KR102440214B1 - Sleep Quality Improvement Method Using Biological Information and System Therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

In an embodiment, the server detects a plurality of pieces of biometric information of the user; analyzing the user's sleep cycle based on the plurality of biometric information; receiving the user's sleep schedule; setting a sleep rhythm according to the sleep schedule; and providing a feedback signal to the user according to the sleep rhythm; and, according to the sleep rhythm, a feedback signal for induction of sleep, sleep state control, and wake-up induction from the start time of the user's sleep to the time of waking up according to the sleep rhythm It is possible to provide a sleep quality improvement method using the biometric information provided to the user.

Description

Sleep Quality Improvement Method Using Biological Information and System Therefor

The present invention relates to a method and system for improving sleep quality using biometric information.

In terms of quality of life, the size of the sleep-related market is rapidly increasing. Overseas, the sleep market has developed ahead of the domestic market, with the US sleep market reaching 20 trillion won and the Japanese market reaching 6 trillion won. In the case of Korea, according to the Korea Sleep Industry Association, it is estimated at 2 trillion won, and the growth potential is expected to be greater.

Sleep is a basic biological activity that accounts for more than a quarter of human life, and sufficient sleep is an essential element of health. Recently, social interest in “well-being”, “disease prevention”, and “adult disease” is rapidly increasing, and consumer demands are increasing in terms of quality as well as quantity of sleep in order to maintain a healthy life. However, the reality is that it is not possible to secure sufficient sleep time due to irregular lifestyle habits of modern society and changes in the surrounding living environment such as light, noise, and time. As a result, a decrease in melatonin, a sleep hormone, and a decrease in growth hormone during growth lead to various sleep disorders. Abuse of various drugs (sleeping pills, milk injections, stimulants) is emerging as a social problem to solve sleep disorders, and in the case of children and adolescents, the occurrence of learning disabilities and growth disorders due to lack of sleep due to excessive learning or apnea during sleep is increasing rapidly. In the industrial aspect of sleep, accidents caused by worker's drowsiness are a problem. Safety accidents during work can cause industrial accidents. In particular, the driver's drowsy driving has a fatal impact on the safety of the driver as well as the passengers. In order to prevent such accidents, it is necessary to develop technology that can provide sufficient sleep at a necessary time. In addition, some of the sleep disorders include snoring and sleep apnea. In particular, sleep apnea is a disease in which breathing stops for more than 10 seconds during sleep. If sleep apnea symptoms are not controlled and apnea continues for a long time, arrhythmia, high blood pressure, ischemic heart disease, left ventricular failure, lung disease (pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary heart failure, respiratory failure), etc. may be induced, and snoring may cause diabetes or glaucoma. There are reports that it can make it worse or cause it.

In order to improve the quality of sleep, approaches from various angles have been attempted. Among them, there are practical limitations in the treatment for sleep control in the medical market, and a method to overcome this is required. For sleep control, drugs, surgery, and positive pressure respirator are the only treatments, so it is not easy for the general public to access.

The need to improve the quality of sleep through health products rather than medical approaches is also increasing significantly. Among sleep-related products, there are many efforts to improve the sleep-related functionality of bedding, such as beds, mattresses, and pillows, but there is still a limit to improving the quality of sleep and identifying and improving sleep problems in a personalized way.

Recently, there is a lot of interest in the development of smart healthcare technology that integrates clinical diagnosis and treatment areas by utilizing the digital technologies of the 4th industrial revolution that is rapidly developing while escaping the strict regulations of medical devices. Typically, a wearable device such as a smart watch is used to monitor biometric information, and based on this, a sleep state is checked, and this is used as useful data for healthy sleep.

Illustratively, Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2018-0129243 monitors the user's biometric information (pulse, body temperature, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, etc.) An in-ear biometric information measuring device that can monitor (breathing, snoring, tossing and turning, etc.) is being introduced.

In addition, Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2004219 detects symptoms of sleep apnea or snoring by measuring micro vibrations by a micro vibration sensor installed on a pillow and measuring sound in a smart terminal such as a smart phone, and detected symptoms It introduces a sleep disorder detection system based on a micro-vibration sensor and a sound sensor that records or creates a report automatically.

As a method of presenting a general stimulus, the prior art has a limitation in improving the quality of sleep in a customized manner in consideration of individual sleep cycles. In addition, the user's sleep state is checked based on the detection result measured from the sensor without considering the user's sleep cycle, or feedback is provided in various forms to enable normal sleep. However, this feedback causes the user to have an arousal effect, which interferes with a good night's sleep, or induces a deeper sleep in sleep apnea, causing a suffocation state, causing cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and metabolic disorders.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2018-0129243 Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2004219

An object of the embodiment is to provide a method and system for naturally inducing sleep and wake up through brain wave stimulation according to individual sleep cycles.

An object of the embodiment is to provide a method and system capable of controlling individual personalized sleep based on biosignal big data.

The embodiment aims to provide a method and system that can help in the treatment of various types of sleep disorders, such as insomnia, lethargy, and circadian rhythm disorder.

The embodiment aims to provide a method and system for enabling a user with an irregular life pattern to sleep soundly.

An object of the embodiment is to provide a method and system for inducing deep sleep to enable sufficient sleep even for a short sleep time.

In an embodiment, the server detects a plurality of pieces of biometric information of the user; analyzing the user's sleep cycle based on the plurality of biometric information; receiving the user's sleep schedule; setting a sleep rhythm according to the sleep schedule; and providing a feedback signal to the user according to the sleep rhythm; and, according to the sleep rhythm, a feedback signal for induction of sleep, sleep state control, and wake-up induction from the start time of the user's sleep to the time of waking up according to the sleep rhythm It is possible to provide a sleep quality improvement method using the biometric information provided to the user.

In another aspect, the plurality of biometric information includes a respiration sound, and the detecting of the plurality of biometric information of the user includes a respiration sound measuring sensor installed on an earplug worn by the user breathing in the user's external auditory meatus. It is possible to provide a sleep quality improvement method using biometric information including the step of detecting a sound.

In another aspect, the plurality of biometric information includes at least one of the user's brain wave, safety level, electromyography, electrocardiogram, body position, body temperature, and oxygen saturation, and the detecting of the plurality of biometric information of the user comprises: The server may provide a sleep quality improvement method using biometric information, further comprising detecting the plurality of biometric information from a sensing unit installed in the earplug and a sensing module independent of the earplug.

In another aspect, the server is the feedback signal for adjusting the number of repetitions of one cycle leading to the REM sleep phase, the non-REM sleep phase, and the REM sleep recovery phase according to the sleep schedule that exceeds or is less than the user's preset appropriate sleep time. It is possible to provide a sleep quality improvement method using biometric information provided to the user.

In another aspect, the server monitors the arousal state to maintain the arousal state when the arousal state is detected, or when the arousal state is not detected, the feedback signal for allowing the user to induce and maintain the arousal state It is possible to provide a sleep quality improvement method using biometric information provided to the user.

In another aspect, the server may provide a sleep quality improvement method using biometric information for providing a feedback signal for inducing sleep of the user to the user at the start time of the sleep.

In another aspect, the feedback signal may provide a sleep quality improvement method using biometric information output through an output unit installed on the earplug.

In the embodiment, personalized sleep control based on biosignal big data is possible.

The embodiment may help in the treatment of various types of sleep disorders, such as insomnia, lethargy, and circadian rhythm disorder.

The embodiment induces a user with an irregular life pattern to sleep soundly.

The embodiment helps to induce a deep sleep so that sufficient sleep is possible even for a short sleep time.

In an embodiment, sleep quality may be improved by inducing sleep through EEG stimulation in consideration of the user's sleep rhythm rather than drug therapy such as sleeping pills.

In the embodiment, by setting a sleep rhythm for providing appropriate feedback to the user's sleep schedule in consideration of the analyzed sleep cycle, the user's sleep time, sleep start time, and sleep situation can be tailored to the optimal sleep state. have.

1 is a block diagram of a system for improving sleep quality using biometric information according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is an exemplary diagram of an ear plug constituting a system for improving sleep quality using biometric information according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a block diagram of an earplug.
4 is an exemplary flowchart of a sleep quality improvement method using biometric information according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a graph for explaining a sleep cycle.
6 to 9 are for explaining the operation of the components of the system according to the first to fourth sleep rhythms.

Since the present invention can apply various transformations and can have various embodiments, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. Effects and features of the present invention, and a method for achieving them, will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various forms. In the following embodiments, terms such as first, second, etc. are used for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another, not in a limiting sense. Also, the singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, terms such as include or have means that the features or components described in the specification are present, and do not preclude the possibility that one or more other features or components will be added. In addition, in the drawings, the size of the components may be exaggerated or reduced for convenience of description. For example, since the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily indicated for convenience of description, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the illustrated bar.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and when described with reference to the drawings, the same or corresponding components are given the same reference numerals, and the overlapping description thereof will be omitted. .

1 is a block diagram of a system for improving sleep quality using biometric information according to an embodiment of the present invention. And, FIG. 2 is an exemplary diagram of an ear plug constituting a system for improving sleep quality using biometric information according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a block diagram of an ear plug.

- A system for improving sleep quality using biometric information

Referring to FIG. 1 , a system 10 for improving sleep quality using biometric information may include an ear plug 100 , a sensing module 200 , a terminal 300 , a server 400 , and a network 500 . have.

Each element of FIG. 1 may be implemented or associated with hardware components, software components or firmware components, or any combination of these components. Further, the elements of FIG. 1 may be implemented or associated with, for example, servers, software processors, and engines and/or various embedded systems. And the elements may serve as content bidding and/or distributed networks.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the ear plug 100 may close the external auditory meatus and may have a flexible silicone material. The ear plug 100 can be manufactured in a semi-custom shape, and by way of example, the main body of the ear plug can be manufactured by making a pattern of the shape of the user's external ear canal and ear. can have

The earplug 100 includes a housing 101 and one or more memory housed in the housing 101 and one or more microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), a field programmable gate array. It may include a component in various forms, such as devices (FPGAs), discrete logic circuitry, software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof.

Illustratively, referring to FIG. 3 , the ear plug 100 includes at least one processor 110 , at least one memory 120 , a sensing unit 130 , an output unit 140 , a communication unit 150 , and a power supply unit. (160).

Memory 120 includes instructions (eg, executable instructions), such as computer readable instructions or processor readable instructions. The instructions may include one or more instructions executable by a computer, such as by each of one or more processors 110 . For example, the one or more instructions may be executable by the one or more processors 110 to perform operations including processing an algorithm for improving the quality of sleep.

The memory 120 includes instructions for various operations to cause the one or more processors 110 to improve the quality of sleep, and the processor 110 may execute these instructions.

The terminal 300 including the communication unit 150 of the ear plug 100 may transmit and receive electromagnetic waves using a radio frequency (RF) circuit. RF circuitry converts electrical signals into electromagnetic waves and vice versa and communicates with communication networks and other communication devices through the electromagnetic waves. RF circuitry may include, but is not limited to, for example, an antenna system, an RF transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner, one or more oscillators, a digital signal processor, a CODEC chipset, a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, memory, and the like. , may include well-known circuits for performing these functions. RF circuits are connected to the Internet, intranets and networks called the World Wide Web (WWW), and/or wireless networks such as cellular telephone networks, wireless LANs and/or MANs (metropolitan area networks), and others by wireless communication. can communicate with the device. Wireless communication is GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication), EDGE (Enhanced Data GSM Environment), WCDMA (wideband code division multiple access), CDMA (code division multiple access), TDMA (time division multiple access), Bluetooth (Bluetooth), Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) (eg, IEEE802.11a, IEEE802.11b, IEEE802.11g and/or IEEE802.11n), voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Wi-MAX, email, instant messaging Protocols for instant messaging and/or short text service (SMS), Near-field magnetic induction communication, Bluetooth or any other including communication protocols not yet developed at the time of filing of this application Any of a plurality of communication standards, protocols, and technologies may be used including, but not limited to, suitable communication protocols.

The system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may detect a plurality of biosignals from a user and analyze them. In particular, in the detection of a plurality of bio-signals from the user, each of the ear plug 100 , the sensing module 200 , and the terminal 300 can detect different bio-signals and cooperate with each other to detect a common bio-signal. You may. In detecting any biosignal, any one of these components may be a main sensing component and the other component may be an auxiliary sensing component.

Again, the sensing module 200 of FIG. 1 includes an EEG sensor 121, a safety sensor 122, an EMG sensor 123, an electrocardiogram sensor 124, a body position sensor 125, a temperature sensor 126, and oxygen saturation. It may include at least one of the measurement sensor 127 and the direction sensor 128 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and some of the sensors may be included in the ear plug 100 and the terminal 300 , and the ear plug 100 and the terminal 300 are auxiliary in the sensing operation of the sensing module 200 . It can also serve as a composition.

Hereinafter, each sensor will be described.

- Electroencephalogram Sensor

EEG is a method of extracting the summation of brain electrical activity generated in the group of neurons in the cerebral cortex outside the body, amplifying it, and recording it on the scalp with potential as the vertical axis and time as the horizontal axis. EEG potential fluctuations measured on the scalp represent a frequency of about 1 to 60 Hz and a potential fluctuation of 5 to 300 μV (usually 20 to 100 μV in microvolts). The EEG patch constituting the EEG sensor 121 may be attached to the user's head, for example, the forehead, and the EEG patch provided in the housing 101 of the ear plug 100 may contact the user's earlobe and become a reference electrode. Yes (However, the EEG patch for the reference electrode may be provided in a configuration separate from the ear plug 100). Through this, EEG information can be obtained by expressing the detected current flow as a trajectory. In addition, according to various electrode arrangement methods including a typical 1020 electrode arrangement method (10-20 system), the EEG sensor 121 may include a plurality of EEG patches.

- Safety level sensor (Electrooculogram Sensor)

The safety sensor 122 measures the potential of the retina. It is used to record ophthalmic prescriptions or eye movements. The safety sensor 122 may include a plurality of electrodes. Electrodes can be placed on the top, bottom, or left and right (or both) of the eye to detect eye movement. In detail, the server 400 may analyze the movement of the eyeball by recording the difference in electric potential occurring in front and behind the eyeball detected through the safety sensor 122 .

In addition, the safety sensor 122 may be attached to a plurality of the user's eyeballs, that is, around the eyes, to obtain an eye potential signal generated when the user moves the eye. For example, by positioning the electrodes upward and downward by 1 cm outward from the eye area of the user's left and right eyes, the movement of the eyeballs changing in all directions may be reflected. And, the server 400 can observe the phenomenon that the eyeball slowly moves before or during the elevation, and can observe the eye movement during REM sleep.

- Electromyogram Sensor

The electromyography sensor 123 detects a potential generated by electrical or neurological activation of muscle cells. The electromyogram sensor 123 may be attached to the mandible, intercostals, and/or extremities. The server 400 may monitor the REM sleep state by detecting the mandibular electromyography through the EMG sensor 123 , may observe extremity movement, and may be used to observe breathing effort.

- Electrocardiogram Sensor

The electrocardiogram sensor 124 may be attached to the right shoulder and ribs, and may be applied to determine the condition of a patient with cardiovascular disease. If the server 400 determines that there is a problem with the electrocardiogram during sleep based on the detection result from the electrocardiogram sensor 124 , the server 400 may proceed with a process in which emergency measures may be taken.

- Body Position Sensor

The body position sensor 125 can be attached to the user's body to confirm the user's position (positive and upper or normal) during sleep, and since the degree of sleep apnea can vary by sleep position, it can be used to accurately read the sleep breathing state. .

- Temperature Sensor

The temperature sensor 126 has a function of measuring the user's body temperature during sleep. The temperature sensor 126 may be configured independently of the sensing unit 130 of the ear plug 100 , but may also be a component of the sensing unit 130 of the ear plug 100 .

Exemplarily, the temperature sensor 126 may be provided in the housing 101 of the ear plug 100 and installed to be in contact with or non-contact with the skin in the user's ear. For example, the temperature sensor 126 may be disposed so as to be exposed on the outer surface of the housing 101 so as to directly contact the skin in the user's ear. In addition, although it is not exposed externally, it is attached to the inner surface of the housing 101 so that the temperature of the skin in the user's ear can be transmitted to the temperature sensor 126 through the surface of the housing 101 . However, when the temperature sensor 126 is implemented as a non-contact thermometer, it may be accommodated in the housing 101 in such a way that it does not come into contact with the skin in the user's ear. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the temperature sensor 126 may be configured independently of the ear plug 100 .

- Photo-plethysmography Sensor

The oxygen saturation measuring sensor 127 may be configured independently of the sensing unit 130 of the ear plug 100 , but may also be a component of the sensing unit 130 of the ear plug 100 .

For example, the oxygen saturation measuring sensor 127 may be provided inside the housing 101 of the ear plug 100 to measure the oxygen saturation level in the user's blood. Oxygen saturation is an important physiological indicator of respiratory circulation. It refers to the proportion of hemoglobin saturated with oxygen among total hemoglobin, and it can be calculated as oxygen saturation (SpO2) = oxidized hemoglobin/total hemoglobin × 100. The normal range of oxygen saturation is 95%~100%, and if it is 90%~95%, hypoxia should be suspected.

Oxygen saturation can be calculated by transmitting red light and infrared light through a living tissue to obtain absorbance for each wavelength and using the ratio of the values. Specifically, most of the light irradiated to the human body is absorbed by non-pulsating components such as bones and living tissues having a constant transmission path, and about 1 to 2% of the irradiated light is absorbed by the pulsating components of arterial blood. In this case, the amount of incident light absorbed by the pulsating component for each wavelength and the amount of incident light absorbed by the non-pulsating component for each wavelength can be obtained from the intensity of the transmitted light. The ratio of the amount of incident light absorbed by the non-pulsating component to the amount of incident light absorbed by the pulsating component at two wavelengths of red light and infrared light represents the absorption of light by hemoglobin in arterial blood, and Oxygen saturation can be determined from the positive ratio. However, this is only an example of a method of measuring oxygen saturation, and oxygen saturation may be measured in various known methods.

- Orientation Sensor

The direction sensor 128 is a sensor that measures a user's movement during sleep, and may be implemented as a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a terrestrial magnetism sensor, or the like. A gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor can measure a movement direction, speed, or inclination value in a three-dimensional space by measuring angular velocity or acceleration. The motion information measured by the direction sensor may be used to determine a user's sleep pattern or sleep quality. The direction sensor 128 may be a component of the sensing unit 130 provided inside the housing 101 of the ear plug 100 , but is not limited thereto and may be a separate device. The direction sensor 128 provided as a separate device may be attached to the user's chest to detect the user's movement during sleep. In some embodiments, the direction sensor 128 may be a direction sensor provided in the terminal 300 .

Although not shown in the drawings, the sensing module 200 may further include various other sensors. For example, a PVDF sensor (Poly Vinyldienfluoride Sensor) may be provided. The PVDF sensor detects changes in vibration caused by the user's breathing, pulse and snoring. The PVDF sensor is a piezoelectric sensor that detects a voltage change due to displacement or deformation occurring in an elastic body. That is, an electrical signal by sensing vibration by the user's inhalation and exhalation (respiration measurement), sensing vibration by the user's pulse (pulse measurement), or detecting vibration change (snoring measurement) caused by the user's snoring convert to The PVDF sensor is preferably provided on the surface of the housing 101 accommodating the components of the in-ear biometric information measuring device. For example, it may be provided so as to be exposed on the outer surface of the housing 101 so that the PVDF sensor may be placed in direct contact with the skin in the user's ear. In addition, although it is not exposed externally, it may be attached to the inner surface of the housing 101 so that vibration generated in the skin in the user's ear is transmitted to the PVDF sensor through the surface of the housing 101 .

In addition, the sensing module 200 may additionally include a sensor for measuring temperature, humidity, and environmental noise for sensing external environmental information, but is not limited thereto, and at least some of these are performed by the terminal 300 . may be measured.

The terminal 300 is one or more computers or other electronic devices used by a user to execute applications that perform various tasks. It includes, for example, a computer, laptop computer, smart phone, mobile phone, PDA, tablet PC, or any other device operable to communicate with the server 400 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the terminal 300 is executed on various machines, includes processing logic that interprets and executes commands stored in a plurality of memories, and provides a graphical user interface (GUI) on an external input/output device. It may include various other elements, such as processes for displaying graphical information. In addition, the terminal 300 may be connected to an input device (eg, a mouse, a keyboard, a touch-sensitive surface, etc.) and an output device (eg, a monitor, a screen, etc.).

The server 400 may perform deep learning through a neural network alone or together with other servers and/or terminals 300 . The server 400 may be configured to include a main processor that controls all the configured units and a graphic processing device that processes calculations necessary for driving a neural network according to deep learning of biosignals. A neural network structure for deep learning of biosignals of the server 400 is created through a computer language. Accordingly, the server 400 is installed in the memory and the processor reads the computer language through the RAM, so that the user's sleep cycle according to the biosignals can be analyzed through the neural network through the processor.

In addition, the server 400 analyzes changes in the user's bio-signals according to external environmental factors based on information collected from sensors capable of detecting various external factors such as temperature, humidity, environmental noise, etc. It can also be analyzed and evaluated in connection with changes in sleep state.

Referring back to FIG. 3 , the ear plugs 100 may be provided as a pair. However, the sensing unit 130 of each earplug may detect different biosignals. For example, the sensing unit 130 of the ear plug attached to the user's left ear may include a respiratory sound measuring sensor 131 , and the sensing unit 130 of the ear plug attached to the user's right ear may measure oxygen saturation. A sensor 132 may be provided.

Illustratively, the sensing unit 130 may include a respiration sound measurement sensor 131 and an oxygen saturation measurement sensor 132, but is not limited thereto and may additionally include a sensor for detecting a pulse, blood, etc. Also, as described above, a sensor for auxiliary means of the sensing module 200 may be provided.

First, the respiratory sound measurement sensor 131 may be configured as a microphone device.

In a state in which the user's external auditory meatus is sealed by the housing 101 , the respiratory sound measuring sensor 131 in the space between the external auditory meatus and the tympanic membrane may detect the user's breathing sound.

The processor 11 may transmit the respiration sound sensing information from the respiration sound measurement sensor 131 to the server 400 or directly to the server 400 via the terminal 300 through the communication unit 150 .

In addition, the oxygen saturation measuring sensor 132 may be configured as a pulse oximeter, but is not limited thereto. The oxygen saturation measuring sensor 132 may be configured to be attached to the user's earlobe, but is not limited thereto.

The server 400 determines whether the user's respiration is in an apnea state, a normal breathing state, or a hypoventilation state through deep learning of respiratory sound sensing information or respiratory sound sensing information and various biometric information received from the sensing module 200 . It is possible to determine whether there is an unusual breathing state.

In the case of the conventional method of detecting the temperature difference between inhalation and exhalation and converting it into electrical resistance, there is an inaccurate problem of detecting a specific respiration state, and during mouth breathing with the method of measuring the rate of respiration that changes during respiration There is an error in the identification of apnea. However, the method of detecting a respiration sound inside the external auditory meatus with a microphone according to the present embodiment has advantages in that the determination of a specific respiration state is accurate and the determination accuracy between oral respiration and apnea is high.

4 is an exemplary flowchart of a sleep quality improvement method using biometric information according to an embodiment of the present invention. And, FIG. 5 is a graph for explaining a sleep cycle.

- How to improve sleep quality using biometric information

Referring to FIG. 4 , the method for improving sleep quality using biometric information (S100) according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of detecting the user's biometric information (S110) and analyzing the user's sleep cycle based on the biometric information (S130). ), receiving the user's sleep schedule (S150), setting a sleep rhythm according to the sleep schedule (S170), and providing a stimulation signal according to the sleep rhythm (S190).

(1) user's biometric information detection step (S110)

The user's biometric information is detected by the breathing sound measuring sensor 131 and the sensing module 200 provided in the ear plug 100 . The detected biometric information is transmitted to the server 400 .

(2) analyzing the user's sleep cycle (S130)

The server 400 may acquire the user's sleep cycle information through analysis of the received user's biometric information. In addition, the server 400 may set a sleep rhythm based on a sleep schedule input by the user based on the sleep cycle, and provide feedback for inducing the user's sleep, monitoring the state, and inducing the wake up to the user.

In addition, the server 400 may obtain the user's current sleep state information based on the output obtained by taking the monitoring information of the user's biometric information as an input of the pre-learned deep learning system, and may provide an appropriate feedback to the user.

(3) receiving the user's sleep schedule (S150)

The user may input a sleep schedule through the terminal 300 .

The terminal 300 is provided with a user interface through which a sleep management application is installed in advance, and a sleep schedule can be input according to the execution of the sleep management application on the terminal 300 .

The sleep schedule may be largely divided into a regular sleep schedule and an irregular sleep schedule. The regular sleep schedule may be, for example, a schedule for a time when a user generally starts going to bed and a time to wake up. For example, the user may input a regular sleep schedule by sleeping from 11 pm to 7 am. In addition, the user can input an irregular sleep schedule by taking a 30-minute sleep as a nap.

In the sleep schedule, sleep start time information is defined as an unspecified item, and wake-up time is defined as an unspecifiable item.

The user may not input time information into the terminal 300 for unspecifiable items. A sleep rhythm, which will be described later, may be set differently depending on the case where the user does not designate the time of the non-specifiable item while inputting the sleep schedule and the case where the user designates the sleep schedule. However, the user may be required to input time information into the terminal 300 for unspecified items. This is because the sleep initiation time does not induce the user to initiate sleep because the user has to go to bed by himself.

(4) Step of setting a sleep rhythm according to the sleep schedule (S170)

The server 400 may set a sleep rhythm based on a sleep schedule input through the terminal 300 .

The server 400 may set a sleep rhythm based on the user's sleep cycle information stored in advance.

The sleep cycle will be different for each user, but for convenience of description, in the present specification, it is assumed that a user has a normal human sleep cycle.

In general, the human sleep cycle is divided into a non-sleep state and a sleep state, and the non-sleep state is defined as a state from the time of waking up to the time of initiating sleep. can be defined as

In addition, the sleep state may be divided into an initial awakening state immediately after sleep initiation, a REM sleep state thereafter, a non-REM sleep state, and a sleep awakening state occurring in the middle of sleep.

More specifically, referring to FIG. 5 , after the transition from the non-sleep state to the sleep state, a deep sleep is achieved while rapidly switching from the REM sleep stage to the non-REM sleep stage, and then the REM sleep stage and the non-REM sleep stage are repeated multiple times. Then it goes back to sleep. The information and frequency of wakefulness appearing in REM sleep during sleep may vary from person to person.

In general, after falling asleep, the cycle of REM sleep and non-REM sleep is repeated, and the awakening state appears during sleep during REM sleep. Usually, it goes through about 5 cycles per night, and the proportion of each of REM sleep and non-REM sleep can vary depending on the person such as age and sex, and it takes 90 minutes to 2 hours to go through one cycle. it is known

It is known that physical activity of the human body is different in REM sleep and non-REM sleep state, REM sleep is related to physical recovery in a mental aspect, and non-REM sleep is related to physical recovery in a physical aspect.

Exemplarily, the server 400 according to the sleep schedule, (1) case1: when a sleep schedule of less than 1 cycle is input, (2) case2: 1 cycle or more, and an appropriate number of cycles determined according to the user's sleep cycle arrives It can be classified as a case in which a sleep schedule requiring the previous sleep time is input.

For example, if the user inputs 30 minutes as the sleep time to take a nap or nap, it corresponds to case 1. And, when the period of the user's correction number is 5 and 8 hours of sleep time is required, the case where 6 hours is input as the sleep time corresponds to case 2 .

This sleep schedule becomes an irregular sleep schedule.

The server 400 may set the first sleep rhythm based on the sleep schedule of case1, and may set the second sleep rhythm based on the sleep schedule of case2.

In another aspect, the server 400 according to the sleep schedule, (1) case3: when a regular sleep schedule is input, (2 ) case4: requires a sleep time after the arrival of an appropriate number of cycles determined according to the user's sleep cycle It can be divided into a case in which a sleep schedule is input.

For example, when the user generally inputs a sleep time of 8 hours at the time of starting sleep, it corresponds to case 3. And, when the user generally inputs a sleep time of 10 hours at the time of starting sleep, it corresponds to case 4.

In case 3, it becomes a regular sleep schedule, and in case 4, it becomes an irregular sleep schedule.

The server 400 may set the third sleep rhythm based on the sleep schedule of case3, and may set the fourth sleep rhythm based on the sleep schedule of case4.

However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the server 300 may improve the quality of a user's sleep by generating various sleep rhythms according to the input sleep schedule and providing appropriate feedback to the user accordingly.

Hereinafter, the first to fourth sleep rhythms will be described.

- 1st sleep rhythm

The first sleep rhythm may include a sleep induction phase, a REM sleep maintenance phase, an arousal phase, and an arousal maintenance phase.

The time period of the sleep induction stage may have a shorter time period as the input sleep time becomes shorter, so that the user can quickly sleep when performing a short sleep.

In addition, by allowing the user to maintain the REM sleep state rather than the transition from the REM sleep state to the non-REM sleep state after sleep, a lot of fatigue is prevented from occurring when waking up after non-REM sleep.

In addition, after the REM sleep maintenance phase, the awakening phase is made before a predetermined time from the time of waking up, and the arousal maintenance phase is maintained until the time of waking up so as not to be converted back to REM sleep in this awakening phase, so that the user can wake up refreshed. induce

- Second sleep rhythm

The second sleep rhythm may include a sleep induction phase, a REM sleep phase, a non-REM sleep phase, a REM sleep recovery phase, a REM sleep maintenance phase, an awakening phase, and an arousal maintenance phase.

In the sleep induction phase, it induces the user to enter the sleep state quickly, induces one-cycle sleep states of the REM sleep phase, the non-REM sleep phase, and the REM sleep recovery phase. If possible, repeat cycle 1, otherwise, after recovering from REM sleep, maintain REM sleep.

- 3rd Sleep Rhythm

The third sleep rhythm consists of a sleep induction phase, a REM sleep phase, a non-REM sleep phase, a repeating phase of REM sleep and non-REM sleep, an arousal phase, and an arousal maintenance phase.

In the sleep induction phase, the user is induced to enter a sleep state quickly, the cycle of REM sleep and non-REM sleep is repeated an appropriate number of times, and the awakening phase closest to the wake-up time is maintained until the wake-up time.

- 4th sleep rhythm

The fourth sleep rhythm consists of a sleep induction phase, a REM sleep phase, a non-REM sleep phase, a REM sleep and non-REM sleep repeat phase, a REM sleep recovery phase, a REM sleep maintenance phase, an awakening phase, and an arousal maintenance phase.

In the sleep induction phase, it induces the user to enter the sleep state quickly, and induces the cycle of REM sleep and non-REM sleep to be repeated an appropriate number of times. And, after repeating the cycle of an appropriate number of times, the REM sleep state is maintained, and thereafter, the awakening phase is maintained. Therefore, even when the user inputs a sleep time exceeding the appropriate sleep time, the repetition cycle of REM sleep and non-REM sleep is made to match the user's appropriate repetition cycle, and the REM sleep state is maintained after the cycle is repeated. By doing so, it does not adversely affect the user's normal sleep cycle.

(5) providing a stimulus signal according to the sleep rhythm (S190)

The server 400 may transmit a feedback signal to the earplug 100 directly or through the terminal 300 based on the set sleep rhythm.

Such a feedback signal is continuously provided from the user's sleep start time to the user's wake up time, so that the user's sleep state is adjusted according to the sleep rhythm.

This feedback signal may be output through the output unit 140 provided in the ear plug 100 . For example, the output unit 140 may transmit a stimulus to a user through an acoustic signal by having a speaker device. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various devices for delivering stimulation to the user may be applied to the output unit 140 .

Also, the output unit 140 may function as an earphone or a headphone.

According to some embodiments, the server 400 may cooperate with the IOT system to help control the user's sleep state according to a set sleep rhythm. By automatically controlling various devices connected to the network, the IOT system can control the temperature, humidity, adjustable sound signal, and brightness of the light source of the user's sleeping space.

6 to 9 are for explaining the operation of the components of the system according to the first to fourth sleep rhythms.

By way of example, the operation of the components of the system 100 according to the first to fourth sleep rhythms will be described.

- 1st sleep rhythm

Referring to FIG. 6 , the sleep schedule of Case1 is divided into first to third sleep time periods. In addition, the third sleep time period is divided into a 3-1 sleep time period and a 3-2 sleep time period.

The server 400 provides a feedback signal to the user through the earplug 100 based on the set first sleep rhythm, thereby enabling the user to quickly switch to a sleep state. Then, the server 400 determines whether the user enters the REM sleep state through the monitoring of the biometric information. When the server 400 determines that the user has entered the REM sleep state, the server 400 provides a feedback signal to the user through the ear plug 100 so that the REM sleep state is maintained for the second sleep period. In addition, the server 400 helps to quickly re-enter the REM sleep state and maintain the REM sleep state after re-entry by providing a feedback signal for inducing sleep when the awakening state appears during the second sleep period. Next, the server 400 determines whether the user is converted to an awake state during the 3-1 sleep time period. When the server 400 determines that the user has switched to the awakened state at any point during the 3-1 sleep time period, the server 400 provides a feedback signal to the user so that the user's awakening state is maintained until the awakening time. . On the other hand, if the transition to the awake state is not confirmed by the user during the 3-1 sleep time period, the server 400 provides a feedback signal to the user at the start time of the 3-2 sleep time period to cause the user to enter the awake state. to be converted Then, when the user's awakening state is confirmed, the server 400 maintains the awakening state until the awakening time.

After that, the user wakes up through an alarm or other various methods and wakes up from the waking state, so that the user can feel the state of having a good sleep despite the refreshing awakening and a short period of time.

- Second sleep rhythm

Referring to FIG. 7 , the sleep schedule of Case2 is divided into first to third sleep time periods. And, the second sleep time section is divided into a 2-1 sleep time section and a 2-2 sleep time section, and the third sleep time section is divided into a 3-1 sleep time section and a 3-2 sleep time section do.

The server 400 induces the user to switch to a sleep state by providing a feedback signal to the user through the ear plug 100 based on the set first sleep rhythm. Then, the server 400 determines whether the user has entered the REM sleep state through the monitoring of the biometric information. And, the server 400 may continuously monitor the user's sleep state. The server 400 may adjust the number of repetitions of the cycle during the second sleep period. Specifically, the user may repeat the REM sleep state, the non-REM sleep state, and the REM sleep recovery state during the 2-1 sleep period. The server 400 may induce the last one cycle to proceed from the start of the 2-2 sleep time period, that is, REM sleep, non-REM sleep, and REM sleep recovery state. In addition, after the REM sleep recovery state, the REM sleep may be maintained for a predetermined time, and then a feedback signal may be provided to the user so that the REM sleep is continuously maintained without switching to the non-REM sleep state. Next, the server 400 determines whether the user is converted to an awake state during the 3-1 sleep time period. When the server 400 determines that the user has switched to the awakened state at any point during the 3-1 sleep time period, the server 400 provides a feedback signal to the user so that the user's awakening state is maintained until the awakening time. . On the other hand, if the transition to the awake state is not confirmed by the user during the 3-1 sleep time period, the server 400 provides a feedback signal to the user at the start time of the 3-2 sleep time period to cause the user to enter the awake state. to be converted And, when the user's awakening state is confirmed, the server 400 maintains the awakening state until the awakening time.

After that, the user wakes up through an alarm or various other methods and wakes up from the waking state, so it is possible to wake up refreshed and to feel a better quality sleep according to the cycle of the body. In addition, before entering the third sleep period, the user maintains the REM sleep state to enable a smooth transition to the waking state, thereby helping a natural and pleasant wake-up as a whole.

- 3rd Sleep Rhythm

Referring to FIG. 8 , the sleep schedule of Case3 is divided into first to third sleep time periods. In addition, the third sleep time period is divided into a 3-1 sleep time period and a 3-2 sleep time period.

The server 400 induces the user to switch to a sleep state by providing a feedback signal to the user through the ear plug 100 based on the set first sleep rhythm. Then, the server 400 determines whether the user enters the REM sleep state through the monitoring of the biometric information. And, the server 400 may continuously monitor the user's sleep state. The server 400 repeats the cycle an appropriate number of times during the second sleep period. That is, the server 400 sets the start time of the third sleep time period as the REM sleep recovery time point, which is the end point of the last period in the second sleep time period, thereby occurring in an appropriate sleep cycle according to the user's regular sleep time. The repetition of the cycle may occur during the second sleep time period by the number of repetitions of the cycle.

Next, the server 400 determines whether the user is converted to an awake state during the 3-1 sleep time period. When the server 400 determines that the user has switched to the awakened state at any point during the 3-1 sleep time period, the server 400 provides a feedback signal to the user so that the user's awakening state is maintained until the awakening time. . On the other hand, if the transition to the awake state is not confirmed by the user during the 3-1 sleep time period, the server 400 provides a feedback signal to the user at the start time of the 3-2 sleep time period to cause the user to enter the awake state. to be converted Then, when the user's awakening state is confirmed, the server 400 maintains the awakening state until the awakening point.

After that, the user wakes up through an alarm or other various methods, and wakes up from the waking state, so that a refreshing awakening is possible and a sufficient deep sleep can be felt.

In another aspect, when the user does not designate a wake-up time, which is an unspecifiable item, the server 400 provides the user with a feedback signal according to the above-described sleep rhythm to allow the user to naturally wake up at a wake-up time suitable for his or her sleep cycle. induce you to

- 4th sleep rhythm

Referring to FIG. 9 , the sleep schedule of Case 4 is divided into first to third sleep time periods. And, the second sleep time section is divided into a 2-1 sleep time section and a 2-2 sleep time section, and the third sleep time section is divided into a 3-1 sleep time section and a 3-2 sleep time section do.

The server 400 induces the user to switch to a sleep state by providing a feedback signal to the user through the ear plug 100 based on the set first sleep rhythm. Then, the server 400 determines whether the user enters the REM sleep state through the monitoring of the biometric information. And, the server 400 may continuously monitor the user's sleep state. The server 400 repeats a cycle an appropriate number of times during the second sleep time period. Specifically, the user may repeat the REM sleep state, the non-REM sleep state, and the REM sleep recovery state during the 2-1 sleep period. The server 400 may induce the last one cycle to proceed from the start of the 2-2 sleep time period, that is, REM sleep, non-REM sleep, and REM sleep recovery state. In addition, after the REM sleep recovery state, the REM sleep may be maintained for a predetermined time, and then a feedback signal may be provided to the user so that the REM sleep is continuously maintained without switching to the non-REM sleep state. Accordingly, even when the user inputs a sleep time exceeding his/her own proper sleep cycle as a sleep schedule, the cycle repeats a number of times suitable for the proper sleep cycle during the second sleep time period. Next, the server 400 determines whether the user is converted to an awake state during the 3-1 sleep time period. When the server 400 determines that the user has switched to the wake-up state at any point during the 3-1 sleep time period, the server 400 provides a feedback signal to the user so that the user's wake-up state is maintained until the time of waking up. . On the other hand, if the transition to the awake state is not confirmed by the user during the 3-1 sleep time period, the server 400 provides a feedback signal to the user at the start time of the 3-2 sleep time period to cause the user to enter the awake state. to be converted Then, when the user's awakening state is confirmed, the server 400 maintains the awakening state until the awakening point.

After that, the user wakes up through an alarm or various other methods and wakes up from the waking state, so it is possible to wake up refreshed and to feel a better quality sleep according to the cycle of the body. In addition, before entering the third sleep period, the user maintains the REM sleep state to enable a smooth transition to the waking state, thereby helping a natural and pleasant wake-up as a whole. In addition, even when the user exceeds the appropriate sleep time suitable for his or her sleep cycle and enters the sleep time into the sleep schedule, the server 400 repeats only the cycle of an appropriate number of times during the sleep time, and the remaining second sleep phrase By inducing only REM sleep during the liver, the effect on the user's proper sleep cycle is minimized even when an irregular sleep schedule such as excessive sleep time of the user is repeated. Moreover, it induces the user to naturally wake up after an appropriate sleep time despite the excessive sleep schedule, so that the user can adjust his or her sleep schedule to an appropriate sleep schedule, thereby restoring a healthy and regular sleep cycle. .

- Provide feedback signal according to abnormal breathing condition detection

The server 400 may monitor the breathing state of the sleeping user based on the detection result of the sensing unit 130 of the ear plug 100 . In some embodiments, the server 400 may monitor the user's breathing state by analyzing the detection result of the sensing module 200 including the sensing unit 130 .

In particular, based on the detection result of the respiration sound measurement sensor 131 of the sensing unit 130, it is possible to determine whether the sleeping user's breathing is any one of normal breathing, hypoventilation, unusual breathing, and apnea.

The server 400 may provide an appropriate feedback signal for each respiration state through the ear plug 100 when the user's respiration shows a respiration state other than the fixed respiration.

Illustratively, the server 400 detects the user's snoring and provides a feedback signal to the user to maintain a specific sleep stage if it is determined that snoring is interrupted in the middle of snoring and shows apnea or hypopnea symptoms. A feedback signal for preventing transition from a specific sleep stage to a lower sleep stage may be provided to the user, or a feedback signal for inducing a transition from a specific sleep stage to a higher sleep stage may be provided to the user.

For example, the stage of non-REM sleep sleep may be divided into a plurality of stages of non-REM sleep according to the depth of sleep. And, the deeper the sleep state goes from the upper non-REM sleep stage to the lower non-REM sleep stage. At this time, the server 400 induces a transition from a lower non-REM sleep stage to an upper non-REM sleep stage, induces a transition from a non-REM sleep stage to a REM sleep stage, induces maintenance of a specific lower non-REM sleep stage, or induces REM sleep A feedback signal for inducing maintenance of the step may be provided to the user.

Such a feedback signal may serve to assist the user so that the natural arousal effect of the user trying to get out of the abnormal breathing state can be well expressed when the user is in sleep apnea or hypopnea.

In addition, in the sleep apnea state, as the user's sleep state enters a lower-level sleep stage according to the sleep cycle, the user falls into a deeper sleep and suffocation, further psychoneurological abnormalities, cardiopulmonary vascular abnormalities, and cerebrovascular system. It can prevent problems that cause abnormalities and metabolic disorders.

According to some embodiments, the server 400 may provide different feedback signals to the user by distinguishing between the sleep apnea state and the hypopnea state. For example, if the server 400 determines that the user's sleep state is an apnea state, the server 400 may provide a feedback signal for inducing a transition from the current sleep stage to a higher sleep stage to the user. And, when the server 400 determines that the user's sleep state is a hypoventilation state, if the current sleep state is a level above the sleep state of the preset level, the server 400 maintains the sleep state of the corresponding level or a level less than the sleep state of the preset level. It is possible to provide a feedback signal to the user to induce it not to fall.

Such a feedback signal is not limited to output through the output unit 140 of the ear plug 100 . For example, the user may control another device in order to induce the user to change the abnormal breathing state to the normal breathing state. Other devices herein may be, but are not limited to, a smart mattress or a smart pillow that induces a change in a breathing state by changing a sleeping posture.

The embodiments according to the present invention described above may be implemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed through various computer components and recorded in a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. The program instructions recorded on the computer-readable recording medium may be specially designed and configured for the present invention, or may be known and used by those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include hard disks, magnetic media such as floppy disks and magnetic tapes, optical recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, and magneto-optical media such as floppy disks. medium), and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include not only machine language codes such as those generated by a compiler, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. A hardware device may be converted into one or more software modules to perform processing in accordance with the present invention, and vice versa.

The specific implementations described in the present invention are only examples, and do not limit the scope of the present invention in any way. For brevity of the specification, descriptions of conventional electronic components, control systems, software, and other functional aspects of the systems may be omitted. In addition, the connections or connecting members of the lines between the components shown in the drawings exemplify functional connections and/or physical or circuit connections, and in an actual device, various functional connections, physical connections that are replaceable or additional may be referred to as connections, or circuit connections. In addition, unless there is a specific reference such as “essential” or “importantly”, it may not be a necessary component for the application of the present invention.

In addition, although the detailed description of the present invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art or those having ordinary knowledge in the art will appreciate the spirit of the present invention described in the claims to be described later. And it will be understood that various modifications and variations of the present invention can be made without departing from the technical scope. Accordingly, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification, but should be defined by the claims.

Claims (7)

server,
detecting a plurality of pieces of biometric information of the user;
analyzing the user's sleep cycle based on the plurality of biometric information;
receiving the user's sleep schedule;
setting a sleep rhythm according to the sleep schedule; and
Including; providing a feedback signal to the user according to the sleep rhythm;
Provide a feedback signal for induction of sleep, adjustment of sleep state, and wake-up induction to the user from the start time of the user's sleep to the time of waking up according to the sleep rhythm,
The server provides the user with the feedback signal for adjusting the number of repetitions of one cycle leading to the REM sleep phase, the non-REM sleep phase, and the REM sleep recovery phase according to the sleep schedule that exceeds or is less than the user's preset appropriate sleep time. provided
A method for improving sleep quality using biometric information. The method of claim 1,
The plurality of biometric information includes a breathing sound,
The step of detecting the plurality of biometric information of the user,
A respiration sound measuring sensor installed on the ear plug worn by the user detecting a respiration sound in the user's external auditory meatus
A method for improving sleep quality using biometric information. 3. The method of claim 2,
The plurality of biometric information includes at least one of the user's brain wave, safety level, electromyography, electrocardiogram, body position, body temperature, and oxygen saturation,
The step of detecting the plurality of biometric information of the user,
The server further comprising the step of detecting the plurality of biometric information from a sensing unit installed in the ear plug and a sensing module independent of the ear plug
A method for improving sleep quality using biometric information. delete The method of claim 1,
The server monitors the arousal state and, if the arousal state is detected, maintains the arousal state, or if the arousal state is not detected, provides the feedback signal to the user to induce the user to induce and maintain the arousal state. provided
A method for improving sleep quality using biometric information. 6. The method of claim 5,
The server provides a feedback signal for inducing the user's sleep to the user at the start time of the sleep.
A method for improving sleep quality using biometric information. 4. The method of claim 2 or 3,
The feedback signal is output through an output unit installed in the ear plug
A method for improving sleep quality using biometric information.

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