Control for respiratory device

Abstract

The operational parameters of a respiratory apparatus can be controlled through the use of a user interface located on a separate or separable mobile computing device. Sensors or features located on the mobile computing apparatus can be used to adjust the operation parameters or therapy of the respiratory apparatus or otherwise improve the compliance of a patient utilizing the respiratory apparatus.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system for providing respiratory therapy to a patient in an environment comprising:
 a respiratory device located in the environment, the respiratory device being configured to provide a heated and humidified flow of gases to the patient in accordance with a respiratory therapy, the respiratory device comprising:
 a blower configured to generate the flow of gases; 
 a humidifier configured to heat and humidify the flow of gases; 
 a first communications module; 
 a controller; and 
   a mobile computing device comprising:
 a processor; 
 a memory; 
 a user interface; and 
 a second communications module, 
   wherein the mobile computing device is configured to receive data from and/or transmit data to the respiratory device via the first and second communications modules through at least one communications network, and wherein the mobile computing device is further configured to access or determine local environment data indicative of climate and/or weather conditions of the environment, the mobile computing device being further configured to directly control at least one operation parameter of the respiratory device based on the local environment data accessed or determined by the mobile computing device.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the mobile computing device or the respiratory device is GPS capable such that the mobile computing device is configured to access the local environment data using internet and/or GPS data. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the mobile computing device is configured to estimate the local environment data based on data indicative of time, date, location and/or a calendar, the mobile computing device or the respiratory device being GPS capable such that the data indicative of the time, date, location and/or calendar is accessed using internet and/or GPS data. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the mobile computing device is configured to synchronize the data indicative of the time, date, location and/or calendar between the mobile computing device and the respiratory device. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the mobile computing device or the respiratory device is configured to adjust a brightness of a display of the respiratory device based on the data indicative of the time, date, location and/or calendar. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the mobile computing device or the respiratory device is configured to perform one or more of:
 automatically increasing the brightness of the display of the respiratory device in winter and/or night based on the data indicative of time, date, location, and/or calendar; 
 automatically decreasing the brightness of the display of the respiratory device in summer and/or daylight based on the data indicative of time, date, location, and/or calendar; or 
 automatically adjusting a default brightness of the display of the respiratory device based on the data indicative of the time, date, location and/or calendar. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the local environment data comprises data indicative of one or more ambient conditions of the environment. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the data indicative of one or more ambient conditions comprises data indicative of any one or more of: local temperature, local humidity, or local atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the mobile computing device is further configured to perform one or more of:
 automatically adjusting or prompting on a display screen of the mobile computing device the patient or another user to adjust power applied to a heater plate of the humidifier and/or a heated breathing conduit of or connected to the respiratory device in response to the retrieved local environment data indicative of local temperature and/or local humidity; or 
 automatically adjusting or prompting on the display screen of the mobile computing device the patient or another user to adjust the power applied to the heater plate of the humidifier and/or the heated breathing conduit of or connected to the respiratory device, and/or pressure and/or flow settings relating to the flow of gases generated by the respiratory device in response to the retrieved local environment data indicative of local atmospheric pressure. 
 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the mobile computing device is configured to facilitate control of the respiratory device based on the local environment data in response to the local environment data matching one or more parameters of the environment the respiratory device is located in, wherein the one or more parameters include one or more of: temperature, humidity, and/or atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the mobile computing device or the respiratory device is configured to adjust one or more humidity settings of the humidifier according to winter or summer ambient conditions based on the local environment data to reduce or eliminate rain-outs within a breathing conduit and/or a patient interface of or connected to the respiratory device. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the mobile computing device is configured to automatically set the mobile computing device to a silent or sleep mode when connected to control the respiratory device such that sounds from the mobile computing device are silenced to avoid the sounds interrupting a user during a respiratory therapy session. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the mobile computing device comprises a cellular phone with a touch-sensitive display screen, the touch-sensitive display screen comprising a graphical user interface, and wherein the respiratory device is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device or a high-flow oxygen therapy device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the mobile computing device is configured to communicate through the at least one communications network with, or comprises, at least one sensor, the at least one sensor comprising one or more of:
 at least one environment sensor configured to generate data representing a condition of an environment about the mobile computing device and/or the respiratory device, wherein the at least one environment sensor comprises one or more of: a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a light sensor, or a smoke sensor; 
 at least one patient sensor configured to generate data representing a condition of the patient, wherein the at least one patient sensor comprises one or more of: an accelerometer, an image sensor, or a sound sensor; and 
 at least one respiratory device sensor configured to generate data representing an operating condition of the respiratory device, wherein the at least one respiratory device sensor comprises one or more sensors for generating data representing an operating condition of one or more of: a humidifier, a breathing conduit, a patient interface, or a blower. 
 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the mobile computing device is configured to perform one or more of:
 presenting, via the user interface, information corresponding to data obtained from the at least one sensor to the patient or other user; 
 transmitting a signal to automatically change, based on data generated by the at least one sensor, the at least one operation parameter of the respiratory device; 
 prompting, via the user interface, the patient or other user, based on data generated by the at least one sensor, to change the at least one operation parameter of the respiratory device; or 
 indicating, based on data generated by the at least one sensor, an adverse operating condition of the respiratory device, and/or an adverse condition of an environment about the mobile computing device and/or the respiratory device, to the patient or other user.