Systems, devices, and methods for performing active auscultation and detecting sonic energy measurements
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11000210-B2
Publication Date
2021-05-11
Expiration Date
Abstract
Active auscultation may be used to determine organ (e.g., lung or heart) characteristics of users. An acoustic or piezo-electric signal (e.g., a pulse, a tone, and/or a broadband pulse) may be projected into an animal (typically human) body or thorax. The signal interacts with the body, or lungs, and in some cases may induce resonance within the body/lungs. A resultant signal may be emitted from the body which may be analyzed to determine, for example, a lung's resonant frequency or frequencies and/or how the sound is otherwise absorbed, reflected, or modified by the body. This information may be indicative of lung characteristics such as lung capacity, a volume of air trapped in the lungs, and/or the presence of COPD.
Core Innovation
The invention provides an active auscultation system and method that projects acoustic energy into a user’s body toward a lung and receives a corresponding acoustic energy response emanating from the lung. A processor analyzes the received response to determine a resonant frequency included within the acoustic energy response.
The processor determines a volume of trapped air present in the user’s lung using the resonant frequency. The trapped air volume is air trapped within discrete pockets of lung tissue of the user’s lung following the user’s exhalation of air from the user’s lung.
The document further supports acoustic signal characteristics including pulses, tones, broadband signal, pseudo-random/chirp/chirped frequency content, or a burst of acoustic energy directed into the user’s body. It also describes correlation of acoustic signal characteristics with ancillary information, including physiological and diagnostic information, lung size and shape, fluid and gas types, emitter and receiver location, ambient noise, orientation, heart rate, activity, and oxygen saturation.
Claims Coverage
The document provides three independent claim sets, each focused on active auscultation by determining lung resonant frequency and then determining a volume of trapped air in the lung from that resonant frequency. Across the independent claims, the inventive features center on emitter-directed acoustic energy, receiver-detected responsive acoustic signals, resonant-frequency determination, and trapped-air-volume determination defined by discrete trapped air pockets after exhalation.
Processor-driven active auscultation using emitter-directed acoustic energy and resonant-frequency based trapped-air volume determination
Providing, by a processor in communication with an emitter, signal stimuli to the emitter so that the emitter produces acoustic energy directed into a user's body toward a user's lung; receiving, by the processor, an acoustic energy response from a receiver communicatively coupled to the processor, the acoustic energy response being responsive to the acoustic energy directed into the user's body; determining, by the processor, a resonant frequency included within the acoustic energy response; and determining, by the processor, a volume of trapped air present in the user's lung using the resonant frequency, the volume of trapped air being air trapped within discrete pockets of lung tissue of the user's lung following the user's exhalation of air from the user's lung.
Analyzing a detected lung-emanating acoustic signal to determine resonant frequency and trapped-air volume
Receiving, by the processor, a detected acoustic signal from a receiver, the detected acoustic signal corresponding to an acoustic signal pulse directed toward a user's lung and responsively emanating from the user's lung; analyzing, by the processor, the received detected acoustic signal to determine a resonant frequency for the user's lung; and determining, by the processor, a volume of trapped air present in the user's lung responsively to the resonant frequency, the volume of trapped air being air trapped within discrete pockets of lung tissue of the user's lung following the user's exhalation of air from the user's lung.
Pseudo-random-frequency active auscultation using acoustic response analysis for resonant frequency and trapped-air volume
Providing, by a processor in communication with an emitter, signal stimuli to the emitter so that the emitter produces acoustic energy that includes a plurality of pseudo-randomly selected frequencies, the acoustic energy being directed towards a lung of a user; receiving, by the processor, via a receiver in communication with the processor, an acoustic energy response emanating from the user that corresponds to the acoustic energy directed towards the user's lung; analyzing, by the processor, the acoustic energy response to determine a resonant frequency for the user's lung; and determining, by the processor, a volume of trapped air present in the user's lung using the resonant frequency, the volume of trapped air being air trapped within discrete pockets of lung tissue of the user's lung following the user's exhalation of air from the user's lung.
Across the independent claims, the core claim coverage consists of determining a lung resonant frequency from an acoustic energy response obtained by active auscultation, and then using that resonant frequency to determine a volume of trapped air in the lung defined as discrete trapped air pockets after exhalation. Dependent claims further refine the independent approaches with features such as pseudo-random frequency plurality, multiple resonant frequencies, and specified frequency ranges and pulse or stimulus durations.
Stated Advantages
Supports monitoring/prognosis for COPD by inferring lung characteristics including trapped-air volume and lung capacity from resonance.
Documented Applications
COPD monitoring/prognosis using trapped-air volume and lung capacity inferred from lung resonant frequencies/signature.
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