{
  "patent_number": "US 5199424",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How CPAP Machines Gradually Increase Air Pressure for Sleeping Patients",
  "original_title": "Device for monitoring breathing during sleep and control of CPAP treatment that is patient controlled",
  "summary": "A 1993 patent describing a CPAP machine that lets patients choose how slowly the air pressure ramps up to their therapeutic level, making it easier to fall asleep.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a method and device for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy. It allows a patient to set a 'ramp' period, where the machine starts at a low, comfortable air pressure and gradually increases to the required therapeutic level over a period of time selected by the user. The device uses a delay timer mechanism to automate this transition, ensuring the patient is not blasted with full therapeutic pressure while they are still trying to fall asleep. Once the timer expires, the machine maintains the preset therapeutic pressure to keep the airway open throughout the night.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover automatic pressure adjustment based on real-time detection of snoring or breathing sounds.",
    "Does not cover systems that adjust pressure based on inhaled air flow volume or rate.",
    "Does not cover non-CPAP respiratory devices that do not use a sealed mask or nasal prongs.",
    "Does not cover methods that lack a user-selectable variable time period for the pressure ramp."
  ],
  "filed": "1991-12-12",
  "granted": "1993-04-06",
  "expires": "2011-12-12",
  "status": "expired",
  "holder": "Individual",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/individual",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Colin E. Sullivan",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/colin-e-sullivan"
    },
    {
      "name": "Christopher Lynch",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/christopher-lynch"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 231,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "mechanical"
  ],
  "abstract": "A CPAP apparatus including: a variable pressured air source and means to vary the air pressure delivered therefrom; a nose piece for sealed air communication with a patient's respiratory system; an air communication line from the air source to the nose piece; a sound transducer adapted to be in sound communication with the patient's respiratory system; and a feedback system controlling the output pressure of the air source in response to an output from the transducer so as to increase the output air pressure from said air source, in response to detection of sound indicative of snoring, in accordance with a predefined procedure. The sound transducer, in its most general form, comprises a pressure transducer which, in addition to detecting snoring sounds, can detect other respiratory parameters such as the rate of breathing, inhaled air flow volume, and inhaled air flow rate. Output air pressure from air source is increased in response to one or more of these parameters in accordance with a pre-defined procedure.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5199424/cpap-sleep-apnea-sullivan",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5199424/cpap-sleep-apnea-sullivan/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US5199424",
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}