The EPO published patent EP4504047A2 titled 'Systems and Methods for Pharyngeal Phenotyping in Obstructive Sleep Apnea,' filed by Vanderbilt University. The invention relates to AI/ML-based systems (G06N 3/02, G06N 20/00) combined with respiratory measurement technology (A61B 5/08) for analyzing pharyngeal phenotypes to aid in obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis. The patent is designated across 30 European states including AT, BE, DE, ES, FR, GB, IT, NL, and others.

This patent publication establishes intellectual property rights for Vanderbilt University in the European region. Medical device companies and healthcare providers developing or using AI-based sleep apnea diagnostic systems should be aware of this existing patent to identify potential licensing needs or design-around considerations. Researchers in this field may need to ensure their work does not infringe on these claims.