PYRO/PIEZO SENSOR AND STIMULATOR
This document discusses, among other things, an apparatus and method for detecting respiration information of a patient and for providing a stimulation to the patient. A sleep sensor transducer includes a pyro/piezoelectric film. A first and second electrode can attach to the film to transmit the detected respiration information to a closed loop neuromodulator and to receive stimulation energy from the closed loop neuromodulator to provide the stimulation.
1 . A sleep therapy transducer for a patient, the sleep therapy transducer comprising:
a pyro/piezoelectric film configured to detect respiration information of the patient and configured to provide a stimulation to the patient;
a first electrode attached to a first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;
a second electrode attached to a second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;
wherein the first and second electrodes are configured to transmit the detected respiration information from the pyro/piezoelectric film to a closed loop neuromodulator and to receive stimulation energy from the closed loop neuromodulator; and
wherein the stimulation is provided to the patient using the received stimulation energy.
2 . The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1 , including a first adhesive to attach the first electrode to the first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film.
3 . The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1 , including a second adhesive to attach the second electrode to the second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film.
4 . The sleep therapy transducer of claim 3 , wherein the first and second adhesives include a conductive adhesive.
5 . The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1 , including a first wire coupled to the first electrode and a second wire coupled to the second electrode, the first and second wires configured to transmit detected respiration information from the pyro/piezoelectric film to a closed loop neuromodulator and to transmit stimulation energy from the closed loop neuromodulator to the pyro/piezoelectric film.
6 . The sleep therapy transducer of claim 5 , including:
a first adhesive film substantially covering the first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film, the first adhesive film to secure the first wire to the first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film, and
a second adhesive film substantially covering the second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film, the second adhesive film to secure the second wire to the second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film.
7 . The sleep therapy transducer of claim 6 , wherein the first adhesive film is a double sided adhesive film configured to secure the sleep therapy transducer to the patient.
8 . The sleep therapy transducer of claim 7 , wherein the double sided adhesive film is configured to provide acoustic impedance matching between the sleep therapy transducer and the patient's skin.
9 . The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1 , wherein the pyro/piezoelectric film includes a metalized polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film.
10 . The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1 , wherein the sleep therapy transducer is configured to attach behind an ear of the patient.
11 . The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1 , wherein the sleep therapy transducer is configured to attach near a lip of the patient.
12 . The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1 , wherein the sleep therapy transducer is configured to attach over the patient's nose.
13 . The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1 , wherein the sleep therapy transducer is configured to attach to the patient's neck.
14 . The sleep therapy transducer of claim 1 , wherein the sleep therapy transducer is configured to emit at least one of a tactile stimulation or an acoustic stimulation.
15 . A sleep therapy transducer for a patient, the sleep therapy transducer comprising:
a pyro/piezoelectric film configured to detect respiration information of the patient and configured to provide a stimulation to the patient;
a first electrode attached to a first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;
a second electrode attached to a second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;
a first conductive adhesive to attach the first electrode to the first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;
a second conductive adhesive to attach the second electrode to the second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;
a first wire coupled to the first electrode and a second wire coupled to the second electrode;
a first adhesive film substantially covering the first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film, the first adhesive film to secure the first wire to the first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;
a second adhesive film substantially covering the second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film, the second adhesive film to secure the second wire to the second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;
wherein the first and second wires are configured to transmit detected respiration information from the pyro/piezoelectric film to a closed loop neuromodulator, and to transmit stimulation energy from the closed loop neuromodulator to the pyro/piezoelectric film; and
wherein the first adhesive film is a double sided adhesive film configured to secure the sleep therapy transducer to the patient.
16 . A method comprising:
detecting respiration information of a patient using a sleep therapy transducer attached to the patient, the sleep therapy transducer including a pyro/piezoelectric film;
transmitting the detected respiratory information from the sleep therapy transducer to a closed loop neuromodulator using a first electrode attached to a first major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film and a second electrode attached to a second major surface of the pyro/piezoelectric film;
receiving stimulation energy from the closed loop neuromodulator using the first and second electrodes; and
providing a stimulation to the patient using the received stimulation energy.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the transmitting the respiration information includes transmitting the respiration information using a using a single wire pair coupled to the first and second electrode.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the receiving the stimulation energy includes receiving the stimulation energy using the single wire pair coupled to the first and second electrode.
19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the providing the stimulation includes providing the stimulation behind an ear of the patient.
20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the providing the stimulation includes providing the stimulation near a lip of the patient.
21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the providing the stimulation includes providing the stimulation to the patient's nose.
22 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the providing the stimulation includes providing the stimulation to the patient's neck.
23 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the providing the stimulation includes providing at least one of tactile stimulation or acoustic stimulation.