Acceleration Sensors For Recording Of Triggered Respiratory Signals In Neurostimulators

Abstract

A respiration implant system includes a pacing processor configured to receive a respiration signal and a movement signal to generate a respiration pacing signal that is synchronized with the detected respiration activity. The pacing processor is configured to optimize system power consumption over time by using multiple respiration sensing modes that reflect activity of the movement signal over time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A respiration implant system for an implanted patient with impaired breathing, the system comprising:
 a respiration sensor configured to detect respiration activity in the implanted patient and develop a corresponding respiration signal;   a movement sensor configured to detect movement of the implanted patient and develop a corresponding movement signal;   a pacing processor configured to receive the respiration signal from the respiration sensor and the movement signal from the movement sensor to generate a respiration pacing signal synchronized with the detected respiration activity; and   a stimulating electrode configured to deliver the respiration pacing signal from the pacing processor to respiration neural tissue of the implanted patient to promote breathing of the implanted patient;   wherein the pacing processor is configured to optimize system power consumption over time by using a plurality of respiration sensing modes that reflect activity of the movement signal over time, and   wherein the plurality of respiration sensing modes includes:
 a. an active respiration mode during which the movement signal is either actively changing or remains unchanged for a brief period less than some reduced activity period, and during which the respiration signal is measured continuously, and 
 b. a reduced activity respiration mode during which the movement signal has remained unchanged for the reduced activity period and in which the respiration signal is measured only during a limited respiration sampling period. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the reduced activity respiration mode includes an initial reduced activity respiration mode during which the movement signal has remained unchanged for an initial reduced activity period and in which the respiration signal is measured only during a limited respiration sampling period occurring around each expected breathing phase 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the reduced activity respiration mode includes an extended reduced activity respiration mode during which the movement signal has remained unchanged for an extended reduced activity period and in which the respiration signal is measured only during a limited respiration sampling period occurring between each third to tenth breath. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the reduced activity respiration mode includes a prolonged inactive respiration mode during which the movement signal has remained unchanged for a prolonged inactive period and in which the respiration signal is measured only once during a limited respiration sampling period occurring at the beginning of the prolonged inactive respiration mode. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the movement signal is filtered in the reduced activity respiration mode to develop a respiratory signal representing rib cage movement. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the respiration sensor is configured to detect onset of inspiratory phase in the implanted patient. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the movement sensor is a three-axis accelerometer. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the respiration sensor is an electromyographic sensor implanted in the parasternal muscle of the implanted patient. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the respiration sensor is an intramuscular pressure sensor implanted in the parasternal muscle of the implanted patient. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the respiration implant system is a laryngeal implant system and the stimulating electrode delivers the respiration pacing signal to the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle in the larynx. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the respiration implant system is a sleep apnea treatment system and the stimulating electrode delivers the respiration pacing signal to the hypoglossal nerve or the internal superior laryngeal nerve (iSLN). 
     
     
         12 . A respiration implant system for an implanted patient with impaired breathing, the system comprising:
 a respiration sensor configured to detect respiration activity in the implanted patient and develop a corresponding respiration signal;   a movement sensor configured to detect movement of the implanted patient and develop a corresponding movement signal;   a pacing processor configured to receive the respiration signal from the respiration sensor and the movement signal from the movement sensor to generate a respiration pacing signal synchronized with the detected respiration activity and comprising a sequence of stimulation pulses at a given pulse rate, pulse width, and pulse amplitude; and   a stimulating electrode configured to deliver the respiration pacing signal from the pacing processor to respiration neural tissue of the implanted patient to promote breathing of the implanted patient;   wherein the pacing processor controls the pulse rate, pulse width, and pulse amplitude of the respiration pacing signal based on determining breathing effort of the implanted patient from the respiration signal and the movement signal.   
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein determining breathing effort includes accounting for thoracic movement based on the respiration signal and the movement signal. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the respiration sensor is configured to detect onset of inspiratory breathing effort in the implanted patient. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the pacing processor includes a reduced activity mode during which the movement signal has remained unchanged for the reduced activity period and in which the respiration signal is measured only during a limited respiration sampling period. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the movement signal is filtered in the reduced activity respiration mode to develop a respiratory signal representing rib cage movement. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the movement sensor is a three-axis accelerometer. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the respiration sensor is an electromyographic sensor implanted in the parasternal muscle of the implanted patient. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the respiration sensor is an intramuscular pressure sensor implanted in the parasternal muscle of the implanted patient. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the respiration implant system is a laryngeal implant system and the stimulating electrode delivers the respiration pacing signal to the larynx. 
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the respiration implant system is a sleep apnea treatment system and the stimulating electrode delivers the respiration pacing signal to the hypoglossal nerve or the internal superior laryngeal nerve (iSLN).