JP2002288211A - Sleep introducing device and sleep introducing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a sleep introducing device and its method which enables a user to view or listen a material for sleep introduction, according to user's tastes. SOLUTION: An attribute of each registered user, who signs on for delivery, is stored in a subscriber database 12, and when a request of delivery is received from the user 2, the user who has requested the delivery, is determined whether or not he is a registered user registered in the database. If he is a registered user, delivery history data, which is stored in the subscriber database 12 as the attribute of the user, is referred to, and the material, which the registered user preferably listens or watches is selected from among various materials for the sleep introduction and are delivered to the user 2. Thus, the user can view or listen the material for the sleep introduction, according to his tastes.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sleep introduction device and a sleep introduction method for delivering a material that leads to sleep to a user.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Human brain waves are immersed in and concentrated on something, an α wave is generated when the user is in a relaxed state, and a θ wave is generated when the user is sleeping or dreaming. It is known that it changes according to the activity status and mental state. Generally, there is a correlation between sound and brain waves, and a technique for inducing a desired brain wave based on such knowledge is disclosed in, for example,
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 132132/1992 discloses that a beat sound, which is a frequency difference between the two sounds, is given to the left and right ears by giving sounds of two different frequencies having a difference only by the frequency of a target brain wave. A device for improving learning efficiency using a hemisync effect (binaural beat) for inducing brain waves, guiding sleep, and a device for broadcasting a stereo broadcast signal using the hemisync effect are disclosed.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-244383 discloses an audio signal that leads to a sleep state such that an electroencephalogram sensor is attached to the head of a person and an α wave is detected from the electroencephalogram sensor at bedtime. An acoustic device for generating is disclosed.

[0004]

By the way, in the prior arts disclosed in the above publications, a material for sleep introduction prepared for everyone is reproduced by an apparatus, or a stereo broadcast signal using a hemisync effect is reproduced. Since it is only received and reproduced, there is a problem that the user cannot view his or her favorite sleep-introducing material. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sleep introduction device and a sleep introduction method that allow a user to view a material for sleep introduction according to the user's preference.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, an attribute of each registered user who has contracted for distribution is stored in a database, and when a distribution request is received from a user, the attribute is stored. A determination unit that determines whether the user who has requested the distribution is a registered user registered in the database; and if the determination unit determines that the user is a registered user, the user is stored in the database as an attribute of the registered user. A delivery means for selecting a material that the registered user prefers to view and refer to from among various materials for sleep introduction by referring to a delivery history representing the content of the material delivered in the past and delivering the material to the user who has requested delivery. It is characterized by doing.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, various types of materials that lead to sleep are stored, and material reproducing means for reproducing and outputting the material instructed to reproduce from the materials, and attributes for each registered user who has contracted for distribution. Database means for storing and managing the information, when receiving a distribution request from a user, determining means for determining whether or not the user who has requested the distribution is a registered user registered in the database means; When it is determined that the registered user attribute is stored in the database means as the attribute of the registered user, the reference means refers to the distribution history indicating the content of the material distributed in the past, and selects the material that the registered user prefers to watch, Instructed the material reproducing means to reproduce the material selected by the selecting means, and in response, requested the distribution of the material reproduced and output by the material reproducing means. It is characterized in that it comprises a delivery means to be distributed to over The.

In the invention according to claim 3 dependent on claim 2, the material leading to sleep includes at least one or both of sound information and optical information, and the material including the optical information is distributed. The user is characterized by including a light projecting means for projecting light in a light projecting mode according to the light information extracted from the received distribution material.

[0008] In the invention according to claim 4 dependent on claim 2, the distribution means stops the distribution after a lapse of a predetermined time from the start of the distribution of the material.

According to the present invention, the attributes of each registered user who has made a distribution contract are stored in a database, and when a distribution request is received from a user, the user who made the distribution request is a registered user registered in the database. A determination process of determining whether or not there is, and when it is determined that the user is a registered user in this determination process, a distribution history that is stored in the database as an attribute of the registered user and that represents the content of a material previously distributed is stored. And a delivery process of selecting a material that the registered user prefers to view from among various materials for sleep introduction by reference and delivering the material to the user who has requested delivery.

[0010] In the invention according to the sixth aspect, various kinds of materials that lead to sleep are stored, and a material reproduction process of reproducing and outputting a material whose reproduction is instructed from the materials is performed. Is stored in a database, and when a distribution request is received from a user, a determining step of determining whether or not the user who has requested the distribution is a registered user registered in the database; and If it is determined that the registered user, stored in the database as an attribute of the registered user, by referring to the distribution history representing the content of the material distributed in the past, the selection process of selecting the material that the registered user prefers to view, Instruct the material reproduction process to reproduce the material selected in this selection process,
And a distribution step of distributing the material reproduced and output in the material reproduction step to a user who has requested distribution.

[0011] In the invention according to claim 7 which depends on claim 6, the material leading to sleep includes at least one or both of sound information and optical information, and the material including the optical information is distributed. The user is characterized by including a light projecting step of projecting light in a light projecting mode according to light information extracted from the received distribution material.

[0012] In the invention according to claim 8 which depends on claim 6, in the distribution step, the distribution is stopped after a lapse of a predetermined time from the start of the distribution of the material.

According to the present invention, the attribute of each registered user who has made a distribution contract is stored in a database, and upon receiving a distribution request from the user, whether or not the user requesting the distribution is a registered user registered in the database is determined. If the registered user is a registered user, the material that the registered user prefers to view and refer to the distribution history that is stored in the database as the attribute of the registered user and indicates the content of the material distributed in the past is used for sleep introduction. The user selects one of the various materials and distributes the material to the user who has requested the distribution, so that it is possible to view the material for sleep introduction according to the user's preference.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. A. 1. First Embodiment (1) Configuration FIG. 1 shows a CATV to which a sleep induction device according to the present invention is applied.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a system. The CATV system shown in FIG.
The delivery company 1 selects and distributes the user's favorite sleep introduction material, and the receiving device 30 of the user 2 receives and reproduces the material. Hereinafter, the configuration of the distributor 1 and the configuration of the user 2 will be described.

The multiplexer 10 on the side of the distributor 1 converts sound information and optical information reproduced and output from a material reproducing unit 14 described later, for example, into a well-known NTS.
The signal is multiplexed into the C signal format and output. Headend 11
Modulates the multiplexed output supplied from the multiplexer 10, converts the multiplexed output into a transmission signal having a frequency corresponding to the pay distribution channel, and transmits the transmission signal to the transmission path CA. Headend 1
1 transmits the viewing permission signal supplied from the viewing control unit 13 (described later) to the user 2 via the transmission path CA. Further, the head end 11 extracts a viewing control signal supplied from the user 2 via the transmission path CA and outputs it to the viewing control unit 13. The viewing control signal is formed from a signal for designating a distribution request, distribution suspension, distribution continuation, and distribution material, in addition to a subscriber ID for identifying the user 2.

The subscriber database 12 stores the distribution company 1
Attribute information for each subscriber (user 2) who has a distribution contract with the server. The attribute information indicates, for example, billing data related to material distribution, distribution history data indicating the content of a material distributed in the past, and the like.

The viewing control unit 13 determines whether the attribute information of the corresponding subscriber (user 2) is registered in the subscriber database 12 based on the subscriber ID included in the viewing control signal, It determines whether or not there is a distribution contract, and if a distribution contract is made, generates a viewing permission signal for permitting viewing of the pay distribution channel. The viewing permission signal is transmitted to the home terminal 20 (described later) of the user 2 via the head end 11.

In the viewing control section 13, the subscriber (user 2)
When a viewing control signal indicating the stop of distribution is received from
A viewing disable signal for disabling viewing of the pay distribution channel is generated. The view disable signal is similar to the view permission signal described above.
The data is transmitted to the home terminal 20 of the user 2 via the head end 11.

The viewing control unit 13 searches the subscriber database 12 for attribute information of the corresponding subscriber (user 2) using the subscriber ID included in the viewing control signal as a search key. Register the billing data in.
Further, the viewing control unit 13 searches the subscriber database 12 for attribute information of the corresponding subscriber (user 2) using the subscriber ID included in the viewing control signal as a search key.
The subscriber (user 2) selects a material that the subscriber (user 2) prefers to view from the retrieved attribute information with reference to the distribution history data, and instructs the material reproducing unit 14 to reproduce the selected material, or The material reproduction unit 14 is instructed to reproduce the material requested by the user 2).

The material reproducing unit 14 has a plurality of types of materials including sound information and optical information recorded on a medium, and reproduces and outputs the material specified by the viewing control unit 13 from the recorded materials.
The sound information forming the material refers to information that records natural sounds such as the sound of a river with a well-known 1 / f fluctuation or the sound of waves, or sounds that lead to sleep, such as calming music or synthesizer sounds. . On the other hand, the optical information is information that specifies a light emitting mode of the receiving device 30 described later,
It indicates the movement of the light emitting mechanism (described later) and the light emission mode (emission color, intensity, lighting / flashing method). Sound information and light information
Synchronous reproduction is preferable, but it is not always necessary to reproduce both information synchronously.

When an existing television receiver is used as the receiving device 30 described later, video information is used instead of optical information indicating a light projection mode. In this case, as the video information, for example, an environmental video capturing natural phenomena such as an aurora or a landscape, or an image that promotes sleep such as an image that can provide a healing effect is used.

Configuration of User 2 The user 2 is provided with a home terminal 20 and a receiver 30 connected to the transmission path CA. The home terminal 20 receives the transmission signal of the channel selected by the operation of the remote controller 20a among the transmission signals transmitted from the head end 11, and outputs the transmission signal to the next stage.
The home terminal 20 is provided with a unique address corresponding to the subscriber ID, and is configured to transmit and receive signals related to viewing control to and from the distribution company 1 by, for example, a polling selecting method.

Specifically, the remote controller 20a
In response to the above operation, at least a subscriber ID for identifying a user, a distribution control signal for designating a distribution request, distribution suspension, distribution continuation, and distribution material are generated and transmitted to the distribution company 1 side. When a pay distribution channel is selected by the operation of the remote controller 20a, if the above-mentioned viewing permission signal is received, viewing of that channel becomes possible. Cannot be watched.

The receiving device 30 includes a control unit 31 having a sound sensor 31a and an optical sensor 31b,
2. It comprises a light projecting section 33 and a sound information reproducing section 34. The control unit 31 detects ambient noise and illuminance in the room where the receiving device 30 is installed by the sound sensor 31a and the light sensor 31b, and generates a volume control signal and a light amount control signal corresponding to the noise and the illuminance. The demultiplexer 31 demodulates a transmission signal selected and received by the home terminal 20 and separates the transmission signal into sound information and optical information.

As shown in FIG. 2, for example, the light projecting section 33 is provided with a turntable 33a disposed on the upper surface of the housing of the receiving device 30, and provided on the turntable 33a.
There is provided a light emitting mechanism having four light sources 33b-1 to 33b-4 which are respectively driven to rotate forward, backward, left, and right within a certain range. In the light projecting unit 33 having such a light projecting mechanism, the rotation of the turntable 33a and the four light sources 33b-1 to 33b are performed by the optical information output from the demultiplexer 31.
-4 and the lighting mode of these light sources 33b-1 to 33b-4 are controlled, thereby realizing a predetermined light emitting mode.

The light emission luminance of the light sources 33b-1 to 33b-4 is controlled according to a light amount control signal supplied from the control unit 31. That is, the light projection mode is also variably adjusted according to the brightness of the room. Sound information reproducing unit 34
Decodes the sound information output from the demultiplexer 31 into an analog signal format and reproduces the decoded sound information as a sound signal having a volume according to the volume control signal supplied from the control unit 31.

(2) Operation Next, the operation of the sleep introducing apparatus in the CATV system having the above configuration will be described. When the user 2 operates the remote controller 20a so as to view the pay distribution channel, the home terminal 20 responds accordingly and sends a viewing control signal including the subscriber ID and the distribution request to the distributor 1.
Send to the side. Then, on the distribution company 1 side, the head end 11 extracts the viewing control signal and outputs the viewing control signal to the viewing control unit 13.
Output to

The viewing control unit 13 determines whether or not the attribute information corresponding to the subscriber ID included in the viewing control signal is registered in the subscriber database 12. If the attribute information is registered, viewing of the pay distribution channel is performed. Is generated and sent back to the home terminal 20 on the user 2 side. As a result, the home terminal 20 can view the pay distribution channel.

The viewing control unit 13 that has generated the viewing permission signal registers the charging data corresponding to the material distribution in the attribute information corresponding to the subscriber ID from the subscriber database 12 and registers the distribution history data in the attribute information. To select a material that the subscriber (user 2) prefers to watch, and instructs the material reproducing unit 14 to reproduce the selected material. Then, the material reproducing unit 14 inputs a reproduction output (sound information and optical information) of the specified material to the multiplexer 10. As a result, the material for sleep introduction according to the preference of the user 2 is distributed to the user 2 through the pay distribution channel.

Then, on the user 2 side, the receiving device 3 is transmitted via the home terminal 20 for receiving the pay distribution channel.
0, the distribution material is input to the receiving device 30, and the receiving device 30 separates the input distribution material into sound information and light information and reproduces the sound information for sleep introduction while emitting light corresponding to the light information,
For example, a gentle movement of light is projected into a room to induce sleep.
After a certain period of time from the start of such material distribution,
The viewing control unit 13 of the distributor 1 generates a viewing disable signal that disables viewing of the pay distribution channel, and transmits the signal to the home terminal 20 of the user 2. Therefore, user 2
If the user goes to bed while receiving material distribution, the distribution service can be automatically stopped. When the distribution service is automatically stopped after a certain period of time, in order to continue to request the service, a predetermined control of the remote controller 20a is operated again to generate a viewing control signal indicating that the distribution is continued. Just do it.

B. Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the first embodiment described above, an example in which the present invention is applied to a CATV system has been described. However, the gist of the present invention is not limited to such broadcast media. For example, as shown in FIG. As a distribution service using the network NT. FIG.
Is composed of a distribution company 1 (material distribution device 100) and a user terminal 200 connected to each other via a network NT such as the Internet.

Material distribution device 100 provided by distribution company 1
Is composed of a proxy server 101, a distribution management server 102, and a database 103. The proxy server 101 has a function of blocking an intranet (not shown) connected to the distribution management server 102 described later and a network NT such as the Internet, and controls communication between both networks. More specifically, only the transfer request from a legitimate user whose access has been authenticated, that is, a transfer request from the user terminal 200 that has made a distribution contract with the distribution company 1, is relayed to the distribution management server 102, while the corresponding transfer request from the distribution management server 102 is Each response is returned to the corresponding user terminal 200.

The distribution management server 102 is a user terminal 2 that accesses a site via the proxy server 101.
00, the web page screen data (HTML file) is transmitted to allow the web page to be browsed, and, in response to a distribution request from the user terminal 200 that browsed the web page screen, the material is extracted from the database 103 and the proxy is extracted. The user terminal 200 that has issued the distribution request is downloaded via the server 101.

When the download (material distribution) to the user is completed, the distribution management server 102 reads out the billing and settlement conditions of the user who has received the material distribution from the personal data stored and managed in the database 103, and The banking system BS is accessed via the NT, and the distribution fee is settled online according to the read billing settlement conditions.

The database 103 stores and manages various AV (video / audio) information for introducing sleep, and extracts AV (video / audio) information designated by the distribution management server 102 as a distribution material from the information. . The database 103 also stores and manages personal data (registration ID, password, distribution history indicating the contents of materials distributed in the past, and accounting settlement conditions) for each user who has contracted for distribution.

The user terminal 200 is, for example, a well-known Web
It is a personal computer having a browser, and accesses the site of the distribution company 1 via the network NT. The user terminal 200 is not limited to a personal computer, and may be a mobile phone or a wireless personal digital assistant (PDA) having a browser function. In this case, the user terminal 200 is connected to the network NT via a wireless connection provider PV. It will be in the form of connection.

Now, in such a distribution system,
When the user terminal 200 connects to the site of the distribution company 1 and inputs a registration ID and a password, and the proxy server 101 receives access authentication in response thereto, the distribution management server 102 displays Web page screen data on the user terminal 200. Send it out to view the Web page. When there is a download request for a material from the user terminal 200 that browses the Web page screen, the distribution management server 102
Then, with reference to the distribution history in the personal data of the user, a material that the user prefers is selected, and the selected material is extracted from the database 103 and distributed. This allows the user terminal 200 to view a material for introducing sleep (AV information) that suits the user's preference.

As described above, according to the present invention, only the user 2 requests the distribution of the material, and the distributor 1 distributes the material for the user's favorite sleep introduction. It is possible to view the material for sleep introduction according to the preference.

[0039]

According to the first and fifth aspects of the present invention, the attribute of each registered user who has made a distribution contract is stored in a database, and when a distribution request is received from a user, the user who requested the distribution is registered in the database. It is determined whether or not the registered user is a registered user. If the registered user is a registered user, the registered user is referred to the distribution history indicating the content of the material distributed in the past and stored in the database as the attribute of the registered user. The user selects a material to be viewed from among various materials for sleep introduction and distributes the material to the user who has requested distribution, so that the material for sleep introduction according to the user's preference can be viewed. According to the second and sixth aspects of the present invention, upon receiving a distribution request from a user, it is determined whether or not the requesting user is a registered user registered in the database means for storing and managing attributes of each registered user who has contracted for distribution. And if it is determined that the user is a registered user, the material that the registered user prefers to view by referring to a distribution history that is stored in the database means as the attribute of the registered user and that represents the content of the material previously distributed Is selected. Then, an instruction is given to the material reproducing means for storing various materials leading to sleep to reproduce the selected material, and in response to this, the material reproducing means distributes the material to be reproduced and output to the user who has requested the distribution. Can be viewed from among various materials guided to the user. According to the third and seventh aspects of the present invention, a user to whom a material including optical information is distributed emits light in a light emitting mode according to the optical information extracted from the received distribution material. The movement of light can be projected indoors to guide sleep. According to the inventions described in claims 4 and 8, since the distribution is stopped after a certain period of time from the start of the distribution of the material, the distribution service is automatically stopped even if the user goes to bed while receiving the material distribution. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view showing an external appearance of a light emitting mechanism included in the receiving device 30.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a distribution system according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... distribution company, 2 ... user, 10 ... multiplexer,
11: headend, 12: subscriber database, 13
... viewing control unit, 14 ... material reproducing unit, 20 ... home terminal, 20a ... remote controller, 30 ... receiving device, 31 ... control unit, 31a ... sound sensor, 31b ... optical sensor, 32 ... demultiplexer, 33 ... light Unit, 34 ... sound information reproducing unit.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G10K 15/04 302 A61M 21/00 300B 300A

Claims (8)

[Claims] An attribute of each registered user who has made a distribution contract is stored in a database, and upon receiving a distribution request from a user, it is determined whether or not the user who made the distribution request is a registered user registered in the database. A determination unit, and when the determination unit determines that the user is a registered user,
The registered material is stored in the database as an attribute of the registered user and refers to a distribution history indicating the content of the material distributed in the past, and selects and distributes the material that the registered user prefers to view from various materials for sleep introduction. A sleep introducing device comprising: a delivery unit that delivers to a requesting user. 2. A material reproducing means for storing various kinds of materials leading to sleep and reproducing and outputting a material instructed to be reproduced from the materials, and a database means for storing and managing attributes of each registered user who has contracted for distribution. A determination unit for determining whether or not the user who has requested the distribution is a registered user registered in the database unit when receiving the distribution request from the user; Selecting means for selecting a material which the registered user prefers to view and / or refer to by referring to a distribution history which is stored in the database means as an attribute of the user and indicates the content of the material distributed in the past; A distribution unit that instructs the material reproduction unit to reproduce the material and distributes the material reproduced and output by the material reproduction unit to the user who has requested distribution in response to the instruction; Sleep inducing apparatus characterized by comprising and. 3. The material that leads to sleep includes at least one or both of sound information and optical information, and a user to whom the material including the optical information is distributed according to the optical information extracted from the received distributed material. 3. The sleep introducing device according to claim 2, further comprising a light projecting means for projecting light in a light projecting mode. 4. The sleep introducing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said distribution means stops the distribution after a lapse of a predetermined time from the start of the distribution of the material. 5. The attribute of each registered user who has made a distribution contract is stored in a database, and upon receiving a distribution request from the user, it is determined whether or not the user who made the distribution request is a registered user registered in the database. A determination process, and when it is determined that the user is a registered user in the determination process,
The registered material is stored in the database as an attribute of the registered user and refers to a distribution history indicating the content of the material distributed in the past, and selects and distributes the material that the registered user prefers to view from various materials for sleep introduction. A delivery process of delivering to a requesting user. 6. A material reproducing process of reproducing and outputting a material instructed to be reproduced from the materials that lead to sleep, and an attribute of each registered user who has made a distribution contract are stored in a database. When a distribution request is received from a user, a determining step of determining whether the user who has requested the distribution is a registered user registered in the database; and when determining in this determining step that the user is a registered user, A selection step of selecting a material that the registered user prefers to view by referring to a distribution history indicating the content of the material distributed in the past and stored in the database as an attribute of the registered user; Instructing the material reproduction process to reproduce the reproduced material, and distributing the material reproduced and output in the material reproduction process to the user who has requested distribution in response to the instruction. A sleep introducing method, comprising: 7. The material that leads to sleep includes at least one or both of sound information and optical information, and a user to whom the material including the optical information is distributed is in accordance with the optical information extracted from the received distributed material. 7. The sleep introducing method according to claim 6, further comprising a light projecting step of projecting light in a light projecting mode. 8. The sleep introduction method according to claim 6, wherein the distribution step stops the distribution after a lapse of a predetermined time from the start of the distribution of the material.