SLEEP SENSOR

• US 20150374284A1
• Filed: 06/24/2015
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: TAKAKURA, Junya, Nakayama, Kanako, Yamauchi, Yasunobu
• Granted Patent: US 10,045,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0204 Acoustic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0826 Detecting or evaluating apnoea events A61B5/4818 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7285 for synchronising or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal A61B6/5205, A61B6/541, A61B8/5207, A61B8/543 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a sleep sensor which is attached to a user who is sleeping when it is to be used is provided. The sleep sensor includes a first detector, an estimation module, a second detector and a control module. The first detector is configured to detect an acceleration signal representing acceleration that is obtained from the sleep sensor. The estimation module is configured to estimate the user'"'"'s body position based on the detected acceleration signal. The second detector is configured to detect a signal for estimating a state other than the user'"'"'s body position. The control module is configured to operate the second detector when the estimated user'"'"'s body position is at least one of predefined body positions.

Claims

1. A sleep sensor which is attached to a user who is sleeping when it is to be used, comprising:

a first detector configured to detect an acceleration signal representing acceleration that is obtained from the sleep sensor;

an estimation module configured to estimate the user'"'"'s body position based on the detected acceleration signal;

a second detector configured to detect a signal for estimating a state other than the user'"'"'s body position; and

a control module configured to operate the second detector when the estimated user'"'"'s body position is at least one of predefined body positions.

2. The sleep sensor of claim 1, wherein:

the state other than the user'"'"'s body position includes the user'"'"'s respiratory state; and

the predefined body position includes a supine position.

3. The sleep sensor of claim 2, wherein:

the second detector includes a filter configured to extract, from the acceleration signal detected by the first detector, an alternating current component of the acceleration signal and is further configured to detect the alternating-current component of the acceleration signal which has been extracted as a signal for estimating the user'"'"'s respiratory state; and

the control module is configured to power on the filter when the estimated user'"'"'s body position as the supine position, and to power off the filter when the estimated user'"'"'s body position is a position other than the supine position.

4. The sleep sensor of claim 3, wherein the second detector further includes an amplifier circuit configured to amplify the alternating-current component of the acceleration signal which has been extracted.

5. The sleep sensor of claim 2, wherein:

the second detector includes a microphone configured to sense a sound signal generated in accordance with the user'"'"'s respiratory state as a signal for estimating the user'"'"'s respiratory state; and

the control module is further configured to power on the microphone when the estimated user'"'"'s body position is the supine position, and to power off the microphone when the estimated user'"'"'s body position is a position other than the supine position.

6. The sleep sensor of claim 1, wherein:

the acceleration signal detected by the first detector includes a direct-current component representing gravitational acceleration that is obtained from the sleep sensor;

the second detector includes a microphone having directivity to a side of an attachment surface of the sleep sensor, and configured to detect an intracorporeal sound signal which is generated in accordance with the user'"'"'s respiratory state as a signal for estimating the user'"'"'s respiratory state; and

the control module is further configured to power on the microphone when a direction of the gravitational acceleration agrees with the directivity of the microphone in the estimated user'"'"'s body position, and to power off the microphone when the direction of the gravitational acceleration does not agree with the directivity of the microphone.