EMI/ESD hardened sensor interface for a closed loop neuromodulator

1 . A hardened sensor interface for protecting an input or electronics of a closed loop neuromodulator, configured to optimize sleep therapy for a patient, from electromagnetic interference (EMI) or electrostatic discharge (ESD), the interface comprising:

an input configured to receive respiration information from a respiration sensor;

an EMI filter coupled to the input and a grounded metal shield, the EMI filter configured to reduce EMI between the input and the electronics;

an ESD protection device coupled to the grounded metal shield, the ESD protection device configured to protect the electronics from an energy surge; and

wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to receive respiration information from the input and to produce separate analog and digital respiration effort outputs indicative of respiration effort of the patient using the received respiration information.

2 . The interface of claim 1 , wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to detect a sleep disorder event using the digital respiration effort output.

3 . The interface of claim 2 , wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to provide a first stimulus to the patient in response to the detected sleep disorder event, the first stimulus configured to not interrupt the detected sleep disorder event; and

wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to provide a second stimulus to the patient in response to the detected sleep disorder event, following the first stimulus, the second stimulus having more energy than the first stimulus and configured to interrupt the detected sleep disorder event.

4 . The interface of claim 1 , wherein the EMI filter includes an external EMI filter and an internal EMI filter, wherein the internal EMI filter is configured to suppress electromagnetic interference generated from the closed loop neuromodulator.

5 . The interface of claim 4 , wherein the internal EMI filter is enclosed within the grounded metal shield.

6 . The interface of claim 5 , wherein the internal EMI filter is configured to attenuate interference signals having a frequency in a range from about 2 kHz to about 500 MHz.

7 . The interface of claim 5 , wherein the external EMI filter is located outside the grounded metal shield.

8 . The interface of claim 5 , wherein the external EMI filter is configured to attenuate interference signals having a frequency in a range from about 100 MHz to about 10 GHz.

9 . The interface of claim 5 , wherein the external EMI filter includes ferrite beads.

10 . The interface of claim 1 , wherein the ESD protection device includes a plurality of interleaved vias connecting first and second ground planes, wherein the closed loop neuromodulator include a printed circuit board, and wherein the first ground plane is disposed on a first side of the printed circuit board and the second ground plane is disposed on a second side of the printed circuit board, the second ground plane opposite the first ground plane.

11 . A system for protecting an input and electronics of a closed loop neuromodulator from electromagnetic interference (EMI) or electrostatic discharge (ESD), the system comprising:

a sensor configured to detect information indicative of respiration from a patient;

wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to optimize sleep therapy for the patient, the closed loop neuromodulator including:

a hardened sensor interface coupled to the sensor, the hardened sensor interface configured to protect the received respiration information and electronics of the closed loop neuromodulator from EMI or ESD, the hardened sensor interface comprising:

an input configured to receive the respiration information from the sensor;

an EMI filter coupled to the input and a grounded metal shield, the EMI filter configured to reduce electromagnetic interference between the input and the electronics;

an ESD protection device coupled to the grounded metal shield, the ESD protection device configured to protect the electronics from an energy surge; and

wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to receive respiration information from the input, to produce separate analog and digital respiration effort outputs indicative of respiration effort of the patient using the received respiration information, to detect a sleep disorder event using the digital respiration effort output, to provide a first stimulus to a transducer, the first stimulus configured to not interrupt the detected sleep disorder event, and to provide a second stimulus to the transducer, the second stimulus having more energy than the first stimulus and configured to interrupt the detected sleep disorder event; and

wherein the transducer is configured to deliver the first and second stimuli to the patient.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of a thermocouple, a thermistor, an air pressure transducer, an electrode, a respiratory effort belt, or a pyro/piezoelectric sensor.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the transducer includes at least one of an acoustic transducer, a tactile mechanical agitator, an ocular stimulator, an electrical stimulator, a thermal stimulator, or an ultrasonic stimulator configured to modulate an audible signal onto an ultrasonic sound carrier.

14 . A method for protecting an input and electronics of a closed loop neuromodulator, configured to optimize sleep therapy for a patient, from electromagnetic interference (EMI) or electrostatic discharge (ESD), the method comprising:

receiving respiration information at an input of a hardened sensor interface;

reducing external EMI at the input using an EMI filter;

providing an ESD protection device configured to protect electronics of the hardened sensor interface from an energy surge; and

producing separate analog and digital respiration effort outputs indicative of respiration effort of the patient using the received respiration information.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the producing the analog respiration effort output includes amplifying the received respiration information.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the producing the digital respiration effort output includes converting the received respiration information to the digital respiration effort output using a supply-filtered analog-to-digital converter.

17 . The method of claim 14 , including detecting a sleep disorder event using the digital respiration effort output; and

providing a sleep therapy to the patient in response to the detected sleep disorder event.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the providing sleep therapy includes:

providing a first stimulus in response to the detected sleep disorder event, the first stimulus configured to not interrupt the first sleep disorder event; and

providing a second stimulus in response to the detected sleep disorder event, following the first stimulus, the second stimulus having more energy than the first stimulus and configured to interrupt the detected sleep disorder event.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the receiving the respiration information includes receiving respiration information from a pyro/piezoelectric sensor configured to detect an indication of respiration from the patient.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the receiving the respiration information from the pyro/piezoelectric sensor includes receiving respiration information from a polyvinylidene fluoride film (PVDF) sensor configured to detect an indication of respiration from the patient.