s), arrangements(s), user interface(s), computer program(s), processes, etc. (hereinafter each of which will be referred to as system, unless the context indicates otherwise), described herein address problems in prior art systems.
In accordance with embodiments of the present system, there is disclosed a gas flow monitoring system for monitoring a gas flow such as a ventilation gas flow. The gas flow monitoring system may include at least one port, pressure sensors, a pneumatic system, valves, and a pump, such as a suitable automatic system for creating pneumatic flow, vacuum and/or pressure. The system may include a controller configured to: control the pump and the valves to pressurize at least a portion of the pneumatic system when in a test mode; obtain sensor information indicating pressure within at least a portion of the pneumatic system; and determine whether a leak test fails based upon at least the sensor information. In accordance with embodiments, the controller may be configured to render results of the determination indicating whether the leak test has failed. The at least one port may include a gas flow portion, for example positioned proximal to the patient though in accordance with embodiments of the present system, may be positioned otherwise. Further, the gas flow monitoring system may determine whether a test mode is selected, and may enter the test mode when it is determined that the test mode is selected.
In accordance with embodiments, the controller may be configured to determine whether an accessory is coupled to the at least one port. The controller may be configured to determine a type of accessory when it is determined that an accessory is coupled to the at least one port. The accessory may include identification information which identifies a type of the accessory. The controller may be configured to read the identification information from the accessory portion. The controller may be configured to identify a type of accessory based upon the identification information. The controller may be configured to determine that the test mode is selected when the type of accessory is determined to be a test type. The controller may be configured to determine whether a breath analysis mode is selected based on the identified type of accessory. The controller may further be configured to control the pump and the valves to obtain a sample gas flow from a patient interface when it is determined that a breath analysis mode is selected.
In accordance with embodiments of the present system, the controller may be configured to render results of the determination of whether the leak test fails. When the breath analysis mode is selected, the controller may be configured to determine whether a recent test mode has previously failed. The controller may be configured to terminate the breath analysis mode when it is determined that the recent test mode has previously failed.
In accordance with embodiments, there is disclosed a method for monitoring a gas flow such as a ventilation gas flow in a system having pressure sensors, a pneumatic system, valves, and a pump. The method may include acts of: configuring the pump and the valves to pressurize at least a portion of the pneumatic system when in a test mode; obtaining sensor information indicating pressure within at least a portion of the pneumatic system, when in the test mode; and determining whether a leak test fails based upon at least the sensor information. The method may include acts of determining whether an accessory is coupled to the at least one port; and determining a type of accessory when it is determined that an accessory is coupled to the at least one port. The method may include an act of determining that the test mode is selected when the type of accessory is determined to be a test type.
In accordance with embodiments, there is disclosed a computer readable non-transitory medium having computer readable program code for operating on a computer for performing a method of monitoring a gas flow in a system having at least one port, pressure sensors, a pneumatic system, valves, and a pump, the method comprising acts configuring the pump and the valves to pressurize at least a portion of the pneumatic system when in a test mode; obtaining sensor information indicating pressure within at least a portion of the pneumatic system, when in the test mode; and determining whether a leak test fails based upon at least the sensor information. The medium may include computer readable program code for determining whether an accessory is coupled to the at least one port; and determining a type of accessory when it is determined that an accessory is coupled to the at least one port. The medium may include computer readable program code for determining that the test mode is selected when the type of accessory is determined to be a test type.
The present invention is explained in further detail in the following exemplary embodiments and with reference to the figures, where identical or similar elements are partly indicated by the same or similar reference numerals, and the features of various exemplary embodiments being combinable. In the drawings:
The following are descriptions of illustrative embodiments that when taken in conjunction with the following drawings will demonstrate the above noted features and advantages, as well as further ones. In the following description, for purposes of explanation rather than limitation, illustrative details are set forth such as architecture, interfaces, techniques, element attributes, etc. However, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments that depart from these details would still be understood to be within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, for the purpose of clarity, detailed descriptions of well known devices, circuits, tools, techniques, and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the present system. It should be expressly understood that the drawings are included for illustrative purposes and do not represent the entire scope of the present system. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numbers in different drawings may designate similar elements.
The sensor 100 may include a gas flow portion (PFP) 102 having a flow receptacle portion (FRP) 104 that may be shaped and/or sized or otherwise configured to be coupled to an accessory (AP) 106 as described herein. In accordance with embodiments of the present system, the gas flow sensor may be coupled or otherwise positioned proximate to a patient for supplying a gas flow to the patient. In accordance with further embodiments the gas flow sensor may be otherwise positioned (e.g., not be proximal to the patient).
The accessory 106 may include a gas flow receptacle and an identification (ID) portion 108. The ID portion may include ID information related to characteristics of the accessory 106 such as, for example, one or more of serial number, type, date of manufacture, operating parameters, etc. The serial number may identify a serial number of the accessory 106 or portions thereof. The type ID may identify the accessory's type (e.g., type 1=test portion, type 2=patient interface, etc.). The ID information may be stored in any suitable format such as in a memory of the system such as a memory of the accessory 106 so that the ID information may be read by the gas flow portion 102 for example when coupled together and/or otherwise when desired, programmed, etc. With regard to the type ID information, this information may identify a type of the interface portion such as a patient-type interface (PTI) or a test-type interface (TTI) as illustratively described herein. Although two different types of interface portions are described herein, it should be understood that other types of interfaces such as may be defined by the system, process and/or user are also contemplated in accordance with embodiments of the present system.
For example,
With reference to
With reference to
In accordance with embodiments of the present system the gas flow receptacles (e.g., 108 and 162) may be shaped and/or sized so as to form a mechanical key which may identify a type of the corresponding interface (e.g., test-type interface or patient-type interface). This mechanical key may then trigger a sensor (e.g., a micro switch) to indicate its presence and/or identify the interface type (e.g., patient-type, test-type). For example, the gas flow receptacle 162 of the test-type interface 160 may be shaped and/or sized to trigger a first micro-switch and the gas flow receptacle 108 of the patient-type interface 150 may be shaped and/or sized to trigger a second micro-switch when coupled to the receptacle portion 104 of the gas flow portion 102. In accordance with embodiments of the present system, a controller of the system may utilize the mechanical key, such as through operation of the micro-switches, to determine whether a gas flow receptacle is coupled to the receptacle 104 of the gas flow portion 102 and/or may determine the type of the corresponding interface (e.g., patient-type or test-type interface) such as based upon which micro-switch is triggered and/or not triggered. Accordingly, these sensors (e.g., micro switches) may provide sensor information to the controller for operation in accordance with embodiments of the present system.
Referring back to
The flow receptacle portion 104 may include flow ports 108-1-108-N (generally 108-x) (where N is an integer greater than 1 such that there may be two or more flow ports which may be coupled to a pneumatics portion 110 of the gas flow portion 102.
In accordance with embodiments of the present system, the controller 112 may control the overall operation of the gas flow portion 102. For example, the sensors 114 may be operative under the control of the controller 112 to detect conditions such as one or more of temperature, pressure (e.g., differential pressure), and flow external to and/or within the pneumatic portion 110 and form corresponding sensor information which may be provided to the controller 112 for further processing.
In accordance with embodiments, the sensors 114 may further include identification (ID) sensors such as mechanical, electrical, magnetic and/or optical sensors which may detect an identification (ID) of the accessory 106. The ID of the accessory 106 may include desired information such as a serial number, a type (e.g., test accessory, gas sampling accessory, etc.), etc. Accordingly, the sensors 114 may determine an ID of the accessory 106, form corresponding ID information, and provide this ID information to the controller 112 for further processing. In this way, the controller 112 utilizing the ID information may then determine a type of the accessory (106, 106′).
The pump 116 may include one or more pumps operative under the control of the controller 112 to pump gasses to and/or from the pneumatic portion 110 coupled thereto. Accordingly, the pump 116 may pump gasses to and/or from the pneumatics portion 110 to, for example, pressurize and/or evacuate the pneumatics portion 110. For example, in accordance with embodiments, the pump 116 may pump atmospheric air and/or supplemented gases (e.g., one or more of supplemental, oxygen, nitrogen, water vapor, etc.) into the pneumatics portion 110 under the control of the controller 112. In yet other embodiments, the pump 116 may evacuate gasses within the pneumatics portion 110 and discharge the evacuated gases to a desired location and/or into the atmosphere. The pump 116 may include any suitable pump which may generate a pneumatic flow, pressure, and/or vacuum under the control of the controller 112.
The reservoir 118 may be shaped and/or sized so as to have a desired interior volume which may form one or more reservoirs for gasses within the pneumatics portion 110 coupled thereto. In accordance with embodiments, the reservoir may be integrally located within a conduit of the pneumatics portion 110 and/or may be distributed, if desired.
The valves 120 may be coupled to the pneumatics portion 110 and may be operative under the control of the controller 112 to control the flow of gasses within the pneumatics portion 110. The valves 120 may include any suitable valves such as solenoid operated pneumatic valves or the like. The filter 122 may include one or more filters coupled to the pneumatics portion 110 and which may be operative to condition gasses provided to the filter 122 and output conditioned gas. The conditioning may include, for example, filtering, drying, etc., as may be desired.
The accessory 406 may include a test-type accessory such as may be coupled to the flow receptacle portion 404. For example, assuming the accessory is a test-type accessory it may include a reservoir 464 which is similar to the reservoir 164 as shown in
Generally,
As stated, in a case wherein the airway pressure sensor does not charge to the specified airway pressure (e.g., the airway sensor does not reach and/or maintain a predetermined pressure indication), then the leak test may be determined to have failed and an indication to that effect may be rendered as described herein. Further, once the system is charged to the specified pressure, in accordance with embodiments, to allow the system pressure to settle the system may wait a period of time, such as 10 seconds. After the period, the pressure may be monitored for a further period of time to determine whether the pressure drops in the further period (e.g., 10 seconds). For example, in a case wherein the pressure drops, for example by more than 15 cmH2O in 10 seconds, then the leak test may be determined to have failed and an indication to that effect may be rendered such as “LEAK TEST OF VALVE V2 HAS FAILED”.
As stated, in a case wherein the airway pressure sensor does not charge to the specified airway pressure (e.g., the airway sensor does not reach and/or maintain a predetermined pressure indication), then the leak test may be determined to have failed and an indication to that effect may be rendered as described herein. Further, once the system is charged to the specified pressure, in accordance with embodiments, to allow the system pressure to settle the system may wait a period of time, such as 10 seconds. After the period, the pressure may be monitored for a further period of time to determine whether the pressure drops in the further period (e.g., 10 seconds). For example, in a case wherein the pressure drops, for example by more than 15 cmH2O in the 10 seconds, then the leak may be determined to have failed and an indication to that effect may be rendered such as “LEAK TEST OF VALVE V1 HAS FAILED”.
During act 503 the process may determine whether an accessory such as a patient-type interface or test-type interface (e.g., which may be respectively similar to the patient-type and test type interfaces 150 and 160, respectively) are coupled to a flow receptacle portion (e.g., 104, 304, 404) of a gas flow portion (e.g., 102). Accordingly, in a case wherein it is determined that the accessory is coupled to the flow receptacle of the gas flow portion, the process may continue to act 505. However, in a case wherein it is determined that an accessory is not coupled to the flow receptacle of the gas flow portion, the process may repeat act 503. In accordance with embodiments of the present system, the process may determine that an accessory is coupled to the flow receptacle portion using any suitable method such as by recognizing an ID of the accessory, by determining resistance of the accessory, querying (e.g., interrogating) an RFID chip of an accessory, mechanical keying methods, etc. For example, in accordance with embodiments, the process may control an RFID interrogator to query an RFID ID code from the accessory when it is coupled to, or in close proximity to, the gas flow portion. In yet other embodiments, mechanical sensors or optical code readers may be employed to read an ID of an accessory coupled to a gas flow portion. During act 505, the process may determine an operating mode based upon the ID of the accessory identified during act 503. For example, the ID may include identification of the type of accessory such as identifying whether the accessory is a patient-type interface or a test-type interface.
In accordance with embodiments of the present system, IDs may identify one or more settings (e.g., default, configuration, operating parameters, timing, operative acts, etc.) of an associated interface (e.g., as may be set by the system, process and/or user). Further, these settings may define operative acts to be performed by the process. For example, an operation time of a purge pump and/or operating pressures may be dependent upon settings defined in the ID of an accessory for example, that may account for reservoir capacity of the accessory, etc. In this way, in accordance with embodiments of the present system, operating characteristics (e.g., test parameters, operational parameters, etc.) may be defined by ID of an accessory.
Accordingly, an accessory type (e.g., patient-type interface or test-type interface) may have corresponding operative steps (e.g., breath-sensing, test-mode, respectively) assigned thereto. For example, in a case wherein the process identifies a patient interface as being attached to a gas module, (e.g., which may be recognized according to its ID), the process may then determine an operating mode based upon the recognized ID.
In accordance with embodiments of the present system, each operating mode may have corresponding mode information. For example, the process may obtain mode information associated with the recognized ID from a memory of the system and perform one or more acts accordingly. For example, in accordance with embodiments, the process may obtain information stored in a mode table including threshold pressure levels, etc., to determine acts to perform and/or parameters that are utilized during the acts. Mode tables operating in accordance with embodiments of the present system may be set and/or reset by the system, process and/or user and may be stored in a memory of the system for later use, as desired. In accordance with embodiments of the present system, upon determining an interface's type, the process may obtain mode information (e.g., from a mode table) for the corresponding interface type and perform one or more acts in accordance with the corresponding mode information. The process may further form a user interface (UI) which may render mode information (e.g., as may be stored in the mode tables) and/or with which a user may interact to edit the mode information (e.g., a menu-based UI). Then the edited (e.g., set/reset mode information) may be stored in a memory of the system for later use.
In accordance with embodiments of the present system, prior to operating in one or more of the configurations above (e.g., purge, zero, etc.), a process may verify whether the leak test sensor (e.g., leak-test accessory) is properly connected. For example, the process may determine whether a positive connection is established by, for example, reading an ID of an accessory (e.g., 106) coupled to a gas flow module.
Further, in a case wherein a patient connection is detected by the process, the process may set an error indication when breaths are detected (e.g., leak testing should not be performed). For example, the error indication may indicate that a patient is connected to the interface which is not desired during testing. The process may then render information related to the error indication to inform a user of results of the process and/or provide a recommendation such as: “PATIENT CONNECTED—TEST MODE CANNOT BE PERFORMED WHILE PATIENT CONNECTED,” or “BREATHS DETECTED, PLEASE CONFIGURE FOR TEST MODE TO RUN TEST,” or other information as may be set by the system and/or user. A patient connection may be detected when it is determined that airway flow is detected or otherwise measured (e.g., by pressure changes) by the system, either in the inspiratory (positive) and/or expiratory (negative) directions.
In accordance with embodiments, in a case wherein a patient connection is not detected, the process may continue to operate in accordance with the examples discussed herein. For example, an ID of an accessory may be analyzed to determine a type of accessory such as whether an accessory is a patient accessory or a test accessory, etc.
With reference to one or more acts of the sequence (e.g., one or more of the test sequences, such as illustratively shown in
As may be readily appreciated, through operation of the valves, pumps, etc., different portions may be operated and detected to determine whether the different portions are operating within desired operating parameters (e.g., such as attaining and/or maintaining a pressure within/for a predetermined time period. In accordance with embodiments of the present system, a sequence of tests may be utilized to determine whether a giving portion is operating as desired. For example, in a case wherein a purge test has been successfully completed, the process may subsequently test other portions of the system and in case of failure, produce an indication of a failed portion excluding portions that have already passed prior tests.
In a case wherein any leaks are detected, the system may set a fail flag which may indicate that the gas flow portion (e.g., gas flow module) has failed a current test, may also provide an indication of particular portions that have failed and may store results of the test for later use and/or may provide an indication immediately following a failure or some other subsequent time. For example, the process may provide an indication such as when the gas flow portion is subsequently utilized such as setup prior to intended patient support through the “failed” gas flow portion. In this way, the process may detect these flags at a later time such as when starting a patient mode (e.g., a breathing analysis mode) so that proper action may be taken such as termination of the corresponding mode so as to avoid analysis errors and/or improper patient support such as attempted use of the “failed” gas flow portion.
Although only two different types of interfaces are shown, it is envisioned that in accordance with embodiments of the present system, more than two-different types of interface types may be employed. Accordingly, one or more of these different interface types may have corresponding mode information that may be defined by the user and/or system and which may be stored in a memory of the system for later use. In accordance with embodiments, the mode information may be stored and obtained from the corresponding accessory in which case this information may be used to identify an accessory as previously discussed.
In accordance with embodiments of the present system, an operating mode, operation, etc., may be selected by a user. Accordingly, the process may form a user interface with which a user may interact to select an operating mode, operation, etc. The process may then determine to use this operating mode, operation, etc.
After completing act 505 (e.g., determining the operating mode), the process may continue to act 507 during which, the process may be operative to perform the acts in accordance with the corresponding mode, etc. that was determined during act 505. Accordingly, the process may control one or more portions of a gas flow portion (e.g., circuits, valves, pumps, sensors, etc. of, for example, PFPs 100, 400) in accordance with the determined operating mode. Accordingly, the process may perform the actions and the corresponding determinations (if applicable) as may be defined in the corresponding mode information for the identified mode. After completing act 507, the process may continue to act 509.
During act 509, the process may render for example on a rendering device of the system (e.g., a display, a speaker, etc.) information related to the determinations (e.g., results) of the process. For example, the process may render information indicating that a “pneumatic system test has passed” or the “pneumatic system test has failed” or portions thereof have passed/failed which may be dependent upon whether a test mode performed in accordance with embodiments of the present system has passed or failed, respectively. The messages may be set by the system, process and/or user and stored in memory of the system. As each process may vary based upon the operating mode (e.g., where the operating mode may be a test mode, breathing analysis mode, etc.), the information that may be rendered may vary depending upon the operating mode. For example, in a case wherein the operating mode is a breathing analysis mode, the process may render information related to, for example, characteristics of a sampled ventilation gas flow such as one or more of percent concentration, volume, flow, and pressure. However, in a case wherein the operating mode is a test mode, then the process may render information related to the test mode. For example, assuming that the process is test mode process, the process may render information such as a verification of whether a test accessory was successfully connected, whether breaths were detected, and/or a general pass/fail indication (e.g., test status information) of the pneumatic portion (or specific portions thereof) (e.g., valve (V4) leakage detected, etc.), etc. for the convenience of the user. For example, in accordance with embodiments, in a case wherein it is determined that the pneumatic system test was successful, the process may render information informing a user of what to do next such as “Pneumatic System Test Successful. Please Remove The Test Accessory and Insert Patient Accessory.” However, in a case wherein it is determined that the pneumatic system test was not successful, the process may render information that “the Pneumatic System Test has Failed, Please Remove Test Accessory and Reinsert,” provide some indication of which portions, such as valves, that have failed and/or the like. After completing act 509, the process may continue to act 511.
During act 511, the process may update a system history in accordance information related to the determinations of the process. The system history may be stored in a memory of the system for later use such as in a case wherein the gas flow portion is subsequently connected to the system, such as for subsequent patient support. In this way, a gas flow portion that has failed one or more of the tests, such as those described herein, may be subsequently flagged (e.g., provide an indication that the gas flow portion may be faulty) should an attempt be made to use the faulty gas flow portion, for example, for patient support. After completing act 511, the process may continue to act 513 where the process may end.
In accordance with embodiments of the present system, at the start of a breathing analysis mode, the process may access the history information to determine whether a breathing analysis was run within a threshold time period such as within the past 72 hours. Accordingly, in a case wherein it is determined that a breathing analysis mode was run within this threshold time period (e.g., 72 hours as may be set by the system, process and/or user), the process may continue the breathing analysis mode. However, in a case wherein it is determined that a breathing analysis mode was not run within the threshold time period, the process may inform a user to run the test analysis mode as soon as possible, such as prior to use. The process may further determine whether a most recently run test analysis mode was successfully run. Accordingly, in a case wherein it is determined that the most recently run test analysis mode was successful the process may continue to run the breathing analysis mode. However, in a case wherein it is determined that the most recently run test analysis mode was not successfully run (e.g., result=fail), the process may not continue to perform the current breathing analysis mode, for example without an override from a user. In accordance with embodiments of the present system, this may prevent use of the system absent an override in a case wherein the system is determined to have failed a most recently run test analysis mode absent an override (e.g., as may be provided by a menu-item (e.g., within a user interface (GUI) rendered by the system).
Further, in accordance with embodiments of the present system a method of use may include the following acts such as connecting a leak test accessory to a gas flow module; entering a request to activate a test mode, the request may be generated by the system (e.g., in response to determining that the leak test accessory is couple to a gas flow module as described herein) or by a user (e.g., in response to a user's request entered at a user interface of the system); then performing the test mode to determine whether the gas flow portion has passed or failed the test mode. The results of the test(s) (e.g., a pass/fail status) may then be stored in a memory of the system and/or rendered for the convenience of a user on a user interface (e.g., a display) of the system. The system may then render information requesting a user disconnect the leak test accessory. In accordance with embodiments of the present system, the system may not enter a gas analysis mode or may terminate a gas analysis mode in a case wherein it is determined that the system has failed a current leak test. In accordance with yet other embodiments, the system may not enter a breath analysis mode until the leak test accessory is disconnected from the gas flow portion. In accordance with yet other embodiments, only a single accessory may be coupled to the gas flow portion at a time.
For example,
It is envisioned that embodiments of the present system may monitor patients who are not ventilated (e.g., patients not connected to a ventilator but whose breathing is otherwise monitored). For example, embodiments of the present system may be used to provide respiration flow monitoring of non-ventilated patients such as respiration monitoring of athletes, respiration monitoring of cardiac patients undergoing stress tests, and the like. Accordingly, embodiments of the present system may be used to monitor respiration of a patient without support from a ventilator. In accordance with embodiments of the present system, other gas flow systems may be suitably utilized, such as a gas flow system utilized during patient testing.
Moreover, although embodiments of the gas flow module are shown situated at or near the patient, in accordance with embodiments of the present system it is further, envisioned that the gas flow module may be placed at other locations or otherwise situated. For example, the gas flow module in accordance with embodiments of the present system, the gas flow module may be remote from the patient, such as coupled through a gas conduit.
For example,
The user input 770 may include a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, or other device, such as a touch-sensitive display, which may be stand alone or be a part of a system, such as part of a personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile phone (e.g., a smart phone), a monitor, a wearable display (e.g., smart glasses, etc.), a smart- or dumb-terminal or other device for communicating with the processor 710 via any operable link. The user input device 770 may be operable for interacting with the processor 710 including enabling interaction within a user interface (UI), GUI, etc., as described herein. Clearly the processor 710, the memory 720, display 730, and/or user input device 770 may all or partly be a portion of a computer system or other device such as a client and/or server type device.
The actuators 760 may include one or more motors, transducers, etc. which may provide a force or power to operate one or more valves, pumps, mixers, or the like of the SSM 160 under the control of the processor 710. These valves may, for example, include pneumatic control valves which may control the flow of one or more gasses for ventilation, etc.
The methods of the present system are particularly suited to be carried out by a computer software program, such program containing modules corresponding to one or more of the individual steps or acts described and/or envisioned by the present system. Such program may of course be embodied in a computer-readable medium, such as an integrated chip, a peripheral device or memory, such as the memory 720 or other memory coupled to the processor 710.
The program and/or program portions contained in the memory 720 may configure the processor 710 to implement the methods, operational acts, and functions disclosed herein. The memories may be distributed, for example between the clients and/or servers, or local, and the processor 710, where additional processors may be provided, may also be distributed or may be singular. The memories may be implemented as electrical, magnetic or optical memory, or any combination of these or other types of storage devices. Moreover, the term “memory” should be construed broadly enough to encompass any information able to be read from or written to an address in an addressable space accessible by the processor 710. The memory 720 may include a non-transitory memory. With this definition, information accessible through a network such as the network 780 is still within the memory, for instance, because the processor 710 may retrieve the information from the network 780 for operation in accordance with the present system.
The processor 710 is operable for providing control signals and/or performing operations in response to input signals from the user input device 770 as well as in response to other devices of a network and executing instructions stored in the memory 720. The processor 710 may include one or more of a microprocessor, an application-specific or general-use integrated circuit(s), a logic device, etc. Further, the processor 710 may be a dedicated processor for performing in accordance with the present system or may be a general-purpose processor wherein only one of many functions operates for performing in accordance with the present system. The processor 710 may operate utilizing a program portion, multiple program segments, or may be a hardware device utilizing a dedicated or multi-purpose integrated circuit.
The methods of the present system are particularly suited to be carried out by processor programmed by a computer software program, such program containing modules corresponding to one or more of the individual steps or acts described and/or envisioned by the present system.
Accordingly, embodiments, of the present system may provide an automated fixture that can detect multiple failure modes as compared to a single failure mode in conventional manual fixtures. For example, an advantage of embodiments of the present system is the ability to detect when an internal purge pump is malfunctioning which is generally a failure mode that is undetectable by the existing fixtures that are utilized for providing ventilation to a patient and/or for monitoring a patient. Further, embodiments of the present system may simplify field servicing pneumatic systems with automated repeatable tests to check for system leaks as well as the performance of a purge pump. Further, embodiments of the present system may provide for field servicing which may test features of a patient based pneumatic system without the use of an external pressure source, pressure meter, leak tester, and/or flow meter. In accordance with embodiments of the present system multiple (e.g., such as 6) failure modes may be detected and corresponding information rendered for the convenience of a user.
It is further envisioned that embodiments of the present system may be used in with critical-care ventilators, home ventilators, and the like. Further, it is envisioned that embodiments of the present system may be used in various medical environments such as intensive-care units (ICU), operating rooms (OR), emergency departments, ambulatory care, doctors' offices, stress testing offices, and/or other facilities where respiratory gases may be provided to a patient and/or a patient's respiratory state may be accessed.
Finally, the above-discussion is intended to be merely illustrative of the present system and should not be construed as limiting the appended claims to any particular embodiment or group of embodiments. Thus, while the present system has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should also be appreciated that numerous modifications and alternative embodiments may be devised by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the broader and intended spirit and scope of the present system as set forth in the claims that follow. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative manner and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.
In interpreting the appended claims, it should be understood that:
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2016/053936 | 2/25/2016 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62120601 | Feb 2015 | US |