1. An electronic accessory connectable to a remote electronic device through a data interface, comprising:
an electronic circuit configured to exchange data through a data interface; and
an optical and electrical circuit connector, comprising:
a connector body configured to engage a corresponding connector;
at least one optical terminal for the data interface coupled to the connector body; and
at least one electrical data interface terminal for the data interface coupled to the connector body.
2. The electronic accessory of claim 1, further comprising a micro-Universal Serial Bus connector, the micro-Universal Serial Bus connector comprising the at least one electrical data interface terminal.
3. The electronic accessory of claim 1, the at least one optical terminal comprising a spheroid surface, the spheroid surface configured to contact a corresponding optical terminal of the corresponding connector.
4. The electronic accessory of claim 1, further comprising:
at least one magnetic attachment area, coupled to the connector body,
the at least one magnetic attachment area configured to magnetically attach the connector body to the corresponding connector when the connector body is engaged into the corresponding connector.
5. The electronic accessory of claim 4, the connector body having a first end, the first end engaging the corresponding connector,
the connector body having a symmetrical configuration on the first end,
the at least one magnetic attachment area comprising at least one pair of magnetic attachment areas, each pair of magnetic attachment areas within the at least one pair of magnetic attachment areas having a respective first magnetic area and a respective second magnetic area, the respective first magnetic area having a first magnetic polarity that is opposite a second magnetic polarity of the respective second magnetic area.
6. The electronic accessory of claim 4, where the at least one magnetic attachment area comprises an electrically conductive path,
the electrically conductive path having an electrical connection on the at least one magnetic attachment area, and
the electrically conductive path of the at least one magnetic attachment area configured to conduct electrical power between the electrical connection and an electrical contact of the corresponding connector.
7. The electronic accessory of claim 4, the at least one magnetic attachment area and the connector body configured to urge each of the at least one optical terminal into a conjugate surface of a respective corresponding optical terminal of the corresponding connector.
8. The electronic accessory of claim 1,
the connector body having a first end, the first end engaging the corresponding connector,
the first end of the connector body comprising an inner portion and an outer portion,
the at least one electrical data interface terminal being disposed within the inner portion, and
the at least one optical terminal being disposed within the outer portion.
9. The electronic accessory of claim 8, at least part of the inner portion protruding at the first end beyond the outer portion.
10. The electronic accessory of claim 8, at least part of the outer portion protruding at the first end beyond the outer portion.
11. The electronic accessory of claim 8, the outer portion further comprising at least one magnetic attachment area configured to magnetically attach the connector body to the corresponding connector when the connector body is engaged into the corresponding connector.
12. The electronic accessory of claim 8, the outer portion further comprising the at least one conducting power ring, each of the at least one conducting power ring encircling the inner portion and configured to conduct electrical power through the connector.
13. The electronic accessory of claim 12, the at least one conducting power ring comprising an inner conductive ring and an outer conductive ring,
the outer conductive ring being removed from the inner conductive ring, and
the at least one optical terminal being disposed between the inner conductive ring and the outer conductive ring.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for measuring pulmonary function of an animal, comprising:
an enclosure adapted to enclose the animal;
a signal generator operable to generate an acoustic signal that is transmitted through the enclosure;
a signal detector operable to detect the acoustic pressure inside the enclosure; and
a processor operable to determine the thoracic tidal volume of the animal based on a change in acoustic pressure inside the enclosure.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises a moveable wall that is moveable to adjust the internal volume of the enclosure and therefore the dead space surrounding the animal.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a micrometer coupled to the wall and operable to move the wall to adjust the internal volume of the enclosure.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the acoustic signal has a frequency in the range of about 250 Hz to about 350 Hz.
5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the acoustic signal has a frequency of about 300 Hz.
6. An apparatus for measuring pulmonary function of an animal, comprising:
an enclosure defining a chamber and adapted to receive the entire body of an unrestrained animal in the chamber; and
a device operable to measure thoracic tidal volume of the animal in the chamber based on changes in acoustic pressure in the chamber.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a device operable to measure gas flow into and out of the chamber.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a processor operable to calculate a value representative of the animal’s airway resistance based on the thoracic tidal volume of the animal and the gas flow into and out of the chamber.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the value comprises the specific airway resistance of the animal.
10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the enclosure has an opening and the device operable to measure gas flow comprises a pressure transducer operable to measure a pressure drop of gas flowing through the opening for determining gas flow based on the measured pressure drop.
11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the enclosure has an opening and the device operable to measure gas flow comprises a flow meter positioned to receive gas flowing through the opening.
12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the device operable to measure thoracic tidal volume is operable to measure acoustic pressure in the chamber and determine thoracic tidal volume of the animal based on a change in the acoustic pressure in the chamber.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the device operable to measure thoracic tidal volume comprises:
a signal generator operable to generate an acoustic signal that is transmitted through the chamber;
a signal detector operable to detect the acoustic pressure inside the enclosure; and
a processor operable to determine the thoracic tidal volume of the animal based on a change in the acoustic pressure inside the enclosure
14. An apparatus for measuring pulmonary function of an animal, comprising:
an enclosure defining a chamber and adapted to receive the entire body of an unrestrained animal in the chamber;
means for measuring thoracic tidal volume of the animal in the chamber;
means for measuring gas flow into and out of the chamber; and
means for determining a value representative of the animal’s airway resistance based on the gas flow into and out of the chamber and the thoracic tidal volume of the animal.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for measuring thoracic tidal volume of the animal in the chamber comprises:
means for generating an acoustic signal that is transmitted through the enclosure;
means for detecting the acoustic pressure inside the enclosure; and
means for determining the thoracic tidal volume of the animal based on a change in the acoustic pressure inside the enclosure.
16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising means for adjusting the dead space volume surrounding the animal in the chamber
17. A method for measuring pulmonary function of an unrestrained animal, the method comprising:
placing the unrestrained animal in a chamber; and
determining a thoracic flow signal of the animal in the chamber based on changes in the acoustic pressure in the chamber.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining a value representative of the animal’s airway resistance based on the thoracic flow signal.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining a value representative of the animal’s airway resistance comprises determining a gas flow signal representative of the flow of gas into and out of the chamber and determining a value representative of the animal’s airway resistance based on the thoracic flow signal and the gas flow signal.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein determining a value representative of the animal’s airway resistance comprises determining the specific airway resistance of the animal based on the thoracic flow signal.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein determining a thoracic flow signal of the animal in the chamber comprises acoustically exciting the chamber, measuring changes in the acoustic pressure in the chamber, and determining the thoracic flow signal based on the changes in the acoustic pressure.
22. The method of claim 17, wherein prior to measuring a thoracic flow signal of the animal in the chamber, the dead space volume surrounding the animal in the chamber is adjusted to a value such that changes in the dead space volume caused by respiration of the animal produce substantially linear changes of the acoustic pressure in the chamber.
23. A method for measuring pulmonary function of an animal inside a chamber, the method comprising:
generating an acoustic signal that is transmitted through the chamber;
measuring a change in acoustic pressure inside the chamber caused by a change in the volume of the animal’s body; and
determining the thoracic tidal volume of the animal from the change in acoustic pressure.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising calibrating the chamber by adjusting the volume of the chamber until a peak acoustic pressure inside the chamber is achieved and subsequently decreasing the volume of the chamber such that the acoustic pressure inside the chamber is less than the peak acoustic pressure.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein the thoracic tidal volume is determined at a fixed frequency of the acoustic signal.
26. The method of claim 23, further comprising determining the flow rate of gas into and out of the chamber and determining a value representative of the animal’s airway resistance based on the thoracic tidal volume and the flow rate of gas into and out of the chamber.
27. An apparatus for measuring pulmonary function of an animal, comprising:
an enclosure defining a chamber and adapted to receive the entire body of an unrestrained animal in the chamber, the enclosure comprising a nozzle having an opening and a moveable wall that is moveable to adjust the volume of the chamber and therefore the dead space volume surrounding the animal;
a signal generator operable to generate an acoustic signal that is transmitted through the enclosure;
a signal detector operable to detect the acoustic pressure inside the enclosure;
an airflow-measuring device operable to measure airflow through the nozzle; and
a processor operable to determine the thoracic tidal volume of the animal based on a change in acoustic pressure inside the enclosure and to determine a value representative of the animal’s airway resistance based on the thoracic tidal volume and the airflow through the nozzle.