Method and apparatus to provide an improved sleep experience by selecting an optimal next sleep state for a user

• US 9,459,597 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DP Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DP Technology Corporation (Hexagon AB)
• Inventors: Kahn, Philippe, Kinsolving, Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): RUSHING, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US13/781,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20130234823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 340/3.1, 340/573.1, 340/575, 340/286.07, 600 26- 28, 600/301
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• 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 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0016 by the smell sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0022 by the tactile sense, e.g. vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0066 with heating or cooling
• 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: A61M 2205/332 Force measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 : using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/06 : Heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/30 : Blood pressure A61M2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/63 : Motion, e.g. physical activity
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/00 : Adaptive control systems, i.e. systems automatically adjusting themselves to have a performance which is optimum according to some preassigned criterion G05B19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 : Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 : for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

A sleep sensing system comprising a sensor to obtain real-time information about a user, a sleep state logic to determine the user'"'"'s current sleep state based on the real-time information. The system further comprising a sleep stage selector to select an optimal next sleep state for the user, and a sound output system to output sounds to guide the user from the current sleep state to the optimal next sleep state.

Claims

1. A sleep sensing system comprising:

a sensor to obtain real-time information about a user during sleep;

a sleep state logic to determine the user'"'"'s current sleep state based on the real-time information;

a sleep stage selector to select an optimal next sleep state for the user based on the current sleep state and an expected waking time for the user, where the optimal next sleep state is one of deep sleep, REM sleep, and light sleep prior to waking; and

a condition adjuster to select one or more conditions to adjust in the user'"'"'s environment during the sleep to guide the user from the current sleep state to a deeper sleep state when the optimal next sleep state is identified as deep sleep, and to guide the user from the current sleep state to a lighter sleep state when the optimal next sleep state is identified as a lighter sleep state.

2. The sleep sensing system of claim 1, further comprising:

the sleep stage selector using data from a sleep tracker, indicating sleep state data for a current sleep period, to determine the optimal next sleep state for the user.

3. The sleep sensing system of claim 1, further comprising:

the sleep stage selector using data from a clock and an alarm logic to determine the optimal next sleep state for the user.

4. The sleep sensing system of claim 1, further comprising:

an output system to adjust one or more conditions to keep the user in the current sleep state, when the optimal next sleep state is the same as the current sleep state.

5. The sleep sensing system of claim 4, wherein the output system outputs sounds when the user'"'"'s natural sleep phase needs to be shifted.

6. The sleep sensing system of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise one or more of an accelerometer, a thermometer, a heart rate monitor, a brainwave monitor.

7. The sleep sensing system of claim 6, wherein the sensors further comprise one of:

environmental sensor, an interface to home environment controls to receive environmental data, and an interface to a home automation system to receive environmental data.

8. The sleep sensing system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is implemented in one of:

an armband, a mobile telephone, a wristband, a pillow, or a sleep mask.

9. The sleep sensing system of claim 1, wherein the condition is one or more of:

sound, tactile output, light level, visual output, scent, temperature, humidity, and mattress firmness.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition is one or more of:

sound, tactile output, light level, visual output, scent, temperature, humidity, and mattress firmness.

10. A method comprising:

determining a current sleep phase of a user based on real-time information;

determining an optimal next sleep phase for the user based on the current sleep state and an expected waking time for the user;

determining whether the user needs to be moved to the optimal next sleep phase, and when the user needs to be moved to the optimal next sleep phase, utilizing an output system to adjust one or more conditions in the user'"'"'s environment during the sleep to guide the user to the optimal next sleep phase, wherein the optimal next sleep phase is one of a deep sleep, REM sleep, and light sleep prior to waking; and

guiding the user from the current sleep phase to a deeper sleep state when the optimal next sleep state is identified as deep sleep, and to a lighter sleep state when the optimal next sleep state is identified as a lighter sleep state.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

using data from a sleep tracker, indicating sleep state data for a current sleep period, to determine the optimal next sleep state for the user.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

using data from a clock and an alarm logic to determine the optimal next sleep state for the user.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

adjusting one or more conditions to keep the user in the current sleep state, when the optimal next sleep state is the same as the current sleep state.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending commands to one of a home environment controller or a home automation system, to adjust the conditions.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving environmental data from the one of the home environment controller and the home automation system.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the sensor is implemented in one of:

an armband, a mobile telephone, a wristband, a pillow, or a sleep mask.

18. A sleep sensing system comprising:

a sleep sensor including one or more sensors to obtain real-time information about a user;

a processor to;

determine the user'"'"'s current sleep state based on the real-time information; and

select an optimal next sleep state for the user based on the current sleep state and an expected waking time for the user; and

an output mechanism to adjust one or more conditions in the user'"'"'s environment during the current sleep state to guide the user from the current sleep state to a deeper sleep state when the optimal next sleep state is identified as deep sleep, and to guide the user from the current sleep state to a lighter sleep state when the optimal next sleep state is identified as a lighter sleep state.

19. The sleep sensing system of claim 18, wherein the one or more conditions include one or more of:

sound, tactile output, light level, visual output, scent, temperature, humidity, and mattress firmness.

20. The sleep sensing system of claim 18, wherein the optimal next phase of sleep is determined based on a combination of one or more of:

sleep state data for the current sleep period and an estimated waking time, the estimated waking time based on one or more of;

an alarm and a calendar entry.