Apparatus for measuring calories consumed during sleep

• US 7,686,772 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2007
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Original Assignee: Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Inventors: Izumi, Shuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mallari; Patricia C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Toth; Karen E
• Application Number:
  US11/889,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20080071196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 600/483, 600/484, 600/500, 600/595
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 calorie expenditure

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring calories consumed during sleep comprises determination means for determining a breathing/heartbeat oscillation, a body motion and an the intensity of the body motion, coefficient calculation means for calculating a coefficient which is a reference value for calculating calories consumed during sleep, based on the signals in a given period of breathing/heartbeat oscillation and a sleep metabolic rate, consumed calorie calculation means for calculating calories consumed during sleep, based on consumed calories according to the magnitude of each signal and the coefficient, and storage means for storing various arithmetic expressions in advance. Accordingly, the present apparatus makes it possible to acquire calories consumed by the motions of the body of an individual subject in more detail and to measure calories consumed during sleep more accurately.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring calories consumed during sleep, comprising:

an input section,

a detection section,

a calculation section,

a determination section,

a coefficient calculation section,

a consumed calorie calculation section, and

a storage section,

wherein

the input section inputs the body information of a subject,

the detection section detects body oscillations during sleep and generates body oscillation signals responsive to the body oscillations, and comprises a mat to detect body oscillations including breathing and heartbeat oscillations and body motions of a human body lying on bedding disposed between the human body and the mat,

the calculation section calculates consumed calories based on the body oscillations,

the determination section determines whether each signal of body oscillation during sleep is a signal of breathing/heartbeat oscillation or a signal of body motion and determines the intensity of the body motion based on the magnitude of the signal of body motion,

the coefficient calculation section calculates a coefficient which is a reference value for calculating calories consumed during sleep, based on the signals in a given period of breathing/heartbeat oscillation and a sleep metabolic rate which is obtained based on the input body information,

the consumed calorie calculation section calculates calories consumed during sleep, based on consumed calories according to the magnitude of the signal of breathing/heartbeat oscillation, consumed calories according to the magnitude of the signal of body motion, and the coefficient,

the storage section stores at least thresholds for making determinations in the determination section, an arithmetic expression for calculating the coefficient, and an arithmetic expression for calculating the calories consumed during sleep in advance,

the consumed calorie calculation section calculates an area formed between the waveform of each signal and a baseline which is a basis for waveform formation as the magnitude of each signal, and

the consumed calorie calculation section calculates consumed calories according to the magnitude of the signal of body motion, based on the total of sampling zones for each body motion intensity and the total of the areas.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determination section is adapted to determine whether each signal of body oscillation during sleep is a signal of breathing or heartbeat oscillation or a signal of body motion by determining signals which satisfy at least one of two conditions as the signal of body motion, one of the conditions being that the amplitude of the waveform of exactly one period of the signal of body oscillation is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold, and the other condition being that the variance of the amplitude of the waveform of exactly one period of the signal of body oscillation and amplitudes of waveforms before and after the waveform is equal to or larger than another predetermined threshold.