JP2007236839A - Noise-proof snore sound detector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a noise-proof snore sound detector that quickly and accurately detects the sounds of snoring despite of the presence of other various noises generated in human living environment, determines normal snore, or a non- or low-respiratory state during sleep, collects data and records the waveforms of the snore sound during that period, and further outputs a control signal if necessary. <P>SOLUTION: First, a voice recording microphone is used to collect snore sounds during sleep. The characteristics and generation cycle of the collected snore sounds are found based on their frequency characteristics, power and statistical values. Next, the continuity and durability of the snore characteristics are monitored to exclude non-snore sounds like noises or sleep talking from the detected sounds. Also this detector finds a difference from normal snore and determines the non- or low-respiratory state during sleeping. The detector also outputs a control signal if necessary, and records data by means of recording, videotaping, etc. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention uses a microphone to take a breathing sound during sleep, observes the intensity and statistical characteristics of frequency domain power, and considers snoring during sleep in daily living environments, considering the continuity and sustainability of snoring. A detection apparatus that detects and judges normal snoring, sleep apnea or sleep hypopnea, collects data for that section, records a waveform, and outputs a control signal as necessary.

  Snoring, apnea, and hypopnea during sleep are said to be 1 in 5 and are common sleep disorder symptoms. These symptoms not only impair sleep quality and disturb others' sleep, but they can cause many illnesses and, in the worst case, sudden death.

  However, this symptom occurs only during sleep. For diagnosis, recording of snoring or sleep apnea and / or sleep hypopnea, preferably recording, is also necessary. Since it takes a long time to extract only the recorded recording when snoring or sleep apnea or sleep hypopnea occurs from the recorded recording and taking it to the hospital, automatic detection is required.

As a general method of detecting snoring, there is a method of detecting by snoring sound power. However, this method also reacts to living noises, and furthermore, the sound of turning over, the sound of bedclothes, the sleep sound, etc. become obstacles and cannot be detected correctly. In addition, there is a method of observing body vibration from snoring by installing a vibration sensor on the bed, but it is often difficult to measure due to sleep posture.

With the detection signals of snoring, apnea and hypopnea during sleep, it is possible to record and record only snoring, apnea and hypopnea periods, and to control their prevention devices, treatment devices and testing devices.
JP-A-2005-305101 JP 2005-304942 A JP 2005-304941 A

Currently, polysomnography is used as a method for examining sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and hypopnea. This inspection is indispensable for close inspections, but simple preliminary inspections are required because there are few facilities with equipment, it is necessary to stay overnight in the hospital, and the cost is expensive. . Some night-time recordings have been adopted as a solution, but there are many problems such as extracting necessary parts and eliminating the effects of noise.
The problem to be solved by the present invention is to quickly detect correct snoring sound even in the presence of various noises in the living environment, and to determine normal snoring, sleep apnea or sleep hypopnea, Collect data, record waveforms, and output control signals as needed.

  First, using a voice recording microphone, a sound having a snoring characteristic and a generation cycle are detected based on the frequency characteristics, power, and statistical values of the sound that is taken while sleeping. Next, the continuity and continuity of the sound with the characteristic of snoring are observed, and non-snoring sounds such as noise or sleep are excluded. Further, normal snoring, sleep apnea and sleep hypopnea are determined, and a control signal is output. The control signal records other data such as recording / recording. Moreover, those prevention devices, treatment devices, and test devices can be controlled as necessary.

(1) When a hospital diagnoses a breathing disorder symptom problem during sleep, recording and recording are often performed overnight as a means of simple inspection. However, the present invention correctly detects only when snoring occurs during sleep even in an environment with daily noise. Therefore, anyone can easily take the necessary sound section at home. No need for assistance from other people or troublesome editing.
FIG. 2 shows a waveform comparison before and after the processing of the present invention.

(2) The present invention detects the characteristics of normal snoring, sleep apnea, and sleep hypopnea using a digital signal processing method after correctly detecting when snoring occurs during sleep, and distinguishes three types of respiratory symptoms Can be used to help doctors examine sleep disorders.

(3) The present invention outputs a control signal by signal processing while taking a sound when snoring occurs during sleep, adjusts the sleeping posture by adjusting the bed and / or pillow, and snoring or sleeping apnea or sleeping It is possible to reduce or suppress hypopnea symptoms. Such prevention devices, treatment devices, inspection devices, and the like can be controlled by control signals.

Detect continuity and / or persistence of processes that detect sounds with snoring characteristics, detect processes of snoring sounds Collect process data to determine normal snoring, sleep apnea or sleep hypopnea, and control peripheral devices Outputting signal

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings for understanding of the present invention.
Here, FIG. 1 detects sleep snoring in the daily living environment according to one embodiment of the present invention, determines normal snoring or sleep apnea and sleep hypopnea, and collects data for that interval FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the flow of a detection device characterized by recording and / or outputting a control signal when a waveform is required, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing audio signal waveforms before and after processing for detecting snoring FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, snoring during sleep according to an embodiment of the present invention is detected, normal snoring or sleep apnea and sleep hypopnea are determined, and data of the section is obtained. A detection apparatus characterized by recording and / or recording and / or outputting a control signal when a waveform is required.

10 is a process for detecting a sound having a snoring feature, 11 is a sleep sound input device composed of a microphone and an A / D converter, 12 is a signal that converts an input signal into a frequency domain, and 13 is a power monitor for each frequency. Then, a value equal to or greater than the requested value is detected and notified to 14 statistical devices. 14 performs statistics within the snoring cycle period according to the notification from 13, and the device detects a sound having a snoring characteristic. A device 15 temporarily stores an input sleep sound.

20 is the process of detecting the snoring sound, 21 is observing the continuity of the sound with the snoring characteristic, and if it is different from the continuous characteristic of the snoring, it is judged that it is not the snoring, 22 is the continuation of the sound having the snoring characteristic If it is different from the snoring persistence characteristic, it is determined that it is not snoring. 23 controls the transfer from 15 sleep sound temporary holding devices to 31 snoring temporary holding devices and the output to 41.

30 is a step of determining normal snoring or sleep apnea or sleep hypopnea, and if it is necessary to determine normal snoring or sleep apnea or sleep hypopnea according to an instruction of the output control device 23, snoring sound data 31 is a snoring temporary holding device, 32 is a snoring similarity calculation device that detects the snoring cycle by detecting a snoring cycle by a detection device, and 32 is a snoring similarity calculation device. As a result, 34 snoring devices determine normal snoring, sleep apnea, or sleep hypopnea.

41 is a control device to output. According to the determination result of 34, the sound data from 23 is set in accordance with the setting conditions from 42 request condition setting device, 43 recording devices, 44 recording devices, 45 pillow adjustment Control signals and data are output to the device, 46 bed adjustment devices, 47 data storage devices, and 48 other necessary devices. Here, the devices 43 to 48 can be selected to be present or not depending on the application.

Use as a snoring sound switch or snoring sound sensor during sleep. When recording and recording the sound of snoring during sleep, either the entire sleep time is recorded or recorded, or a recording and recording method that is turned ON / OFF depending on the power is adopted. The former requires editing while playing back later, which takes a tremendous amount of editing time. The latter is not practical because it does not operate unless sufficient power is input, and has a drawback of reacting to noise. Using the snoring detection device of the present invention, it is possible to record and record only during periods of snoring or sleep apnea or sleep hypopnea. In FIG. 1, this can be realized by selecting 43, 44, 47 among the devices 43 to 48.

  The present invention can calculate the snoring frequency and the similarity of snoring before and after by detecting snoring, and can use this information to distinguish between normal snoring, sleep apnea or sleep hypopnea, along with recording and recording. Can be useful for diagnosis.

  As one of snoring measures, when snoring occurs, snoring is reduced or suppressed by changing (particularly) the sleeping posture. Since the present invention quickly detects snoring, when snoring occurs, a control signal is output to the pillow adjusting device and / or bed adjusting device according to the detection judgment to control the adjustment of the pillow and / or bed. Can be reduced or suppressed. This can be realized by selecting 45 and 46 among the devices 43 to 48 in FIG.

It is a block diagram of snoring detection judgment and a control output device. It is a waveform contrast diagram before and after snoring detection.

Explanation of symbols

10: Detecting a sound with a snoring feature 11: Sleep sound input device 12: Device for converting to frequency domain 13: Determining device for each frequency power 14: Statistical device 15 for the determination result 15: Sleep sound temporary storage device 20: Snore Sound detection step 21: continuity determination device 22: continuity determination device 23: sleep sound output control device 30: sleep state determination step 31: snoring sound temporary storage device 32: snoring cycle detection device 33: similarity calculation Device 34: Sleep status device 40: Data collection and control signal output process 41: Data collection and control signal control device 42: Condition setting device 43: Recording device 44: Recording device 45: Pillow adjustment device 46: Bed adjustment device 47 : Data collection device 48: Other device 50: Sleep sound waveform 51 before detection of snoring interval 51: Waveform 52 of the first snoring interval 52: 2 times Waveform of eye snoring section 53: Waveform of third snoring section 54: Waveform of first sudden sound 55: Waveform of second sudden sound 56: Waveform of rattling sound of first futon 57: Waveform of rattling sound of second futon 58 : Radio sound 60: Waveform only after snoring after detection

Claims (7)

In an environment where there is daily noise, sleep sound input with a microphone is detected by digital signal processing, snoring sound is detected, normal snoring during sleep, sleep apnea or sleep hypopnea is determined, and data for that interval is collected And / or a recording device that records and / or outputs a control signal when necessary. The component according to claim 1, wherein frequency-domain power intensity and statistical values are observed to detect a sound having a snoring characteristic and / or a generation period. The detection device according to claim 1, wherein the detection component according to claim 2 is used to observe the continuity and / or persistence of a sound having a detected snoring characteristic, and to detect non-snoring noise such as noise or sleep. Parts characterized by elimination. The detection device according to claim 1, wherein the snore sound detected by the detection component according to claim 3 is used to observe the frequency domain power intensity and interval time of each snore, and normal snoring or sleep apnea or sleep low A component characterized by judging breathing. An apparatus for recording and / or controlling video recording at the time of occurrence of normal snoring during sleep and / or sleep apnea and / or hypopnea during sleep using the detection apparatus according to claim 1. Using the detection device according to claim 1, when normal snoring during sleep and / or sleep apnea and / or hypopnea during sleep occur, the bedding is automatically adjusted to improve sleep posture and reduce symptoms A device characterized by that. When the normal snoring during sleep and / or sleep apnea and / or hypopnea during sleep are generated using the detection device according to claim 1, the prevention device / therapeutic device / inspector is controlled. Equipment.

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