Method and Apparatus for Managing Stress

• US 20130144111A1
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascent Healthcare LLC
• Original Assignee: Oakwell Distributin Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Jia, Liu, Jianbin, Zhao, Jiwei
• Granted Patent: US 9,114,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0088 modulated by a simulated respiratory frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/584 having a color code
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/06 Heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/435 partial O2 pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/04 heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/062 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/208 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/185 Rhythm indicators

Abstract

A stress management device is formed in an integrated design that enables pulse measurement, display of results and a power supply gathered into a small finger clip device. The stress management device includes a non-invasive infrared sensor that identifies and measures pulse rate variability and utilizes that information to calculate the power spectrum distribution and create a curve of the results multiple times per second. The device incorporates a display screen on which a graphic image of a pair of lungs filling and emptying to encourage the user into a predetermined breathing pattern known to reduce stress levels during a training period. After the completion of the training period, the device presents a score reflecting the percentage of times the user achieved high, medium and low relaxation states, and a pie chart reflecting the distribution of the states of relaxation calculated during the training period.

Claims

1. A stress management device comprising:

a housing having an upper member and a lower member pivotally connected to the upper member;

a non-invasive sensor mounted in one or both of said upper and lower members to detect a pulse rate when said housing is placed on a fingertip of a user and to provide pulse rate signals indicative of heart rate variability;

a microprocessor mounting in said housing to receive said pulse rate signals and to calculate a power spectrum distribution from said pulse rate signals, said power spectrum distribution being utilized by said microprocessor to determine a state of relaxation of the user; and

a display screen supported on said upper member to provide visual indicators of the relaxation state of the user as determined by said microprocessor.

2. The stress management device of claim 1 wherein power spectrum distribution is expressed as a curve having a peak value and an area value under the curve to the horizontal axis.

3. The stress management device of claim 2 wherein the peak value and the area value are utilized to calculate a relaxation state such that a ratio of the peak value to the area value less the peak value is used to define the state of relaxation of the user.

4. The stress management device of claim 3 wherein a low relaxation state exists when the ratio is less than a first fixed value, a medium relaxation state exists when the ratio is greater than said first fixed value but less than a second fixed value, and a high relaxation state exists when the ratio is greater than said second fixed value.

5. The stress management device of claim 4 wherein an effort index score is computed from the percentages of the high relaxation state, the medium relaxation state, and the low relaxation state.

6. The stress management device of claim 5 wherein said effort index score is displayed to the user on said display screen.

7. The stress management device of claim 6 wherein a visual graph is also provided on said display screen to reflect the respective percentages of the high, medium and low relaxation states.

8. The stress management device of claim 5 wherein said display screen includes a visual graphic representative of a suggested predetermined breathing pattern to induce a high relaxation state in the user while the device is placed on the fingernail of the user.

9. The stress management device of claim 8 wherein the actual breathing pattern of the user is determined from the heart rate variability, a matching of the actual breathing pattern of the user to the suggested predetermined breathing pattern resulting in said high relaxation state.

10. The stress management device of claim 1 wherein said non-invasive sensor comprises an infrared sensor mounted in said upper and lower members of said housing for association with the fingertip of the user.

11. A method of inducing a high state of relaxation in a human being user comprising the steps of:

placing on a finger of the user a stress management device having a housing containing a display screen, a microprocessor and an infrared sensor that detects the pulse rate of the user when said housing is placed on the finger and from the detected pulse rate of the user generates a pulse rate signal to the microprocessor that calculates a heart rate variability and a power spectrum distribution curve corresponding to the heart rate variability, the power spectrum curve having a PSD peak value and an area value under the curve;

establishing a training period corresponding to the length of time the stress management device is positioned on the finger of the user;

calculating a ratio of the peak value to the area value less the peak value; and

utilizing the ratio to define the relaxation state of the user.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

during the training period, displaying on the display screen a visual image reflecting a suggested predetermined breathing pattern to the user, said suggested predetermined breathing pattern reflecting a high relaxation state.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of:

prior to said calculating step, checking the power spectrum curve to determine whether the frequency of the PSD peak value falls between 0.04 Hz and 0.4 Hz.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

prior to said calculating step, determining if the value on the power spectrum curve at zero Hz is less than 25% of the PSD peak value.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said utilizing step establishes a high relaxation state, a medium relaxation state and a low relaxation state, the method further comprising the step of:

after the completion of said training period, computing an effort index score reflecting the percentages of ratios established during the calculating step reflecting each of the high, medium and low relaxation states; and

displaying on said display screen the effort index score.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said displaying also includes the step of:

further displaying a graphic chart on said display screen reflecting the respective percentages of high, medium and low relaxation states established by said utilizing step during the training period.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein negative results from said checking and determining steps results in establishing said low relaxation state and in bypassing said calculating step, and wherein positive results from said checking and determining steps allows the process to continue to said calculating step.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the ratio defined in said calculating step is compared to two fixed values, said low relaxation step being established if said ratio is less than a first fixed value, said high relaxation step being established if said ratio is greater than a second fixed value, said medium relaxation step being established if said ratio is greater than said first fixed value and less than said second fixed value.

19. A method of encouraging human being users to establish a high relaxation state, comprising the steps of:

placing on a finger of the user a stress management device having a housing containing a display screen, a microprocessor and an infrared sensor that detects the pulse rate of the user generates a pulse rate signal to the microprocessor that calculates a heart rate variability and a power spectrum distribution curve corresponding to the heart rate variability, the power spectrum curve having a PSD peak value and an area value under the curve;

establishing a training period corresponding to the length of time the stress management device is positioned over the finger of the user;

calculating a ratio of the PSD peak value to the area value less the PSD peak value;

utilizing the ratio to define a high relaxation state, a medium relaxation state and a low relaxation state;

repeating said calculating and utilizing steps multiple times during said training period; and

providing visual feedback to the user on said display screen.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of:

prior to said calculating step, checking the power spectrum curve to determine whether the frequency corresponding to the PSD peak value falls between 0.04 Hz and 0.4 Hz; and

prior to said calculating step, determining if the value on the power spectrum curve at zero Hz is less than 25% of the PSD peak value, negative results of either of said checking step or said determining step automatically establishing said low relaxation state for said user without moving to said calculating step, while positive results of said checking and determining steps allowing said calculating step to proceed.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the ratio defined in said calculating step is compared to two fixed values, said low relaxation step being established if said ratio is less than a first fixed value, said high relaxation step being established if said ratio is greater than a second fixed value, said medium relaxation step being established if said ratio is greater than said first fixed value and less than said second fixed value.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein said providing step includes the steps of:

after the completion of said training period, computing an effort index score reflecting the percentages of ratios established during the calculating step reflecting each of the high, medium and low relaxation states;

displaying on said display screen the effort index score; and

further displaying a graphic chart on said display screen reflecting the respective percentages of high, medium and low relaxation states established by said utilizing step during the training period.

23. A method of encouraging human being users to establish a high relaxation state, comprising the steps of:

monitoring a user'"'"'s heart rate variability;

determining the user'"'"'s current respiratory rate;

establishing a guided respiratory rate that is less than the user'"'"'s current respiratory rate by a predetermined value when the user'"'"'s current respiratory rate is greater than ten breaths per minute, the guided respiratory rate being equal to the user'"'"'s actual respiratory rate when the user'"'"'s current respiratory rate is less than or equal to ten breaths per minute; and

prompting the user to breathe at the guided respiratory rate.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said monitoring step comprises the steps of:

placing on a finger of the user a stress management device having a housing containing a display screen, a microprocessor and an infrared sensor that detects the pulse rate of the user generates a pulse rate signal to the microprocessor that calculates a heart rate variability and a power spectrum distribution curve corresponding to the heart rate variability, the power spectrum curve having a PSD peak value and an area value under the curve; and

establishing a training period corresponding to the length of time the stress management device is positioned over the finger of the user.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the steps of:

calculating a ratio of the PSD peak value to the area value less the PSD peak value;

utilizing the ratio to define a high relaxation state, a medium relaxation state and a low relaxation state; and

repeating said calculating and utilizing steps multiple times during said training period.

26. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of:

providing visual feedback to the user to represent a state of relaxation for the user.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said step of providing visual feedback to the user includes the steps of:

after the completion of said training period, computing an effort index score reflecting the percentages of ratios established during the calculating step reflecting each of the high, medium and low relaxation states;

displaying on said display screen the effort index score; and

further displaying a graphic chart on said display screen reflecting the respective percentages of high, medium and low relaxation states established by said utilizing step during the training period.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising the steps of:

prior to said calculating step, checking the power spectrum curve to determine whether the frequency corresponding to the PSD peak value falls between 0.04 Hz and 0.4 Hz; and

prior to said calculating step, determining if the value on the power spectrum curve at zero Hz is less than 25% of the PSD peak value, negative results of either of said checking step or said determining step automatically establishing said low relaxation state for said user without moving to said calculating step, while positive results of said checking and determining steps allowing said calculating step to proceed.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the ratio defined in said calculating step is compared to two fixed values, said low relaxation step being established if said ratio is less than a first fixed value, said high relaxation step being established if said ratio is greater than a second fixed value, said medium relaxation step being established if said ratio is greater than said first fixed value and less than said second fixed value.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of establishing a guided respiratory rate comprises the steps of:

initializing the guided respiratory rate at a predetermined fixed value; and

changing the guided respiratory rate after the heart rate variability of the user has stabilized according to the user'"'"'s current respiratory rate being above or below ten breaths per minute.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the predetermined value for adjusting the guided respiratory rate when the user'"'"'s current respiratory rate is above ten breaths per minute is the number two.

32. The method of claim 24 wherein said prompting step includes the steps of:

during the training period, displaying on the display screen a visual image reflecting the guided respiratory rate to the user.