PROCESS FOR THE AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF A RESPIRATOR

1 . A process for the automatic control of a respirator, the process comprising the steps of:

using a control unit for a consecutively made changeover between inspiration and expiration phases of respiration from one into the other;

checking a picked-up breathing activity signal in a phase of respiration for a threshold criterion for changing over into a next phase of respiration;

changing over from one phase of respiration into the other, if the threshold criterion is met;

controlling the fan of the respirator when changing over into a new phase of respiration, such that a pneumatic respiration variable is brought from an actual value to a preset target value for the new phase of respiration;

dividing the change in the respiration variable from the actual value to the target value into a plurality of partial steps when changing over the phase of respiration;

checking a current breathing activity signal for the threshold criterion responsible for triggering the changeover after each partial step;

returning automatically into the state of operation of the respirator before a last changeover if the threshold criterion is no longer met; and

continuing with the next partial step if the threshold criterion continues to be met.

2 . A process in accordance with claim 1 , wherein increments of the partial steps are selected from set point to actual value, such that the increment of a first partial step is smaller than the at least one next partial step.

3 . A process in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the increments of the partial steps from set point to actual value are selected, such that the increment increases from partial step to partial step or in a plurality of stages from first to last partial step.

4 . A process in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a change rate of the respiration variable is limited in each partial step to a selectable peak value.

5 . A process in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a set point curve provided for guiding the respiration variable from actual value to set point is subject to low-pass filtering.

6 . A process in accordance with claim 5 , wherein a cutoff frequency f of a low-pass filter providing the low-pass filtering is adapted to a width of the partial steps τ.

7 . A process in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the cutoff frequency f of the low-pass filter providing the low-pass filtering is adapted to a width of the partial steps τ by the formula f=1/(2πτ).

8 . A process in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the pneumatic respiration variable is one or more of airway pressure and airway flow.

9 . A process for the automatic control of a respirator, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a breathing gas source;

providing a fan for conveying breathing gas through connection lines;

providing a control unit controlling the fan;

providing sensors for picking up at least one pneumatic breathing activity signal;

connecting the sensors to the control unit;

using the control unit for a consecutively made changeover between inspiration and expiration phases of respiration from one into the other including:

checking a picked-up breathing activity signal in a phase of respiration for a threshold criterion for changing over into a next phase of respiration;

changing over into the next phase of respiration, if the threshold criterion is met;

controlling the fan of the respirator when changing over into the next phase of respiration, such that a pneumatic respiration variable is brought from an actual value to a preset target value for the next phase of respiration;

dividing the change in the respiration variable from the actual value to the target value into a plurality of partial steps;

checking a current breathing activity signal for the threshold criterion responsible for triggering the changeover after each partial step;

returning automatically into the phase of respiration before the last changeover if the current breathing activity signal no longer meets the threshold criterion; and

continuing with the next partial step if the threshold criterion continues to be met.

10 . A process in accordance with claim 9 , wherein increments of the partial steps are selected from set point to actual value, such that an increment of a first partial step is smaller than an increment of at least one next partial step and the increment increases from partial step to partial step or in a plurality of stages from first to last partial step.

11 . A process in accordance with claim 9 , wherein a change rate of the respiration variable is limited in each partial step to a selectable peak value.

12 . A process in accordance with claim 9 , wherein a set point curve provided for guiding the respiration variable from actual value to set point is subject to low-pass filtering.

13 . A process in accordance with claim 12 , wherein a cutoff frequency f of a low-pass filter providing the low-pass filtering is adapted to a width of the partial steps τ.

14 . A process in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the cutoff frequency f of the low-pass filter providing the low-pass filtering is adapted to a width of the partial steps τ by the formula f=1/(2πτ).

15 . A respirator comprising:

a breathing gas source;

a fan for conveying breathing gas through connection lines;

a control unit controlling the fan; and

sensors for picking up at least one pneumatic breathing activity signal, the sensors being connected to the control unit, the control unit controlling the respirator for a consecutively made changeover between inspiration and expiration phases of respiration, the controlling of the respirator comprising:

checking a picked-up breathing activity signal in a phase of respiration for a threshold criterion for changing over into a next phase of respiration;

changing over from one phase of respiration into the other, if the threshold criterion is met;

controlling the fan of the respirator when changing over into a new phase of respiration, such that a pneumatic respiration variable is brought from an actual value to a preset target value for the new phase of respiration;

dividing the change in the respiration variable from the actual value to the target value into a plurality of partial steps when changing over the phase of respiration;

checking the current breathing activity signal for the threshold criterion responsible for triggering the changeover after each partial step;

returning automatically into the state of operation of the respirator before the last changeover if the threshold criterion is no longer met; and

continuing with the next partial step if the threshold criterion continues to be met.

16 . A respirator in accordance with claim 15 , wherein increments of the partial steps are selected from set point to actual value, such that the increment of a first partial step is smaller than the at least one next partial step.

17 . A respirator in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the increments of the partial steps from set point to actual value are selected, such that the increment increases from partial step to partial step or in a plurality of stages from first to last partial step.

18 . A respirator in accordance with claim 16 , wherein a change rate of the respiration variable is limited in each partial step to a selectable peak value.

19 . A respirator in accordance with claim 16 , further comprising a low-pass filter wherein:

a set point curve provided for guiding the respiration variable from actual value to set point is subject to low-pass filtering with the low-pass filter; and

a cutoff frequency f of the low-pass filter is adapted to a width of the partial steps.

20 . A respirator in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the cutoff frequency f of the low-pass filter providing the low-pass filtering is adapted to a width of the partial steps τ by the formula f=1/(2πτ).