Methods and systems for providing sleep conditions

• US 8,179,270 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Rai, Deepti Dunichand, Kalik, Steven F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US12/506,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 340/575, 340/573.1, 128/920, 600/300, 600/301
• US Class Current: 340/575
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/374 Detecting the frequency distribution of signals, e.g. detecting delta, theta, alpha, beta or gamma waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

A method for monitoring a sleep condition with a sleep scheduler is disclosed wherein the method includes receiving a sleep parameter via an input receiver on the sleep scheduler. The method further includes associating the sleep parameter with an overall alertness and outputting a determined sleep condition based on the overall alertness. A system for providing a sleep condition is further disclosed therein the system comprising includes a display, an input receiver operable to receive a sleep parameter, and a processor in communication with the display. The processor may be operable to determine an overall alertness associated with the sleep parameter and wherein the processor is operable to output a determined sleep condition based on the overall alertness.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a sleep condition with a sleep scheduler, the method comprising:

receiving a sleep parameter via an input receiver on the sleep scheduler, wherein the sleep parameter comprises at least one task;

associating the sleep parameter with an alertness requirement (AR);

comparing an estimated alertness (EA) to the alertness requirement associated with the sleep parameter; and

outputting a determined sleep condition when the AR exceeds the EA.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined sleep condition comprises a determined sleep start time, a determined wake time, a determined sleep duration, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sleep parameter comprises an inputted sleep start time, an inputted wake time, an inputted sleep duration, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining wake inertia and sleep inertia, the wake inertia and sleep inertia associated with an inputted sleep duration based on an inputted sleep start time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein an overall alertness comprises an estimated alertness based on the sleep parameter, a required alertness associated with at least one task, or an alertness difference between the estimated alertness and the required alertness.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated alertness (EA) of a user is represented by:

EA=C+(1−

S)-Inertia, wherein C represents sleep propensity and S represents sleep debt.

7. A method for providing a sleep condition with a sleep scheduler, the method comprising:

receiving a sleep parameter via an input receiver on the sleep scheduler;

determining an alertness requirement (AR) based on the sleep parameter; and

outputting a determined sleep condition based on an alertness difference between an estimated alertness of a user and the AR.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the determined sleep condition comprises a determined sleep start time, a determined wake time, a determined sleep duration, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the sleep parameter comprises an inputted sleep start time, an inputted wake time, an inputted sleep duration, or a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising determining wake inertia and sleep inertia, the wake inertia and sleep inertia associated with an inputted sleep duration based on an inputted sleep start time.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising recommending an optimum sleep duration in response to an inputted sleep start time.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising recommending an optimum sleep start time in response to an inputted sleep duration.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

outputting a determined sleep condition when the alertness requirement exceeds the estimated alertness.

14. A system for providing a sleep condition, the system comprising:

a display;

an input receiver operable to receive a sleep parameter; and

a processor in communication with the display, wherein the processor is operable to determine an alertness requirement (AR) associated with the sleep parameter and wherein the processor is operable to output a determined sleep condition when the AR exceeds an estimated alertness of a user.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

an indicator coupled to the processor, wherein the indicator is operable to notify a user of a determined wake time or a determined sleep duration.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the indicator is selected from the group consisting of an alarm, a buzzer, a vibrator, or a combination thereof.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the determined sleep condition comprises an determined sleep start time, a determined wake time, a determined sleep duration, or a combination thereof.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the sleep parameter comprises an inputted sleep start time, an inputted wake time, an inputted sleep duration, or a combination thereof.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the overall alertness comprises an estimated alertness based on the sleep parameter, a required alertness associated with at least one task, or an alertness difference between the estimated alertness and the required alertness.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the determined sleep condition is outputted when an alertness requirement exceeds an estimated alertness.