US 12,263,342 B2
Sensors and methods for determining respiration
Sahar Elyahoodayan, Los Angeles, CA (US); Brian M. Shelton, Altadena, CA (US); and Neil H. Talbot, La Crescenta, CA (US)
Assigned to THE ALFRED E. MANN FOUNDATION FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, Valencia, CA (US)
Filed by The Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Scientific Research, Valencia, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/519,211.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/109,491, filed on Nov. 4, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0134103 A1, May 5, 2022
Int. Cl. A61N 1/36 (2006.01)
CPC A61N 1/3611 (2013.01) [A61N 1/36135 (2013.01); A61N 1/36139 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for treating obstructive sleep apnea, comprising:
an inertial measurement unit (IMU) comprising an accelerometer and a gyroscope, wherein the IMU is configured to detect chest and/or abdominal movement by a patient during the inspiration and expiration stages of a respiratory cycle, and to generate chest and/or abdominal positional data based on the detected movement; and
a stimulator comprising:
a stimulation system configured to deliver stimulation to a nerve which innervates an upper airway muscle; and
a controller coupled to the stimulation system, and to the IMU;
wherein the controller is
configured to determine a respiratory cycle of the patient by a) filtering the chest and/or abdominal positional data, and b) performing a principal component analysis (PCA) on the filtered chest and/or abdominal positional data, wherein the PCA comprises use of a covariance matrix generated using a rolling or stepped window of at least 4 seconds; and
configured to cause the stimulation system to stimulate the nerve based on the respiratory cycle of the patient.