System and Method for Monitoring Information Related to Sleep

• US 20080319354A1
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips RS North America LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Respironics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bell, Florian G., Czeisler, Charles A., Barton, Donna K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,852,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• 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 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0233 Handheld
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0247 using a charging unit
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0488 with spectral filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/513 having fixed filter-detector pairs

Abstract

A system configured to monitor ambient illumination experienced by a subject. In one embodiment, the system comprises an illumination sensor, a timer, and a storage module. The illumination sensor is configured to monitor an intensity of ambient illumination within two or more wavelength ranges by generating one or more output signals that convey information related to the intensity of ambient illumination within the two or more wavelength ranges. The timer is configured to indicate the passage of periods of time. The storage module is configured to store information related to the intensity of ambient illumination within the two or more wavelength ranges, as conveyed by the one or more output signals, for individual periods of time. The system is portable to be carried by the subject.

Claims

1. A system configured to monitor ambient illumination experienced by a subject, the system comprising:

an illumination sensor configured to monitor an intensity of ambient illumination within two or more wavelength ranges by generating one or more output signals that convey information related to the intensity of ambient illumination within the two or more wavelength ranges;

a timer configured to indicate the passage of periods of time; and

a storage module configured to store information related to the intensity of ambient illumination within the two or more wavelength ranges, as conveyed by the one or more output signals, for individual periods of time,

wherein the system is portable to be carried by the subject.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is wearable by the subject.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a strap that engages an extremity of the subject, wherein the illumination sensor, the timer, and the storage module are carried on the strap.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is incorporated into a portable personal electronic device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the two or more wavelength ranges comprise three wavelength ranges.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the three wavelength ranges include a first wavelength range corresponding to red, a second the wavelength range corresponding to green, and a third wavelength range corresponding to blue.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the information stored by the storage module enables a determination of photon flux for individual ones of the two or more wavelength ranges during individual periods.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the illumination sensor comprises one or both of (i) an array of photodiodes, the photodiodes included in the array comprise, for a given one of the two or more wavelength ranges, one or more photodiodes capable of monitoring the intensity of ambient illumination in the given one of the two or more wavelength ranges, or (ii) a spectrophotometer.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a motion sensor configured to monitor movement of the subject by generating one or more output signals that convey information related to movement of the subject, and wherein the storage module is further configured to store information related to movement of the subject as conveyed by the one or more output signals generated by the motion sensor, during individual periods of time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the motion sensor comprises one or more of an actimeter, a position sensor, a displacement sensor, or an accelerometer.

11. A system configured to monitor ambient illumination experienced by a subject, the system comprising:

means for monitoring an intensity of ambient illumination within two or more wavelength ranges by generating one or more output signals that convey information related to the intensity of ambient illumination within the two or more wavelength ranges;

means for determining the passage of periods of time; and

means for storing information related to the intensity of ambient illumination within the two or more wavelength ranges, as conveyed by the one or more output signals, for individual periods of time,

wherein the system is portable to be carried by the subject.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system is wearable by the subject.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a strap that engages an extremity of the subject, wherein the means for monitoring, the means for determining, and the means for storing are carried on the strap.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the system is incorporated into a portable personal electronic device.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the two or more wavelength ranges comprise three wavelength ranges.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the three wavelength ranges include a first wavelength range corresponding to red, a second the wavelength range corresponding to green, and a third wavelength range corresponding to blue.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the information stored by the storage module enables a determination of photon flux for individual ones of the two or more wavelength ranges during individual periods.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for monitoring comprises one or both of (i) an array of photodiodes, the photodiodes included in the array comprise, for a given one of the two or more wavelength ranges, one or more photodiodes capable of monitoring the intensity of ambient illumination in the given one of the two or more wavelength ranges, or (ii) a spectrophotometer.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for monitoring movement of the subject by generating one or more output signals that convey information related to movement of the subject; and

means for storing information related to movement of the subject, as conveyed by the one or more output signals generated by the means for monitoring movement, during individual periods of time.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for monitoring movement comprises one or more of an actimeter, a position sensor, a displacement sensor, or an accelerometer.