Method and apparatus for treating sleep apnea

Abstract

An oral appliance is disclosed that provides electrical stimulation to a patient's tongue in a manner that prevents collapse of the tongue and/or soft palate during sleep. More specifically, the appliance may induce a reversible current or currents in a lateral direction across the tongue in a manner that shortens the patient's Palatoglossus muscle, which in turn pulls the patient's soft palate downward towards a base of the tongue and/or decreases a volume of the tongue.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A method for treating sleep apnea in a patient, comprising:
 receiving from:
 one or more first sensors, one or more first signals indicative of the patient's respiratory behavior, 
 one or more second sensors, one or more second signals indicative of the patient's position, and 
 one or more third sensors, one or more third signals indicative of the patient's audio output; 
   generating a stimulation signal based at least in part on the one or more first, second, and third signals; and   directing the stimulation signal, via one or more electrodes, to at least a portion of the patient's upper airway.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the one or more first sensors include at least one of a capacitive proximity detector, piezoelectric sensor, optical sensor, microphone, or respiration sensor. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the one or more electrodes include the one or more first sensors. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the one or more second sensors include an accelerometer. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the one or more third sensors include at least one of a respiration sensor, acoustic sensor, vibration sensor, microphone, or electromyogram sensor. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising receiving, from one or more fourth sensors, one or more fourth signals indicative of the patient's oxygen saturation level. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the one or more fourth sensors include at least one of an oxygen saturation sensor, heart rate sensor, or respiration sensor. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein generating the stimulation signal is based at least in part on the one or more first, second, third, and fourth signals. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising enabling and/or disabling the one or more electrodes based at least in part on the one or more first, second, and third signals. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the one or more first, second, and/or third sensors are located outside the patient's mouth. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the one or more first, second, and/or third sensors are located inside the patient's mouth. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 receiving, from one or more fourth sensors, one or more fourth signals indicative of the patient's oxygen saturation level; and   enabling and/or disabling the one or more electrodes based at least in part on the one or more first, second, third, and fourth signals,   wherein:
 the one or more first sensors include at least one of a capacitive proximity detector, piezoelectric sensor, optical sensor, microphone, or respiration sensor, 
 the one or more second sensors include an accelerometer, 
 the one or more third sensors include at least one of a respiration sensor, acoustic sensor, vibration sensor, microphone, or electromyogram sensor, 
 the one or more fourth sensors include at least one of an oxygen saturation sensor, heart rate sensor, or respiration sensor, 
 the one or more electrodes include the one or more first and/or fourth sensors, 
 generating the stimulation signal is based at least in part on the one or more first, second, third, and fourth signals, and 
 the one or more first, second, third, and/or fourth sensors are located outside the patient's mouth. 
   
     
     
         44 . A system for treating sleep apnea in a patient, comprising:
 one or more first sensors configured to generate one or more first signals indicative of the patient's respiratory behavior;   one or more second sensors configured to generate one or more second signals indicative of the patient's position;   one or more third sensors configured to generate one or more third signals indicative of the patient's audio output;   a control circuit positionable to generate a stimulation signal based at least in part on the one or more first, second, and third signals; and   one or more electrodes coupled to the control circuit and positionable to direct the stimulation signal to at least a portion of the patient's upper airway.   
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 44 , further comprising one or more fourth sensors configured to generate one or more fourth signals indicative of the patient's oxygen saturation level. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the control circuit includes a power module positionable to transmit power to the one or more first, second, and/or third sensors and/or the one or more electrodes only during an active time period. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 44 , further comprising a power supply positionable to directly transmit power to the one or more first, second, and/or third sensors and/or the one or more electrodes. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the control circuit is positionable to receive the one or more first signals from the one or more first sensors, the one or more second signals from the one or more second sensors, and the one or more third signals from the one or more third sensors. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the control circuit is positionable to transmit the stimulation signal to the one or more electrodes. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 one or more fourth sensors configured to generate one or more fourth signals indicative of the patient's oxygen saturation level; and   a power supply positionable to directly transmit power to the one or more first, second, third, and/or fourth sensors and/or the one or more electrodes,   wherein the control circuit:
 includes a power module positionable to transmit power to the one or more first, second, third, and/or fourth sensors and/or the one or more electrodes only during an active time period, 
 is coupled to from the one or more first sensors to receive the one or more first signals, the one or more second sensors to receive the one or more second signals from, the one or more third sensors to receive the one or more third signals, and the one or more fourth sensors to receive the one or more fourth signals f, and 
 is positionable to transmit the stimulation signal to the one or more electrodes.