Method and apparatus for monitoring sleep behaviour

• US 20060224089A1
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Agency For Science Technology and Research
• Original Assignee: Agency For Science Technology and Research
• Inventors: Hock, Francis Tay Eng, Tan, Kwong Luck, Bever, Hugo Van
• Application Number:
  US11/156,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20060224089A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats

Abstract

An electric field mattress and a method for monitoring movement of a person are disclosed. The electric field mattress comprises a plurality of electrodes, a waveform generator electrically coupled to the electrodes for generating an electric field, and a detector coupled to at least one of the electrodes for detecting variations in the electric field. Variations in the electric field are caused by movement of a subject in the electric field.

Claims

1. An electric field mattress, comprising:

a plurality of electrodes;

a waveform generator electrically coupled to said electrodes for generating an electric field; and

a detector coupled to at least one of said electrodes for detecting variations in said electric field;

wherein said variations are caused by movement of a subject in said electric field.

2. The electric field mattress of claim 1, wherein said variations are caused by a change in dielectric in said electric field.

3. The electric field mattress of claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of electrodes is fabricated from laminated copper sheets.

4. The electric field mattress of claim 2, wherein said plurality of electrodes are disposed to form a two-dimensional array of electrodes.

5. The electric field mattress of claim 2, wherein said plurality of electrodes are disposed to form a three-dimensional array of electrodes.

6. The electric field mattress of claim 2, further comprising a multiplexer for selectively coupling individual ones of said electrodes to said detector.

7. The electric field mattress of claim 2, further comprising a computer system for processing the variations detected in said electric field to identify movements of said subject.

8. The electric field mattress of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said plurality of electrodes is disposed within said electric field mattress.

9. The electric field mattress of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said subject comprises a human being.

10. A method for monitoring movement of a person, said method comprising the steps of:

generating an electric field; and

detecting variations in said electric field;

determining whether said variations represent movement of said person in said electric field; and

outputting an indication of a position of said person.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said variations are detected at a plurality of locations in said electric field that correspond to different areas of said person'"'"'s body.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said variations are indicative of movement of a limb of said person.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising the further step of outputting an indication of a movement of said person.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said variations are caused by a change in dielectric in said electric field.