WO2014074013A1

WO2014074013A1 - Headphones with an additional function as a sensor of the functional state of a listener

Info

Publication number: WO2014074013A1
Application number: PCT/RU2013/000421
Authority: WO
Inventors: Игорь Владиславович ЖУРАВЛЁВ
Original assignee: Zhuravljov Igor Vladislavovich
Priority date: 2012-11-12
Filing date: 2013-05-22
Publication date: 2014-05-15
Also published as: RU2012147716A

Abstract

The invention relates to methods for withdrawing analog signals for subsequent determination of a state of sleep and wakefulness, by means of electrode sensors which are in contact with the skin of a person's head. The method can be used for incorporating electrodes into conventional headphones or fittings. The technical result of the claimed invention is: the versatility thereof for any type of equipment for analyzing a state of sleep and wakefulness (including sleep phases and emotional states in a period of wakefulness); the portability thereof and the possibility of use in any location; owing to the invention, the design of equipment for analyzing a state of wakefulness and a state of sleep of a person is simplified; overall dimensions are reduced; and the possibility of incorporation into headphone fittings is realized. The technical result mentioned is achieved in that the method for withdrawing analog signals for analyzing sleep and wakefulness is characterized by the use of headphones as contact electrode sensors, wherein the electrodes are in the form of a current-conducting material which is arranged on the external surface of the body of dynamic loudspeakers of the headphones in the part of said surface which is in contact with a person's ear or temple, and an additional contact electrode is arranged on a user's forehead or at the top of a user's head, wherein said electrodes are mounted within the headphone attachment in such a manner that the contact wire thereof is arranged within an attachment body or a headband, or the electrode is incorporated into a protective body and with the possibility of being secured on a person's forehead or at the top of a person's head.

Description

HEADPHONES WITH OPTIONAL FUNCTION OF SENSOR FUNCTIONAL

LISTENING STATES

DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to the use of headset headsets with conductive surface areas as sensors of the brain's electrical activity to determine the state of sleep and wakefulness of the listener, in order to issue commands for controlling the playback of audio / video materials.

To date, there are so-called "neuro headsets"

http://best-freesoft.ru/news/news-it/424-neyro-garnitura-ernotiv-epoc.html,

are devices for controlling a PC depending on

electrical activity of the brain - essentially an encephalograph. These devices are significant and not suitable for use in everyday activities: when listening to audio books, training audio and video materials.

It turns out that to obtain reliable information about the state of sleep, including various phases of sleep; and wakefulness, including relaxed and

excited state, there is no need to hang separate additional equipment on the listening audio and video materials.

Reliable information about the state of sleep and wakefulness can be obtained by using a headset of audio headphones, characterized in that they have conductive surfaces in places of contact with the skin of the head of the listener, namely in areas of head phones in places of contact with ears (or temples), and additional conductive sections on the mount (or headband) of the head phones.

In addition to their standard headset headset functions, these areas serve as electrodes - sensors for the electrical activity of the listener's scalp: a “simplified encephalograph”, as well as a heart rate analyzer (pulse).

To reliably determine the state of the listener based on the measurement electric potentials of the brain when using not laboratory electrodes, but headset headsets as electrodes, it is effective to use a combination of signal analysis methods for the electrical activity of the skin:

1. Analysis of the frequency characteristics of the electrical potentials of the brain (alpha, beta, theta and delta rhythms).

2. Analysis of the asymmetry of the electric potentials of the hemispheres.

3. Analysis of the audio or video recording itself to highlight long-latency evoked potentials - electrical potentials caused by playing the audio or video recording itself.

4. Analysis of long-latency evoked potentials - electrical

potentials caused by the test signal.

5. Listening Heart Rate Analysis

Deciphering the measurements of electric potentials (analyzes N ° l and N ° 2) require the use of a Fourier analysis of the obtained data. The data that is obtained not from perfectly laid electrodes in laboratory conditions, but from the conductive surfaces of the headset in real use of the headset, can be effectively checked and controlled by alternative

techniques.

In the case of using a headset, this is possible thanks to

The first function of the headset is to produce audio signals. The use of standard encephalography for fixing the response of the brain's electrical potentials to an external sound stimulus during wakefulness and sleep is described in [1, 2].

In the wakeful state, the reaction to the stimulus is fast (short-latent), and when fast beta rhythms of high-speed processing of information disappear in a dream, a (long-latent) reaction to external sound appears in a second due to slow rhythms. In fact, in these works confirms the possibility

analyze the state by echo of the brain processing of the sounds given, and not just based on spontaneous fluctuations of alpha, beta delta and theta rhythms.

For practical use, regular playback of test audio or video signals is not applicable, as they will interfere with listening to audio and video materials. Analysis of N ° 4 on an ongoing basis is not applicable - it can be applied no more than an additional control when the listener falls asleep.

The analysis of electrical potentials caused by the reproduction of the audio or video materials themselves (N ° 3), although it can be used on a regular basis, is not reliable, since it is very dependent on the content of the audio and video materials themselves.

The listener’s heart beat analysis (N25) is only effective for some specific types of headset designs.

Therefore, the use of headphone headsets as conductive elements as electrodes, depending on its design and operating conditions, will require a combination of these techniques.

The invention requires the connection to a miniature preamplifier of signals of electric potentials of the brain, excluding the impact

electrical voltage to the scalp of the listener and data transfer to the sound card amplifier of a personal computer, tablet, smartphone or other device containing software for decrypting incoming signals and controlling the playback of audio or video materials.

A known device for pain relief during sleep (patent RU 2271839), containing contact sensors connected to a current pulse generator connected to a control unit, characterized in that it further comprises a strip amplifier, a quadratic detector and an integrator, and the control unit for the control input connected to the output of a comparator, the input of which is connected through an integrator and a quadratic detector to the output of a strip amplifier tuned to the frequency of the alpha rhythm of the potentials of the brain, and d bandpass amplifier connected to the receiving transducers of these potentials.

This solution is technically cumbersome, structurally complex, does not possess

portability.

It is known “Device for controlling engine mechanisms in the event of drowsiness and wake-up states of a mobile device operator”, comprising electrodes, a signal amplifier, a coil, a polarized relay, a switch, an audible alarm unit, a stop lamp (patent RU 2287440). This solution is technically cumbersome, structurally complex, does not possess

portability. The analyzer is tied to a vehicle and its power supply. It is known "Device for monitoring the wakefulness of the driver of a vehicle", containing an annular pressure sensor and an awakening system located on the steering wheel, a safety system and a vehicle control controller (patent U 2214931).

This solution is technically cumbersome, structurally complex, does not possess

portability. The analyzer is tied to a vehicle and its power supply. A device for preventing sleep ", containing a reading unit and signal conversion, configured to be fixed on the earlobe and including a power source, generator, source and receiver of infrared radiation and an analysis unit with a computer, as well as a warning unit. An infrared receiver through an amplifier and an analog-to-digital converter is connected to the analysis unit, in parallel a second infrared receiver through a second amplifier and a second analog-to-digital converter is connected to the second input of the analysis unit, which is capable of analyzing the oxygen concentration in the blood and recording the amplitude and period of pulsations cardiac activity, in turn, the computer through the interface unit is connected to a transmitter configured to transmit information to indie ator remote alert unit (RU patent 2275857).

This solution is technically cumbersome, structurally complex, does not have portability. The analyzer is tied to a vehicle and its power supply. A device for monitoring the wakefulness of a driver of a vehicle contains electrodes (patent RU 90743 U), an audible alarm, a power source, a light indication element, characterized in that the driver’s head position sensor is mounted on glasses with a mounting device that has three supports (nasal septum and ears ), while the driver’s head position sensor contains a metal ball, wake electrodes, sleep electrodes,

fixed in the sensor housing, while the sleep electrodes are connected to

a radio transmitter having a transmitting antenna, wake electrodes are connected to an alarm system for normal head position with an element light indication, a depression for a metal ball, which prevents false operation of the device, inclined planes inside the housing to return the metal ball to its original position when the driver’s head is restored to normal position, while at the moment the driver falls asleep and the head position changes, the metal ball leaves the cavity and closes the electrodes due to which a signal is transmitted to the radio transmitter through the transmitting antenna of the transmitter and the receiving antenna, while the radio transmitter is connected to the sound

alarms designed to wake up the driver from sleep.

This solution is technically cumbersome, structurally complex, does not have portability. The analyzer is tied to a vehicle and its power supply.

The closest solution is the application WO2009125216. This solution describes a sleep stimulation apparatus, including an analysis unit, a pair of headphones and an electrode on a belt. The analysis unit includes a sleep monitor, an audio player and a control unit. A sleep monitor is connected to the electrode in order to detect a sleep state by analyzing heart rate variability. The audio player is connected to the headphones to play relaxation music. The control unit is connected to the electrodes in the headphones, which act with electrical impulses on the nervous system to stimulate sleep. When a user leaves

awake state to sleep state, the sleep monitor sends a command to the control unit, which turns off the supply of electrical impulses. Those. during sleep, this device does not stimulate with electrodes of the nervous system, so as not to cause an addictive effect.

This solution is technically cumbersome, structurally difficult, the headphones used are used separately from electrodes that analyze the state of sleep.

The electrode inserted into the earphone is not a sleep analyzer.

The technical result of the claimed invention is its versatility for any type of analyzers of the state of sleep and wakefulness; its portability and ability to use anywhere; Thanks to the invention, the designs of analyzers of the state of wakefulness and the state of sleep of a person are simplified; dimensions are reduced; The ability to embed headphones into the headset is realized.

The specified technical result is achieved due to the fact that the removal method

analog signals for sleep and wake analysis, characterized by

using a headset headphone as contact electrodes, and the electrodes are in the form of conductive material, which is placed on the outer surface of the housing of the headphone speakers in that part of which

in contact with the ear (or temple) of a person, and an additional contact electrode can be placed on the forehead or top of the user, set inside the headphone mount so that its contact wire is located inside the mount (or headband), or make the electrode enclosed in a protective case and with the possibility retention on the forehead or crown of a person’s head.

The invention is illustrated by drawings.

Figure 1 shows an example implementation of the invention on a headset of headphones without fasteners, where 1 is the speakers, 2 is the body of the contact electrode installed outside the headphones, 3 is the wire for outputting contacts to the user state analyzer or digital device (mobile phone, computer, etc.) .p.), 4 - an electrode installed outside the headphones, 5 - electrodes installed in the headphones.

Figure 2 shows an example implementation of the invention on a headset of headphones with a bow, where 6 is a bow, 7 is a contact socket for connecting a headset, 8 is a contact socket for removing analog signals from electrodes.

Fig. 3 shows an example of the use of the method with a headset with headphones on the ear. Figure 4 shows an example of using the method with a headset with headphones without mounts.

The invention can be implemented as follows.

Various sensors can be used as a sensor of the sleep state and wakefulness of the user. The invention is universal and capable

be used with any of them.

For example, heart rate sensors [5]. When entering a state of sleep, a person changes heartbeat. Changing the rhythm will mean the onset of sleep and the activation of the sensor to activate. It is possible to take the pulse readings quite accurately by the electrodes (4, 5). Sensors that determine changes in the functional state of a person according to the results of EEG diagnostics can also be used when conducting amplitude, spectral analyzes and mapping the spectral power of EEG rhythms [6].

Remove alpha or beta rhythms in the frontal leads. To detect brain activity, the presence of theta or delta waves with an amplitude above

specific values.

To use such analyzers, an electrode (4) is placed on the forehead. Why move the bow on the forehead when using headphones with a bow, or install the electrode (4) on the forehead in the manner shown in Figure 4 when using headphones without mounts.

Any analyzer of the state of sleep or wakefulness contains an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), which has the function of processing analog signals from the electrodes and transforms their electronic signals, depending on which the necessary actions are performed with other devices interacting with the analyzer.

A mobile phone or PC can also be used as an analyzer, in which, through a special program, they process signals from the electrodes through a sound card.

Contact socket 8 for removing analog signals from the electrodes can be made in the form of a regular microphone headset jack for connecting to a microphone jack in a mobile phone or PC. In a mobile phone, the microphone jack and the headphone jack are usually connected in a single wire and output via a USB-mini connector. On a PC, these are ordinary separate jacks for inserting a microphone (8) and headphones (7).

Thus, the analog signals coming from the socket (8) are fed through the microphone input and compared using a special program with template amplitudes of the state of sleep and wakefulness to determine the user's state at a given time.

The principle of operation of the device is as follows. The user (see Fig. 3, Fig. 4) puts on the headphones and inserts the end or ends (7, 8) of the contact wire (3) into the analyzing device. In this case, the electrodes (5) are located in the headphones (1), and the electrode (4) on the user's forehead.

When using a headset with headphones without fasteners, the fixing of the body (2) with the electrode (4) on the forehead can be carried out, for example, by means of a tie (see Figure 4), where two wires from the headphones create tension on the right and left, and the common contact wire ( 3) under the influence of its weight does not allow the body (2) with the electrode (4) to slide from the forehead onto the face of the user.

Thus, in addition to the fact that the user can have a portable

a compact, versatile device that can serve as an electrode system for a sleep and wake state analyzer, thanks to the invention, the user also has a headset at the same time through which he can listen to information or music.

The advantage of such a functional combination of headphones and electrodes of the sleep analysis system is that it is possible to control the stopping or supply of signals to the headset of the headphones (1) by fixing the state of sleep or wakefulness. For example, if the user is driving and falling asleep, then through the headphones he receives a corresponding loud wake-up signal.

Another example. The user decided to relax and lay down with headphones. When he falls asleep, the automation can turn off or pause the playback of music or other information broadcast through the headphones (1) to the user.

After the user wakes up, he can again give the command to the playback device to play from the place where the recording was paused.

This ability to fix the end of listening is useful as a training system, where it will be possible to stop the training recordings when the user falls asleep, with the subsequent possibility of continuing playback at the moment the user is awake from the moment at which the stop occurred. This allows the user to save time that he usually spent re-listening to the same training notes when he could not remember where he had left off before going to bed. 2013/000421

Information sources:

1.http: //roadvictory.ru/audioenglish.html

2.http: //audio-booki.ru/tiching/page/19/

3.http: //www.dissercat.com/content/dinamika-slukhovykh-vyzvannykh-potentsialov- pri-narusheniyakh-psikhomotornoi-deyatelnosti-sv

4. http://www.eav.ru/publl.php?publid=2002-12al2

5.http: //uchtehpribor.ru/blog/datchik-pulsa/

6. Danilova N.N. Functional conditions: mechanisms and diagnostics. - M .; Moscow State University, 1985 .-- 287 p.

Claims

FORMULA

1. The method of removing analog signals for analysis of sleep and wakefulness,

characterized by the use of headphones as contact electrodes, the electrodes being made in the form of a conductive material that is placed on the outer surface of the headphone speaker housing in that part that is in contact with a person’s ear or temple, and

an additional contact electrode is placed on the forehead or crown of the user's head, and is installed inside the headphone mount so that its contact wire is placed inside the mount or headband, or the electrode is made enclosed in a protective case and can be held on the forehead or crown of the person’s head.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection wires of all the electrodes are laid in parallel in a common casing with the wires going to the headphones.