JPH04347140A - Sleeping condition judging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To judge sleeping condition by detecting body motions of a human body and reaction to stimulation of the human body. CONSTITUTION:Body motions of a human body are detected by a body motions detecting means 1, stimulation is applied to the human body by a stimulation generating means 12 when the rest time of a body motions exceeds a set value and a recognition state of the human body to the stimulation applied is recorded by a recognition recording means 14 to judge sleeping condition. This yields an effect of enabling the detection of the sleeping condition simply and at a low cost with a simple construction.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sleep state determining device for determining a sleep state.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, this type of sleep state determination device detects brain waves, eye movements, and myoelectric potential by attaching various electrodes to the human body, such as a polygraph, and performs waveform processing on the detected signals. It was to judge the condition.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional sleep state detection device described above, the measurement results of brain waves, eye movements, and myoelectric potentials are analyzed visually or by complex signal processing. The problem is that it requires complicated work, which requires a lot of labor and cost.

[0004] If the sleep state can be detected easily and at low cost, it can be applied to product fields such as bedroom environment control and dozing prevention, and it will also make a great contribution to social life. A sleep state detection device has been desired.

[0005] The present invention is intended to solve the above problems, and its first purpose is to stop body movements when the human body transitions to a sleep state, and to continue such static body movements for a set time or longer. Based on the physiological knowledge that there is a high probability of falling asleep if you fall asleep, and the physiological knowledge that when you fall asleep, your threshold for sensing stimuli from the outside world increases. It is an object of the present invention to provide a practical sleep state determination device that determines a sleep state simply and at low cost through detection.

[0006] The second purpose is to improve the accuracy of sleep judgment by changing the set time, which differs among individuals, based on a certain calculated value, that is, by automatically determining the optimal value of the set time. be.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the first object, the sleep state determining device of the present invention includes a body movement detecting means for detecting body movements of a human body, and a body movement detecting means based on the output of the body movement detecting means. a timer for measuring the body movement rest time; a comparison means for comparing the body movement rest time with a preset set time; a setting means for setting the set time; and a setting means for setting the body movement rest time; a stimulation adding means for applying stimulation to the human body when the time has elapsed, and a recognition recording means for inputting and recording whether or not the human body has recognized that the stimulation has been applied;
and determining means for determining the sleep state based on the output of the recognition recording means.

In order to achieve the second object, the present invention also provides a storage means for storing the output of the recognition recording means every night, and an operation for calculating the recognition rate of the human body with respect to the addition of a stimulus based on the memory contents of the storage means. and a setting means for changing the setting time so that the recognition rate is equal to or less than a predetermined setting value.

[0009]

[Operation] The present invention operates as follows with the above structure. When the body movement detecting means detects whether or not the human body is moving, the timer measures the duration of the state in which no body movement occurs, that is, the body movement quiescent time. Next, a predetermined set time and the body motion rest time are compared, and when the body motion rest time becomes equal to or longer than the set time, stimulation such as sound or vibration is applied to the human body. here,
The user of this device is given instructions in advance such as ``If you feel a stimulus, make a predetermined input into the recognition recording means.'' That is, when the user feels stimulation, a predetermined input is made to the recognition recording means. and,
The sleep state is determined based on the output of the recognition recording means.

Further, the present invention stores the output of the recognition recording means every night, calculates the recognition rate of the human body for stimulus addition based on the stored contents, and adjusts the set time so that the recognition rate is below a certain set value. By changing the setting time, the optimum value of the above setting time is automatically determined.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of this embodiment applied to a bed, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram. Figures 1 and 2
In, 1 is a body movement detection means for detecting body movement of a human body,
piezoelectric element 2, filter 3, amplification means 4, rectification means 5,
It is composed of a smoothing means 6 and a first comparison means 7. The piezoelectric element 2 is made of a thin film made of a polymeric piezoelectric material such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), with flexible electrode films attached to both sides, and formed into a tape.Here, it is attached to the surface of the mattress 8. There is. 9 is a timer that starts measuring time based on the output of the first comparing means 7; 10 is a setting means that sets a certain set time; and 11 is a second timer that compares the set time with the time measured by the timer 9. means of comparison,
12 is a stimulation adding means consisting of a buzzer; 13 is a buzzer 12;
14 is a recognition recording means consisting of a push button switch, 15 is a determining means for determining the sleep state based on the output of the push button switch 14, 16 is an LED for displaying the output of the determining means 15, 17 is a microcomputer that includes a timer 9, a second comparing means 11, a determining means 15, etc., and controls a buzzer 12 and an LED 16. Filter 3, amplification means 4, rectification means 5, smoothing means 6, first
The comparison means 7 and the microcomputer 17 are built into the control unit 18. Further, the push button switch is placed, for example, near the bedside of the mattress 8 so that it can be easily moved so that the user can easily operate it at hand.

The effects of the configuration of this embodiment will be explained below. When the piezoelectric element 2 undergoes deformation due to the movement of the human body,
A voltage is generated from the piezoelectric element 2 depending on the degree of deformation. This output signal is filtered by a filter 3, amplified by amplifying means 4, rectified by rectifying means 5, and smoothed by smoothing means 6. FIG. 4 shows the output waveform of the smoother 6 during actual sleep. As can be seen from the figure, in the case of gross body movements such as entering the bed, turning over, and leaving the bed, the piezoelectric element 2 undergoes large deformation and the smoothing means 6 produces a large output. Furthermore, when the human body is at rest, the smoothing means 6 outputs a relatively low level output due to minute body movements propagated by the human heart's activity and respiratory activity. If no human resources are available, the output of the smoothing means 6 is zero. The processing contents of the microcomputer 17 based on this output will be explained below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 1st
The comparing means 7 compares the output V of the smoothing means 6 and two predetermined set values Va and Vb as follows.
judge. If V<Va, it is determined that a human body is absent. If Va≦V<Vb, it is determined that the human body is in a resting state. Further, if Vb<V, it is determined that the human body has caused a body movement. Then, the timer 9 starts a timing operation when the first comparing means 7 determines that there is a bed. However, this timekeeping operation is reset when the first comparison means 7 determines that there is no presence or body movement. That is, the timer 9 measures the body movement rest time T.

Next, the second comparing means compares the set time To set by the setting means 10 and the time T measured by the timer 9. The reason for measuring T here is based on the physiological knowledge that body movements stop when the human body transitions to a sleep state, and also that the set time T
The reason for setting o is based on the physiological finding that if a state of static motion continues for a certain period of time or more, there is a high probability of falling asleep. When T reaches To, the buzzer 12 is activated and makes a buzzer sound for a certain period of time. Here, the volume of the buzzer 12 can be arbitrarily set by the volume setting means 13. The user of this device is given instructions in advance such as ``When you hear the buzzer, press the push button switch.'' This is to determine whether the user's conscious state allows him or her to recognize the buzzer sound. Therefore, when the user presses the push button switch 14, the determination means 15 determines that the user is in an awake state, and when the user does not press the button switch 14, it is determined that the user is in a sleep state. Immediately after the user presses the push button switch 14, a short buzzer sounds, notifying the user that the user has pressed the switch, and the LED 16 lights up to indicate that the user has fallen asleep. It is displayed that the judgment has been made. For a certain period of time after falling asleep is determined or the presence in bed is confirmed by the first comparison means 7,
For example, if 60 minutes have passed, the buzzer will sound 1 after that.
2 is stopped. This is to prevent the user's sleep from being disturbed by the buzzer sound by stopping the buzzer sound even if the condition To≦T occurs after the above.

The above operations are performed every night at bedtime. Whether the determination of falling asleep has been successful can be determined by checking the lighting state of the LED 16 after waking up every morning. Setting time To
Recommended values are set in advance for T, but since there are individual differences, the setting means 10 sets the set time T so that the number of times the user experiences sleeping nights without feeling the buzzer sound is increased.
It is desirable to adjust o, so that the user can determine the optimum setting time To for himself/herself. Also, To
Once the optimal value of is found, sleep onset can be determined only by detecting the body movement rest time, so the generation of the buzzer sound is no longer necessary, and the volume of the buzzer sound can be set to zero using the volume setting means 13. .

[0015] Due to the above-mentioned action, a sleeping state can be easily changed by applying a stimulus to the human body when the body motionless time exceeds a certain set time and detecting the state of recognition of the human body in response to the added stimulus. It has the advantage of being able to be detected quickly and at low cost. Further, it has the effect of being able to determine the sleep state taking into account individual differences among users.

A plurality of piezoelectric elements 2 may be used to improve the accuracy of detecting body movements. Moreover, the piezoelectric element 2 may be attached to the mattress in the body axis direction (head to foot direction).

Further, other pressure-sensitive sensors such as capacitance sensors or weight sensors may be used instead of piezoelectric elements as long as body movements can be detected.

Furthermore, instead of the piezoelectric element, an infrared sensor 19 as shown in FIG. 5 may be used to detect body movements, or an ultrasonic sensor, an optical sensor, etc. may be used to detect body movements.

Although a buzzer is used as the stimulation generating means 12, it is also possible to add physical stimulation, such as by placing an electric vibrator on the mattress to add vibration stimulation, or by adding light from a lighting device. is not particularly limited.

Although the recognition recording means 14 uses a push button switch, it is also possible to have a structure in which the user is instructed to make a sound when he/she feels a stimulus, which is detected and recorded by a microphone, or the body movement detection means 1 By using it together with the robot, it can detect stimulation by teaching it to make body movements when it feels stimulation.
It may also be configured to record.

A second embodiment of the invention will be described below. The present invention differs from the above embodiments in that, as shown in FIG.
, a calculation means 21 that calculates the recognition rate of the human body with respect to stimulation addition based on the memory contents of the storage means 20, and a third comparison means 22 that compares the calculated recognition rate with a predetermined setting value. The present invention has a setting means 10 for changing the set time based on the output of the third comparison means 22.

With the above configuration, the output of the recognition recording means every night is stored in the storage means 20, and when the calculation means 21 calculates the recognition rate of the human body with respect to stimulation addition based on the stored contents, the third comparison means 22 The recognition rate is compared with a predetermined setting value. Based on the comparison result, the setting means 10 changes the set time To so that the recognition rate is equal to or less than the set value. for example,
If To is short, the buzzer will often sound even though the patient has not yet fallen asleep, so the recognition rate will be high. In that case, To is changed to be longer. Then, To is gradually changed to a longer setting until the recognition rate becomes less than a predetermined setting value. When the recognition rate falls below a predetermined setting value, the To at that time is fixed as the optimum value, and the volume setting means 13 sets the volume of the buzzer to zero. From then on, sleep onset is determined only by detecting the body motion rest time.

[0023] Due to the above-mentioned effects, in the first embodiment, the user himself had to find the optimum To by trial and error, but in this embodiment, the optimum value of To is automatically found, which improves usability. It has the effect of Note that as a configuration for determining the optimal value of To, a configuration that performs fuzzy inference or the like may be used in addition to the configuration described above.

[0024]Although the embodiments described above were all installed on a bed, the present invention can also be installed on a sofa, a study chair, or in a bathroom, toilet, etc. to determine the sleeping state. Good too. It may also be applied to detecting drowsiness by installing it in a car seat.

[0025]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the sleep state detection device of the present invention provides the following effects.

[0026] A simple configuration in which a stimulus is applied to the human body when the human body's body movement and rest time exceeds a certain set time, and the recognition state of the human body in response to the added stimulus is detected, allows the sleep state to be easily and reduced. It has the effect of being able to be detected at a low cost.

[0027] Furthermore, since the optimum value of the setting time is automatically determined, there is no need for the user to perform trial and error himself, thereby improving usability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a sleep state detection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2] Block diagram of the device

[Figure 3] Flowchart showing the operation of the device

[Figure 4] Waveform diagram showing the output from the smoothing means of the device

[Fig. 5] A diagram showing another embodiment of the body movement detection means of the device.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a sleep state detection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Body movement detection means 7 First comparison means 9. Timer 10 Setting means 11 Second comparison means 12. Stimulation adding means 14 Recognition recording means 15 Judgment means 20 Memory means 21 Arithmetic means 22 Third comparison means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. Body movement detecting means for detecting body movement of a human body, a timer for measuring a body movement quiescent time based on an output of the body movement detecting means, a preset setting time, and the body movement quiescent time. a comparison means for comparing the set time; a setting means for setting the set time; and a stimulation adding means for applying a stimulus to the human body when the body motion and rest time exceeds the set time;
A sleep state determining device comprising a recognition recording means for inputting and recording whether or not a human body has recognized that a stimulus has been applied, and a determining means for determining a sleep state based on the output of the recognition recording means. 2. Storage means for storing the output of the recognition recording means every night; calculation means for calculating the recognition rate of the human body with respect to stimulation addition based on the memory contents of the storage means; and a predetermined setting for the recognition rate. The sleep state determining device according to claim 1, further comprising a setting means for changing the set time so that the set time is equal to or less than the value.