Sleep apnea is a common medical disorder that occurs when breathing is disrupted during sleep. Sleep apnea is estimated to affect nearly 1 in 20 American adults and is linked to attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, stroke and increased motor vehicle accidents. Sleep apnea is commonly diagnosed in a dedicated sleep clinic that administers polysomnography tests. In a polysomnography test, a trained technician attaches and monitors sensors on the subject for the duration of the subject's sleep over a single night. Polysomnography tests, however, can be expensive, time-consuming and labor-intensive, and subjects may have to wait several weeks to receive a polysomnography test due to long wait lists. Alternatively, a home sleep apnea test (HSAT) may be performed using a portable recording system in a subject's home, typically during a single night's sleep. During an HSAT, the subject still typically wears several measurement instruments connected to the portable recording system. Such home tests can also be problematic. For example, improper attachment of one or more of the measurement instruments may affect the accuracy of a home sleep test.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds