Electronic device and control method thereof

• US 10,417,901 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2016
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Sang-bae, Baek, Hyun-jae, Cho, Jae-geol, Choi, Byung-hun
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Kerri L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Thang D
• Application Number:
  US15/350,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20170213450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 340 125
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0223 Magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/12 Power saving techniques of remote control or controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/51 Remote controlling of devices based on replies, status thereof

Abstract

An electronic device includes: a first sensor configured to generate a movement signal corresponding to a user movement; a second sensor configured to physically contact the user to generate a user bio-signal; a processor configured to determine a user sleeping state using the generated movement signal and the generated user bio-signal in each of time periods, and determine an operation state of another electronic device based on the determined sleeping state in respective time periods; and a communicator configured to transmit a control command corresponding to the determined operation state to the another electronic device.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first sensor for generating a movement signal corresponding to a user movement;

a second sensor configured to physically contact a user to generate a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal, the second sensor comprising;

a light emitter for emitting light for generating the PPG signal, and

a light receiver for receiving light reflected from the user;

a communicator; and

a processor configured to;

set a plurality of preset time periods which are consecutive time periods for analyzing a sleep of the user, each of the plurality of preset time periods being a predetermined amount of time to determine one sleeping state of the user,

set a first part of the predetermined amount of time in each of the plurality of preset time periods to emit the light, and set a remaining part of the predetermined amount of time in each of the plurality of preset time periods to not emit the light,

control the light emitter to emit the light in the first part of a first time period of the plurality of preset time periods and to not emit the light in the remaining part of the first time period,

determine, for the first time period, the one sleeping state of the user as a first sleeping state, based on the movement signal and the PPG signal that are generated for the first time period,

control the light emitter to emit the light in the first part of a second time period of the plurality of preset time periods and to not emit the light in the remaining part of the second time period,

determine, for the second time period, the one sleeping state of the user as a second sleeping state, based on the movement signal and the PPG signal that are generated for the second time period, and

control the communicator to transmit a control command corresponding to at least one from among the first sleeping state and the second sleeping state to another electronic device to cause the another electronic device to operate in correspondence with the at least one from among the first sleeping state and the second sleeping state, of the user.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine each of the first sleeping state and the second sleeping state of the user as any one of an awakening stage, a non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleeping stage, and a rapid eye movement (REM) sleeping stage using the movement signal and the PPG signal.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to smooth the PPG signal generated for second time period using the PPG signal generated for the first time period prior to the second time period, and compare the smoothed PPG signal with a certain value to determine the second sleeping state of the user.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a touch screen for receiving a sleep analysis start command,

wherein the processor is further configured to control the first sensor and the second sensor to generate the movement signal and the PPG signal, respectively, based on the sleep analysis start command being received.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the touch screen is configured to receive a sleep analysis termination command, and calculate a sleep efficiency from a first time point at which the sleep analysis start command is received, to a second time point at which the sleep analysis termination command is received, based on the sleep analysis termination command being input.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises at least one from among an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and a gravity sensor.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether an operation state of the another electronic device is to be changed based on the at least one from among the first sleeping state and the second sleeping state of the user, and control the communicator to transmit the control command corresponding to a changed operation state to the another electronic device based on the determining that the operation state of the another electronic device is to be changed based on the at least one from among the first sleeping state and the second sleeping state of the user.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a user-wearable device.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the one sleeping state of the user includes at least one from among an awakening stage, a non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleeping stage, and a rapid eye movement (REM) sleeping stage, and

the processor is further configured to determine, for each of the first time period and the second time period, the one sleeping state to be the awakening stage when the movement signal is equal to or greater than a first value, the REM sleeping stage when the movement signal is less than the first value and the PPG signal is equal to or greater than a second value, and the NREM sleeping stage when the one sleeping state is not the awakening stage and is not the REM sleeping stage.

10. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first part of the predetermined amount of time and the remaining part of the predetermined amount of time are set universally in each of the plurality of preset time periods so that, in each of the plurality of preset time periods, the first part of the predetermined amount of time contains same first amount of time and the remaining part of the predetermined amount of time contains same second amount of time.

11. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first part of the predetermined amount of time and the remaining part of the predetermined amount of time are set based on a remaining charge in a battery of the electronic device.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a touch screen for receiving a sleep analysis start command and a sleep analysis termination command from the user,

wherein the processor is further configured to control the first sensor and the second sensor to generate the movement signal and the PPG signal, respectively, based on the sleep analysis start command, and calculate a sleep efficiency from a first time point, at which the sleep analysis start command is received, to a second time point, at which the sleep analysis termination command is received.

13. A method comprising:

setting a plurality of preset time periods which are consecutive time periods for analyzing a sleep of a user, each of the plurality of preset time periods being a predetermined amount of time to determine one sleeping state of the user;

generating a movement signal based on a user movement, by a first sensor of an electronic device; and

generating a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal by a second sensor of the electronic device that emits light for generating the PPG signal while physically contacting the user,

the method further comprising;

setting a first part of the predetermined amount of time in each of the plurality of preset time periods to emit the light, and setting a remaining part of the predetermined amount of time in each of the plurality of preset time periods to not emit the light,

controlling a light emitter of the second sensor to emit the light in the first part of each of a first time period of the plurality of preset time periods and to not emit the light in the remaining part of the first time period, and receiving, by a light receiver of the second sensor, light reflected from the user,

determining, for the first time period, the one sleeping state of the user as a first sleeping state, based on the movement signal and the PPG signal that are generated for the first time period,

controlling the light emitter to emit the light in the first part of a second time period of the plurality of preset time periods and to not emit the light in the remaining part of the second time period, and receiving, by the light receiver, the light reflected from the user,

determining, for the second time period, the one sleeping state of the user as a second sleeping state, based on the movement signal and the PPG signal that are generated for the second time period, and

transmitting a control command corresponding to at least one from among the first sleeping state and the second sleeping state to another electronic device to cause the another electronic device to operate in correspondence with the at least one from among the first sleeping state and the second sleeping state, of the user.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the determining the first sleeping state and the second sleeping state of the user comprise determining each of the first sleeping state and the second sleeping state as any one of an awakening stage, a non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleeping stage, and a rapid eye movement (REM) sleeping stage using the movement signal and the PPG signal.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the determining the second sleeping state of the user comprises:

smoothing the PPG signal generated for the second time period using the PPG signal generated for the first time period prior to the second time period; and

comparing the smoothed PPG signal with a certain value to determine the second sleeping state of the user.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a sleep analysis start command; and

controlling the first sensor and the second sensor to generate the movement signal and the PPG signal, respectively, based on the sleep analysis start command being received.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a sleep analysis termination command; and

calculating a sleep efficiency from a first time point at which the sleep analysis start command is received, to a second time point at which the sleep analysis termination command is received, based on the sleep analysis termination command being input.

18. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the first sensor comprises at least one from among an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and a gravity sensor.

19. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the determining the first sleeping state of the user comprises determining whether an operation state of the another electronic device is to be changed based on the first sleeping state of the user,

the determining the second sleeping state of the user comprises determining whether the operation state of the another electronic device is to be changed based on the second sleeping state of the user, and

the transmitting comprises transmitting the control command corresponding to a changed operation state to the another electronic device based on the determining that the operation state of the another electronic device is to be changed based on the at least one from among the first sleeping state and the second sleeping state, of the user.

20. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the one sleeping state of the user includes at least one from among an awakening stage, a non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleeping stage, and a rapid eye movement (REM) sleeping stage, and

the determining the first seeping state and the second sleeping state of the user comprises:

determining, for each of the first time period and the second time period, the one sleeping state as the awakening stage when the movement signal is equal to or greater than a first value, as the REM sleeping stage when the movement signal is less than the first value and the PPG signal is equal to or greater than a second value, and as the NREM sleeping stage when the one sleeping state is not the awakening stage and is not the REM sleeping stage.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program which, when executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to execute a method comprising:

setting a plurality of preset time periods which are consecutive time periods for analyzing a sleep of a user, each of the plurality of preset time periods being a predetermined amount of time to determine one sleeping state of the user;

generating a movement signal based on a user movement, by a first sensor of an electronic device;

generating a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal by a second sensor of the electronic device that emits light for generating the PPG signal while physically contacting the user,

the method further comprising;

setting a first part of the predetermined amount of time in each of the plurality of preset time periods to emit the light, and setting a remaining part of the predetermined amount of time in each of the plurality of preset time periods to not emit the light,

controlling a light emitter of the second sensor to emit the light in the first part of a first time period of the plurality of preset time periods and to not emit the light in the remaining part of the first time period, and receiving, by a light receiver of the second sensor, light reflected from the user,

determining, for the first time period, the one sleeping state of the user as a first sleeping state, based on the movement signal and the PPG signal that are generated for the first time period,

controlling the light emitter to emit the light in the first part of a second time period of the plurality of preset time periods and to not emit the light in the remaining part of the second time period, and receiving, by the light receiver, the light reflected from the user,

determining, for the second time period, the one sleeping state of the user as a second sleeping state, based on the movement signal and the PPG signal that are generated for the second time period, and

transmitting a control command corresponding to at least one from among the first sleeping state and the second sleeping state to another electronic device to cause the another electronic device to operate in correspondence with the at least one from among the first sleeping state and the second sleeping state, of the user.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium as claimed in claim 21, wherein the one sleeping state of the user includes at least one from among an awakening stage, a non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleeping stage, and a rapid eye movement (REM) sleeping stage, and

the determining the first sleeping state and the second sleeping state of the user comprises:

determining, for each of the first time period and the second time period, the one sleeping state as the awakening stage when the movement signal is equal to or greater than a first value, as the REM sleeping stage when the movement signal is less than the first value and the PPG signal is equal to or greater than a second value, and as the NREM sleeping stage when the one sleeping state is not the awakening stage and is not the REM sleeping stage.