METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WAKING A PERSON

• US 20070001825A1
• Filed: 12/05/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SafeAwake, LLC
• Original Assignee: Combustion Science & Engineering, Inc.
• Inventors: Klassen, Michael, Roby, Richard, Gaines, Glenn, Ashley, Erin, Dubois, Jacqueline
• Granted Patent: US 7,170,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources

Abstract

A system and method for waking a person includes the provision of tactile stimulation in a repeating interrupted pattern upon the detection of an alarm signal indicative of an event for which the person should be awakened. In one embodiment, a device for waking a person comprises a circuit for generating a driver signal in response to an alarm signal, the driver signal having a repeating interrupted pattern; an electrically controlled switching device having a control input, a power input and a power output, the power input being connectable to a power source, the control input being connected to receive the driver signal from the circuit; and a tactile stimulation device connected to the power output of the electrically controlled switching device, the tactile stimulation device being configured to produce a tactile stimulation.

Claims

1. A device for waking a person, the device comprising:

a circuit for generating a driver signal in response to an alarm signal, the driver signal having a repeating interrupted pattern;

an electrically controlled switching device having a control input, a power input and a power output, the power input being connectable to a power source, the control input being connected to receive the driver signal from the circuit; and

a tactile stimulation device connected to the power output of the electrically controlled switching device, the tactile stimulation device being configured to produce a tactile stimulation, whereby a person sensing the tactile stimulation is awakened.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrically controlled switching device is a transistor.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrically controlled switching device is a relay.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the tactile stimulation device is a bed shaker.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a processor.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the processor is a microcontroller.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the alarm signal is continuously asserted during an alarm event.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein each repetition of the interrupted pattern includes an uneven number of “

on” and

“

off”

periods of equal duration.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein each repetition of the interrupted pattern includes a plurality of “

on” and

“

off”

periods.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein at least one “

off”

period has a duration different from a duration of at least one “

on”

period.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the repeating interrupted pattern comprises a plurality of T3 patterns.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising a low frequency annunciator connected to the electrically controlled switching device, the annunciator producing an audible sound below 1500 Hz.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a first light controlled by the driver signal.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second light connected to the circuit, the circuit further being configured to turn on the second light while the alarm signal is asserted.

15. A method for waking a person, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an alarm signal, the alarm signal signifying an occurrence of an event to which the person is to be notified; and

providing a tactile stimulation to the person upon detecting the alarm signal, the tactile stimulation having a repeating interrupted pattern, whereby the person is awakened.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the tactile stimulation is provided using a bed shaker.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each repetition of the interrupted pattern includes an uneven number of “

on” and

“

off”

periods of equal duration.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein each repetition of the interrupted pattern includes a plurality of “

on” and

“

off”

periods.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one “

off”

period has a duration different from a duration of at least one “

on”

period.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one “

off”

period has a duration different from a duration of at least one other “

off”

period.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one “

on”

period has a duration different from a duration of at least one other “

on”

period.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the repeating interrupted pattern comprises a plurality of T3 patterns.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of activating a low frequency audible device in an interrupted pattern upon detection of the alarm signal the low frequency audible device producing a sound at a frequency below 1500 Hz.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of turning on a first light during a period of time in which the alarm signal is being asserted.

25. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of modifying an intensity of a second light in a repeating interrupted pattern during a period of time in which the alarm signal is being asserted.