The present invention relates to a method for operating a data processing unit of a ventilation device, and also to a ventilation device. Therapy data are registered and stored in a memory unit and at least a part of the therapy data is transmitted with a transmission unit to a network. At least one available radio network is determined with the transmission unit and at least one parameter for a network quality of the network is defined. At least one processing of the therapy data prior to their transmission into the radio network is carried out dynamically with the data processing unit depending on the parameter.

The present invention relates to a method for protecting a ventilation device of a ventilator against backflowing exhaled air, and to a ventilator. A respiratory gas flow is generated by a blower device and is guided via a flow connection to a breathing interface. The respiratory gas flow is adjusted with the aid of a control device to a first ventilation pressure during an inhalation phase of the patient and to a second ventilation pressure during an exhalation phase. A characteristic variable for a flow within the flow connection is detected in this case by means of a monitoring device for monitoring backflowing exhaled air. And, in this case, a back pressure with respect to the backflowing expiratory flow is adjusted by means of a specific increase of the ventilation pressure with consideration for the characteristic variable, whereby an undesirable rebreathing into the ventilation device is counteracted by means of the back pressure.

Various examples disclosed relate to an apparatus and method for use in verifying input gas, such as differences between a first and a second gas in an anesthesia flow control where one of the gases is oxygen gas and the other of the gases is nitrous oxide gas. The apparatus can include, for example, a chamber having an inlet to receive gas and a vent to exhaust the gas, a gas control to fill the chamber with the gases to a determined begin pressure, and a microprocessor configured to measure respective times to exhaust the first gas and the second gas from the chamber, via the vent, to reach a determined end pressure. Based on time to exhaust the respective gases, a difference between the first and second gases can be identified; this verification can verify that improper crossover/ross-connection of gas supply lines is not present.

A breath detection apparatus for monitoring individual breaths of a patient. The apparatus includes a sensing assembly comprising a humidity sensor. The sensing assembly adapted to be connected to an oxygenation device wherein respiratory gases of a patient are directed over the sensing assembly and the humidity sensor is adapted to monitor differences in humidity during a breath of the patient. The humidity sensor generates an electrical signal representing a humidity level in response to measuring the humidity during the breath. The apparatus also includes a processor in electrical communication with the sensing assembly to receive electrical signals generated by the humidity sensor and determine a state of the relative humidity during the breath, and a visual display element controlled by the processor and adapted to display a predetermined visual alert in response to the state of the relative humidity during the breath.

Methods and apparatus may implement controlled generation of oxygen enriched air in an oxygen concentrator while implementing control that reduces pneumatic imbalance between the concentrator's canisters, such as dynamic pressure imbalance or other pneumatic characteristic. One or more controllers may regulate operation of a compressor that feeds a pressurised air stream to the concentrator's canisters. This may regulate speed of the compressor to a speed set point for generating the pressurised stream. The regulating may involve generating a compressor control signal having a characteristic parameter such as a power parameter. The controller(s) may operate valve(s) in a cyclic pattern so as to produce oxygen enriched air in an accumulator. A cycle of the cyclic pattern may include a plurality of phases, where each of the plurality of phases has a duration. The controller(s) may then generate a dynamic adjustment to the duration(s) based on an evaluation of the characteristic parameter.

A gas delivery conduit adapted for fluidly connecting to a respiratory gases delivery system in a high flow therapy system. In one embodiment, a nasal cannula includes a base portion defining a first therapeutic gas passageway, a nozzle disposed adjacent the base portion and defining a second therapeutic gas passageway, the first passageway being in gaseous communication with the second passageway and a conduit configured to facilitate sensing that has an inlet side that is independent of and axially spaced apart from an outlet side of the nozzle. The conduit inlet side can extend beyond the nozzle outlet side of the nasal cannula. Additionally, the nasal cannula has a feature adapted to prevent one of the conduit and the nozzle from creating a seal with a user's rare and a feature adapted to prevent one of the conduit and the nozzle from creating a seal with a user's nare.

Described herein are various embodiments of an oxygen concentrator system and method of delivering oxygen enriched gas to a user. In some embodiments, oxygen concentrator system includes one or more components that improve the efficiency of oxygen enriched gas delivery during operation of the oxygen concentrator system.

A device, system and method for increasing air intake by a subject is described. The device includes a vibration motor and a control unit for controlling vibrational motion output by the vibration motor. The methods include positioning the vibration motor on one or more limbs of a subject, and stimulating nerves in the limbs via the generated vibrational motion, whereby the stimulated nerve signals the brain to increase breathing rate or air intake by the subject. Accordingly, embodiments of the device activate nerve fibers that carry kinesthetic cues from the limbs in a pattern that simulates normal limb motion, and thus triggers inherent reflexes that increase ventilation in response to such motion.

Various control methods can indirectly determine incorrect connections between components in a respiratory therapy system. For example, errors in the connections can occur between a patient interface, a humidifier and/or a gases source. The methods can indirectly detect if a reverse flow condition exists or other error conditions. A reverse flow condition can occur when gases flows in a direction different from an intended direction of flow. The detection of the reverse flow condition can be indicative of likely errors in connections between the humidifier, patient interface and/or gases source.

A processor obtains input of a logistically attainable end tidal partial pressure of gas X (PetX[i].sup.T) for one or more respective breaths [i] and input of a prospective computation of an amount of gas X required to be inspired by the subject in an inspired gas to target the PetX[i].sup.T for a respective breath [i] using inputs required to utilize a mass balance relationship, wherein one or more values required to control the amount of gas X in a volume of gas delivered to the subject is output from an expression of the mass balance relationship. The mass balance relationship is expressed in a form which takes into account (prospectively), for a respective breath [i], the amount of gas X in the capillaries surrounding the alveoli and the amount of gas X in the alveoli, optionally based on a model of the lung which accounts for those sub-volumes of gas in the lung which substantially affect the alveolar gas X concentration affecting mass transfer.