Abstract
The purpose of this article is to identify (by brand name) and then classify the modes available on contemporary portable ventilators used for noninvasive ventilation in the United States. We propose a formal taxonomy that identifies the modes by their control variable, breath sequence, and targeting scheme, therefore describing what the mode does. Use of this taxonomy should be helpful in finding modes with comparable functionality that cater to the specific goal of mechanical ventilation and effective ventilatory strategies for each disease state.