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A pressure generating system and method for generating a flow of fluid at a pressure above atmospheric pressure. The system includes a pressure generator and a pressure regulator downstream of the pressure generator. The system monitors a characteristic associated with the pressure regulator, the fl

A pressure generating system and method for generating a flow of fluid at a pressure above atmospheric pressure. The system includes a pressure generator and a pressure regulator downstream of the pressure generator. The system monitors a characteristic associated with the pressure regulator, the fluid flow downstream of the pressure regulator to the patient, the fluid flow upstream of the pressure regulator, the fluid flow exhausted from the pressure regulator, or any combination thereof. A controller coupled to the pressure generator controls an operating speed of the pressure generator based on the monitored characteristic(s) so that the output of the pressure generator is only kept as high as needed to provide the desired pressure to the patient.

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The invention claimed is: 1. A pressure support system comprising: a pressure generator adapted to generate a flow or fluid at a pressure above atmospheric pressure; a conduit having a first end coupled to the output of the pressure generator and a second end; a first pressure sensor operatively co

The invention claimed is: 1. A pressure support system comprising: a pressure generator adapted to generate a flow or fluid at a pressure above atmospheric pressure; a conduit having a first end coupled to the output of the pressure generator and a second end; a first pressure sensor operatively coupled to the conduit at a first location; a valve operatively coupled to the conduit between the first pressure sensor and the second end of the conduit, wherein the valve is adapted to control a pressure of fluid delivered to the second end of the conduit; a second pressure sensor coupled to the conduit at a second location between the valve and the second end of the conduit; and a controller operatively coupled to the pressure generator, the valve, and the first pressure sensor, wherein the controller controls actuation of the valve based on a set pressure to be delivered to a patient, which is a pressure measured by the second pressure sensor, and wherein the control ter controls an operating speed of the pressure generator based on an output of the first pressure sensor and the set pressure. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor are defined by a differential pressure sensor having a first pressure portion that corresponds to a pressure in the conduit at the first location and a second pressure portion that corresponds to a pressure in the conduit at the second location, wherein the differential pressure sensor monitors a pressure between the first pressure portion and the second pressure portion as the pressure difference. 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an input device operative coupled to the controller, wherein the set pressure is determined based on an input from the input device. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the pressure generator comprises an impeller and a motor operatively coupled to the impeller such that operation of the motor rotates the impeller, and wherein the controller controls an operating speed of the motor. 5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a patient interface device coupled to the second end of the conduit. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the set pressure includes an inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) during at least a portion of an inspiratory phase of a respiratory cycle and an expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) during at least a portion of an expiratory phase of the respiratory cycle, and wherein the IPAP level is greater than the EPAP level. 7. The system of claim 2, wherein the set pressure includes an inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) during at least a portion of an inspiratory phase of a respiratory cycle and an expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) during at least a portion of an expiratory phase of the respiratory cycle, and wherein the IPAP level is greater than the EPAP level. 8. A pressure support system comprising: a pressure generator adapted to generate a flow of fluid at a pressure above atmospheric pressure; a conduit having a first end coupled to the output of the pressure generator and a second end; a first pressure sensor operatively coupled to the conduit at a first location; a valve operatively coupled to the conduit, wherein the valve is adapted to control a pressure of fluid delivered to the second end of the conduit; and a controller operatively coupled to the pressure generator, the valve, and the first pressure sensor, wherein the controller controls actuation of the valve based on a set pressure to be delivered to a patient, wherein the controller controls an operating speed of the pressure generator based on an output of the first pressure sensor and the set pressure, and wherein the controller monitors an overhead pressure as a difference between a pressure measured by the first pressure sensor and the set pressure, and controls the pressure generator based on the overhead pressure. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller compares the overhead pressure to a minimum pressure threshold Pmin and increases an operating speed of the pressure generator responsive to the overhead pressure being less than the minimum pressure threshold P min. 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller determines a minimum overhead pressure during an inspiratory phase of such a patient, compares the minimum overhead pressure to a minimum pressure threshold Pmin and increases an operating speed of the pressure generator responsive to the overhead pressure being less than the minimum pressure threshold Pmin. 11. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller determines a minimum overhead pressure during an inspiratory phase of such a patient, compares the minimum overhead pressure to a maximum pressure threshold Pmax and decreases an operating speed of the pressure generator responsive to the minimum overhead pressure being greater than the maximum pressure threshold Pmax. 12. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller compares the overhead pressure to a target overhead pressure POH(target) and adjusts an operating speed of the pressure generator to cause the overhead pressure to correspond to the target overhead pressure P OH(target). 13. The system of claim 8, her comprising a second pressure sensor coupled to the conduit at a second location, and wherein the set pressure is a pressure measured by the second pressure sensor. 14. The system of claim 8, further comprising an input device operative coupled to the controller, wherein the set pressure is determined based on an input from the input device. 15. A pressure support system comprising: a pressure generator adapted to generate a flow of fluid at a pressure above atmospheric pressure; a conduit having a first end coupled to the output of the pressure generator and a second end; a valve operatively coupled to the conduit and adapted to control a pressure of the flow of fluid delivered to such a patient; first controlling means operatively coupled to the valve for controlling the valve to deliver so that a pressure delivered to an airway of a patient corresponds to a set pressure; and second controlling means operatively coupled to the pressure generator for controlling an operating speed of the pressure generator to provide a pressure at an inlet of the valve at a level sufficient to deliver the set pressure. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first controlling means and the second controlling means are defined by a common processing element. 17. The system of claim 15, further comprising pressure monitoring means for determining a pressure at an inlet of the valve, and wherein the second controlling means controls the operating speed based on an output of the pressure monitoring means. 18. The system of claim 15, further comprising pressure monitoring means for determining a pressure difference across the valve, and wherein the second controlling means controls an operating speed of the pressure generating means based on the pressure difference. 19. The system of claim 15, further comprising a patient interface device coupled to the second end of the conduit. 20. The system of claim 15, wherein the first controlling means provides an inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) during at least a portion of an inspiratory phase of a respiratory cycle and an expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) during at least a portion of an expiratory phase of the respiratory cycle, and wherein the IPAP level is greater than the EPAP level. 21. The system of claim 15, wherein the second controlling means determines an overhead pressure across the valve and compares the overhead pressure to a target overhead pressure POH(target), and adjusts the operating speed of the pressure generator to cause the overhead pressure to correspond to the target overhead pressure P OH(target). 22. The system of claim 15, wherein the second controlling means determines a minimum overhead pressure during an inspiratory phase of such a patient compares the minimum overhead pressure to a maximum pressure threshold Pmax and decreases an operating speed of the pressure generating means responsive to the minimum overhead pressure being greater than the maximum pressure threshold Pmax. 23. The system of claim 15, wherein the second controlling means determines a minimum overhead pressure during an inspiratory phase of such a patient, compares the minimum overhead pressure to a minimum pressure threshold Pmin and increases an operating speed of the pressure generating means responsive to the minimum overhead pressure being less than the minimum pressure threshold Pmin. 24. A method of providing pressure support to a patient comprising: generating a flow of fluid at a pressure above atmospheric pressure via a pressure generator; providing the flow of fluid to a patient; controlling a pressure of the flow of fluid delivered to such a patient via a pressure control element so that a pressure delivered to an airway of a patient corresponds to a set pressure; and controlling an operating speed of the pressure generator to provide a pressure at an inlet of the pressure control element at a level sufficient to deliver the set pressure. 25. The method of claim 24, further monitoring a pressure at an inlet of the pressure control element, and wherein controlling the operating speed is done based the monitored pressure. 26. The method of claim 24, further monitoring a pressure difference across the pressure control element, and wherein controlling the operating speed is done based on the pressure difference. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein controlling the operating speed includes comparing the pressure difference to a threshold level and controlling the pressure generator based on the comparison. 28. The method of claim 24, wherein controlling a pressure of the flow of fluid delivered to such a patient via a pressure control element includes providing the flow of fluid at an inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) during at least a portion of an inspiratory phase of a respiratory cycle and at an expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) during at least a portion of an expiratory phase of the respiratory cycle, and wherein the IPAP level is greater than the EPAP level. 29. The method of claim 24, wherein controlling the operating speed of the pressure generator includes determining an overhead pressure across the pressure control element, comparing the overhead pressure to a target overhead pressure POH(target), and adjusts the operating speed of the pressure generator to cause the overhead pressure to correspond to the target overhead pressure POH(target). 30. The method of claim 24, wherein controlling the operating speed of the pressure generator includes determining a minimum overhead pressure during an inspiratory phase of such a patient, comparing the minimum overhead pressure to a maximum pressure threshold Pmax, and decreasing the operating speed of the pressure generator responsive to the minimum overhead pressure being greater than the maximum pressure threshold Pmax. 31. The method of claim 24, wherein controlling the operating speed of the pressure generator includes determining a minimum overhead pressure during an inspiratory phase of such a patient, comparing the minimum overhead pressure to a minimum pressure threshold Pmin, and increasing the operating speed of the pressure generator responsive to the minimum overhead pressure being less than the minimum pressure threshold Pmin.