KR20190052636A - Respiratory monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a respiratory monitoring system senses vibration by respiration of a patient by using a piezoelectric effect to display acquired information on a respiratory condition of the patient. The respiratory monitoring system comprises: a disposable respiration sensing device including a piezoelectric material of a thin film form, a piezoelectric film having an upper electrode positioned on an upper portion of the piezoelectric material and a lower electrode positioned on a lower portion of the piezoelectric material to arrange the piezoelectric material therebetween and generating a piezoelectric signal to the upper and the lower electrode in accordance with vibration caused by respiration of the patient and an insulation film which is positioned on a lower portion of the lower electrode, and blocks electrical connection to the piezoelectric film; and an interface display including a battery, a first power cable to supply power to the disposable respiration sensing device from the battery, a first communication cable to receive the piezoelectric signal from the disposable respiration sensing device, a controller to process the piezoelectric signal received via the first communication cable to generate a respiration signal, and a communication module to transmit the respiration signal to an external device.

Description

{RESPIRATORY MONITORING SYSTEM}

The present invention relates to a respiration monitoring system, and more particularly, to a respiration monitoring system that detects a respiration of a patient using a piezoelectric material.

Recently, there has been an increasing effort to implement effective treatment by relieving patient's tensions and minimizing anxiety and fear by implementing Sedation. These calm laws can be classified into oral calm, inhalation calm, and sedentary calm depending on the method of enforcement. However, when induced by sedation, the patient's ability to secure trachea independently may be significantly reduced because the patient may not be aware of clinical stimuli or may only respond to minimal stimuli . Therefore, active surveillance is required for stable sedation, and monitoring of the patient's respiratory condition is a very important part of the success rate of the operation and the patient's life.

Examples of methods for monitoring respiratory depression to solve this problem include pulse oximetry using oxygen saturation, monitoring of ventilation using a partial pressure of carbon dioxide or bronchoscopy, and monitoring of circulation using a blood pressure or electrocardiogram .

However, existing breathing monitoring methods have problems such as a complicated mechanical structure of the apparatus, difficulty in operation, easily affected by ambient noise, and high cost. Accordingly, there is a need for a new type of respiration monitoring apparatus that has a high signal to noise ratio (SNR) and is simple in structure and usage.

One task is to provide a respiratory monitoring system in which interference by electrical bio-signals generated from the patient's body, such as ECG (electrocardiogram) or EMG (electromyogram), is minimized.

Another task is to provide a respiratory monitoring system in which a disposable respiratory sensing device utilizes a controller installed in an interface device.

Another task is to provide a respiratory monitoring system that outputs the patient's airway availability, sleep apnea status, and snoring status of the patient.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a respiration monitoring system having a structure in which the electrodes of the piezoelectric film can be easily grounded to the outside.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a respiration monitoring system in which a vibration transmission path from a patient's body to a piezoelectric film is easily formed without a strap member or an acoustic coupler for bringing the piezoelectric film into contact with the patient's body .

Another task is to provide a respiratory monitoring system that minimizes the effects of external vibrations, such as those caused by passengers other than breathing and other factors.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims .

According to one embodiment, there is provided a respiratory monitoring system for outputting information on a breathing state of a patient obtained by sensing a vibration generated by a breathing of a patient using a piezoelectric effect, An upper electrode positioned above the piezoelectric material with the piezoelectric material interposed therebetween, and a lower electrode positioned below the piezoelectric material, wherein the upper electrode and the lower electrode according to the vibration generated by the breath of the patient, A disposable respiratory sensing device disposed below the lower electrode and including an insulating film for blocking electrical connection to the piezoelectric film; And a battery, a first power cable for supplying power from the battery to the disposable respiratory sensing device, a first communication cable for receiving the piezoelectric signal from the disposable respiratory sensing device, A controller for processing the piezoelectric signal to generate a breathing signal, and an interface device including a communication module for transmitting the breathing signal to an external device.

According to one embodiment, by providing an insulating film between the piezoelectric film and the patient's body, it is possible to minimize interference from the piezoelectric film of the electrical bio-signal generated from the patient's body, thereby removing noise from the breathing signal.

According to another embodiment, by disposing the controller in the interface device, a disposable respiratory sensing device can save costs by not using a separate controller.

According to another embodiment, the respiration time interval and the number of breaths of the patient can be measured to determine whether the airway obstruction and sleep apnea state are present and output.

According to another embodiment, the amplitude of the respiration signal of the patient can be measured to determine whether snoring is present or not.

According to another embodiment, the through hole of the insulating film electrically connects the lower electrode of the piezoelectric film to the conductive adhesive layer, so that the lower electrode can be grounded to the patient's body to remove noise from the breathing signal.

According to another embodiment, since the piezoelectric film is provided as a gel having fluidity, the piezoelectric film is connected to the patient's body through an adhesive layer adhering closely to the body part of the patient, Lt; / RTI >

According to another embodiment, the adhesive layer provided as a gel performs a function of a band-pass filter against vibrations occurring in a body part of a patient, thereby minimizing noise.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and the effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic diagram of a respiratory monitoring system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a view showing a use state of a respiratory sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a block diagram of a respiration monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a perspective view of a respiratory sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is an exploded perspective view of a respiratory sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a side cross-sectional view of a respiratory sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a exploded side cross-sectional view of a respiratory sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a top view of a piezoelectric film according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a rear view of a piezoelectric film according to an embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a side view of a piezoelectric film according to an embodiment of the present invention.
11 is a view showing a breathing sensing operation of the breathing sensing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a view showing the use state of the pulse oximeter according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a view showing the use state of the upper arm blood pressure monitor according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
14 is a view showing the use state of the wrist blood pressure monitor according to the embodiment of the present invention.
15 is another schematic diagram of a respiratory monitoring system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventive concept. Other embodiments falling within the scope of the inventive concept may readily be suggested, but are also considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

The same reference numerals are used to designate the same components in the same reference numerals in the drawings of the embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a detailed description of known configurations or functions related to the present invention will be omitted when it is determined that the gist of the present invention may be blurred.

According to one embodiment, a respiratory monitoring system for displaying information about a breathing state of a patient, which is obtained by sensing a vibration caused by a breathing of a patient using a piezoelectric effect, An upper electrode positioned above the piezoelectric material with the piezoelectric material interposed therebetween, and a lower electrode positioned below the piezoelectric material, wherein the upper electrode and the lower electrode according to the vibration generated by the breath of the patient, A disposable respiratory sensing device disposed below the lower electrode and including an insulating film for blocking electrical connection to the piezoelectric film; And a battery, a first power cable for supplying power from the battery to the disposable respiratory sensing device, a first communication cable for receiving the piezoelectric signal from the disposable respiratory sensing device, A controller for processing the piezoelectric signal to generate a breathing signal, and an interface device including a communication module for transmitting the breathing signal to an external device.

And a monitoring device for receiving the respiration signal from the interface device and displaying information about the breathing state of the patient based on the breathing signal.

The apparatus may further include a pulse oximeter installed at one of the fingers of the patient and measuring oxygen saturation of the blood, wherein the interface device is electrically connected at one end to the controller and at the other end, And a second communication cable electrically connected to the pulse rate meter and receiving a signal from the pulse oximeter, the signal including information on the oxygen saturation of the blood.

In addition, the interface device may be provided with a respiratory monitoring system including a second power cable for supplying power from the battery to the pulse oximeter.

Also, the interface device may be provided with a respiration monitoring system for generating the respiration signal by further considering information on the oxygen saturation.

And an upper arm blood pressure meter installed on the upper arm of the patient for measuring a blood pressure of the upper arm, wherein the interface device is electrically connected to the upper arm blood pressure meter, A respiration monitoring system may be provided to receive the signal.

In addition, the interface device may be provided with a respiratory monitoring system installed in the upper arm blood pressure monitor.

A wrist blood pressure monitor for detecting a corotor voice from the wrist of the patient and measuring a blood pressure corresponding to the wrist blood pressure value and correcting the blood pressure corresponding to the wrist blood pressure value to a signal reflecting the upper arm blood pressure value; Wherein the interface device is electrically connected to the wrist blood pressure monitor, and a respiration monitoring system for receiving a signal reflecting the upper arm blood pressure value may be provided.

In addition, the communication module may be provided with a respiration monitoring system that is a wireless communication module using at least one of Bluetooth, an in-band, and a Wi-Fi.

The interface device may be configured to process the piezoelectric signal in a state in which the patient's trachea is not secured when the piezoelectric signal corresponds to a first predetermined condition, Wherein the first predetermined condition is that the time interval at which the piezoelectric signal is sensed by the interface device exceeds a first predetermined time interval or the second predetermined time interval is shorter than the first predetermined time interval, Wherein the number of times the piezoelectric signal is sensed at the interface device is less than a first predetermined number and the second predetermined condition is that the time interval at which the piezoelectric signal is sensed at the interface device exceeds a second predetermined time interval, Wherein the piezoelectric signal is detected by the interface device Is less than a second predetermined number of times and the second predetermined time interval is greater than the first predetermined time interval and the second predetermined number of times is greater than the first predetermined number. Can be provided.

The interface device processes the respiration signal by treating the patient to be in a snoring state when the piezoelectric signal corresponds to a third predetermined condition and the third predetermined condition is an amplitude of the piezoelectric signal A respiration monitoring system may be provided wherein the size of the breathing monitoring system exceeds a predetermined value.

The respiratory sensing device is disposed below the piezoelectric film so as to face the lower electrode, and is provided with an adhesive material so as to be in contact with the body of the patient. The vibration generated by the respiration of the patient is reflected by the piezoelectric film And an adhesive layer for electrically connecting the upper surface and the lower surface of the piezoelectric film to the piezoelectric layer, the insulating layer interrupting the electrical connection between the piezoelectric film and the adhesive layer, and reducing the noise of the electrical signal due to the piezoelectric development And the lower electrode is electrically connected to the adhesive layer so that the lower electrode is grounded to the body of the patient through the adhesive layer.

Hereinafter, a respiration monitoring system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The respiratory monitoring system 100 includes a respiration sensing device 1000 attached to one part of a patient's body to measure vibrations caused by the respiration of the patient and analyze the measured vibrations to thereby diagnose the breathing state of the patient to be.

1 is a schematic diagram of a respiratory monitoring system 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a respiratory monitoring system 100 may include a breathing sensing device 1000, an interface device 2000, and a monitoring device 3000.

The breathing sensing device 1000 can be attached to a part of the body of the patient 1 such as airway to sense the vibration due to the breathing of the patient 1.

The attachment site 2 to which the respiratory sensing device 1000 is attached may be where motion occurs when breathing is repeated. For example, it may be a chest wall that reflects changes in the volume of the lungs and abdominal wall during respiration, a wrist capable of sensing a pulse through the vein, one area of the chest wall where the heart is located therein, or the like. The respiratory sensing device 1000 may preferably be attached to the neck region as shown in FIG. At this time, the respiratory sensing device 1000 may more preferably be attached to the airway of the neck region where the motion of the patient 1 due to respiration is relatively large. Of course, it should be noted that the attachment site of the respiratory sensing device 1000 is not limited to the example described above.

The respiratory sensing device 1000 can generate a piezoelectric signal as an electrical signal according to the piezoelectric effect when the vibration due to breathing occurs. The respiratory sensing device 1000 may transmit the electrical signal to the interface device 2000. The interface device 2000 can generate a respiration signal by processing a signal generated according to the piezoelectric effect. In this case, the interface device 2000 may send a breathing signal to the monitoring device 3000. [

The interface device 2000 may receive a piezoelectric signal, which is an electrical signal from the breathing sensing device 1000, and process the piezoelectric signal to generate a breathing signal. In this case, the interface device 2000 may transmit the breathing signal to the monitoring device 3000 using the communication module.

The description of the respiratory sensing device 1000 and the interface device 2000 will be described later.

The monitoring device 3000 can receive the respiratory signal from the interface device 2000 and use it to monitor the respiratory condition of the patient 1.

Specifically, the respiration monitoring device 3000 may perform various kinds of algorithms for detecting a breathing state from an electrical signal or perform various kinds of preprocessing operations including noise removal for the respiration signal to perform the algorithm. The breathing monitoring device 3000 can identify the breathing state of the patient 1 and monitor the respiration state of the patient 1 according to the analysis result obtained according to the above-described procedure.

The respiration signal received by the respiration monitoring device 3000 from the respiratory sensing device 1000 may include components due to various vibrations that occur regardless of the respiration of the patient 1. [ Such components may include, for example, vibrations caused by endoscopes and surgical instruments that unintentionally touch the airways of the patient 1. Or noise may be a vibration that occurs when the patient 1 swallows a needle. Or noise may be a vibration caused by a sudden movement of the patient 1.

One example of the preprocessing operation of the respiratory monitoring device 3000 may be a noise filtering operation that removes components from the electrical signal due to the breathing-free vibrations described above.

The information about the breathing state acquired by the breathing monitoring device 3000 may be a breathing-related characteristic such as, for example, an apnea state, a snoring state, a breathing flow rate, and a tidal volume. Further, the respiratory monitoring device 3000 may diagnose the health condition of the patient 1. [ For example, an apnea, apnea, hypopnea, or UARS (Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome) state of respiratory-related characteristics that lasts for a certain period of time or longer Can be diagnosed.

The respiration monitoring device 3000 can output information on the breathing state of the patient 1 to the user under real-time or constant conditions. For example, the respiratory monitoring device 3000 may include visual and audio information output means such as a display or a speaker to visually display the respiration signal or to provide the respiratory status related information to the user through the speaker .

Further, the respiration monitoring device 3000 can detect an abnormality in the health state of the patient 1 through the breathing state of the patient 1, and can output an alarm related thereto. For example, the respiratory monitoring device 3000 may provide an alert to a user via a display, a speaker, or the like, if the respiratory anomaly state or the apnea state continues.

The respiration monitoring device 3000 may be an information computing device for performing the functions described above. The respiratory monitoring device 3000 may be implemented as a computer or similar device depending on the hardware, software, or combination thereof. The respiration monitoring device 3000 may be an information processing device that stores and processes data in hardware, and may be provided in a form of a program or a code that drives the circuit in software.

The respiratory monitoring device 3000 may be connected in a wired or wireless manner (not shown) to one or more respiratory sensing devices 1000 or other sensing devices (Figs. 15-17). For example, each respiratory sensing device 1000 may be attached to a different body part of the same patient 1, and the other external device may be a pulse oximeter measuring oxygen saturation. The respiration monitoring device 3000 may independently process or correlate information received from the respiratory sensing device 1000 or other sensing device to perform related operations.

Hereinafter, the respiratory sensing device 1000 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail.

2 is a view showing a use state of the respiratory sensing device 1000 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The respiratory sensing device 1000 may be attached to a body part of the patient 1 that generates vibration by respiration. Hereinafter, the body part of the patient 1 to which the respiratory sensing device 1000 is attached will be referred to as an 'attachment site' (2).

Referring to FIG. 2, the attachment site 2 may be a clavicle bone. The bony bone is an area where minute vibrations occur as a result of inhalation and exhalation during breathing. Therefore, the respiratory sensing device 1000 can measure vibrations and movements during respiration by attaching to the bone. In FIG. 2, it is shown that the attachment site 2 is a bone site, but it is not disclosed in the present invention that the site 2 is not limited to a bone site.

The respiratory sensing device 1000 may have various shapes. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the respiratory sensing device 1000 may have a generally rectangular shape.

The respiratory sensing device 1000 can be attached in a form capable of measuring the movement along the breathing most effectively in consideration of the shape of the bone. For example, the respiratory sensing device 1000 may be positioned on the clavicle bone such that the long side of the rectangle faces in the horizontal direction. The respiratory sensing device 1000 can be attached so that its long sides wrap around the bone. At this time, the bones may be located at the center of the long side of the respiratory sensing device 1000, or the bones may be positioned at one side of the respiratory sensing device 1000.

At one side of the respiratory sensing device 1000, a cable for transmitting an electrical signal generated by the vibration to the interface device 2000 may be extended. At this point, the cable can extend in the opposite direction of the clavicle without crossing the clavicle bone so as not to generate noise.

The cable will be described in more detail in Fig.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the respiratory monitoring system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

3 is a block diagram of a configuration of a respiratory monitoring system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the respiratory sensing device 1000 may include a case 1200, a sensing module 1400, and a cover 1600.

The respiratory sensing device 1000 is formed with an outer appearance by a case 1200 and may include a sensing module 1400 sensing vibrations from inside to below and including a cover 1600. [ In this case, the cover 1600 may cover the adhesive material.

The case 1200 is a constitution that forms the appearance of the respiratory sensing device 1000.

The case 1200 can protect the other components of the respiratory sensing device 1000 from external shocks, dirt, and the like. The case 1200 may provide space in which the respiratory sensing device 1000 is received. For example, the sensing module 1400 may be provided in a thin film shape to cover the sensing module 1400 from above.

The case 1200 may be made of a flexible material so that the shape of the body 1200 can be deformed according to the shape of the body part to which the body 1200 is attached. For example, the case 1200 may be composed of one kind of rubber.

The case 1200 may be made of a negative conductive material. The case 1200 can insulate other components in the respiratory sensing device 1000 such that electrical signals in the respiratory sensing device 1000 do not leak outside except for the purpose of data transmission.

The case 1200 may also prevent the external vibration generated from the opposite side of the sensing module 1400, which senses vibration to the case 1200, from being transmitted to the sensing module 1400. In an environment such as an operating room where the respiratory sensing device 1200 is used, an audio signal irrespective of respiration may be generated due to surgery or other causes. For example, the case 1200 may be provided with a material such as rubber that reduces external audio signals. Accordingly, the external audio signal is prevented from being transmitted to the sensing module 1400, thereby removing or reducing noise from the sensing module 1400.

Further, the case 1200 may amplify the vibration due to the breathing sensed by the sensing module 1400. The vibration due to respiration mainly has a frequency of 200 to 1,000 Hz, and the case 1200 may be provided with a material having a resonance frequency for the frequency band to amplify the vibration sensed by the sensing module 1400 have.

The sensing module 1400 generates an electrical signal in accordance with the vibration of the attachment site 2. The sensing module 1400 can be adhered to the attachment site 2 and when a vibration generated in the attachment site 2 is transmitted to the inside, a piezoelectric signal as an electrical signal can be generated using the piezoelectric effect.

The sensing module 1400 may include an insulating film 1440 and a piezoelectric film 1460. In addition, the sensing module 1400 may further include an adhesive layer 1420 although not shown in FIG.

The adhesive layer 1420 may provide an adhesive force so that the respiratory sensing device 1000 can be attached to the attachment site 2. The adhesive layer 1420 may also serve as an electrical pathway for grounding the piezoelectric film 1460 to the body by reducing the conductivity.

The insulating film 1440 electrically isolates the piezoelectric film 1460 from the adhesive layer 1420 to electrically isolate the piezoelectric film 1460 from the external influence due to an electrocardiogram (ECG: EletroCardioGram) signal and an EMG (ElectroMyGraphy) signal generated in the body of the patient 1 Blocking or reducing.

The piezoelectric film 1460 can generate an electrical signal corresponding to the vibration transmitted through the adhesive layer 1420 and the insulating film 1440. [

Specifically, the adhesive layer 1420 may comprise an adhesive material. The adhesive material provides a contact force that allows the respiratory sensing device 1000 to be in close contact with the surface of the attachment site 2 without gaps during vibration measurement. After the vibration measurement, the breathing sensing device 1000 is easily separated It is possible to provide a sufficient contact force. The adhesive material may be applied to the entire area of the adhesive layer 1420, or may be applied to only a part of the adhesive layer 1420. [

The adhesive layer 1420 may be made of a flexible material so that the shape of the adhesive layer 1420 can be flexibly deformed according to the curvature and shape of the surface of the attachment site 2. This can increase the surface area of the adhesive layer 1420 in contact with the body. Accordingly, the adhesive force between the adhesive layer 1420 and the body can be increased. Accordingly, the vibration transmitted from the attachment site 2 can be effectively transmitted to the adhesive layer 1420.

The adhesive layer 1420 also serves to transmit the vibration of the attachment site 2 to the piezoelectric film 1460 through the insulating film 1440. The vibration transmitted by the adhesive layer 1420 to the upper layer may be optional. For example, the adhesive layer 1420 may permit transmission of waves having a frequency of vibration due to breathing, while blocking waves having other frequencies. That is, the adhesive layer 1420 can function as a kind of band-pass filter for vibration transmitted from the attachment site 2. Thereby, the sensitivity of sensing can be improved by the adhesive layer 1420. This will be described in more detail later.

The adhesive layer 1420 may be made of a material harmless to the human body. In particular, it may be important that the adhesive material consists of a material which is harmless to the human body as much as a part of the adhesive material may remain in the human body after separation into the human body.

Specifically, the insulating film 1440 is made of an insulating material and can insulate the piezoelectric film 1460. In particular, the insulating film 1440 can insulate the piezoelectric film 1460 by preventing contact between the piezoelectric film 1460 and the adhesive layer 1420. Since the electromagnetic wave radiated from the body is prevented from reaching the piezoelectric film by the insulating film 1440, the influence of the electromagnetic wave can be minimized. This will be described further below.

In addition, the insulating film 1440 can transfer the vibration transmitted through the adhesive layer 1420 to the piezoelectric film 1460.

Further, the insulating film 1440 can be deformed in a flexible manner in accordance with the bending of the attachment site 2. Such a deformation of the shape can help redistribute the vibration transmitted from the adhesive layer 1420 to the piezoelectric film 1460.

On the other hand, in one region of the insulating film 1440, the piezoelectric film 1460 can be grounded to the body through the adhesive layer 1420. The piezoelectric film 1460 is grounded with a body having a large electric capacity, thereby making it easy to set the reference electric potential, and it is possible to reduce the noise of the signal.

In addition, specifically, the piezoelectric film 1460 may include an upper electrode 1480a, a piezoelectric material 1470, and a lower electrode 1480b. The upper electrode 1480a, the piezoelectric material 1470, and the lower electrode 1480b may be provided in the form of a thin film and may play a role similar to a capacitor due to overlapping with each other facing the main surface. The piezoelectric material 1470 can generate a potential difference between the upper electrode 1480a and the lower electrode 1480b corresponding to the external force by the piezoelectric effect. And electrical signals may be generated in the upper and lower electrodes 1480b according to the potential difference.

Piezoelectric effect refers to a phenomenon in which a voltage is generated between two opposing surfaces of a crystal due to the action of a pressure or a twisting force on the piezoelectric crystal. Or a reverse phenomenon thereof, a phenomenon occurs in which a voltage is applied between two surfaces to cause a distortion that varies at the frequency of the voltage. The nature of the piezoelectric effect is closely related to the occurrence of electric dipole moments in solids. The reason why the polarization changes when the mechanical force is applied is that the direction of the molecular arrangement changes due to the influence of the external stress, and this is caused by the change of the direction of the dipole moment. Examples of the material exhibiting such a piezoelectric effect include naturally occurring quartz, berylite, sucrose, topaz and tourmaline. Examples of the artificial piezoelectric material include gallium phosphide, Langasite or PZT and zinc oxide A perovskite structure including a tungsten-bronze structure, and the like. Among them, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), which is widely used and has excellent piezoelectric effect, can cause piezoelectric effect several times larger than quartz.

The piezoelectric material 1470 may be a material selected from the above-mentioned piezoelectric materials.

The cover 1600 covers the adhesive layer 1420. The cover 1600 can maintain the adhesive force at a good quality by preventing the adhesive layer 1420 from being exposed to foreign substances before the breathing sensing device 1000 is attached to the attachment site 2. [ The cover 1600 is removed immediately before the respiratory sensing device 1000 is attached, thereby exposing the adhesive layer 1420 to the outside and allowing the adhesive layer 1420 to adhere to the skin. The cover 1600 can have a certain level of adhesive force with the adhesive layer 1420 so as not to be peeled off to a small degree of external force. On the other hand, the adhesive layer 1420 must be in contact with the adhesive layer 1420 with an adhesive force less than a predetermined level so as to be easily peeled off from an external force of a predetermined size or more, and may be made of a material capable of withstanding tensile force and shear force so as not to be broken when peeled.

The interface device 2000 may process the piezoelectric signal received from the sensing module 1400 to generate a breathing signal.

Specifically, the interface device 2000 may perform various algorithms for grasping the respiratory state from the electrical signals or perform various preprocessing operations including noise elimination for the electrical signals to perform the algorithm. According to the analysis result obtained according to the above-described procedure, the interface device 120 can grasp the breathing state of the patient 1 and generate a breathing signal.

The piezoelectric signal, which is an electrical signal that the interface device 2000 receives from the respiratory sensing device 1000, may include components due to various vibrations that occur regardless of the respiration of the patient 1. [ Such components may include, for example, vibrations caused by endoscopes and surgical instruments that unintentionally touch the airways of the patient 1. Or noise may be a vibration that occurs when the patient 1 swallows a needle. Or noise may be a vibration caused by a sudden movement of the patient 1.

One example of the preprocessing operation of the interface device 2000 may be a noise filtering operation that removes components due to the above-described respiration-free vibrations from electrical signals.

The information about the breathing state acquired by the interface device 2000 may be, for example, a breathing-related characteristic such as an apnea state, a snoring state, a breathing flow rate, and a tidal volume. Further, the interface device 2000 may diagnose the health condition of the patient 1. [ For example, an apnea, apnea, hypopnea, or UARS (Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome) state of respiratory-related characteristics that lasts for a certain period of time or longer Can be diagnosed.

Further, the interface device 2000 can sense the occurrence of an abnormality in the health state of the patient 1 through the breathing state of the patient 1, and can transmit a respiration signal related thereto to the breathing monitoring device 3000. For example, when the respiratory abnormal state or the apnea state continues, the interface device 2000 may transmit a signal including information indicating that the respiratory monitoring device 3000 corresponds to the respiratory abnormal state or the apnea state.

More specifically, the number of times the piezoelectric signal is sensed by the interface device 2000 exceeds a first predetermined time interval, or the number of times the piezoelectric signal per reference time is sensed by the interface device 2000 is greater than the first If less than the predetermined number of times, the interface device 2000 determines that the airway of the patient 1 has not been secured and can transmit a signal including information on this to the respiration monitoring device 3000. In this case, the first predetermined time interval and the first predetermined number of times may be changed differently according to the state of the patient 1 and the sedation method performed to the patient 1.

Also, if the time interval sensed by the interface device 2000 exceeds a second predetermined time interval or the number of times the piezoelectric signal per reference time is sensed by the interface device 2000 is less than a second predetermined number, The device 2000 may determine that the patient 1 is in a sleep apnea state and may send a signal to the respiration monitoring device 3000 that includes information on that. In this case, the second predetermined time interval and the second predetermined number of times can be changed differently according to the age, the medical history, the sex, the body weight of the patient 1, and the sedation method performed to the patient 1. [ Of course, various conditions may be added in addition to the above listed conditions. However, the second predetermined time interval may be greater than the first predetermined time interval.

In addition, the interface device 2000 may transmit a respiratory signal to the respiratory monitoring device 3000, including information that the patient 1 is in a snoring state, if the piezoelectric signal corresponds to a third predetermined condition. In this case, the third predetermined condition is that the magnitude of the amplitude of the piezoelectric signal exceeds a predetermined value, and the predetermined value is changed by at least one of the age, history, sex and body weight of the patient 1 . Of course, various conditions may be added in addition to the above listed conditions.

The interface device 2000 may be an information computing device for performing the above-described functions. The interface device 2000 may be implemented as a computer or similar device depending on hardware, software, or a combination thereof. The interface device 2000 may be an information processing device that stores and processes data in hardware, and may be provided in a form of a program or a code for driving a circuit in software.

The interface device 2000 may be wired or wirelessly connected to one or more respiratory sensing devices 1000 or other sensing devices (not shown). For example, each respiratory sensing device 1000 may be attached to a different body part of the same patient 1, and the other external device may be a pulse oximeter 1700 that measures oxygen saturation. The respiratory sensing device 1000 may independently process or correlate information received from the other respiratory sensing device 1000 or an external device to perform related operations.

In addition, the interface device 2000 may be connected to one or more blood pressure measuring devices. For example, at least one of the upper arm blood pressure monitor 1800 and the wrist blood pressure monitor 1900 may be attached to a body part of the patient to which the respiratory sensing device is attached. In this case, the interface device 2000 can independently process or correlate the respiration information received from the respiratory sensing device and the blood pressure information received from the blood pressure measurement device, and perform related calculations.

The interface device 2000 may be wired or wirelessly connected to one or more respiratory monitoring devices 3000. The interface device 2000 can send the respiration signal of the patient 1 to the respiration monitoring device 3000.

When the interface device 2000 is wirelessly connected to the respiration monitoring device 3000, the interface device 2000 may transmit a respiration signal to the respiration monitoring device 3000 using at least one of Bluetooth, satellite, and Wi-Fi. Of course, the communication method is not limited to this, and any method capable of wirelessly sending a respiration signal can be used without limitation.

The interface device 2000 may include a battery 2100, a controller 2200, a first power cable 2120, a first communication cable 2220, and a communication module 2300.

The controller 2200 is configured to receive and process an electric signal.

The controller 2200 may receive a piezoelectric signal, which is an electrical signal, from the sensing module 1400. In this case, the piezoelectric signal can be transmitted from the sensing module 1400 to the controller 2200 via the first communication cable 2220. One end of the first communication cable 2220 may be connected to the piezoelectric film 1460 and the other end may be connected to the controller 2200. The location of the first communication cable 2220 to which the piezoelectric film 1460 is connected will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10. FIG.

By being connected to the first communication cable 2200, the controller 2200 is physically separated from the piezoelectric film 1460. In this case, the noise generated in the piezoelectric film 1460 by the controller 2200 can be reduced. That is, the electric influence by the controller 2200 may not disturb the capacitance between the electrodes 1480a and 1480b. For example, when the controller 2200 and the piezoelectric film 1460 overlap, the mass and the volume of the controller 2200 may cause noise that may affect the vibration sensing sensitivity of the piezoelectric film 1460 . Alternatively, the controller 2200 may be made of a rigid material due to the general characteristics of the circuit board. At this time, the degree to which the rigid controller 2200 and the flexible piezoelectric film 1460 react with each other may vary, A gap may be generated between the controller 2200 and the piezoelectric film 1460 during vibration. This can cause noise. Thus, by connecting the controller 2200 and the piezoelectric film 1460 at a distance apart using the first communication cable 2220, the above-described potential noise sources can be reduced or eliminated.

The controller 2200 may include a circuit board.

The circuit board is a configuration for receiving and processing signals. Various electronic devices necessary for signal processing can be arranged on the circuit board. The circuit board may be a flexible material bent according to the bending of the body, or may be a general hard PCB (Printed Circuit Board). Of course, it is also possible to use a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) as the circuit board.

The controller 2200 may perform the operations required to process the received electrical signal. For example, the controller 2200 may perform processing for noise reduction on a received electrical signal, and may include a noise removing circuit for this purpose.

Or the controller 2200 may perform impedance matching to the output of the sensing module 1400 and may include a FET circuit for this purpose.

Or the controller 2200 may perform an operation of amplifying the electric signal.

The controller 2200 may then send the processed electrical signal to the respiration monitoring device 3000.

The battery 2100 can supply power necessary for the operation of the controller 2200. In this case, the battery 2100 can supply power necessary for the operation of the sensing module 1400 through the first power cable 2120. The first power cable 2120 may be connected to the battery at one end and may be connected to the piezoelectric film 1460 at the other end. The location where the piezoelectric film 1460 is connected to the first power cable 2120 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 8 to FIG.

The first power cable 2120 and the first communication cable 2220 may be provided as separate cables. In addition, the first power cable 2120 and the second power cable 2220 are designed in a cable assembly structure and have separate wires, but may be provided as a single wire.

The communication module 2300 can transmit a respiration signal to an external device. In this case, communication module 2300 may send a respiration signal to respiration monitoring device 3000. The communication module 2300 may send a breathing signal over the cable to the respiratory monitoring device 3000 on a wire. In addition, the communication module 2300 may wirelessly transmit a respiration signal to the respiration monitoring device 3000 using at least one of communication means such as Bluetooth, directivity, and Wi-Fi.

Hereinafter, the structure and configurations of the respiratory sensing device 1000 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a breathing sensing device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a breathing sensing device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a exploded side cross-sectional view of a respiratory sensing device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

When the respiratory sensing device 1000 is viewed from the outside, the respiratory sensing device 1000 may be in the form of a generally thin plate.

The respiratory sensing device 1000 can be made in a rectangular shape when viewed from above. Specifically, the respiratory sensing device 1000 may be in the form of a rectangle having a longer end so as to cover the attachment site 2.

On one side of the respiratory sensing device 1000 a cable can be connected. One region above the respiratory sensing device 1000 may have a shape protruding upward due to cable protrusion. Although the first power cable 2120 and the first communication cable 2220 are separately shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the first power cable 2120 and the first communication cable 2220 are designed in the form of a cable assembly , Or may be provided as a single line.

The respiratory sensing device 1000 may be a structure in which the cover 1600, the insulating film 1440, the piezoelectric film 1460 and the case 1200 are stacked in order from the lowest layer to the uppermost layer.

That is, the respiratory sensing device 1000 may be a laminated structure in which the cover 1600 is positioned on the lowermost layer, the piezoelectric film 1460 is disposed on the cover 1600, and the case 1200 is positioned on the uppermost layer.

The breathing sensing device 1000 may further include an adhesive layer 1420. In this case, the adhesive layer 1420 is located on the cover 1600, and the piezoelectric film 1460 can be placed on the adhesive layer 1420.

The cover 1600 may be provided in a thin film form. The cover 1600 may have an area equal to or larger than the area of the adhesive layer 1420 when viewed from above.

The adhesive layer 1420 may be provided in a thin film form. The adhesive layer 1420 may be provided as a gel-like material having both adhesiveness, conductivity, and flexibility. Here, as an example of the gel-like substance, a hydrogel may be used. An example of the hydrogel is an agarose gel. The gel is a material having a porous network structure, and its shape can be flexibly changed by an external force. In addition, the hydrogel may have electrical conductivity because it contains water inside the network structure. Further, the gel may have adhesiveness due to cross linking forming a network structure.

In addition to bonding the respiratory sensing device 1000 to the attachment site 2, the gel-like substance constituting the adhesive layer 1420 further includes an electrical channel function for grounding the lower electrode 1480b and a filtering function for respiratory vibration Lt; / RTI >

The insulating film 1440 may be provided in a thin film form. The insulating film 1440 may be interposed between the adhesive layer 1420 and the piezoelectric film 1460. The area of the insulating film 1440 can be provided to be equal to or larger than the area of the piezoelectric film 1460. [

The manufacturing specifications of the insulating film 1440 such as the raw material or the thickness and the area may be determined in consideration of the insulating property, flexibility, vibration transmittance, etc. of the insulating film 1440.

On the other hand, a through hole 1442 may be formed in the insulating film 1440. The through hole 1442 has a structure in which the piezoelectric film 1460 is grounded to the body through the adhesive layer 1420 by electrically connecting the piezoelectric film 1460 and the adhesive layer 1420.

The through hole 1442 may be an empty space extending through the insulating film 1440 from the upper surface to the lower surface of the insulating film 1440.

The through hole 1442 can be formed in one region of the insulating film 1440 which abuts the adhesive layer 1420 and the piezoelectric film 1460 when the adhesive layer 1420, the insulating film 1440 and the piezoelectric film 1460 are superimposed . When a part of the adhesive layer 1420 corresponding to the through hole 1442 is inserted into the through hole 1442 in the case where the adhesive layer 1420, the insulating film 1440 and the piezoelectric film 1460 are closely attached to each other, (See Fig. 6). Thus, the piezoelectric film 1460 and the adhesive layer 1420 can be electrically connected to each other in a region corresponding to the through hole 1442.

The through hole 1442 may be a cylinder having a generally circular cross section, but is not limited thereto, and the cross section may be a polygonal shape or a shape having a minimum cross section in a slit shape.

The piezoelectric film 1460 may include a piezoelectric material 1470, an upper electrode 1480a, and a lower electrode 1480b. The piezoelectric material 1470, the upper electrode 1480a, and the lower electrode 1480b may be in the form of a thin film. The upper electrode 1480a may be formed on the upper surface of the piezoelectric material 1470 and the lower electrode 1480b may be formed on the lower surface of the piezoelectric material 1470. [

The structure of the piezoelectric film 1460, the shape of each component, and the like will be described in detail later.

The case 1200 may be located on the uppermost surface of the respiratory sensing device 1000. The case 1200 may be generally in the form of a thin film. The case 1200 may have the same area as the insulating film 1440 or an area of the insulating film 1440 or more as viewed from above. The case 1200 may be covered while covering the insulating film 1440, and a piezoelectric film 1460 may be interposed therebetween.

The case 1200 may be formed with a hole through which the cable passes. 4 to 7, a hole through which the cable is penetrated is formed at the upper end of the case 1200, but a hole through which the cable is penetrated may be formed on the side of the case 1200.

Hereinafter, the piezoelectric film 1460 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10. FIG.

FIG. 8 is a top view of a piezoelectric film 1460 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 9 is a rear view of a piezoelectric film 1460 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. And is a side view of the piezoelectric film 1460.

The piezoelectric film 1460 may include a piezoelectric material 1470 and an upper electrode 1480a stacked on the upper surface of the piezoelectric material 1470 and a lower electrode 1480b formed on the lower surface of the piezoelectric material 1470. [ The upper electrode 1480a and the lower electrode 1480b may cover a part or the whole of the upper surface and the lower surface of the piezoelectric material 1470, respectively.

The area, thickness, shape, material, etc. of the upper electrode 1480a and the lower electrode 1480b may be the same or different from each other.

The piezoelectric material 1470 may be in the form of a rectangular thin film.

Both electrodes 1480a and 1480b may be of a shape that includes a rectangular body and an area extending from one side of the square to the outside when viewed from above.

Both electrodes 1480a and 1480b may include an opposing portion 1482, a ground portion 1486, and a terminal portion 1484. [

The opposing portion 1482 is formed in such a manner that when the electrodes 1480a and 1480b are laminated on the piezoelectric material 1470, the electrodes 1480a and 1480b sandwich the piezoelectric material 1470, 1480b. The opposing portion 1482 of each of the electrodes 1480a and 1480b can be in direct contact with the piezoelectric material 1470. [

A structure in which the opposing portions 1482a of the upper electrode 1480a and the opposing portions 1482b of the piezoelectric material 1470 and the lower electrode 1480b are overlapped with each other form a sensing region of the piezoelectric film 1460. The sensing region is a region in which a vibration is sensed by a piezoelectric effect and a voltage is generated due to a substantially similar behavior as a capacitor. The sensing region may be located in a region where the piezoelectric effect is most effectively generated corresponding to the vibration transmitted to the piezoelectric film 1460.

The sensing region may be located anywhere on the piezoelectric film 1460 as long as the piezoelectric effect can be maximized. For example, the sensing region may be located at the center of the piezoelectric film 1460 so that the sensing of the deflection of the piezoelectric film 1460 can be detected.

The sensing region may be provided with a certain degree of tension to keep the piezoelectric film 1460 flat. The tension may affect the sensitivity improvement of the piezoelectric film 1460.

The terminal portion 1484 may be electrically connected to the first communication cable 2220 of the interface device 2000. That is, the terminal portion 1484 can be connected to the controller 2200 of the interface device 2000 through the first communication cable 2220. Thus, the terminal portion 1484 can electrically connect the sensing region and the controller 2200, and transmit the voltage and piezoelectric signal generated in the sensing region to the controller 2200.

The terminal portion 1484a of the upper electrode, the piezoelectric material 1470 and the terminal portion 1484b of the lower electrode may not overlap with each other and may not be stacked when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the piezoelectric film 1460. [ For example, the piezoelectric material 1470 is not interposed between the terminal portions 1484 of the electrodes 1480a and 1480b, or the terminal portions 1484 of the electrodes 1480a and 1480b are located in different regions Can,

The terminal portion 1484 may be shaped to extend from the opposing portion 1482 to the outside. The terminal portion 1484a of the upper electrode 1480a and the terminal portion 1484b of the lower electrode 1480b may be shaped to extend to the same side of the piezoelectric film 1460. [ The direction in which the terminal portion 1484 extends may be a direction through which the first communication cable 2220 penetrates. At this time, the terminal portion 1484a of the upper electrode 1480a and the terminal portion 1484b of the lower electrode 1480b may extend from the same side, but may extend from the other side of the side. For example, if the terminal portion 1484a of the upper electrode 1480a extends from the left side region of one side of the opposing portion 1482a, the terminal portion 1484b of the lower electrode 1480b is connected to the right side region Lt; / RTI > This makes it easier for the terminal portion 1484 of each of the electrodes 1480a and 1480b to be connected to the first communication cable 2220. Also, the terminal portions 1484 of the respective electrodes 1480a and 1480b can be easily connected to the first power cable 2120.

The ground portion 1486 is an area for grounding the piezoelectric film 1460. The piezoelectric film 1460 is insulated by the insulating film 1440 in most regions, but may not be insulated from the ground portion 1486. The lower electrode 1480b can be electrically connected to an object having a large electric capacity through the grounding portion 1486 to obtain electrical stability.

The ground portion 1486 may be formed in one region of the lower electrode 1480b. The ground 1486 may be a region of the lower electrode 1480b corresponding to the position of the through hole 1442 of the insulating film 1440 when the piezoelectric film 1460 and the insulating film 1440 are superimposed. Since the through hole 1442 penetrates the upper surface and the lower surface of the insulating film 1440 and forms an empty space, the ground portion 1486 corresponding to the through hole 1442 may not be insulated.

The places where the grounding portions 1486 are electrically connected may vary. For example, the place where the grounding portion 1486 is electrically connected may be the skin of the patient 1. Or where the grounding portion 1486 is electrically connected may be an adhesive layer 1420 connected to the skin of the patient 1. [ Or the ground to which the grounding portion 1486 is electrically connected. Or the ground portion 1486 is electrically connected may be an external device having a large capacitance and a reference potential.

The grounding portion 1486 may be one region of the terminal portion 1484 or one region of the opposing portion 1482. [

Hereinafter, the respiratory sensing operation of the respiratory sensing device 1000 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

11 is a view showing a breathing sensing operation of the breathing sensing device 1000 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

11, in the breathing sensing device 1000 in a fully coupled state attached to the actual attachment site 2, a path through which vibration generated by breathing is transmitted to the piezoelectric film 1460 through each layer, The role of each component for improving the sensing sensitivity of the sensing device 1000 will be described below.

First, we examine the process in which vibration is transmitted and converted to an electrical signal.

The respiratory sensing device 1000 can be adhered (tightly) to the attachment site 2 via the adhesive layer 1420. [ The vibration generated by the breath can be transmitted to the adhesive layer 1420. [ At this time, the adhesive layer 1420 may be in the form of a gel as described above, and may be, for example, an agarose gel which is a kind of hydrogel. As described above, the gel can be adhered to the attachment site 2 with a maximum surface area while the shape of the gel is deformed in accordance with the bending of the attachment site 2. As will be described in more detail below, the gel can selectively transmit only the vibrations generated by breathing to the upper layer. The other vibration is a kind of noise and its transmission can be blocked by the gel.

Vibration due to breathing through the gel can be transmitted to the piezoelectric film 1460 through the insulating film 1440 as well. At this time, the insulating film 1440 is also flexibly bent and can closely contact the adhesive layer 1420 of the lower surface and the piezoelectric film 1460 of the upper surface without gaps.

The vibration caused by the breathing can be transmitted to the piezoelectric film 1460 through the insulating film 1440. The piezoelectric film 1460 receives an external force due to the vibration, so that a voltage is generated between the upper electrode 1480a and the lower electrode 1480b in the sensing region. At this time, the ground 1486 in the lower electrode 1480b may be electrically connected to the adhesive layer 1420 through the through hole 1442. The generated piezoelectric signal, which is an electrical signal, can be transmitted to the first communication cable 2220 through the terminal portion 1484. That is, the generated piezoelectric signal can be transmitted to the controller 2200 of the interface device 2000 through the first communication cable 2220.

Hereinafter, the role of the adhesive layer 1420 and the insulating film 1440 contributing to the improvement in sensing sensitivity will be described.

The insulating film 1440 can insulate the piezoelectric film 1460 while covering the surface area of the piezoelectric film 1460, thereby minimizing the influence of electromagnetic waves emitted from the body.

Because the vibration due to breathing is minute, very precise sensing sensitivity is required. Therefore, even if the magnitude of the electromagnetic waves radiated from the body is small, it may affect the sensitivity of the breathing sensation. Such an influence may be further exacerbated as the area where the body surface and the piezoelectric film 1460 are electrically connected increases .

Specifically, the piezoelectric element 1470 having the electrodes 1480a and 1480b on the upper and lower surfaces thereof may exhibit a behavior similar to a kind of capacitor. That is, when a piezoelectric effect is generated, an electromagnetic field can be generated in a direction from the upper electrode 1480a toward the lower electrode 1480b or vice versa. Considering the attachment type of the respiratory sensing device 1000, the direction of this electromagnetic field may coincide with the direction of the electromagnetic wave emitted from the body. This may exacerbate the adverse effect of the electromagnetic waves emitted from the body on the piezoelectric effect.

As a solution to this, the insulating film 1440 can effectively block the electromagnetic waves emitted from the body by minimizing the area in which the piezoelectric film 1460 is exposed toward the body surface (exposing only the region of the through hole 1442 for grounding) have.

Meanwhile, since the piezoelectric film 1460 is grounded to the adhesive layer 1420 or the body through the through hole 1442 provided in the insulating film 1440, the sensing sensitivity can be increased.

Since the body has a relatively large electric capacity, the respiratory sensing device 1000 can be given electrical stability. The piezoelectric film 1460 can set the reference potential through the ground.

Since the connection to the body for grounding is sufficient to be electrically connected, the grounding effect may be independent of the area of the area to be grounded. However, if the through-hole for grounding is enlarged as described above, the influence of the electromagnetic wave radiated from the body can be increased. Therefore, it may be advantageous to minimize the area of the through-hole.

Also, as mentioned, the vibration transmitted by the adhesive layer 1420 to the upper layer may be optional. The adhesive layer 1420 selectively permits and transmits vibration of a predetermined frequency, but can block vibration of a constant frequency. That is, the adhesive layer 1420 can be utilized as a band pass filter. In other words, the adhesive layer 1420 can perform impedance matching with skin to prevent reflection and loss of vibration transmitted from the skin. Particularly, since the gel is ductile and has impurities, it may have a tendency to transmit vibrations of a specific frequency but absorb the vibrations of other specific frequencies by weakening the transmission force.

The frequency of the vibration transmitted or blocked by the adhesive layer 1420 can be determined by manufacturing characteristics such as the material properties of the adhesive layer 1420 or the thickness and area of the adhesive layer 1420. [ Therefore, the raw material and the manufacturing specification of the adhesive layer 1420 can be determined in consideration of the vibration frequency to be sensed and the vibration frequency of the noise. For example, the thickness of the adhesive layer 1420 can be designed to a thickness optimized to effectively transmit the vibration frequency associated with respiration to the upper layer, while effectively preventing the vibration frequency independent of respiration. As another example, the components of the adhesive layer 1420 can be designed in consideration of optimized components and composition ratios so that the vibration frequency associated with breathing is effectively transmitted to the upper layer, but the vibration frequency independent of respiration can be effectively blocked.

The vibration allowed and transmitted by the adhesive layer 1420 may be vibration sensed by the breathing sensing device 1000. For example, if the respiratory sensing device 1000 is attached to the cadaver bone to sense the vibration of the cadaver bone, the vibration transmitted and transmitted by the cueing layer 1420 may be vibration of the cadaver bone that occurs during respiration .

The vibration that the adhesive layer 1420 blocks may be noise that is not related to the vibration that the breathing sensing device 1000 wants to sense. For example, when the respiratory sensing device 1000 is attached to the cadaver bone to sense vibration of the bones of the respiratory tract, the noise may be a respiration-independent vibration. Specifically, the noise may be a vibration generated by an endoscope and a surgical instrument that unintentionally touches the airway while passing through the airway. Or noise may be a vibration that occurs when the patient 1 swallows a needle. Or noise may be a vibration caused by a sudden movement of the patient 1.

As described above, the adhesive layer 1420 may be formed to have a sufficiently long length to be adhered to the attachment region 2 to provide sufficient adhesion force to the breathing sensing device 1000. For example, when the adhesive layer 1420 is attached to the body, the adhesive layer 1420 can be attached not only to the target area in which the breathing-related vibration to be actually sensed is generated but also to the periphery thereof. Here, the adhesive layer 1420 is attached to the peripheral portion in order to provide a stronger adhesion force to the breathing sensing device 1000. Sometimes, however, these perimeters also provide noise to the vibration signal to be sensed. This is because the periphery may be associated with respiration or with respiration, but with less reliable movement. Such movement occurring at the peripheral portion may be transmitted to the piezoelectric film 1460 through the adhesive layer 1420 and act as noise.

To solve this problem, the adhesive layer 1420 may have a region where the adhesive material is applied and an area where the adhesive material is not applied. The uncoated region of the adhesive material may serve to block vibrations that are generated in the peripheral portion and are transmitted. The adhesive material-uncoated areas may be provided in one or more than one.

Through the process described above, the respiratory sensing device 1000 can sense vibration due to breathing while minimizing noise.

FIG. 12 is a view showing the use state of the pulse oximeter according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 13 is a view showing the use state of the upper arm blood pressure monitor according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 15 is a schematic view of a respiratory monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

12 to 14, the interface device 2000 may be connected to not only the respiratory sensing device 1000 but also other types of devices.

Referring to FIG. 12, the interface device 2000 may be electrically connected to a pulse oximeter 1700 that measures oxygen saturation of blood. The pulse oximeter 1700 is a device for non-angiographically measuring oxygen saturation of blood by emitting light of two different wavelengths from a semiconductor device to one point of a finger.

In this case, the interface device 2000 may receive a signal including information about the oxygen saturation generated from the pulse oximeter through the second communication cable 2240.

The pulse oximeter 1700 may include a separate battery. In addition, the pulse oximeter 1700 may not include a separate battery. In this case, the interface device 2000 can supply power to the pulse oximeter 1700 via the second power cable 2140.

The interface device 2000 may generate a respiration signal further considering information about the oxygen saturation measured through the pulse oximeter 1700. [ In this case, the respiratory sensing device 1000 measures a signal that occurs immediately upon breathing, but the pulse oximeter 1700 can generate a respiratory signal using the time difference caused by measuring the oxygen saturation of the blood . More specifically, since the change in oxygen saturation of blood occurs only after a respiratory abnormality occurs, the response may be slower than the respiratory signal measured in the respiratory sensing device 1000. Accordingly, the interface device 2000 processes the piezoelectric signal generated by the respiratory sensing device 1000, and when a change in the oxygen saturation of the blood is detected by the pulse oximeter 1700, it is reflected in the respiration signal prior to the piezoelectric signal can do.

The upper arm blood pressure monitor 1800 is a device for measuring the blood pressure attached to the upper arm of the patient 1. [ The interface device 2000 may be electrically connected to the upper arm blood pressure monitor 1800 to receive a signal including information on the blood pressure of the upper arm. In this case, the interface device 2000 may be connected to the brachium blood pressure meter 1800 through a cable by wire.

The upper arm blood pressure monitor 1800 may be supplied with power from an external source or may be supplied with power from the battery 2100 of the interface device 2000. Of course, a separate battery may be installed in the upper arm blood pressure monitor 18000 to supply power.

The interface device 2000 may be installed in the upper arm blood pressure monitor. In this case, the controller 2200 of the interface device 2000 can receive a signal including information on the blood pressure of the upper arm of the upper arm blood pressure monitor 1800.

The wrist blood pressure monitor 1900 is a device for measuring the blood pressure corresponding to the wrist blood pressure value by detecting the cochlear sound from the wrist of the patient 1. In this case, the wrist blood pressure monitor 1900 can precisely position the sensor that senses the Korotkoff sound to the radial artery by using the piezo sensor in the form of an array sensor. That is, the piezo sensor can be implemented as an array sensor, which improves the fit of the wrist blood pressure monitor and enables accurate blood pressure measurement even if the blood pressure monitor deviates or deviates from a certain portion.

 The wrist blood pressure monitor 1900 can correct the blood pressure corresponding to the wrist blood pressure value in the radial artery of the wrist using a signal reflecting the upper arm blood pressure value.

The interface device 2000 may be electrically connected to the wrist blood pressure monitor 1900 to receive a signal reflecting the upper arm blood pressure value. In this case, the interface device 2000 and the wrist blood pressure monitor 1900 can be connected by a cable via a cable. The wrist blood pressure monitor 1900 may be supplied with power from the battery 2100 of the interface device 2000.

15 is another schematic diagram of a respiratory monitoring system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

15, the interface device 2000 may be electrically connected to at least one of the breathing sensing device 1000, the pulse oximeter 1700, the upper arm blood pressure monitor 1800 and the wrist blood pressure monitor 1900. [

The interface device 2000 may receive the piezoelectric signal from the respiratory sensing device 1000 as described above. The interface device 2000 may receive a signal from the pulse oximeter 1700, including information about the degree of oxygen saturation of the blood. The interface device 2000 may receive a signal from the upper arm blood pressure meter 1800, including information on the blood pressure of the upper arm. In addition, the interface device 2000 may receive a signal reflecting the upper-arm blood pressure value from the wrist blood pressure monitor 1900.

The interface device 2000 may send a respiration signal to the respiration monitoring device 3000 that reflects the respiration monitoring device 3000, including a signal including information about the piezoelectric signal and oxygen saturation. In addition, a signal including information on the blood pressure of the upper arm and a blood pressure signal reflecting the signal reflecting the upper arm blood pressure value may be transmitted to the respiration monitoring device 3000. In this case, the respiration monitoring device 3000 can display the blood pressure signal in addition to the breathing signal.

As described in the above description, the respiratory monitoring system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention obtains an electrical signal with minimized noise by measuring vibration due to respiration of the patient 1 using the piezoelectric effect, The breathing state of the patient 1 can be obtained and provided to the user.

While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes or modifications may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1: patient
2: attachment site
100: Breath monitoring system
1000: Breathing sensing device
1200: Case
1400: sensing module
1420:
1440: insulating film
1442: Through-hole
1460: Piezoelectric film
1470: Piezoelectric material
1480: Electrode
1482:
1484: terminal portion
1486:
1480a: upper electrode
1480b:
1600: Cover
1700: Pulse Oximeter
1800: upper arm blood pressure monitor
1900: Blood pressure monitor for wrist
2000: Interface device
2100: Battery
2120: First power cable
2200: controller
2220: First communication cable
2240: Second communication cable
2300: Communication module
3000: Breath monitoring device

Claims (12)

A respiratory monitoring system for displaying information on a breathing state of a patient obtained by sensing a vibration generated by a breathing of a patient using a piezoelectric effect,
A piezoelectric material in the form of a thin film, an upper electrode positioned above the piezoelectric material with the piezoelectric material interposed therebetween, and a lower electrode positioned below the piezoelectric material, An electrode and a piezoelectric film for generating a piezoelectric signal to the lower electrode; a disposable respiratory sensing device located below the lower electrode and including an insulating film for blocking electrical connection to the piezoelectric film; And
A battery, a first power cable for supplying power from the battery to the disposable respiratory sensing device, a first communication cable for receiving the piezoelectric signal from the disposable respiratory sensing device, A controller for processing the signal to generate a breathing signal and an interface device including a communication module for transmitting the breathing signal to an external device
Respiratory monitoring system.
The method according to claim 1,
And a respiration monitoring device for receiving the respiratory signal from the interface device and for displaying information about the breathing status of the patient based on the respiration signal
Respiratory monitoring system.
The method according to claim 1,
And a pulse oximeter installed at one point of the finger of the patient for measuring oxygen saturation of the blood,
The interface device comprising:
And a second communication cable, one end of which is electrically connected to the controller and the other end of which is electrically connected to the pulse oximetry measuring system and receives a signal from the pulse oximeter containing information on the oxygen saturation of the blood
Respiratory monitoring system.
The method of claim 3,
Wherein the interface device comprises a second power cable for supplying power from the battery to the pulse oximeter
Respiratory monitoring system.
The method of claim 3,
Wherein the interface device generates the respiration signal further considering information about the oxygen saturation
Respiratory monitoring system.
The method of claim 3,
And an upper arm blood pressure monitor installed in the upper arm of the patient for measuring the blood pressure of the upper arm,
The interface device is electrically connected to the upper arm blood pressure monitor, and receives a signal including information on the blood pressure of the upper arm
Respiratory monitoring system.
The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the interface device is provided in the upper arm blood pressure monitor
Respiratory monitoring system.
The method according to claim 6,
And a wrist blood pressure gauge for detecting a corotor voice from the wrist of the patient and measuring a blood pressure corresponding to the wrist blood pressure value and correcting the blood pressure corresponding to the wrist blood pressure value to a signal reflecting the upper arm blood pressure value and,
Wherein the interface device is electrically connected to the wrist blood pressure monitor and receives a signal reflecting the upper arm blood pressure value
Respiratory monitoring system.
The method according to claim 1,
The communication module includes:
A wireless communication module using at least one of Bluetooth,
Respiratory monitoring system.
The method according to claim 1,
The interface device comprising:
Wherein the controller is configured to process the piezoelectric signal in a state in which a trachea of the patient is not secured when the piezoelectric signal corresponds to a first predetermined condition and if the piezoelectric signal corresponds to a second predetermined condition, To transmit the breathing signal,
Wherein the first predetermined condition is that the time interval at which the piezoelectric signal is sensed at the interface device exceeds a first predetermined time interval or the number of times the piezoelectric signal is sensed at the interface device per reference time is less than a first predetermined number of times ego,
Wherein the second predetermined condition is that the time interval at which the piezoelectric signal is sensed at the interface device exceeds a second predetermined time interval or the number of times the piezoelectric signal is sensed at the interface device per reference time is less than a second predetermined number of times ego,
Wherein the second predetermined time interval is greater than the first predetermined time interval and the second predetermined number of times is greater than the first predetermined number of times.
Respiratory monitoring system.
The method according to claim 1,
The interface device comprising:
Treating the patient to be in a snoring state when the piezoelectric signal corresponds to a third predetermined condition and transmitting the breathing signal,
The third predetermined condition is that the magnitude of the amplitude of the piezoelectric signal exceeds a predetermined value
Respiratory monitoring system.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the breathing sensing device comprises:
The piezoelectric film is disposed at a lower portion of the piezoelectric film so as to face the lower electrode. The piezoelectric film is provided with an adhesive material and is in contact with the body of the patient. The vibration generated by the breathing of the patient is transmitted to the piezoelectric film. And an adhesive layer capable of electrically connecting the upper surface and the lower surface,
The lower electrode and the adhesive layer are formed so that the lower electrode is grounded to the body of the patient through the adhesive layer in order to reduce electrical noise caused by the piezoelectric phenomenon while blocking the electrical connection between the piezoelectric film and the adhesive layer, And a through hole for electrically connecting the electrodes
Respiratory monitoring system.

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