Sleep posture monitor and alarm system

• US 5,038,137 A
• Filed: 03/26/1990
• Issued: 08/06/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stephen Lloyd
• Original Assignee: Stephen Lloyd
• Inventors: Lloyd, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mullen, Jr., Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US07/498,616
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573, 340/575, 340/539, 340/309.15, 340/689, 340/686, 340/687, 340/529, 340/517, 200/61.52, 200/61.47, 33/366, 128/782, 128/721, 331/65, 364/559
• US Class Current: 340/573.7
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/168 Fluid filled sensor housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

A sleep posture monitor and alarm system detects one or more of four possible sleep positions and sounds an alarm when an individual wearing the apparatus assumes one or more of the detected positions. In addition, interface units for providing a monitoring output of the device to a polysomnograph are included as well as circuitry to record the commutative total time spent by the individual when in the selected positions.

Claims

1. A sleep posture monitor for monitoring the position of an individual, comprising:

a housing;

means for securing said housing to the individual;

means in said housing for sensing at least four positions of said housing;

means for selecting at least one position from among said at least four positions as a selected position, said means for selecting permitting later selection of a different one of said at least four positions; and

externally detectable means for indicating sensing of said selected position.

2. A sleep posture monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for sensing includes two mercury position switches mounted to act in planes distinct from one another.

3. A sleep posture monitor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

time delay means connected between said sensing means and said indicating means for delaying indication of said selected position for a predetermined interval, said time delay means inhibiting said indicating means when said selected position is no longer sensed before an end of said predetermined interval.

4. A sleep posture monitor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

interface means receiving position indications from said sensing means for transmittal of said position indications to an external recording device.

5. A sleep posture monitor as claimed in claim 4, wherein said external recording device is a polygraph and wherein said interface means is a polygraph interface.

7. A sleep posture monitor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

means for detecting whether said housing is secured to an individual, said means for detecting including electrical contacts mountable in contact with the individual, and a circuit connected to said electrical contacts to emit a signal when electrical conductance changes between said electrical contacts.

8. A sleep posture monitor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

means for displaying cumulative time during which said sensing means senses said selected position.

9. A sleep posture monitor as claimed in claim 3, wherein said indicating means is an audible alarm connected at an output of said time delay means.

6. A sleep posture monitor as claimed in claim 6, wherein said interface means includes an oscillator connected to output signals having characteristic features for each of said at least four positions sensed by said sensing means.

10. A sleep posture monitor as claimed in claim 6, wherein said oscillator includes means for alternately outputting square wave signals having four mutually different duty cycles each corresponding to one of said four positions sensed by said sensing means.

11. A sleep posture monitor for sensing body positions of an individual, comprising:

at least two position sensors fastenable to the individual'"'"'s body and operable to distinguish a plurality of different body positions;

a removal sensor operable to detect removal of said at least two sensors from the individual'"'"'s body;

a decoding circuit connected to said at least two position sensors, said decoding circuit being operable to provide distinct output signals for each of said plurality of different body positions distinguished by said at least two position sensors;

an interface circuit connected to receive said distinct output signals from said decoding circuit and operable to transmit said output signals to an external recording device;

means for selecting at least one position from among said plurality of different body positions as a selected position;

a time accumulating circuit connected to receive at least said distinct output signal corresponding to said selected position and operable to display an accumulated duration of said signal corresponding to said selected position;

a time delay circuit connected to receive at least said signal corresponding to said selected position, said time delay circuit being operable to initiate a time delay upon receipt of said signal corresponding to said selected position and to emit an output signal at an end of said time delay;

an alarm connected to receive said output signal from said time delay circuit at an end of said time delay, said alarm being connected to receive a signal from said removal sensor, said alarm emitting a detectable signal upon receipt of one of said output signal from said time delay circuit and said signal from said removal sensor.

12. An apparatus for indicating a condition of a body, comprising:

a sensor mounted for sensing at least four positions of a body, said sensor emitting signals corresponding to each of said at least four positions;

a control circuit connected to receive said signals from said sensor, said control circuit converting said signals to at least four mutually different square wave signals corresponding to respective ones of said at least four positions, said control circuit including means for connecting said square wave signals for transmittal to an event marker channel of a polygraph.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

means for selecting one of said at least four positions as a selected position.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

timing means for measuring a cumulative time of subsequent intervals during which said sensor senses said selected position; and

means for displaying said accumulated time interval.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

an alarm means for emitting an alarm signal when said sensor senses said selected position; and

a delay means for delaying emitting of said alarm signal for a delay time from initial sensing of said selected position by said sensor and for enabling said alarm means only if said selected position is still sensed by said sensor after said delay time.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least said sensor is mountable on said body, and further comprising:

means for detecting removal of said sensor from said body, said means for detecting removal including electrical contacts mountable in contact with the body, and a circuit connected to said electrical contacts to emit a signal when electrical conductance changes between said electrical contacts.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said control circuit is operable to produce said at least four square wave signals with at least four distinctive duty cycles.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

means for selectively changing an output signal from said control circuit to a compatible input signal for one of a plurality of polygraphs.