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An apparatus and method of controlling the delivery of therapeutic gas delivered to a patient undergoing positive airway pressure therapy is described. The method includes providing a flow of gas to a patient's airway at a pressure, obtaining information from the range of 0 to 25 Hz of the frequency

An apparatus and method of controlling the delivery of therapeutic gas delivered to a patient undergoing positive airway pressure therapy is described. The method includes providing a flow of gas to a patient's airway at a pressure, obtaining information from the range of 0 to 25 Hz of the frequency domain of the flow, and adjusting the pressure based on the information. The apparatus includes a blower for providing a flow of gas to a patient's airway at a pressure, a sensor to measure a characteristic of the flow, a controller to obtain information from the range of 0 to 25 Hz of the frequency domain of the characteristic, and a pressure regulator for adjusting the pressure based on the information.

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1. A method of controlling positive airway pressure therapy, comprising the steps of: providing a flow of gas to a patient's airway at a pressure;obtaining a signal relating to said flow;obtaining at least one information-bearing value from a frequency range of 0 to 25 Hz in a frequency domain of sa

1. A method of controlling positive airway pressure therapy, comprising the steps of: providing a flow of gas to a patient's airway at a pressure;obtaining a signal relating to said flow;obtaining at least one information-bearing value from a frequency range of 0 to 25 Hz in a frequency domain of said signal, said at least one information-bearing value comprising an energy in at least one harmonic of a discrete energy spectrum of inspiration of the patient; andadjusting said pressure based on said information-bearing value. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said adjusting step further comprises comparing said at least one information-bearing value to a threshold. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said adjusting step further comprises comparing said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of calculating a period of breath of the patient and calculating an inspiratory portion of said period, and wherein said adjusting step comprises comparing said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one information-bearing value comprises at least an energy in a first harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum and an energy in a second harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said adjusting step further comprises comparing said at least one information-bearing value to a threshold. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein said adjusting step further comprises comparing said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds. 8. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of calculating a period of a breath of the patient and calculating an inspiratory portion of said period, and wherein said adjusting step comprises comparing said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one information-bearing value comprises an energy in a first harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum, an energy in a second harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum, a sum of energies of said first harmonic through a thirteenth harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum, and a sum of energies of a fifth harmonic through said thirteenth harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum. 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said adjusting step further comprises comparing said at least one information-bearing value to a threshold. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein said adjusting step further comprises comparing said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds. 12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of calculating a period of a breath of the patient and calculating an inspiratory portion of said period, and wherein said adjusting step comprises comparing said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one information-bearing value comprises a plurality of information-bearing values. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein said adjusting step further comprises comparing each of said plurality of information-bearing values to a threshold. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein said adjusting step further comprises comparing each of said plurality of information-bearing values to one of a plurality of thresholds. 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of calculating a period of a breath of the patient and calculating an inspiratory portion of said period, and wherein said adjusting step comprises comparing each of said plurality of information-bearing values to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 17. The method of claim 13, wherein said plurality of information-bearing values comprises at least an energy in a first harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum and an energy in a second harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said adjusting step further comprises comparing each of said plurality of information-bearing values to a threshold. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein said adjusting step further comprises comparing each of said plurality of information-bearing values to one of a plurality of thresholds. 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of calculating a period of a breath of the patient and calculating an inspiratory portion of said period, and wherein said adjusting step comprises comparing each of said plurality of information-bearing values to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 21. The method of claim 13, wherein said plurality of information-bearing values comprises an energy in a first harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum, an energy in a second harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum, a sum of energies of said first harmonic through a thirteenth harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum, and a sum of energies of a fifth harmonic through said thirteenth harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum. 22. The method of claim 21 wherein said adjusting step further comprises comparing each of said plurality of information-bearing values to a threshold. 23. The method of claim 21, wherein said adjusting step further comprises comparing each of said plurality of information-bearing values to one of a plurality of thresholds. 24. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of calculating a period of a breath of the patient and calculating an inspiratory portion of said period, and wherein said adjusting step comprises comparing each of said plurality of information-bearing values to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 25. An apparatus for controlling positive airway pressure therapy, comprising: a blower configured to provide a flow of gas to a patient at a pressure;a sensor configured to measure a characteristic of said flow and to provide a signal relating to said characteristic;a controller configured to obtain at least one information-bearing value from a frequency range of 0 to 25 Hz in a frequency domain of said signal, said at least one information-bearing value comprising an energy in at least one harmonic of a discrete energy spectrum of inspiration of the patient; anda pressure regulator controlled by said controller, the pressure regulator configured to adjust said pressure based on said information-bearing value. 26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said controller is further configured to compare said at least one information-bearing value to a threshold. 27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said controller is further configured to compare said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds. 28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said controller is further configured to calculate a period of breath of the patient and an inspiratory portion of said period, and is further configured to compare said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said at least one information-bearing value comprises at least an energy in a first harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum and an energy in a second harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum. 30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said controller is further configured to compare said at least one information-bearing value to a threshold. 31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said controller is further configured to compare said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds. 32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said controller is further configured to calculate a period of a breath of the patient and an inspiratory portion of said period, and is further configured to compare said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 33. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said at least one information-bearing value comprises an energy in a first harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum, an energy in a second harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum, a sum of energies of said first harmonic through a thirteenth harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum, and a sum of energies of a fifth harmonic through said thirteenth harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum. 34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said controller is further configured to compare said at least one information-bearing value to a threshold. 35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said controller is further configured to compare said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds. 36. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said controller is further configured to calculate a period of a breath of the patient and an inspiratory portion of said period, and is further configured to compare said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 37. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said at least one information-bearing value comprises a plurality of information-bearing values. 38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein said controller is further configured to compare each of said plurality of information-bearing values to a threshold. 39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein said controller is further configured to compare said plurality of information-bearing values to one of a plurality of thresholds. 40. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein said controller is further configured to calculate a period of a breath of the patient and an inspiratory portion of said period, and is further configured to compare said plurality of information-bearing values to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 41. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein said plurality of information-bearing values comprises at least an energy in a first harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum and an energy in a second harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum. 42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said controller is further configured to compare each of said plurality of information-bearing values to a threshold. 43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said controller is further configured to compare each of said plurality of information-bearing values to one of a plurality of thresholds. 44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said controller is further configured to calculate a period of a breath of the patient and an inspiratory portion of said period, and is further configured to compare each of said plurality of information-bearing values to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 45. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein said plurality of information-bearing values comprises an energy in a first harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum, an energy in a second harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum, a sum of energies of said first harmonic through a thirteenth harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum, and a sum of energies of a fifth harmonic through said thirteenth harmonic of said discrete energy spectrum. 46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein said controller is further configured to compare each of said plurality of information-bearing values to a threshold. 47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein said controller is further configured to compare each of said plurality of information-bearing values to one of a plurality of thresholds. 48. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein said controller is further configured to calculate a period of a breath of the patient and an inspiratory portion of said period, and is further configured to compare each of said plurality of information-bearing values to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 49. A method of controlling positive airway pressure therapy, comprising the steps of: providing a flow of gas to a patient's airway at a pressure;obtaining at least one information-bearing value from a frequency range of 0 to 25 Hz in a frequency domain of said flow, said at least one information-bearing value comprising energy in at least one harmonic of a discrete energy spectrum of inspiration of the patient;calculating a period of breath of the patient and calculating an inspiratory portion of said period; andadjusting said pressure by comparing said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 50. An apparatus for controlling positive airway pressure therapy, comprising: a blower configured to provide a flow of gas to a patient at a pressure;a sensor configured to measure a characteristic of said flow;a controller configured to obtain information from a frequency range of 0 to 25 Hz in a frequency domain of said characteristic; anda pressure regulator controlled by said controller, the pressure regulator configured to adjust said pressure based on said information,wherein said information comprises at least one information-bearing value comprising an energy in at least one harmonic of a discrete energy spectrum of inspiration of the patient; andwherein said controller is further configured to calculate a period of a breath of the patient and an inspiratory portion of said period, and is further configured to compare said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 51. A method of controlling positive airway pressure therapy, comprising the steps of: providing a flow of gas to a patient's airway at a supply pressure that does not include forced oscillation at a frequency greater than the breathing rate of the patient;obtaining at least one information-bearing value from a frequency range of 0 to 25 Hz in a frequency domain of said flow that includes one or more components due to background noise, said at least one information-bearing value comprising an energy in at least one harmonic of a discrete energy spectrum of inspiration of the patient; andadjusting said pressure based on said information-bearing value. 52. The method of claim 51, further comprising the steps of calculating a period of a breath of the patient and calculating an inspiratory portion of said period, and wherein said adjusting step comprises comparing said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period. 53. An apparatus for controlling positive airway pressure therapy, comprising: a blower configured to provide a flow of gas to a patient at a pressure that does not include forced oscillation at a frequency greater than the breathing rate of the patient;a sensor configured to measure a characteristic of said flow, said characteristic including one or more components due to background noise;a controller configured to obtain at least one information-bearing value from a frequency range of 0 to 25 Hz in a frequency domain of said characteristic that includes one or more components due to background noise, said at least one information-bearing value comprising an energy in at least one harmonic of a discrete energy spectrum of inspiration of said patient; anda pressure regulator controlled by said controller, the pressure regulator configured to adjust said pressure based on said information-bearing value. 54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said controller is further configured to calculate a period of a breath of the patient and an inspiratory portion of said period, and is further configured to compare said at least one information-bearing value to one of a plurality of thresholds, said one of a plurality of thresholds being selected according to a ratio of said inspiratory portion to said period.