Digital sound relaxation and sleep-inducing system and method

• US 7,749,155 B1
• Filed: 09/23/1998
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Headwaters Incorporated (Seven Group Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: Headwaters Incorporated (Seven Group Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Bailey, Kevin, Vandenbelt, Rudy Anthony, Anderson, Troy Gene, Thompson, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faulk; Devona E
• Application Number:
  US09/159,520
• Time in Patent Office: 4,304 Days
• Field of Search: 600 26- 29, 600/300, 700/94, 128/897, 128/898
• US Class Current: 600/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis
• 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: G10H 1/26 for automatically producing a series of tones
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/335 Sea birds, e.g. seagulls
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/361 Insects, e.g. cricket
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/375 Harbour, i.e. sounds which are part of a harbour soundscape, e.g. ships, fog horn, buoy, bells, cranes
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/405 Fire, e.g. cracks and pops of burning wood
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/411 Water, e.g. seashore, waves, brook, waterfall, dripping faucet
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/421 Rain
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/425 Thunder
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/431 Natural aerodynamic noises, e.g. wind gust sounds, rustling leaves, beating sails gensound wind instruments G10H2250/461; spint wind instruments G10H2230/155

Abstract

In one embodiment, an improved-customizability digital sound relaxation system having a sound card receiving port and a collectable sound card are cooperative to play prerecorded natural or other sounds by depressing one of a plurality of sound selector switches and a sound card selector switch. The new sounds of each collectable sound card customize the library of available sounds to individual taste. In another embodiment, an improved-flexibility digital sound relaxation system having at least two (2) prerecorded sounds stored at first and second memory locations of internal or external/internal memory devices may be selected and combined for concurrent and/or individual replay by depressing one of a plurality of sound selector switches and a combine switch, or by depressing one of a plurality of sound selector switches, a sound card selector switch and a combine switch. In this manner, from eighteen (18) digitally prerecorded sounds of the preferred embodiment ninety (90) individually selectable and/or combinable sounds are made available. In either embodiment, natural or other sounds may be stored in loop or sound bite format in either or both of the internal and external memories. In a further sound relaxation and sleep-inducing embodiment, first and second preselected sound patterns selected respectively to mask sound and soothe the listener and to induce a state of deep relaxation that helps the listener to fall asleep may be selected by depressing combination mode select and sequential sound selector switches. In alarm mode, sound select and alarm check buttons respectively allow any sound of the library of prerecorded sounds (sound card or internal, single or mixed) to be selected as the alarm wake-up sound and one-touch alarm status display and audible alarm replay of any sound selected at wake-up volume in sound wake-up mode.

Claims

1. A digital sound machine for inducing sleep, comprising:

a housing;

at least one speaker for reproducing sounds;

a digital memory storing samples to be replayed of sounds previously recorded at a record rate that each contain start and end sounds that are acoustically seamless and that last a certain duration at said record rate;

at least one selector switch; and

a processor-implemented sound controller mounted to said housing and connected to said digital memory, to said at least one selector switch and to said speaker and operative in sleep-induce mode, in response to user-input control selection entered via said at least one selector switch, (1) to replay the sound sample selected repetitively for a first time interval greater than the sample duration at the record rate the whole number of times that the sample duration is contained within the first time interval, and (2) to replay the sound sample for a second time interval that consists of a certain number of third time intervals during which, for every third time interval less than said second time

interval, the sound sample is replayed at another, progressively slower rate the whole number of times that the selected sample duration, factored by the ratio of said record and each another, progressively slower rate, is contained within each said third time interval, wherein said certain number of third time intervals and each said another progressively slower rate are selected to replay the selected sound sample as to induce sleep as it is replayed at each progressively slower rate each said whole number of times the duration of the selected sound sample, factored by the ratio of said record and each another progressively slower rate, is contained in each said third time interval of said second interval.

2. A method of playing a prerecorded sound to induce such a deep relaxation state that helps a listener to fall asleep, comprising the steps of:

storing a sample to be replayed of a sound previously recorded at a record rate in digital memory of a sound conditioning machine in such a way that said sample contains start and end sounds that are acoustically seamless and lasts for certain duration at the record rate;

replaying the sound sample repetitively for a first time interval greater than the sample duration at the record rate the whole number of times that the sample duration is contained within the first time interval; and

replaying the sound sample for a second time interval that consists of a certain number of third time intervals during which, for every third time interval less than said second time interval, the sound sample is replayed at another, progressively slower rate the whole number of times that the sample duration, factored by the ratio of said record and each another, progressively slower rate,

is contained within each said third time interval, wherein said certain number of third time intervals and each said another progressively slower rate are selected to replay the selected sound sample as to induce sleep as it is replayed at each progressively slower rate each said whole number of times the duration of the selected sound sample, factored by the ratio of said record and each another progressively slower rate, is contained in each said third time interval of said second interval.

3. A digital sound machine for inducing sleep, comprising:

a housing;

at least one speaker for reproducing sounds;

at least one selector switch;

at least one memory having digitally stored sounds selectable for replay; and

a processor-implemented sound controller mounted to said housing and electrically connected to said at least one memory, said at least one speaker, and said at least one selector switch operative in one of a sound relaxation and noise masking mode=and a sleep-induce mode=such in response to user-input control selections entered via said at least one selector switch;

said processor-implemented sound controller is operative in said sound relaxation and noise masking mode (1) to retrieve from said memory a sound selected for replay and (2) to replay it continually and without disrupting pauses so as to induce relaxation and to mask noise;

said processor-implemented sound controller is operative in said sleep-induce mode (1) to retrieve from said memory a sound selected for replay, (2) to replay it continually and without

disrupting pauses so as to induce relaxation and to mask noise for a first time interval, and (3) for a second time interval, (I) to select a slower replay rate, (ii) to replay said selected sound continuously and without disrupting pauses at said slower replay rate for a third time interval and (iii) to repeat steps (I) and (ii) for the duration of said second time interval so that the progressively slower sound replay and the listener'"'"'s biorhythms synergistically co-act to induce such a state of deep relaxation that aids the listener to fall asleep;

wherein each sound stored in said digital memory is a sample to be replayed of a sound previously recorded at a record rate;

wherein each said sample contains start and end sounds that are acoustically seamless and lasts for a certain duration at said record rate;

wherein said second time interval consists of a certain number of said third time intervals;

wherein said processor-implemented sound controller in said sleep-induce mode (1) is operative to replay the selected sound sample repetitively for said first time interval greater than the sample duration at the record rate the whole number of times that the selected sample duration is contained within the first time interval, and (2) is operative to replay the sound sample for said second time interval that consists of said certain number of third time intervals during which, for every third time interval, the sound sample is replayed at another progressively slower rate the whole number of times that the sample duration, factored by the ratio of said record and each another progressively slower rate, is contained within each said third time interval, wherein said certain number of third time intervals and each said another progressively slower rate are selected to so replay the selected sound sample as to induce sleep as it is replayed at each progressively slower rate each said whole number of times the duration of the selected sound sample, factored by the ratio of said record and each another progressively slower rate, is contained in each said third time interval of said second interval.