Techniques for prediction and monitoring of coughing-manifested clinical episodes

Abstract

A method is provided for predicting an onset of a clinical episode, the method including sensing breathing of a subject, determining at least one breathing pattern of the subject responsively to the sensed breathing, comparing the breathing pattern with a baseline breathing pattern, and predicting the onset of the episode at least in part responsively to the comparison. Other embodiments are also described.

1 - 78 . (canceled) 
   
   
       79 . Apparatus comprising:
 a coughing sensor, configured to sense coughing of a subject, and generate a coughing signal responsively thereto; and   a control unit, configured to:   receive the coughing signal, and   at least in part responsively to the coughing signal, monitor a condition of the subject selected from the group consisting of: asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF), cystic fibrosis (CF), and epilepsy.   
   
   
       80 . The apparatus according to  claim 79 , wherein the control unit is configured to assess a progression of an episode of the condition. 
   
   
       81 . The apparatus according to  claim 79 , wherein the coughing sensor is selected from the group consisting of: an acoustic sensor, configured to sense a sound caused by the coughing, and a mechanical vibration sensor, configured to sense mechanical vibrations caused by the coughing. 
   
   
       82 . The apparatus according to  claim 79 , wherein the coughing sensor is configured to sense the coughing without contacting the subject or clothes the subject is wearing. 
   
   
       83 . The apparatus according to  claim 79 , wherein the coughing sensor is configured to sense the coughing without requiring subject compliance during the sensing. 
   
   
       84 . The apparatus according to  claim 79 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 determine at least one coughing pattern of the subject responsively to the coughing signal,   compare the coughing pattern with a baseline coughing pattern, and   monitor the condition at least in part responsively to the comparison.   
   
   
       85 . The apparatus according to  claim 79 , comprising a breathing sensor, configured to sense breathing of the subject, and generate a breathing signal responsively thereto, wherein the control unit is configured to:
 receive the breathing signal,   determine a breathing rate of the subject responsively to the breathing signal, and   monitor the condition at least in part responsively to the breathing rate and the coughing signal.   
   
   
       86 . Apparatus comprising:
 a coughing sensor, configured to sense coughing of a subject, and generate a coughing signal responsively thereto; and   a control unit, configured to:   receive the coughing signal, and   at least in part responsively to the coughing signal, predict an onset of an episode selected from the group consisting of: asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF), cystic fibrosis (CF), and epilepsy.   
   
   
       87 . The apparatus according to  claim 86 , wherein the coughing sensor is selected from the group consisting of: an acoustic sensor, configured to sense a sound caused by the coughing, and a mechanical vibration sensor, configured to sense mechanical vibrations caused by the coughing. 
   
   
       88 . The apparatus according to  claim 86 , wherein the coughing sensor is configured to sense the coughing without contacting the subject or clothes the subject is wearing. 
   
   
       89 . The apparatus according to  claim 86 , wherein the coughing sensor is configured to sense the coughing without requiring subject compliance during the sensing. 
   
   
       90 . The apparatus according to  claim 86 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 determine at least one coughing pattern of the subject responsively to the coughing signal,   compare the coughing pattern with a baseline coughing pattern, and   predict the onset of the episode at least in part responsively to the comparison.   
   
   
       91 . The apparatus according to  claim 86 , comprising a breathing sensor, configured to sense breathing of the subject, and generate a breathing signal responsively thereto, wherein the control unit is configured to:
 receive the breathing signal,   determine a breathing rate of the subject responsively to the breathing signal, and   predict the onset of the episode at least in part responsively to the breathing rate and the sensed coughing.   
   
   
       92 . A method comprising:
 sensing coughing of a subject with a coughing sensor; and   at least in part responsively to the sensed coughing, monitoring a condition of the subject selected from the group consisting of: asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF), cystic fibrosis (CF), and epilepsy.   
   
   
       93 . The method according to  claim 92 , wherein monitoring the condition comprises assessing a progression of an episode of the condition. 
   
   
       94 . The method according to  claim 92 , wherein sensing the coughing comprises sensing at least one type of coughing-related mechanical vibrations selected from the group consisting of: a sound caused by the coughing, and mechanical vibrations caused by the coughing. 
   
   
       95 . The method according to  claim 92 , wherein sensing the coughing comprises sensing the coughing without contacting the subject or clothes the subject is wearing. 
   
   
       96 . The method according to  claim 92 , wherein sensing the coughing comprises sensing the coughing without requiring subject compliance during the sensing. 
   
   
       97 . The method according to  claim 92 , wherein sensing the coughing comprises sensing the coughing while the subject is sleeping. 
   
   
       98 . The method according to  claim 92 , wherein monitoring the condition comprises:
 determining at least one coughing pattern of the subject responsively to the sensed coughing;   comparing the coughing pattern with a baseline coughing pattern; and   monitoring the condition at least in part responsively to the comparison.   
   
   
       99 . The method according to  claim 92 , wherein monitoring the condition comprises:
 sensing breathing of the subject;   determining a breathing rate of the subject responsively to the sensed breathing; and   monitoring the condition at least in part responsively to the breathing rate and the sensed coughing.   
   
   
       100 . A method comprising:
 sensing coughing of a subject; and   at least in part responsively to the sensed coughing, predicting an onset of an episode selected from the group consisting of: asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF), cystic fibrosis (CF), and epilepsy.   
   
   
       101 . The method according to  claim 100 , wherein sensing the coughing comprises sensing at least one type of coughing-related mechanical vibrations selected from the group consisting of: a sound caused by the coughing, and mechanical vibrations caused by the coughing. 
   
   
       102 . The method according to  claim 100 , wherein sensing the coughing comprises sensing the coughing without contacting the subject or clothes the subject is wearing. 
   
   
       103 . The method according to  claim 100 , wherein sensing the coughing comprises sensing the coughing without requiring subject compliance during the sensing. 
   
   
       104 . The method according to  claim 100 , wherein sensing the coughing comprises sensing the coughing while the subject is sleeping. 
   
   
       105 . The method according to  claim 100 , wherein predicting the onset of the episode comprises:
 determining at least one coughing pattern of the subject responsively to the sensed coughing;   comparing the coughing pattern with a baseline coughing pattern; and   predicting the onset of the episode at least in part responsively to the comparison.   
   
   
       106 . The method according to  claim 100 , wherein predicting the onset of the episode comprises:
 sensing breathing of the subject;   determining a breathing rate of the subject responsively to the sensed breathing; and   predicting the onset of the episode at least in part responsively to the breathing rate and the sensed coughing.