Compression garment compliance

Abstract

Determining whether a compression garment is worn by a wearer of the garment by analyzing a pressure signal waveform indicative of a fluid pressure in an inflatable and deflatable bladder of the compression garment. Variance detected in the pressure signal waveform during the analysis is indicative of a change in condition of the compression garment. In one aspect the change in condition is verified using confirmatory analysis. In another aspect, the variance is one of a pressure rise and a pressure impulse. In yet another aspect, the variance is an oscillating amplitude as a function of time representative of a pulse of the wearer.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A compression garment controller for monitoring information indicative of pulsations associated with a heartbeat of a user, the controller comprising:
 at least one computer readable storage medium configured for storing one or more monitored parameters;   one or more processors coupled to the at least one computer readable storage medium; and   computer-executable instructions embodied on the at least one computer readable storage medium, the computer-executable instructions including instructions for causing the one or more processors to:   receive information indicative of a pressure of a compression garment comprising one or more inflatable bladders from a pressure sensor during a compression therapy cycle; and   extract, from the information indicative of the pressure of the one or more inflatable bladders, information indicative of pulsations associated with the heartbeat of the wearer.   
     
     
         22 . The compression garment controller of  claim 21 , wherein the information indicative of pulsations associated with the heartbeat of the wearer is different than an actual heart rate of the wearer. 
     
     
         23 . The compression garment controller of  claim 21 , wherein the compression therapy treatment cycle comprises an inflation period and a pressure hold period, and the information indicative of the pressure of the one or more inflatable bladders is received during the pressure hold period. 
     
     
         24 . The compression garment controller of  claim 21 , wherein the extracting comprises band-pass filtering the information indicative of the one or more inflatable bladders to extract signal frequencies from about 0.5 Hz to 25 Hz. 
     
     
         25 . The compression garment controller of  claim 24 , further comprising smoothing the extracted signal frequencies following a rectangular window at five times a moving range of the extracted signal. 
     
     
         26 . The compression garment controller of  claim 24 , further comprising verifying that a frequency range of the extracted signal is 30 beats per minute (bpm) to 240 bpm. 
     
     
         27 . The compression garment controller of  claim 24 , further comprising detecting one or more peaks in the extracted signal, and verifying that a frequency range of the one or more peaks is 30 beats per minute (bpm) to 240 bpm. 
     
     
         28 . The compression garment controller of  claim 21 , wherein a pressure of the compression garment is 5 to 20 mmHg. 
     
     
         29 . A method for monitoring information indicative of pulsations associated with a heartbeat of a user, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a pressure sensor, information indicative of a pressure of a compression garment comprising one or more inflatable bladders during a compression therapy cycle; and   extracting, by a controller, information indicative of pulsations associated with the heartbeat of the wearer from the information indicative of the pressure of the one or more inflatable bladders.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the information indicative of pulsations associated with the heartbeat of the wearer is different than an actual heart rate of the wearer. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the compression therapy treatment cycle comprises an inflation period and a pressure hold period, and the information indicative of the pressure of the one or more inflatable bladders is received during the pressure hold period. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the extracting comprises band-pass filtering the information indicative of the one or more inflatable bladders to extract signal frequencies from about 0.5 Hz to 25 Hz. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising smoothing the extracted signal frequencies following a rectangular window at five times a moving range of the extracted signal. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising detecting one or more peaks in the extracted signal, and verifying that a frequency range of the one or more peaks is 30 beats per minute (bpm) to 240 bpm. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein a pressure of the compression garment is 5 to 20 mmHg. 
     
     
         36 . A system, comprising:
 a compression garment comprising one or more inflatable bladders, the compression garment configured to engage a limb of a user;   a pressure sensor communicatively coupled to the one or more inflatable bladders; and   a controller comprising at least one computer readable storage medium configured for storing one or more monitored parameters, one or more processors coupled to the at least one computer readable storage medium, and computer-executable instructions embodied on the at least one computer readable storage medium, the computer-executable instructions including instructions for causing the one or more processors to:
 receive information indicative of a pressure of the one or more inflatable bladders from the pressure sensor during a compression therapy cycle; and 
 extract, from the information indicative of the pressure of the one or more inflatable bladders, information indicative of pulsations associated with the heartbeat of the wearer. 
   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the information indicative of pulsations associated with the heartbeat of the wearer is different than an actual heart rate of the wearer. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the compression therapy treatment cycle comprises an inflation period and a pressure hold period, and the information indicative of the pressure of the one or more inflatable bladders is received during the pressure hold period. 
     
     
         39 . The compression garment controller of  claim 36 , wherein the extracting comprises band-pass filtering the information indicative of the one or more inflatable bladders to extract signal frequencies from about 0.5 Hz to 25 Hz. 
     
     
         40 . The compression garment controller of  claim 36 , wherein a pressure of the compression garment is 5 to 20 mmHg.