U.S. patent application number 15/204825 was filed with the patent office on 2017-01-12 for vibratory cough suppression.
The applicant listed for this patent is James Madison Innovations, Inc.. Invention is credited to Christy Leslie Ludlow.
Application Number | 20170007497 15/204825 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57730270 |
Filed Date | 2017-01-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170007497 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ludlow; Christy Leslie |
January 12, 2017 |
Vibratory Cough Suppression
Abstract
An apparatus comprises a vibrational transducer, a placement
band, a driver module and a control module. The placement band is
configured to hold the vibrational transducer adjacent to the skin
surface overlying the cricoid cartilage and trachea region of a
patient's neck. The driver module is configured to apply a drive
signal to the vibrational transducer. The control module is
configured to receive at least one input configured to provide
vibrational operating information and control the driver module to
cause the vibrational transducer to apply a vibratory stimulation
in an amount determined, at least in part, by the vibrational
operating information.
Inventors: |
Ludlow; Christy Leslie;
(Washington, VA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
James Madison Innovations, Inc. |
Harrisonburg |
VA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57730270 |
Appl. No.: |
15/204825 |
Filed: |
July 7, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62190157 |
Jul 8, 2015 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61H 23/0245 20130101;
A61H 23/0254 20130101; A61H 2201/5012 20130101; A61H 2201/5015
20130101; A61H 23/02 20130101; A61H 23/0236 20130101; A61H
2201/5058 20130101; A61H 2201/5076 20130101; A61H 2230/405
20130101; A61H 23/008 20130101; G09B 19/04 20130101; A61H 2205/04
20130101; A61H 2201/5071 20130101; H04W 4/80 20180201 |
International
Class: |
A61H 23/00 20060101
A61H023/00; A61H 23/02 20060101 A61H023/02 |
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising: a. a vibrational transducer; b. a
placement band configured to hold the placement plate adjacent to
the skin surface overlying the cricoid cartilage and trachea region
of a patients' neck; c. a placement plate containing a driver
module and the vibrational transducer; d. a driver module
configured to apply a drive signal to the vibrational transducer;
e. a control module configured to: i. receive at least one input
configured to provide vibrational operating information comprising,
at least in part, cough detection information; ii. control the
driver module to cause the vibrational transducer to apply a
vibratory stimulation in an amount determined, at least in part, by
the vibrational operating information.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cough detection
module configured to detect the presence of a persistent
cough(s).
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cough detection module
employs at least one of an audio sensor, a pressure sensor and a
vibration sensor to detect the presence of the persistent
cough.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the vibrational operating
information comprises persistent cough detection information.
5. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the vibrational transducer is
configured to produce a vibration between 40 and 120 Hz.
6. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the amount is modulated in at
least one of amplitude and frequency.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vibrational operating
information comprises at least one of the following: a. on/off
information; b. vibration modulation information; c. temporal
vibration information; d. amplitude vibration information; and e. a
combination of the above.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vibrational transducer
comprises at least one of the following: a. a piezo-electric
crystal; b. a motor; c. a speaker; d. a shaker; and e. a
combination of the above.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one of the
following connected to the input: a. an on-off switch; b. a mode
selector; and c. a combination of the above.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at vibration
sensor connected to the controller.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller employs the
vibration sensor as part of an applied vibration feedback loop.
12. A method of suppressing a persistent cough comprising: a.
disposing a vibrational transducer on the skin surface overlying
the cricoid cartilage and trachea region of a patients neck; and b.
applying a vibratory stimulation in response to a cough, via the
vibrational transducer, in an amount determined at least in part,
by externally provided vibrational operating information.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting, via a
persistent cough detection module, the presence of a persistent
cough.
14. The method of claim 12, further comprising employing at least
one of an audio sensor and a vibration sensor to detect the
presence of the persistent cough.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the vibrational operating
information comprises cough detection information.
16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising causing the
vibrational transducer to produce a vibration between 40 and 120
Hz.
17. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising causing the
vibrational transducer to produce a modulated vibration, the
modulated vibration modulated in at least one of amplitude and
frequency.
18. The method of claim 12, wherein the vibrational operating
information comprises at least one of the following: a. on/off
information; b. vibration modulation information; c. temporal
vibration information; d. amplitude vibration information; and e. a
combination of the above.
19. The method of claim 12, wherein the vibrational transducer
comprises at least one of the following: a. a piezo-electric
crystal; b. a motor; c. a speaker; d. a shaker; and e. a
combination of the above.
20. The method of claim 12, wherein the externally provided
vibrational operating information further comprises vibration
feedback information.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 62/190,157, filed Jul. 8/2015, entitled "Vibratory
Cough Suppression," which is hereby incorporated by reference in
its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Chronic cough is a disorder of uncontrolled coughing that
may persist for 8 weeks or more. This disorder may adversely affect
the quality of life of 5-33% of the population. Currently
medications such as dextromethorphan or opiates are used to treat
chronic cough but because of sedation and addiction side effects
these are limited in dosage and duration of usage. Otherwise, the
patient may try to consciously suppress their coughing which is
difficult to do. These patients are annoying to others and also
have sleeping difficulties because of coughing waking them up at
night. What is needed is a non-invasive device to suppress a
chronic cough.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] Example FIG. 1 is an illustration of the placement of a
vibrator according to aspects of some of the various
embodiments.
[0004] Example FIG. 2 is illustration showing the location of
sensory fibers contained in the recurrent laryngeal nerve which
innervate the subglottic and trachea regions.
[0005] Example FIG. 3 is a graph of experimental results showing
reduction in blood oxygenation level in the Cortical left post
central somatosensory region with vibratory stimulation on the
neck.
[0006] Example FIG. 4 is diagram of a cough suppression apparatus
being worn by a patient according to aspects of some of the various
embodiments.
[0007] Example FIG. 5 is diagram of a cough suppression apparatus
according to aspects of some of the various embodiments.
[0008] Example FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method of suppressing
a persistent cough according to aspects of some of the various
embodiments.
[0009] Example FIG. 7 illustrates an example controller and/or
computing environment on which aspects of some embodiments may be
implemented.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0010] Embodiments of the present invention may be employed as a
treatment for chronic cough. Chronic cough is a disorder of
uncontrolled coughing that may persist for 8 weeks or more. This
disorder may adversely affect the quality of life of 5-33% of the
population. When no contributing underlying disorder has been
identified the disorder may be considered a hypersensivity to
sensory triggers resulting in uncontrolled cough. Worldwide studies
of patients have demonstrated that such patients often are female
and have heightened cough reflex sensitivity. Such patients may
have a central nervous system hyper-reactivity of the cough system
at multiple levels; including the cough reflex in the brain stem,
and at the cortical levels involving sensing the urge to cough and
cortical modulation of cough generation. Treatment usually involves
pharmacology and may be only partially effective and limited due to
significant dose-limiting side effects such as sedation, and
addiction.
[0011] Some of the various embodiments comprise a noninvasive
device that a patient may employ to suppress cough. Embodiments
produce vibration of the trachea and subglottal region to interfere
and reduce sensitivity of receptors in that area. Example FIG. 1 is
an illustration of the placement of a vibrator 110 according to
aspects of some of the various embodiments. As illustrated, the
vibrator 110 may be placed on the skin surface overlying the
cricoid cartilage and trachea.
[0012] A patient activated or automatic vibrator 110 may be placed
on the neck overlying the cricoid cartilage 122 and trachea 124 to
provide vibratory stimulation configured to penetrate deep into the
trachea and subglottal region to interfere with sensory endings of
the recurrent laryngeal nerve which can trigger a cough. The cell
bodies for the afferents contained in the recurrent laryngeal nerve
that contribute to cough are contained in the nodose and jugular
ganglia and terminate in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) in
the brain stem. The NTS may be activated by the sensory endings
that have input to the cough generators in the medulla. A cough may
be elicited by stimulation of the sensory endings in the recurrent
laryngeal nerve. By presenting a vibratory stimulus to these
sensory endings, the sensory endings may be activated by the
vibratory stimulus. The stimulation may interfere with activation
of these sensory endings by other stimulation such as irritants in
the subglottal region and the trachea which trigger the cough.
Little evidence has been found that a vibratory stimulus in the
tracheal and subglottal region can invoke a cough in awake humans.
In fact, this stimulation may invoke swallowing which has been
shown to suppress laryngeal reflexes such as a cough. Tracheal
receptors responsible for inducing a cough include A.delta.
mechanoreceptors which are usually hypersensitive in chronic cough.
These mechanoreceptors, which may be sensitive to vibration, are
located in the trachea and are innervated by the recurrent
laryngeal nerve (See FIG. 2 showing the location of sensory fibers
contained in the recurrent laryngeal nerve which innervate the
subglottic and trachea regions).
[0013] According to some of the various embodiments, a vibration
may be applied to the trachea region of a patient to desensitize
the patient and reduce the elicitation of chronic cough. This is in
contrast to alternative proposals of using air puff stimulation to
the pharyngeal area as a desensitization method to suppress cough.
An air puff device for stimulation the pharynx requires the
insertion of a tube into the posterior oral pharyngeal cavity which
is invasive and would require medical supervision. Further the
upper airway mucosa rapidly adapts to air pressure stimulation and
the effects may be short-lived in contrast with a vibratory
stimulus which continuously oscillates between multiple directions
(e.g. two) and to which neural responses do not adapt.
Additionally, an airpuff stimulus in the intra-oral area may have
an excitatory effect on blood flow in the cortical somatosensory
regions in awake humans. As cortical activity in the somatosensory
areas was previously shown to be active during volitional cough and
has been posited as an area of hyperactivity in patients with
chronic cough, it was important to determine the effect of air puff
and vibration on cortical activity in awake humans.
[0014] Example FIG. 3 is a graph of experimental results showing
changes in blood oxygenation in the Cortical left post central
somatosensory region with vibratory stimulation on the neck.
Vibratory stimulation may have a suppressive effect on cortical
activity in the somatosensory areas. Near infra-red spectroscopy
was employed to examine changes in oxygenation of hemoglobin in the
somatosensory cortices as illustrated in the graph of FIG. 3. As
shown, the levels of oxygenated hemoglobin were reduced by
vibrotactile stimulation in the throat area with a pancake motor.
Thus the vibratory stimulation produced suppression of the post
central somatosensory regions of the cortex, the region thought to
be hyperactive in chronic cough.
[0015] This demonstrates that vibratory stimulation not only blocks
and disrupts sensory receptors in the trachea and subglottic area,
but also has a suppressive effect on cortical activity in an area
thought to be overly activate in chronic cough. Therefore, some of
the various embodiments of the present invention may be employed to
present a non-invasive vibratory stimulation to the upper airway
using a vibrator (e.g. small motor, piezo-electric crystal, shaker,
combinations thereof, and/or the like) placed on the skin overlying
the cricoid cartilage and trachea to suppress cough receptors and
reduce cortical activity in somatosensory areas of the brain.
[0016] Various embodiments may desensitize patients to tracheal
stimulation while reducing cortical activity involved in the
somatosensory regions affected in chronic cough. Thus, various
embodiments may disrupt hyperactivity in both the reflexive pathway
as well as suppression in the urge to cough centers in the
cortex.
[0017] Various embodiments comprising a noninvasive vibratory
device placed on the skin over the trachea and cricoid cartilage to
deliver vibration to mechanoreceptors in the trachea, may be
employed by patients in their everyday environment without adverse
effects. By vibrating the tissues in the trachea and subglottis,
the patient may become less responsive to sensory triggers for
cough. With daily use of some of the various embodiments over time,
cough hyper-excitability may become reduced in both brain stem
mechanisms as well as cortical somatosensory regions due to
neuroplastic changes possible in the central nervous system
pathways. Some of the various embodiments may be non-invasive and
may be employed by patients in various settings without medical
supervision. The patient may activate vibration either by pressing
a switch to suppress cough when they feel the urge to cough or set
the device in one or more automatic modes. One example automatic
mode may automatically cycle on and off for selected periods to
disrupt chronic cough throughout the day. Other automatic modes may
employ a modulation pattern of frequencies, amplitudes and times.
Yet other automatic modes may employ a cough detection circuitry to
engage vibrations in response to detected coughs.
[0018] Some of the various embodiments may allow a patient with a
chronic cough to control the cough. The embodiments may comprise a
vibratory stimulator that interferes with the sensory triggers
leading to a cough. The vibration may block the effects with
irritation of afferents in the subglottic and tracheal areas.
Simultaneously, this stimulation may suppress cortical activity in
somatosensory areas in the cortex which has recently been shown to
have hyper-excitability in chronic cough patients. In this way,
some of the various embodiments may help the patient control their
chronic coughing either when coughing occurs or by having the
device turned on it will prevent the coughing from occurring.
Currently, these patients may have multiple physician visits and be
prescribed medications of limited benefit. More recently, speech
pathologists have provided behavioral methods of teaching a patient
ways to control their coughing. Some of the various embodiments may
be configured to help these patients and reduce the cost of
multiple physician or therapist visits.
[0019] Example FIG. 4 is diagram of a cough suppression apparatus
being worn by a patient 405 according to aspects of some of the
various embodiments. Example FIG. 5 is diagram of a cough
suppression apparatus according to aspects of some of the various
embodiments. As illustrated in FIG. 4 a placement plate 480
attached to a band 490 may be worn by a patient 405 who may have a
persistent cough. The placement plate 480 may hold a vibrational
transducer 420 and a controller 410. The placement band 490 may be
configured to hold the vibrational transducer 420 adjacent to the
skin surface overlying the cricoid cartilage and trachea region of
the patient's neck. As illustrated in FIG. 5, a driver module 525
may be configured to apply a drive signal to the vibrational
transducer 420 under control of the controller 410. The controller
410 may be configured to receive at least one input configured to
provide vibrational operating information and control the driver
module to cause the vibrational transducer 420 to apply a vibratory
stimulation in an amount determined, at least in part, by the
vibrational operating information.
[0020] According to various embodiments, the vibration amount may
be static and/or dynamic. For example, when the amount is static,
the vibratory stimulation may be at a constant amplitude and
frequency. In contrast, when the amount is dynamic, the vibratory
stimulation may be modulated. Modulation may vary the amplitude
and/or the frequency of the vibratory stimulation. Modulation as
discussed herein may also comprise temporal sequences of vibrations
for specific periods of time at various frequencies and/or
amplitudes.
[0021] According to various embodiments, the controller 410 may be
configured to receive various types of vibrational operating
information. Vibrational information is information that the
controller may employ to determine how to engage the vibrational
transducer 420. The vibrational operating information may comprise
at least one of the following: on/off information, vibration
modulation information, temporal vibration information, amplitude
vibration information, a combination thereof, and/or the like. For
example, in a simple form, the vibrational operating information
may comprise the output of a manually operated on/off switch to
determine whether the vibrational transducer 420 should be engaged
or not. In a more complex example, the vibrational operating
information may comprise vibration and/or effectiveness feedback
information. Vibration feedback information could, for example be
generated by vibration sensor 530. Effectiveness feedback
information could, for example, be generated by cough sensor 540.
The feedback information may be employed by controller 410 to
employ a feedback loop to ensure that a measured vibration is
applied to a patient 405.
[0022] According to some of the various embodiments, the
vibrational transducer 420 may comprise at least one of the
following: a piezo-electric crystal, a motor, a speaker, a shaker,
a combination of the above, and/or the like. The vibrational
transducer 420 may be configured to produce a vibration between 40
and 120 Hz.
[0023] According to some of the various embodiments, at least one
of the following may be connected to an input on the controller
410: a mode selector 512, a manual activator 514, a vibration
sensor 530, a cough sensor 540, a computing device 550,
combinations thereof, and/or the like. The manual activator 514 may
comprise a switch, a smart activation device, a combination
thereof, and/or the like. The manual activator 514 may be employed
to activate the device. So for example, if a patient 405 starts
coughing, the patient 405 may manually press the manual activator
514 to start the device.
[0024] The mode selector 512 may comprise a multi-position switch,
a selection device (e.g. a smart controller, a mobile device
connected via a communications interface, a combination thereof,
and/or the like). Selected modes may comprise various operational
modes, such as, for example, a manual mode, a timed mode, a
sequenced mode, an adaptive mode, combinations thereof, and/or the
like.
[0025] The computing device 550 may comprise a device such as, for
example, a computer, a tablet, a smart phone, a monitoring device,
combinations thereof, and/or the like. The computing device 550 may
be configured to operate as an interface to program or otherwise
provide operational inputs to controller 410. The computing device
550 may communicate to controller 410 via a communication link. By
way of example, and not limitation, a communication link may
comprise a wired communications link and/or a wireless
communications link. Examples of wired communications link include
Ethernet, fiber optic, General Purpose Instrument Bus (GPIB),
RS-232, RS-422, RS-485, Serial peripheral interface (SPI), an
inter-integrated circuit interface (I2C), FireWire.TM., a Universal
Serial Bus (USB), and/or the like. Examples of wireless links may
employ, for example, radio frequency links, radios, Bluetooth.TM.,
cellular, Wi-Fi, combinations thereof, and/or the like. The
communications link may comprise various combinations of wired
and/or wireless communications links (e.g. a communications
network).
[0026] The vibration sensor 530 may comprise a device configured to
sense vibration, such as, for example, a microphone, a
piezoelectric sensor, an accelerometer, an optical motion sensor,
combinations thereof, and/or the like. A piezoelectric sensor is a
device that uses the piezoelectric effect, to measure changes in
pressure, sound, acceleration, temperature, strain, or force by
converting them to an electrical charge. A microphone is a
vibration-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts vibrations
(e.g. sound) sound into an electrical signal. An accelerometer is a
device which converts mechanical motion into an electrical signal.
The vibration sensor 530 may process the raw signals into a value
useable to controller 410. For example, vibration sensor 530 may
digitize a raw electrical signal from a piezo-electric crystal and
communicate the digitized value to the controller 410. In yet
another example, vibration sensor 530 may convert a raw electrical
signal from a piezo-electric crystal into a readable range (e.g.
zero to 5 volts) readable by controller 410.
[0027] According to some of the various embodiments, the apparatus
may further comprise a cough sensor 540 configured to detect the
presence of a persistent cough(s). The cough sensor 540 may
comprise a cough detection module. The cough detection module may
employ at least one of an audio sensor and a vibration sensor, a
combination thereof, and/or the like to detect cough sounds and/or
vibrations. The detected signals may be processed by a signal
processor to statistically match detected signals to a cough. A
sequence of coughs over a prolonged period of time (e.g. an hour)
may be categorized as a persistent cough. Examples of cough
detection devices are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No.
8,2412,23 titled "Cough Detector" to Gavriely et al. The output of
the cough detection module may comprise cough detection
information.
[0028] Example FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method of suppressing
a persistent cough according to aspects of some of the various
embodiments. At 610, a vibrational transducer may be disposed on
the skin surface overlying the cricoid cartilage and trachea region
of a patient's neck. A vibratory stimulation may be applied
employing the vibrational transducer in an amount determined, at
least in part, by an externally provided vibrational operating
information at 620.
[0029] According to some of the various embodiments, a persistent
cough detection module may be employed to detect the presence of a
persistent cough at 630. A persistent cough may be detected, for
example, by employing a device such as, but not limited to: an
audio sensor, a vibration sensor, a signal processor, combinations
thereof, and/or the like. The vibrational operating information may
comprise cough detection information.
[0030] The vibrational transducer may be driven to produce a
vibration between 40 and 120 Hz. Other frequencies and/or
combinations of frequencies may also be employed. For example, the
vibrational transducer may be driven to produce a modulated
vibration at 4 Hz for short periods of 150 ms interrupted by
periods of 100 ms of no vibration. According to some of the various
embodiments, the modulated vibration may be amplitude and/or
frequency modulated.
[0031] The vibrational operating information may comprise various
information regarding the actual, desired and/or effectiveness of
performance of the vibrational transducer. For example, the
vibrational operating information may comprise at least one of the
following: on/off information, vibration modulation information,
temporal vibration information, amplitude vibration information,
combinations thereof and/or the like. According to some of the
various embodiments, the vibrational operating information may be
employed as feedback information to allow the modification of the
vibrations to increase cough suppression efficacy.
[0032] Example FIG. 7 illustrates an example controller and/or
computing environment on which aspects of some embodiments may be
implemented. The computing environment 700 is only one example of a
computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation
as to the scope of use or functionality of the claimed subject
matter. Neither should the computing environment 700 be interpreted
as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or
combination of components illustrated in the example operating
environment 700.
[0033] Embodiments are operational with numerous other general
purpose or special purpose computing system environments or
configurations. Examples of well-known computing systems,
environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use
with various embodiments include, but are not limited to, embedded
computing systems, personal computers, server computers, mobile
devices, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems,
microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer
electronics, medical device, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe
computers, cloud services, telephonic systems, distributed
computing environments that include any of the above systems or
devices, and the like. So, for example, controller 410 may be an
embedded system mounted in proximity to band 490 while computing
device 550 may be a laptop and/or other type of mobile computing
device.
[0034] Embodiments may be described in the general context of
computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being
executed by computing capable devices. Generally, program modules
include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures,
etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract
data types. Some embodiments may be designed to be practiced in
distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by
remote processing devices that are linked through a communications
network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules
may be located in both local and remote computer storage media
including memory storage devices.
[0035] With reference to FIG. 7, an example system for implementing
some embodiments includes a computing device 710. Components of
computing device 710 may include, but are not limited to, a
processing unit 720, a system memory 730, and a system bus 721 that
couples various system components including the system memory 730
to the processing unit 720.
[0036] Computing device 710 may comprise a variety of computer
readable media. Computer readable media may be any available media
that can be accessed by computing device 710 and includes both
volatile and nonvolatile media, and removable and non-removable
media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer readable
media may comprise computer storage media and communication media.
Computer storage media may comprise volatile and/or nonvolatile,
and/or removable and/or non-removable media implemented in any
method or technology for storage of information such as computer
readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other
data. Computer storage media comprises, but is not limited to,
random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically
erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or
other memory technology, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM),
digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage,
magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other
magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to
store the desired information and which can be accessed by
computing device 710. Communication media typically embodies
computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or
other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or
other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery
media. The term "modulated data signal" means a signal that has one
or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as
to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not
limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a
wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such
as acoustic, radio frequency (RF), infrared and other wireless
media configured to communicate modulated data signal(s).
Combinations of any of the above should also be included within the
scope of computer readable media.
[0037] The system may allow local or remote enquiry by a
practitioner or their assistant on many parameters in the system
including but not limited to periods of device usage over time
(days, weeks), frequency of coughs, and changes in frequency of
coughs with device use. The practitioner or their assistant could
be able to monitor patient progress and program settings to match
patient needs over time.
[0038] System memory 730 includes computer storage media in the
form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as ROM 731 and RAM
732. A basic input/output system 733 (BIOS), containing the basic
routines that help to transfer information between elements within
computing device 710, such as during start-up, is typically stored
in ROM 731. RAM 732 typically contains data and/or program modules
that are immediately accessible to and/or presently being operated
on by processing unit 720. By way of example, and not limitation,
FIG. 7 illustrates operating system 734, application programs 735,
other program modules 736, and program data 737 that may be stored
in RAM 732.
[0039] Computing device 710 may also include other
removable/non-removable volatile/nonvolatile computer storage
media. By way of example only, FIG. 7 illustrates a hard disk drive
741 that may read from or writes to non-removable, nonvolatile
magnetic media, a magnetic disk drive 751 that may read from or
write to a removable, nonvolatile magnetic disk 752, a flash drive
reader 757 that may read flash drive 758, and an optical disk drive
755 that may read from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile
optical disk 756 such as a Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD ROM),
Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), Blue-ray Disc.TM. (BD) or other
optical media. Other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile
computer storage media that may be used in the example operating
environment include, but are not limited to, magnetic tape
cassettes, flash memory cards, digital versatile disks, digital
video tape, solid state RAM, solid state ROM, and the like. The
hard disk drive 741 is typically connected to the system bus 721
through a non-removable memory interface such as interface 740, and
magnetic disk drive 751 and optical disk drive 755 are typically
connected to the system bus 721 by a removable memory interface,
such as interface 750.
[0040] The drives and their associated computer storage media
discussed above and illustrated in FIG. 7 provide storage of
computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules
and other data for computing device 710. In FIG. 7, for example,
hard disk drive 741 is illustrated as storing operating system 744,
application programs 745, program data 747, and other program
modules 746. Additionally, for example, non-volatile memory may
include instructions, for example, to discover and configure IT
device(s), to create device neutral user interface command(s),
combinations thereof, and/or the like.
[0041] A user may enter commands and information into computing
device 710 through input devices such as a keyboard 762, a
microphone 763, a camera 764, touch screen 767, and a pointing
device 761, such as a mouse, trackball or touch pad. These and
other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 720
through a user input interface 760 that is coupled to the system
bus 721, but may be connected by other interface and bus
structures, such as a parallel port, a game port and/or a universal
serial bus (USB).
[0042] Sensors and actuators, such as cough detector 775, vibrator
765, vibration sensor 768 and vibration actuator 766 may be
connected to the system bus 721 via an Input/Output Interface (I/O
I/F) 769. Examples of vibration sensor(s) 768 comprise an
accelerometer, an inertial navigation unit, a piezoelectric
crystal, and/or the like. A display monitor 791 or other type of
display device may also be connected to the system bus 721 via an
interface, such as a video interface 790. Other devices, such as,
for example, speakers 797 and printer 796 may be connected to the
system via peripheral interface 795.
[0043] Computing device 710 may be operated in a networked
environment using logical connections to one or more remote
computers, such as a remote computer 780. The remote computer 780
may be a personal computer, a mobile device, a hand-held device, a
server, a router, a network PC, a medical device, a peer device or
other common network node, and typically includes many or all of
the elements described above relative to computing device 710. The
logical connections depicted in FIG. 7 include a local area network
(LAN) 771 and a wide area network (WAN) 773, but may also include
other networks such as, for example, a cellular network. Such
networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide
computer networks, intranets and the Internet.
[0044] When used in a LAN networking environment, computing device
710 may be connected to the LAN 771 through a network interface or
adapter 770. When used in a WAN networking environment, computing
device 710 typically includes a modem 772 or other means for
establishing communications over the WAN 773, such as the Internet.
The modem 772, which may be internal or external, may be connected
to the system bus 721 via the user input interface 760, or other
appropriate mechanism. The modem 772 may be wired or wireless.
Examples of wireless devices may comprise, but are limited to:
Wi-Fi, Near-field Communication (NFC) and BluetoothTM. In a
networked environment, program modules depicted relative to
computing device 710, or portions thereof, may be stored in the
remote memory storage device 788. By way of example, and not
limitation, FIG. 7 illustrates remote application programs 785 as
residing on remote computer 780. It will be appreciated that the
network connections shown are exemplary and other means of
establishing a communications link between the computers may be
used. Additionally, for example, LAN 771 and WAN 773 may provide a
network interface to communicate with other distributed
infrastructure management device(s); with IT device(s); with users
remotely accessing the User Input Interface 760; combinations
thereof, and/or the like.
[0045] Although the subject matter has been described in language
specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is
to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended
claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts
described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described
above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the
claims.
[0046] In this specification, "a" and "an" and similar phrases are
to be interpreted as "at least one" and "one or more." References
to "an" embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the
same embodiment.
[0047] Some of the elements described in the disclosed embodiments
may be implemented as modules. A module is defined here as an
isolatable element that performs a defined function and has a
defined interface to other elements. The modules described in this
disclosure may be implemented in hardware, a combination of
hardware and software, firmware, wetware (i.e hardware with a
biological element) or a combination thereof, all of which are
behaviorally equivalent. For example, modules may be implemented
using computer hardware in combination with software routine(s)
written in a computer language (such as C, C++, Fortran, Java,
Basic, Matlab.TM. or the like) or a modeling/simulation program
such as Simulink.TM. Stateflow.TM., GNU Octave.TM., or LabVIEW
MathScript.TM.. Additionally, it may be possible to implement
modules using physical hardware that incorporates discrete or
programmable analog, digital and/or quantum hardware. Examples of
programmable hardware include: computers, microcontrollers,
microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs);
field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs); and complex programmable
logic devices (CPLDs). Computers, microcontrollers and
microprocessors are programmed using languages such as assembly, C,
C++ or the like. FPGAs, ASICs and CPLDs are often programmed using
hardware description languages (HDL) such as VHSIC hardware
description language (VHDL) or Verilog that configure connections
between internal hardware modules with lesser functionality on a
programmable device. Finally, it needs to be emphasized that the
above mentioned technologies may be used in combination to achieve
the result of a functional module.
[0048] The disclosure of this patent document incorporates material
which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has
no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent
document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and
Trademark Office patent file or records, for the limited purposes
required by law, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights
whatsoever.
[0049] While various embodiments have been described above, it
should be understood that they have been presented by way of
example, and not limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled
in the relevant art(s) that various changes in form and detail can
be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope. In
fact, after reading the above description, it will be apparent to
one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement alternative
embodiments. Thus, the present embodiments should not be limited by
any of the above described exemplary embodiments. In particular, it
should be noted that, for example purposes, the above explanation
has focused on the example(s) persistent cough suppression.
However, one skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of
the invention could be employed to suppress periodic cough
episodes.
[0050] In addition, it should be understood that any figures that
highlight any functionality and/or advantages, are presented for
example purposes only. The disclosed architecture is sufficiently
flexible and configurable, such that it may be utilized in ways
other than that shown. For example, the steps listed in any
flowchart may be re-ordered or only optionally used in some
embodiments.
[0051] Further, the purpose of the Abstract of the Disclosure is to
enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public
generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and
practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal
terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory
inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of
the application. The Abstract of the Disclosure is not intended to
be limiting as to the scope in any way.
[0052] Finally, it is the applicant's intent that only claims that
include the express language "means for" or "step for" be
interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112. Claims that do not expressly
include the phrase "means for" or "step for" are not to be
interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112.
* * * * *