Acoustic respiratory monitoring sensor having multiple sensing elements

摘要

According to certain described aspects, multiple acoustic sensing elements are employed in a variety of beneficial ways to provide improved physiological monitoring, among other advantages. In various embodiments, sensing elements can be advantageously employed in a single sensor package, in multiple sensor packages, and at a variety of other strategic locations in the monitoring environment. According to other aspects, to compensate for skin elasticity and attachment variability, an acoustic sensor support is provided that includes one or more pressure equalization pathways. The pathways can provide an air-flow channel from the cavity defined by the sensing elements and frame to the ambient air pressure.

主权项

1. An acoustic sensor comprising:
a sensor support at least partially defining an acoustic cavity; first and second piezoelectric films each including respective first and second electrodes and each stretched from a first side of the acoustic cavity to a second side of the acoustic cavity opposing the first side; and a noise attenuator coupled to the first electrode of the first piezoelectric film and the first electrode of the second piezoelectric film, the second electrode of the first piezoelectric film and the second electrode of the second piezoelectric film coupled to a common potential, the noise attenuator configured to at least:
at least partially constructively combine a physiological signal component of a first signal output by the first piezoelectric film and a physiological signal component of a second signal output by the second piezoelectric film; andat least partially destructively combine an acoustic noise component of the first signal output by the first piezoelectric film an acoustic noise component of the second signal output by the second piezoelectric film.