System and method to monitor and assist individual's sleep

• US 10,278,638 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2014
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Withings S.A.
• Original Assignee: Withings S.A.
• Inventors: Dusanter, Florent, Yang, Ruiyi, Buard, Nadine, Carreel, Eric, Joffrey, Villard
• Primary Examiner(s): Flory, Christopher A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jian, Shirley X
• Application Number:
  US14/336,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20160015314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 600300-301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0012 Ovulation-period determination for animals A61D17/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0019 based on measurement of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0204 Acoustic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• 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 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02125 of pulse wave propagation time
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02444 Details of sensor A61B5/02427 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0285 Measuring or recording phase velocity of blood waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/029 Measuring or recording blood output from the heart, e.g. minute volume A61B8/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1102 Ballistocardiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 : using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 : occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 : for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 : for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 : Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4343 : Pregnancy and labour monitoring, e.g. for labour onset detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 : Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4815 : Sleep quality
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 : Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 : Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 : mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 : Mats
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 : Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 : Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/747 : in case of emergency, i.e. alerting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/56 : Devices for preventing snoring by influencing the respiratory system by gas treatment A61M16/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/161 : with means for measuring the humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 : by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 : by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0083 : especially for waking up
• 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 2205/3306 : Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/005 : Parameter used as control input for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/06 : Heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/205 : partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
• 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: G01G 19/445 : in a horizontal position

Abstract

A sleep assist system to monitor and assist the user'"'"'s sleep, comprising: a bedside device adapted to be positioned near the user'"'"'s bed, the bedside device optionally comprising a loudspeaker, a light source, a microphone, a light sensor, a temperature sensor, a control unit, an air quality sensor, a display unit, a user interface. The system further comprises a first sensing unit positioned in the user'"'"'s bed comprising one or more sensors adapted to sense at least pressure and changes in pressure exerted by the user lying in the bed; an additional sensor device to be in contact with the user'"'"'s body, and to be coupled to the bedside device; the system is configured to correlate the data obtained from both the first sensing unit and the additional sensor device.

Claims

1. A system to monitor a user'"'"'s sleep and to assess various physiological parameters of the user, the system comprising:

a bedside device comprising at least a processing unit and a memory unit having non-transitory computer executable instructions, the bedside device further comprising at least one of the following;

a loudspeaker, a light source, a microphone, a light sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a control unit, an air quality sensor, a display unit, and a user interface;

a first sensing unit adapted to be positioned in the user'"'"'s bed, the first sensing unit comprising one or more sensors adapted to sense at least pressure and/or changes in pressure exerted by the user lying in the bed, the first sensing unit comprising an air bladder the first sensing unit being adapted to measure ballistocardiography signals,

an additional sensor device, configured to be in contact with the user'"'"'s body, such that the additional sensor device is worn by the user on the user'"'"'s wrist, having a photoplé

thysmography sensor and configured to measure at least heart pulses of the user,

wherein the first sensing unit is coupled to the bedside device, wherein the additional sensor device is coupled to the bedside device, the processing unit is configured to correlate the data obtained from both the first sensing unit and the additional sensor device, and to deduce therefrom cardiovascular parameters including at least user'"'"'s heart rate, user'"'"'s heart rate variability and user'"'"'s breathing frequency,

wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine a first instant sensed by ballistocardiography of the first sensing unit, said first instant being representative of the user'"'"'s heart ventricular contraction, to determine a second instant of an arrival of a corresponding pulse at the user'"'"'s wrist, sensed by photoplé

thysmography of the additional sensor device, and to measure a pulse transit time defined as the time difference between first and second instants, and

wherein the processing unit is further configured to assess the stiffness of the user'"'"'s arteries based on the measurements of pulse transit time.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the bedside device further comprises a wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

monitor the user'"'"'s sleep, assess the user'"'"'s sleep cycles and the phase of sleep cycle, by using data collected from the first sensing unit and the additional sensor device, and

provide the user with at least one light and sound program via the bedside device, the light and sound program being based on the assessment of the user'"'"'s sleep cycles and the phase of sleep cycle.

3. The system as in claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured further configured to assess heart volume stroke and/or its evolutions based on the amplitude of the signal measured by the first sensing unit, and from the pulse transit time.

4. The system as in claim 3, wherein the processing unit is further configured to assess blood pressure or at least its evolutions based on the combination of arterial stiffness, heart volume stroke and heart rate.

5. The system as in claim 1, the bedside device further comprising a microphone, wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine when a user suffers from sleep apnea based on a pause in breathing cycle sensed via the first sensing unit and a blood oxygenation drop sensed via the additional sensor.

6. The system as in claim 1, wherein the system further comprising a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal being configured to receive and to display the information obtained by the bedside unit, the sensing unit and/or the additional sensor device, wherein the mobile terminal is further configured to receive feedback from the user.

7. A system to monitor a user'"'"'s sleep, and to assess various physiological parameters of the user, the system comprising:

a mobile terminal comprising at least a control unit and a display,

a first sensing unit adapted to be positioned in the user'"'"'s bed, the first sensing unit comprising one or more sensors adapted to sense at least pressure and/or changes in pressure exerted by the user lying in the bed, the first sensing unit comprising an air bladder, the first sensing unit being adapted to measure ballistocardiography signals,

an additional sensor device, configured to be in contact with the user'"'"'s body, such that the additional sensor device is worn by the user on the user'"'"'s wrist, having a photoplé

thysmography sensor and configured to measure at least heart pulses of the user,

wherein the first sensing unit is coupled to the mobile terminal, wherein the additional sensor device coupled to the mobile terminal, the mobile unit is configured to correlate the data obtained from both the first sensing unit and the additional sensor device, and to deduce therefrom cardiovascular parameters including at least user'"'"'s heart rate, user'"'"'s heart rate variability and user'"'"'s breathing frequency

wherein the mobile unit is further configured to determine a first instant sensed by ballistocardiography of the first sensing unit, said first instant being representative of the user'"'"'s heart ventricular contraction, to determine a second instant of an arrival of a corresponding pulse at the user'"'"'s wrist, sensed by photoplé

thysmography of the additional sensor device, and to measure a pulse transit time defined as the time difference between first and second instants, and

wherein the mobile is further configured to assess the stiffness of the user'"'"'s arteries based on the measurements of pulse transit time.

8. The system as in claim 7, wherein the mobile unit is further configured to assess heart volume stroke and/or its evolutions based on the amplitude of the signal measured by the first sensing unit, and from the pulse transit time.

9. The system as in claim 7, wherein the mobile unit is further configured to assess blood pressure or at least its evolutions based on the combination arterial stiffness, heart volume stroke and heart rate.

10. The system as in claim 7, wherein the bedside device further comprising a microphone, and wherein the mobile unit is further configured to determine when a user suffers from sleep apnea based on a pause in breathing cycle sensed via the first sensing unit and a blood oxygenation drop sensed via the additional sensor.