Portable spirometer and method for monitoring lung function

11234,614

16/155193

October 09, 2018

A spirometer comprises a housing defining a fluid flow pathway extending between a first end and a second end, a first opening along the pathway and a second opening longitudinally spaced along the pathway from the first opening. A flow chamber defining a fluid flow pathway is disposed within the housing between the first opening and the second opening, the flow chamber including an elongated resistive element along the central longitudinal axis of the flow chamber for defining a flow passage through the flow chamber between the resistive element and the inner surface of the flow chamber. The flow chamber conditions fluid flow for accurate sensing of the fluid flow over a range. A pressure sensor is disposed within the housing in fluid communication with the first opening and the second opening for sensing a pressure differential between the first opening and the second opening and producing an electric signal that corresponds with the rate of fluid flow through the housing. The described spirometer and associated software has a variety of applications in the evaluation, diagnosis, monitoring, and improvement of respiratory conditions as well as digitally-delivered respiratory rehabilitation programs and clinical trials.

VIGOR MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC. (Durham, NC, US)

Vigor Medical Systems, Inc. (Durham, NC, US)

1. A method for remotely delivering the contents of a pulmonary treatment or rehabilitation program to an individual, the digital treatment or rehabilitation program of remote delivery method comprising: providing a spirometer for sensing fluid flow from the individual breathing through the spirometer, the spirometer comprising a tubular housing having an open first end and an open second end, the housing defining a first fluid flow pathway extending between the first end and the second end, a first opening along the first fluid flow pathway and through which fluid flow enters, and a second opening longitudinally spaced along the first fluid flow pathway from the first opening and through which fluid flow enters, a flow chamber having a central longitudinal axis and defining a second fluid flow pathway and, the flow chamber disposed within the housing between the first opening and the second opening, the flow chamber including an elongated resistive element along the central longitudinal axis of the flow chamber for defining a flow passage through the flow chamber between the resistive element and the inner surface of the flow chamber, and at least one elongated tubular element disposed between the resistive element and the inner surface of the flow chamber for defining a plurality of annular flow passages through the flow chamber between the resistive element and the inner surface of the flow chamber, wherein the flow chamber conditions the fluid flow for accurate sensing of the flow over a range of fluid flow through the housing, and a pressure sensor disposed within the housing, the pressure sensor in fluid communication with the first opening and the second opening for sensing a pressure differential between the first opening and the second opening and producing an electric signal in response to fluid flow through the housing, wherein the electric signal has a magnitude that corresponds with the rate of fluid flow through the housing and a sign that corresponds with the directionality of fluid flow through the housing; breathing into the spirometer by exhaling or inhaling for flowing fluid through the spirometer from the first end to exit the second end; sensing flowing fluid within the spirometer to provide flow data according to the fluid flow; evaluating lung function according to the flow data; and using the lung function results to tailor specific, multi-media knowledge modules to the individual.

2. The digital treatment or rehabilitation program remote delivery method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of using the lung function results comprises tailoring the multi-media knowledge modules to a specific disease or set of diseases.

3. The digital treatment or rehabilitation program remote delivery method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of automatically or manually monitoring medication dosing regimens.

4. The digital treatment or rehabilitation program system remote delivery method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing a virtual avatar with whom the individual interacts.

5. The digital treatment or rehabilitation program remote delivery method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of chat messaging, phone calls, or telehealth conferencing between the individual and any healthcare professional.

6. The digital treatment or rehabilitation program remote delivery method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of identifying and grouping similar patients into virtual rehabilitation communities or virtual community support groups based on geopositional location, disease severity, track record of using the device, personality preferences, or any combination thereof.

7. The digital treatment or rehabilitation program remote delivery method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the virtual community support groups are able to communicate via secure group chat messaging, phone calls, or telehealth conferencing.

3735752 May 1973 Rodder et al.
4736750 April 1988 Valdespino et al.
5360009 November 1994 Herskovitz
5722417 March 1998 Garbe
5750892 May 1998 Huang et al.
5750982 May 1998 Dokyi
6203502 March 2001 Hilgendorf et al.
6269810 August 2001 Brooker
6435183 August 2002 Farman
6585662 July 2003 Jones et al.
6681643 January 2004 Heinonen
6699188 March 2004 Wessel
6915705 July 2005 Truitt et al.
7063669 June 2006 Brawner et al.
7172557 February 2007 Parker
7584108 September 2009 Brown
7835925 November 2010 Roe
8034002 October 2011 Coifman
8092224 January 2012 Walker et al.
8353844 January 2013 Jin et al.
8449474 May 2013 Schuessler et al.
8583459 November 2013 Neben et al.
9113818 August 2015 Brunner et al.
9138167 September 2015 Leydon
9207715 December 2015 Filipovic et al.
9286615 March 2016 Hyde et al.
9443061 September 2016 Hyde et al.
10019555 July 2018 Manice
10098570 October 2018 Poore et al.
2002/0116994 August 2002 Heinonen
2002/0156654 October 2002 Roe
2003/0120169 June 2003 Jones et al.
2004/0074304 April 2004 Braun
2006/0036134 February 2006 Tarassenko et al.
2006/0218011 September 2006 Walker et al.
2008/0177574 July 2008 Lara Gonzalez et al.
2009/0020120 January 2009 Schatzl et al.
2009/0253994 October 2009 Schuessler et al.
2011/0035234 February 2011 Roe
2011/0119075 May 2011 Dhoble
2011/0119076 May 2011 Dhoble
2011/0119290 May 2011 Dhoble
2011/0125517 May 2011 Dhoble
2011/0125518 May 2011 Dhoble
2011/0125519 May 2011 Dhoble
2011/0125520 May 2011 Dhoble
2011/0125521 May 2011 Dhoble
2011/0306859 December 2011 Saldivar et al.
2012/0130265 May 2012 Cha et al.
2012/0136271 May 2012 Shavit
2012/0302910 November 2012 Freeman et al.
2013/0018240 January 2013 McCoy
2013/0053719 February 2013 Wekell
2013/0144655 June 2013 Neben et al.
2013/0190641 July 2013 Gonnen et al.
2013/0303930 November 2013 Elefteriades et al.
2013/0317379 November 2013 Brimer et al.
2014/0066731 March 2014 Sadasivam
2014/0073969 March 2014 Zou et al.
2014/0081087 March 2014 Yu
2014/0142456 May 2014 Fischer et al.
2014/0206949 July 2014 Lucas
2015/0112707 April 2015 Manice
2015/0126888 May 2015 Patel et al.
2015/0126889 May 2015 Frey et al.
2015/0148634 May 2015 Garudadri
2015/0150483 June 2015 Mangell
2015/0150484 June 2015 Wekell
2015/0157230 June 2015 Tseng et al.
2015/0164373 June 2015 Davis et al.
2015/0320949 November 2015 Jaffe
2015/0359489 December 2015 Baudenbacher et al.
2016/0015324 January 2016 Du Bois
2016/0015328 January 2016 Dahlberg et al.
2016/0055415 February 2016 Baxi
2016/0106342 April 2016 Razavi et al.
2016/0106627 April 2016 Geman et al.
2016/0136366 May 2016 Bennett
2016/0150995 June 2016 Ratto et al.
2016/0242701 August 2016 Gonnen et al.
2016/0287139 October 2016 Luttrell
2016/0363582 December 2016 Blackley
2017/0266399 September 2017 Campana et al.
2018/0064367 March 2018 Poore et al.
2018/0308572 October 2018 Manice
2367251 March 2000
2436100 June 2001
104188656 December 2014
204562163 August 2015
102005026933 December 2006
102005026933 September 2010
0437055 July 1991
3050513 August 2016
2188405 June 2003
2188405 February 2005
5751509 March 1982
100760065 September 2007
352998 March 2009
2004082161 September 2004
2009108939 September 2009
2013088351 June 2013
2015066562 May 2015
2015117046 August 2015
2015145424 October 2015
2016161036 October 2016
2018048875 March 2018

Vigor Medical Systems, Inc., International Patent Application No. PCT/US2017/050239, International Search Report and Written Opinion, dated Dec. 15, 2017. cited by applicant
Poore, Gregory; Issue Notification for U.S. Appl. No. 15/696,780, filed Sep. 6, 2017, dated Sep. 26, 2018, 1 pg. cited by applicant
Poore, Gregory; Non-Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 15/696,780, filed Sep. 6, 2017, dated Nov. 24, 2017, 34 pgs. cited by applicant
Poore, Gregory; Notice of Allowance for U.S. Appl. No. 15/696,780, filed Sep. 6, 2017, dated Jun. 20, 2018, 12 pgs. cited by applicant
Poore, Gregory; International Preliminary Report on Patentability for serial No. PCT/US2017/050239, filed Sep. 6, 2017, dated Mar. 21, 2019, 12 pgs. cited by applicant
Poore, Gregory; Chinese Office Action for Application No. 201780068390.8, filed Sep. 6, 2017, dated Jun. 18, 2021, 16 pages. cited by applicant

edspgr.11234614