Sleep analysis system and method for analyzing sleep thereof

• US 8,292,819 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2009
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Yang-Ming University
• Original Assignee: National Yang-Ming University
• Inventors: Kuo, Bo-Jau, Yang, Ching-Hsiu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavert, Nicole F
• Application Number:
  US12/408,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20100125215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 600/483, 600/509, 600/513, 600/534, 600/301
• US Class Current: 600/483
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• 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: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices

Abstract

The invention provides a sleep analysis system and a method for analysis thereof. The sleep analysis system includes an analysis device and a sleep sensing apparatus. The sleep sensing apparatus includes an ECG signal collector, a multi-axial accelerometer, a wireless transmitting unit, and a control unit. The ECG signal collector is used for collecting an ECG signal associated with a subject. The multi-axial accelerometer is used for detecting a multi-axial accelerometer signal associated with the subject. The control unit controls the wireless transmitting unit to transmit the ECG signal and the multi-axial accelerometer signal to the analysis device for analyzing sleep of the subject.

Claims

1. A sleep sensing apparatus for attachment to a subject and cooperating with an analysis device, the sleep sensing apparatus comprising:

an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal collector for collecting an ECG signal associated with the subject;

a multi-axial accelerometer for detecting a multi-axial accelerometer signal associated with the subject;

a wireless transmitting unit; and

a control unit coupled to the ECG signal collector, the multi-axial accelerometer, and the wireless transmitting unit, to control the wireless transmitting unit to transmit the ECG signal and the multi-axial accelerometer signal to the analysis device,

wherein the analysis device performs a first operation using the multi-axial accelerometer signal to obtain an acceleration variation, and the analysis device determines whether the subject is on a sleep status or an awake status according to the acceleration variation, and

the analysis device performs a second operation using the ECG signal to analyze heart rate variability (HRV) thus to obtain an HRV analysis result which comprises a low frequency component and a high frequency component, and the analysis device determines whether the subject is in a first sleep mode or a second sleep mode according to a ratio of the low frequency component to the high frequency component.

2. The sleep sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sleep sensing apparatus is integrated in a watch, a necklace, or an accessory.

3. The sleep sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sleep mode comprises non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and quiet sleep.

4. The sleep sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second sleep mode comprises rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and paradoxical sleep.

5. A sleep analysis system for analyzing sleep of a subject, the sleep analysis system comprising:

an analysis device; and

a sleep sensing apparatus wirelessly connected with the analysis device, the sleep sensing apparatus including;

an ECG signal collector used for collecting an ECG signal associated with the subject;

a multi-axial accelerometer used for detecting a multi-axial accelerometer signal associated with the subject;

a wireless transmitting unit; and

a control unit coupled to the ECG signal collector, the multi-axial accelerometer, and the wireless transmitting unit to control the wireless transmitting unit to transmit the ECG signal and the multi-axial accelerometer signal to the analysis device,

wherein the analysis device performs a first operation using the multi-axial accelerometer signal to obtain an acceleration variation, and the analysis device determines whether the subject is on asleep status or awake state according to the acceleration variation, and

the analysis device performs a second operation using the ECG signal to analyze HRV thus to obtain an HRV analysis result which comprises a low frequency component and a high frequency component, and the analysis device determines whether the subject is in a first sleep mode or a second sleep mode according to a ratio of the low frequency component to the high frequency component.

6. The sleep analysis system according to claim 5, wherein the first sleep mode comprises NREM 5 sleep and quiet sleep.

7. The sleep analysis system according to claim 5, wherein the second sleep mode comprises REM sleep and paradoxical sleep.