JP2023126464A - Electronic apparatus, estimation system, control method, and control program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an electronic apparatus, an estimation system, a control method, and a control program capable of enhancing convenience.SOLUTION: The electronic apparatus comprises: a sensor which measures information on the blood streams in the ears of a subject; a control unit which estimates a sleeping state of the subject based on the information; and a speaker which outputs a sound to the subject. The control unit causes the speaker to output a sound of awakening to the subject when the subject's sleep becomes shallow after becoming deep.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present disclosure relates to an electronic device, an estimation system, a control method, and a control program.

Conventionally, devices for estimating sleep states are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a device that estimates a sleeping state by measuring brain waves.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 09-187512

However, electroencephalographs that measure brain waves may not always be easy to use.

The present disclosure relates to an electronic device, an estimation system, a control method, and a control program that can improve convenience.

One aspect of the electronic device includes a sensor unit that measures information regarding blood flow in the ear of a subject, a control unit that estimates a sleeping state of the subject based on the information, and a sensor unit that measures information regarding blood flow in the subject's ear. a speaker unit that outputs a sound, and the control unit causes the subject to wake up when it is estimated that the subject has fallen into a light state after falling into a deep state of sleep. A prompting sound is outputted to the speaker section.

One aspect of the electronic device includes: a sensor unit that measures blood flow in the ear of a subject; a control unit that estimates that the subject is in a light sleep state when the blood flow reaches a threshold; a speaker unit that outputs sound to the subject, and the control unit is configured to wake up the subject when the blood flow reaches the threshold and then reaches the threshold again. The speaker unit outputs a sound that prompts the user to

One aspect of the estimation system is an estimation system including a measurement device and an estimation device, wherein the measurement device includes a sensor unit that measures information regarding blood flow in the ear of a subject, and a sensor unit that measures information regarding blood flow in the ear of a subject. and a speaker unit that outputs a state of sleep of the subject based on the information, the control unit estimating the state of sleep of the subject based on the information. Then, when it is estimated that the subject is in a shallow state, the speaker unit outputs a sound that urges the subject to wake up.

One aspect of the estimation system is an estimation system including a measurement device and an estimation device, wherein the measurement device includes a sensor unit that measures blood flow in the ear of a subject, and outputs sound to the subject. the estimation device includes a control unit that estimates that the subject is in a light sleep state when the blood flow rate reaches a threshold, and the control unit is configured to After reaching the threshold value, when the threshold value is reached again, the speaker unit is made to output a sound that urges the subject to wake up.

One aspect of the control method is a control method executed by an electronic device including a sensor unit, a control unit, and a speaker unit that outputs sound to the subject, wherein the sensor unit measuring information regarding the blood flow in the ear of the subject; the control unit estimating the sleep state of the subject based on the information; and the control unit estimating the sleep state of the subject based on the information; The method includes causing the speaker unit to output a sound that urges the subject to wake up when it is estimated that the subject has entered the shallow state after the subject has entered the shallow state.

One aspect of the control method is a control method executed by an electronic device including a sensor unit, a control unit, and a speaker unit that outputs sound to the subject, wherein the sensor unit the control unit estimates that the subject is in a light sleep state when the blood flow rate reaches a threshold; After reaching the threshold value, when the threshold value is reached again, the speaker outputs a sound that urges the subject to wake up.

One aspect of the control program is to cause a computer to measure information regarding blood flow in the subject's ears, estimate the sleeping state of the subject based on the information, and When it is estimated that the subject has fallen into a light sleep state after entering a deep sleep state, a speaker unit is caused to output a sound that urges the subject to wake up.

One aspect of the control program includes instructing a computer to measure blood flow in the ear of the subject, and infer that the subject is in a light sleep state when the blood flow reaches a threshold; After the blood flow reaches the threshold, when the blood flow reaches the threshold again, the speaker unit outputs a sound that urges the subject to wake up.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an electronic device, an estimation system, a control method, and a control program that can improve convenience.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the appearance of an electronic device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of the measuring device in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the electronic device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an example of brain waves related to sleep. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an example of blood flow related to sleep. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a sleep state estimation process executed by the control unit in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of an electronic device according to a second embodiment. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a sleep state estimation process and a sleep state estimation accuracy determination process executed by the control unit in FIG. 7. FIG.

Hereinafter, some embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the appearance of an electronic device 100 according to the first embodiment. Electronic device 100 includes a measurement device 110 and an estimation device 120. The measuring device 110 and the estimating device 120 may be communicably connected to each other via cables 130a and 130b. The measurement device 110 and the estimation device 120 can transmit and receive various signals, power, etc. via cables 130a and 130b. Measuring device 110 and estimating device 120 do not necessarily need to be connected by cables 130a and 130b. The measuring device 110 and the estimating device 120 may be communicably connected to each other, for example, wirelessly or by a combination of wired and wireless.

The measuring device 110 includes a mounting section 111, a first measuring section 112a, and a second measuring section 112b. The measuring device 110 measures information regarding the blood flow of the subject (hereinafter also referred to as "blood flow information") while being attached to the subject. The blood flow information may be, for example, the amount of blood flow. The blood flow information may be information other than the blood flow rate. The blood flow information may be, for example, pulsating blood flow wave height or stroke volume. Stroke volume may be, for example, the volume of blood pumped per heart beat.

The measurement device 110 may be attachable to the subject's head, for example. In this specification, the following description will be given assuming that the measurement device 110 is used while being attached to the subject's head.

The mounting unit 111 is a mechanism for maintaining the measurement device 110 mounted on the subject. In this embodiment, the mounting portion 111 has an arch shape, as shown in FIG. 1, for example. The subject can wear the measuring device 110 and maintain the wearing state by holding the head between the mounting parts 111. The mounting portion 111 may have a mechanism whose length can be adjusted according to the size of the subject's head, for example. The mounting portion 111 may be made of plastic or the like, for example.

The first measuring section 112a and the second measuring section 112b are connected to the mounting section 111 at the first end 111a and second end 111b of the mounting section 111 via the first connecting section 113a and the second connecting section 113b, respectively. Ru. That is, the mounting part 111, the first measuring part 112a and the second measuring part 112b, and the first connecting part 113a and the second connecting part 113b are configured as one earphone-type measuring device 110 that is connected as a whole. ing. The first connecting portion 113a is formed at a portion connecting the first measuring portion 112a and the first end 111a of the mounting portion 111. The second connecting portion 113b is formed at a portion connecting the second measuring portion 112b and the second end 111b of the mounting portion 111.

The first measurement unit 112a and the second measurement unit 112b include a sensor unit that measures the blood flow rate of the subject. Details of the sensor section will be described later. The functions of the first measuring section 112a and the second measuring section 112b are the same. In this specification, when the first measuring section 112a and the second measuring section 112b are not distinguished, they are collectively referred to as the measuring section 112.

In this embodiment, the measurement unit 112 measures the blood flow in the subject's ear. The measurement unit 112 measures the blood flow rate in, for example, the concha of the subject's ear.

The first measurement unit 112a measures the blood flow rate, for example, in the concha of the right ear of the subject. The first measurement section 112a includes a main body 114a, an earpiece 115a, and a sensor section 116a. The earpiece 115a is inserted into the external auditory canal of the subject's right ear when the measuring device 110 is attached. The earpiece 115a is made of, for example, silicon. The sensor section 116a is provided in the main body 114a at a position where it contacts the concha of the right ear, which is the test site, when the earpiece 115a is inserted into the external auditory canal of the right ear. The main body 114a also functions as a case that protects a measurement mechanism (details will be described later) included in the sensor section 116a. The main body 114a may be made of plastic or the like, for example. The earpiece 115a is inserted into the external auditory canal of the right ear, and maintains the contact state of the sensor portion 116a with the concha, which is the test site. The sensor section 116a functions as a blood flow measuring section that measures the blood flow of the subject.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of the measuring device 110 in FIG. That is, FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view including the first measuring section 112a that measures blood flow information in the right ear. However, in FIG. 2, some details of the internal mechanism of the first measuring section 112a are omitted.

As schematically shown in FIG. 2, the sensor section 116a includes a light emitting section 117a and a light receiving section 118a as a measurement mechanism. The light emitting unit 117a irradiates the concha of the right ear, which is the test site, with measurement light. The light receiving unit 118a acquires reflected light (scattered light) from the tissue inside the concha in response to the irradiated measurement light. A photoelectric conversion signal of the scattered light received by the light receiving unit 118a is transmitted to a control unit included in the measurement device 110 or a control unit included in the estimation device 120. In the present embodiment, the following description will be made assuming that the photoelectric conversion signal of the scattered light received by the light receiving unit 118 is transmitted to the control unit included in the estimation device 120. Note that details of the control unit included in the estimation device 120 will be described later.

The light emitting section 117a emits, for example, a laser beam. The light emitting unit 117a, for example, irradiates the test site with laser light having a wavelength that allows detection of a predetermined component contained in blood as measurement light. The light emitting section 117a is configured by, for example, one LD (Laser Diode).

The light-receiving unit 118a receives scattered measurement light from the test site as biological information. The light receiving section 118a is configured by, for example, a PD (photo diode).

As shown in FIG. 2, the main body 114a includes a speaker section 119a inside. The speaker section 119a generates sound based on the input sound signal. The sound signal is input from the estimation device 120, for example. The speaker unit 119a functions as a notification unit that can notify the subject of various information.

The first connecting part 113a connects the mounting part 111 and the first measuring part 112a at the first end 111a of the mounting part 111. The first connecting portion 113a may include a member capable of reducing vibration. The member capable of reducing vibrations includes, for example, a spring, rubber, silicone resin, gel, cloth, sponge, paper, or other members, or any combination thereof. The member capable of reducing vibrations may be, for example, a fluid-filled damper having a fluid (ie, liquid or gas) inside. The internal fluid may be, for example, a viscous liquid. When the first connecting part 113a includes a member capable of reducing vibrations, the vibrations transmitted from the mounting part 111 to the first measuring part 112a are reduced. This makes it difficult for the contact state between the first measuring section 112a and the test site to change, and can improve the measurement accuracy of biological information.

The second measurement unit 112b measures information regarding blood flow, for example, in the concha of the subject's left ear. The second measuring section 112b has a configuration and function that are symmetrical with respect to the first measuring section 112a. That is, the second measurement section 112b includes a main body 114b, an earpiece 115b, a sensor section 116b, and a speaker section 119b. The main body 114b, the earpiece 115b, the sensor section 116b, and the speaker section 119b each achieve the functions of the main body 114a, the earpiece 115a, the sensor section 116a, and the speaker section 119a in the left ear. The sensor section 116b functions as a blood flow measuring section that measures the blood flow of the subject. The sensor section 116b includes a light emitting section 117b and a light receiving section 118b. The functions of the light emitting section 117b and the light receiving section 118b may be the same as those of the light emitting section 117a and the light receiving section 118a, respectively. The second measuring section 112b is connected to the second end 111b of the mounting section 111 by a second connecting section 113b. The configuration of the second measurement unit 112b may be similar to the configuration of the first measurement unit 112a.

Hereinafter, in this specification, when functional parts having the same function on the left and right sides are described together without distinguishing between the left and right functional parts, the letters a and b in the reference numerals are omitted. For example, if the first measuring section 112a and the second measuring section 112b are not to be distinguished, they will be collectively referred to as the measuring section 112.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the electronic device 100 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the electronic device 100 includes a measuring device 110 and an estimating device 120.

The measuring device 110 includes a first measuring section 112a and a second measuring section 112b. Each measuring section 112 includes the sensor section 116 and the speaker section 119 as described above. Each sensor section 116 includes a light emitting section 117 and a light receiving section 118, and functions as a blood flow measuring section that measures the blood flow of the subject.

The first measurement section 112a includes a communication section 121a. The communication unit 121a transmits and receives various signals by communicating with the estimation device 120. In this embodiment, the communication unit 121a communicates with the estimation device 120 via the cable 130a. However, the communication unit 121a may communicate with the estimation device 120, for example, wirelessly or by a combination of wired and wireless communication. The communication unit 121a transmits, for example, a photoelectric conversion signal of the scattered light received by the light receiving unit 118a to the estimation device 120. The communication unit 121a receives, for example, a signal from the estimation device 120 that causes the sensor unit 116a to execute a biological information measurement process. The communication unit 121a receives, for example, a signal related to the sound output from the speaker unit 119a from the estimation device 120.

The second measurement section 112b includes a communication section 121b. In this embodiment, the communication unit 121b communicates with the estimation device 120 via the cable 130b. The function of the communication section 121b may be the same as that of the communication section 121a included in the first measurement section 112a.

The estimation device 120 includes a communication section 121c, a control section 122, a storage section 123, and an input section 124.

The communication unit 121c transmits and receives various signals by communicating with the measuring device 110. In this embodiment, the communication unit 121c communicates with the first measurement unit 112a and the second measurement unit 112b of the measurement device 110 via cables 130a and 130b, respectively. The communication unit 121c receives, for example, a photoelectric conversion signal of scattered light received by the light receiving unit 118 from the measuring device 110. The communication unit 121c transmits, for example, a signal to the measuring device 110 to cause the sensor unit 116 to execute a process of measuring biological information. The communication unit 121c transmits, for example, a signal related to the sound output from the speaker unit 119 to the measuring device 110.

The control unit 122 includes at least one processor 122a that controls and manages the entire electronic device 100, including each functional block of the electronic device 100. The control unit 122 is configured to include at least one processor 122a such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes a program that defines a control procedure, and realizes its functions. Such a program is stored, for example, in the storage unit 123 or an external storage medium connected to the electronic device 100.

According to various embodiments, at least one processor 122a is implemented as a single integrated circuit (IC) or as a plurality of communicatively connected integrated circuits and/or discrete circuits. Good too. At least one processor 122a may be implemented according to various known techniques.

In one embodiment, processor 122a includes one or more circuits or units configured to perform one or more data calculation procedures or processes, for example, by executing instructions stored in an associated memory. In other embodiments, processor 122a may be firmware (eg, a discrete logic component) configured to perform one or more data calculation procedures or processes.

According to various embodiments, processor 122a may include one or more processors, controllers, microprocessors, microcontrollers, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processing equipment, programmable logic devices, field programmable gate arrays, or the like. or any combination of other known devices or configurations, and may perform the function of the control unit 122 described below.

The control unit 122 calculates the blood flow rate in the test site of the test subject based on the photoelectric conversion signal of the scattered light received from the measurement device 110. The control unit 122 measures blood flow using, for example, Doppler shift. Here, a blood flow measurement technique using Doppler shift will be explained.

Scattered light from moving blood cells within the tissue of a living body undergoes a frequency shift (Doppler shift) proportional to the moving speed of the blood cells in the blood based on the Doppler effect. The control unit 122 detects a beat signal (also referred to as a beat signal) caused by light interference between scattered light from stationary tissue and scattered light from moving blood cells. This beat signal is expressed as a function of the intensity of scattered light and time. The control unit 122 performs FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) on this beat signal to generate a frequency spectrum (power spectrum) in which frequency components are weighted. In the power spectrum of this beat signal, high frequency components increase in proportion to the velocity of the blood cells. Furthermore, in the power spectrum of this beat signal, the power corresponds to the amount of blood cells. The control unit 122 further calculates the first moment from the power spectrum of the beat signal and determines the blood flow rate.

The control unit 122 estimates the sleep state of the subject based on the calculated blood flow rate. Details of the sleep state estimation process executed by the control unit 122 will be described later.

The storage unit 123 can be configured with a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or the like. The storage unit 123 stores various information and/or programs for operating the electronic device 100. The storage unit 123 may also function as a work memory.

The input unit 124 accepts operation input from the subject, and is composed of operation buttons (operation keys) as shown in FIG. 1, for example. The input unit 124 may be configured with a touch screen, for example, and may display an input area for accepting operation input from the subject on a part of the display device to accept touch operation input from the subject.

Next, details of the subject's sleeping state will be explained. Here, the sleep state may include whether the subject is sleeping, that is, whether the subject is awake or asleep. Sleep state may include the depth of sleep of the subject. Sleep depth may be classified into multiple stages. The depth of sleep may be classified, for example, as REM sleep or non-REM sleep. Sleep depth may be classified as a sleep stage, for example. The stages of sleep may be classified into four stages, for example, and may be indicated as stage 1, stage 2, stage 3, and stage 4 in descending order of sleep depth. An example of classification into four stages will be shown in the explanation of FIG. 4, which will be described later. Sleep depth may be classified as light sleep or deep sleep.

Sleep states can be classified based on, for example, brain waves. Brain waves related to sleep classification are classified into four types, in descending order of wavelength: β waves, α waves, θ waves, and δ waves. β waves are brain waves with a frequency of, for example, about 38 Hz to 14 Hz. Alpha waves are brain waves with a frequency of, for example, about 14 Hz to 8 Hz. The θ waves are brain waves having a frequency of about 8 Hz to 4 Hz, for example. The δ waves are brain waves having a frequency of about 4 Hz to 0.5 Hz, for example.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing an example of brain waves related to sleep. FIG. 4 shows changes in brain waves related to sleep and dominant brain waves.

A person is in a sleep state when theta waves or delta waves are predominant compared to beta waves or alpha waves. "Dominant" here means that the proportion of the measured brain waves increases. That is, when the θ waves become predominant over the α waves (when time is 0 in FIG. 4), it can be said that the person has fallen asleep. After falling asleep (that is, during sleep, the time in Figure 4 is between 0 and 7.5), the frequency of brain waves becomes high in the θ wave and δ wave range, as schematically shown in Figure 4. It is known that the value changes periodically as the value increases and decreases. The longer the wavelength of brain waves, the deeper the sleep, and the shorter the wavelength of the brain waves, the shallower the sleep. As the frequency of brain waves changes periodically, light sleep and deep sleep (or REM sleep and NREM sleep) are repeated. For example, if the proportion of θ waves included in brain waves is less than a predetermined value, the person is in a light sleep state (REM sleep state). When the proportion of θ waves included in brain waves is above a predetermined value, or when δ waves are predominant, the person is in a deep sleep state (non-REM sleep state).

As shown in FIG. 4, NREM sleep is divided into four stages: stage 1, stage 2, stage 3, and stage 4, starting from the lightest sleep level.

The control unit 122 uses the relationship between blood flow and a person's sleep state to estimate the above-mentioned sleep state based on the blood flow. For example, the control unit 122 estimates the sleep state using the relationship between blood flow and sleep depth. Here, the relationship between blood flow and sleep state will be explained.

The human brain activates the parasympathetic nervous system when falling asleep. Parasympathetic nerves act to release heat from inside the body to the outside in order to lower the temperature of the brain, lowering the temperature inside the body (called core temperature or core temperature). Specifically, parasympathetic nerves dilate peripheral blood vessels to increase blood flow in the outer skin (that is, the skin near the epidermis). At this time, heat in the blood is dissipated by contact between the skin and the air. Furthermore, in the outer shell, heat transmitted from deep within the body through the blood promotes sweating, and the heat in the blood is dissipated as the sweat evaporates. When the core temperature is lowered in this way, the parasympathetic nerves again cause peripheral blood vessels to constrict, and blood flow decreases accordingly. In other words, when a person falls asleep, blood flow increases, and as sleep deepens, blood flow decreases. The control unit 122 of this embodiment utilizes this property to estimate the sleep state based on the blood flow rate.

FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing an example of blood flow related to sleep. FIG. 5 shows an example of changes in blood flow during sleep onset. In FIG. 5, dominant brain waves are also described for reference. The sleep state estimation process by the control unit 122 will be described using FIG. 5. Here, the description will be made assuming that the control unit 122 estimates that the subject has fallen asleep, that the subject's sleep is light sleep, and that the subject's sleep is deep sleep. . Light sleep may correspond, for example, to a state in which θ waves are predominant, and deep sleep may correspond, for example, to a state in which δ waves are predominant.

According to the above-mentioned principle, blood flow increases when falling asleep, as shown in FIG. The control unit 122 may estimate that the subject has fallen asleep as the sleeping state of the subject when the blood flow reaches a predetermined threshold (first threshold). In FIG. 5, t1 indicates the time when the blood flow reaches the first threshold. The first threshold value may be set in advance and stored in the storage unit 123, for example. The first threshold value may be set for each subject, for example. In this case, the first threshold value may be determined by the control unit 122 or a device other than the electronic device 100, for example, using the results of measuring changes in the subject's blood flow during sleep onset multiple times. During the time until the blood flow reaches the first threshold (that is, the time until t1), the brain waves correspond to a state in which alpha waves are predominant. After the time when the subject is estimated to have fallen asleep (that is, after t1), the control unit 122 may estimate that the subject is in light sleep as the sleep state. At this time, the brain waves correspond to a state in which θ waves are dominant.

According to the above-mentioned principle, as shown in FIG. 5, blood flow decreases as sleep deepens. When the blood flow rate becomes equal to or less than a predetermined threshold (second threshold), the control unit 122 may estimate that the subject's sleep state has transitioned from light sleep to deep sleep. . In FIG. 5, t2 indicates the time when the blood flow becomes equal to or less than the second threshold. The second threshold value used here may be the same value as the first threshold value described above, or may be a different value. The second threshold value may be set in advance and stored in the storage unit 123, for example, or may be set for each subject. During the time from when the control unit 122 estimates that the subject has fallen asleep until it estimates that the subject's sleep has transitioned from light sleep to deep sleep (that is, the time from t1 to t2), the brain waves are: This corresponds to a state in which θ waves are dominant. The control unit 122 may estimate that the subject's sleep is deep sleep as the sleep state after the time when the subject's sleep is estimated to have transitioned from light sleep to deep sleep (that is, after t2). . At this time, the brain waves correspond to a state in which δ waves are dominant. In this way, the control unit 122 can estimate the sleep state of the subject based on the blood flow rate.

As described with reference to FIG. 4, a person's sleep alternates between light sleep and deep sleep. For example, after estimating that the subject's sleep is deep sleep, the control unit 122 may estimate that the sleep has transitioned from deep sleep to light sleep when the blood flow reaches the first threshold again. . The control unit 122 may estimate whether the subject is in light sleep or deep sleep by comparing the blood flow rate and a threshold value until the subject wakes up.

Note that estimation regarding sleep state transition is not limited to light sleep and deep sleep. For example, a transition between an awake state and a sleeping state may be estimated. For example, sleep stage transitions may be estimated. For example, transition between REM sleep and non-REM sleep may be estimated.

The control unit 122 can output sound from the speaker unit 119 according to the estimated sleep state of the subject. The sound output from the speaker unit 119 at this time may be an alarm sound used in a known alarm clock or the like.

For example, when the subject is in a light sleep state, the control unit 122 may output sound from the speaker unit 119 to urge the subject to wake up. By encouraging awakening when the subject is in a light sleep state, the subject is more likely to awaken than when the subject is in a deep sleep state. This makes it difficult to induce the so-called sleep inertia, a state in which the brain functions poorly, in which sleepiness and drowsiness remain.

For example, when the subject is in a light sleep state, the control unit 122 may prompt the subject to wake up before the blood flow rate of the subject becomes equal to or less than the second threshold. For example, the control unit 122 can set a third threshold higher than the second threshold and prompt the subject to wake up when the blood flow rate of the subject becomes equal to or less than the third threshold. This method may be used, for example, when the subject takes a power nap. A power nap is a short nap of about 15 to 30 minutes, and refers to a nap in which you fall asleep and wake up before falling into a deep sleep. By prompting the subject to wake up when the blood flow rate falls below the third threshold, it becomes difficult to induce sleep inertia.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of sleep state estimation processing performed by the control unit 122. The flow shown in FIG. 6 may be started, for example, when the subject wears the measurement device 110 and uses the input unit 124 of the estimation device 120 to perform an operation input to start measurement.

First, the control unit 122 starts measuring the subject's biological information (step S11). The control unit 122 starts measuring the biological information by, for example, activating the sensor unit 116 and emitting measurement light from the light emitting unit 117 .

The control unit 122 acquires a photoelectric conversion signal of the scattered light received by the light receiving unit 118 from the light receiving unit 118 (step S12).

The control unit 122 calculates the blood flow rate of the subject based on the acquired photoelectric conversion signal (step S13).

The control unit 122 estimates the sleep state of the subject based on the calculated blood flow rate (step S14). The sleep state estimation process may be the process described with reference to FIG. 5 .

The control unit 122 may repeatedly execute steps S12 to S14. The control unit 122 may prompt the subject to wake up, for example, by outputting sound from the speaker unit 119 according to the estimated sleep state.

In this way, according to the electronic device 100, the sleeping state of the subject can be estimated based on the blood flow rate of the subject. The blood flow measuring section can be configured, for example, as the sensor section 116 including the light emitting section 117 and the light receiving section 118, as described in the present embodiment. The configuration of the sensor unit 116 is smaller than, for example, a known electroencephalograph, and can be used easily. Therefore, according to the electronic device 100, the sleep state can be easily estimated using a miniaturized device compared to the case where the sleep state is estimated based on brain waves measured using an electroencephalograph. This increases the convenience for the subject and the usefulness of the electronic device 100.

(Second embodiment)
FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of an electronic device 200 according to the second embodiment. Electronic device 200 according to the second embodiment includes a measurement device 210 and an estimation device 120. Among the functional blocks included in the electronic device 200 according to the present embodiment, those having the same functions as the functional blocks included in the electronic device 100 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. The external appearance of the electronic device 200 according to this embodiment may be the same as the electronic device 100 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG.

The measuring device 210 includes a first measuring section 212a and a second measuring section 212b. The external appearance of the first measuring section 212a and the second measuring section 212b may be the same as the first measuring section 112a and the second measuring section 112b of the measuring device 110 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, respectively. The first measurement unit 212a and the second measurement unit 212b according to the present embodiment differ from the first measurement unit 112a and the second measurement unit 112b according to the first embodiment in that they include environmental information acquisition units 140a and 140b, respectively. .

The environmental information acquisition unit 140 acquires information regarding the environment around the measuring device 210, respectively. The environmental information acquisition unit 140 may acquire, for example, information regarding the environment that may affect changes in the blood flow rate of the subject. The environmental information acquisition unit 140 may be configured as a temperature measurement unit that measures the temperature around the measurement device 210, for example. The temperature measuring section is composed of, for example, a thermometer. The environmental information acquisition unit 140 configured with a thermometer may be placed, for example, in the main body 114 at a position where it comes into contact with the outside air. The information acquired by the environmental information acquisition unit 140 (hereinafter also referred to as “environmental information”) is transmitted to the estimation device 120 via the communication unit 121c. When the environmental information acquisition unit 140 is configured with a thermometer, the environmental information is information on temperature (outside air temperature).

In this embodiment, the control unit 122 of the estimation device 120 may perform various processing based on the environmental information acquired from the measurement device 210 in addition to the sleep state estimation processing described in the first embodiment. For example, the control unit 122 may determine the accuracy of sleep state estimation based on environmental information.

For example, the lower the room temperature of the room in which the subject is located, the lower the subject's core body temperature is affected by the room temperature. When a subject tries to fall asleep in this state, their core body temperature is already low, so the effect of dilating peripheral blood vessels to lower their core body temperature may be weakened. Then, compared to when the room temperature is high, the change in blood flow becomes smaller, making it difficult to accurately estimate the sleep state. Therefore, the control unit 122 can determine the estimation accuracy of the sleeping state based on, for example, the temperature (hereinafter also referred to as "environmental temperature") that is environmental information.

For example, the control unit 122 may determine the estimation accuracy of the sleep state in multiple stages. For example, the control unit 122 may determine the sleep state estimation accuracy in three levels: "high," "medium," and "low." For example, if the environmental temperature acquired from the measuring device 210 is higher than the first temperature threshold, the control unit 122 may determine the sleep state estimation accuracy to be "high". For example, if the environmental temperature acquired from the measuring device 210 is lower than the second temperature threshold, the control unit 122 may determine the sleep state estimation accuracy to be "low". However, the second temperature threshold is a lower value than the first temperature threshold. For example, when the environmental temperature acquired from the measuring device 210 is below the first temperature threshold and above the second temperature threshold, the control unit 122 may determine the sleep state estimation accuracy to be "medium". The determination of sleep state estimation accuracy by the control unit 122 is not limited to this example. The control unit 122 may determine the accuracy of sleep state estimation based on the environmental temperature obtained from the measuring device 210 by using a predetermined algorithm or by referring to a table stored in advance in the storage unit 123. . This algorithm and table may be determined such that, for example, the higher the environmental temperature is, the higher the accuracy of sleep state estimation is output.

The control unit 122 may output information regarding the estimated accuracy of the determined sleep state in the form of audio from the speaker unit 119, for example. The control unit 122 may store the estimated sleep state and the estimation accuracy of the sleep state in the storage unit 123 in association with each other.

When the control unit 122 determines that the estimation accuracy of the sleep state is higher than the predetermined accuracy, the control unit 122 causes the speaker unit 119 to generate a sound that promotes awakening based on the sleep state, as described in the first embodiment, for example. You may also output it. If the control unit 122 determines that the estimation accuracy of the sleep state is below the predetermined precision, the control unit 122 does not output a sound that promotes awakening based on the sleep state, but outputs a sound that promotes awakening based on the sleep state, for example, for the time that has passed since the subject fell asleep. A sound that promotes awakening may be output based on the following.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a sleep state estimation process and a sleep state estimation accuracy determination process executed by the control unit 122 in this embodiment. The flow shown in FIG. 8 may be started, for example, when the subject wears the measurement device 210 and uses the input unit 124 of the estimation device 120 to perform an operation input to start measurement.

The control unit 122 starts measuring the biological information of the subject (step S21), and acquires a photoelectric conversion signal of the scattered light received by the light receiving unit 118 from the light receiving unit 118 (step S22). Details of step S21 and step S22 may be the same as step S11 and step S12 in the first embodiment, respectively.

The control unit 122 acquires the environmental information acquired by the environmental information acquisition unit 140 from the measuring device 210 (step S23). In the example described above, the control unit 122 acquires information about the environmental temperature.

The control unit 122 calculates the blood flow rate of the subject based on the photoelectric conversion signal acquired in step S22 (step S24). The control unit 122 estimates the sleep state of the subject based on the calculated blood flow rate (step S25). The details of step S24 and step S25 may be the same as step S13 and step S14 in the first embodiment, respectively.

The control unit 122 estimates in step S25 and determines the estimation accuracy of the sleeping state based on the environmental information acquired in step S23 (step S26).

The control unit 122 associates the sleep state estimated in step S25 with the estimation accuracy determined in step S26, and stores them in the storage unit 123 (step S27).

The control unit 122 may repeatedly execute steps S22 to S27. The control unit 122 may prompt the subject to wake up, for example, by outputting sound from the speaker unit 119 according to the estimated sleep state.

In this way, according to the electronic device 100, not only the sleeping state of the subject can be estimated based on the blood flow rate of the subject, but also the accuracy of the estimation of the sleeping state can be determined.

In the above description, an example in which the environmental information acquisition unit 140 is configured as a thermometer has been described, but the configuration example of the environmental information acquisition unit 140 is not limited to this. For example, the environmental information acquisition unit 140 may be configured as a hygrometer that acquires humidity as environmental information (other than temperature). In this case, the environmental information acquisition unit 140 transmits the acquired humidity information to the estimation device 120. In the estimation device 120, the control unit 122 determines the estimation accuracy of the sleeping state based on the humidity. For example, the lower the humidity in the room where the subject is located, the easier it is for sweat to evaporate and the easier the core temperature of the subject is to fall. Therefore, a decrease in body temperature due to sweating is promoted, and as a result, the ability to dilate peripheral blood vessels to lower core body temperature may be weakened. In this case, the change in blood flow becomes smaller than when the humidity is high, making it difficult to accurately estimate the sleep state. Therefore, the control unit 122 can determine the estimation accuracy of the sleeping state based on, for example, humidity, which is environmental information.

The environment information acquisition unit 140 may be configured with a plurality of devices and may acquire multiple types of environment information. For example, the environmental information acquisition unit 140 may include a thermometer and a hygrometer, and may measure temperature and humidity as the environmental information. In this case, the control unit 122 may determine the sleep state estimation accuracy based on a plurality of pieces of environmental information.

Several embodiments have been described in order to provide a complete and clear disclosure of the disclosure. However, the appended claims should not be limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, but include all modifications and substitutions that can be created by a person skilled in the art within the scope of the basic matters presented in this specification. should be configured to embody a specific configuration. Further, the requirements shown in some embodiments can be freely combined.

For example, in the above embodiment, it has been explained that the test site is the concha of the ear, but the test site may be a site that has a small distribution of shunts and is not easily subject to expansion and contraction of blood vessels caused by autonomic nerves; It is not limited to the concha. The test site may be, for example, the tragus of the ear. Moreover, the test site may be a site other than the ear. For example, the test site may be a finger or the like. The test site can be any site from which biological information for calculating blood flow can be obtained.

In the embodiment described above, it has been explained that the measurement units 112 and 212 include the speaker unit 119, but the measurement units 112 and 212 do not necessarily need to include the speaker unit 119. For example, when not outputting a sound that prompts the subject to wake up, the measuring sections 112 and 212 do not need to include the speaker section 119.

The electronic device 100 may output a notification to encourage the subject to wake up by a method other than outputting sound using the speaker unit 119. For example, the electronic device 100 may include a vibrator, and may output a notification urging the subject to wake up by vibration. For example, the electronic device 100 may include a light emitting section, and may output a notification urging the subject to wake up by emitting light. The electronic device 100 may output a notification to encourage awakening by a method other than the example shown here that is recognizable by the subject.

The function of the estimation device 120 described in the above embodiment may be provided as one function in another device. For example, the functions of the estimation device 120 described in the above embodiment may be provided in a mobile terminal such as a smartphone. In this case, the mobile terminal and the measuring device 110 or 210 described in the above embodiment are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other, for example, wirelessly. A photoelectric conversion signal of the scattered light received by the light receiving unit 118 of the measurement device 110 or 210 is transmitted to the mobile terminal, and the sleep state is estimated in the mobile terminal. The functions of the estimation device 120 described in the above embodiment may be provided in a device other than a mobile terminal. In this way, the functions of the electronic devices 100 and 200 described in the above embodiments can be realized as a system by the measuring device and other devices.

100, 200 Electronic equipment 110, 210 Measuring device 111 Mounting part 111a First end 111b Second end 112a, 212a First measuring part 112b, 212b Second measuring part 113a First connecting part 113b Second connecting part 114a, 114b Main body 115a , 115b earpiece 116a, 116b sensor section 117a, 117b light emitting section 118a, 118b light receiving section 119a, 119b speaker section 120 estimation device 121a, 121b, 121c communication section 122 control section 122a processor 123 storage section 124 input section 130a, 130b cable 140a, 140b Environmental information acquisition department

Claims (13)

a sensor unit that measures information regarding blood flow in the subject's ear;
a control unit that estimates the sleep state of the subject based on the information;
a speaker unit that outputs sound to the subject;
Equipped with
The control unit is an electronic device that causes the speaker unit to output a sound that urges the subject to wake up when it is estimated that the subject has fallen into a light state after falling into a deep state of sleep. . The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the information is blood flow in the subject's ear. a sensor unit that measures blood flow in the subject's ear;
a control unit that estimates that the subject is in a light sleep state when the blood flow reaches a threshold;
a speaker unit that outputs sound to the subject;
Equipped with
The control unit may cause the speaker unit to output a sound that urges the subject to wake up when the blood flow reaches the threshold and then reaches the threshold again. further comprising a main body to which the earpiece is connected;
The electronic device according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the sensor section and the speaker section are located in the main body. The control unit includes:
According to the sleeping state, the speaker unit outputs a sound that urges the subject to wake up, and
If the estimation accuracy of the sleeping state is lower than a predetermined accuracy, the speaker unit outputs a sound that urges the subject to wake up based on the elapsed time that has passed since the subject fell asleep. An electronic device according to claim 1 or 2 or claim 4 depending on claim 1. The electronic device according to claim 1 or 2 or claim 4 or 5 dependent on claim 1, wherein the information is information estimated from reflected light or scattered light of light irradiated to the ear of the subject. . The control unit includes:
acquiring environmental information regarding the environment surrounding the subject;
The electronic device according to claim 1 or 2, or any one of claims 4 to 6 dependent on claim 1, wherein the estimation accuracy of the estimated sleep state is determined based on the environmental information. An estimation system comprising a measurement device and an estimation device,
The measuring device includes:
a sensor unit that measures information regarding blood flow in the subject's ear;
a speaker unit that outputs sound to the subject,
The estimation device includes a control unit that estimates the sleep state of the subject based on the information,
The estimation system is configured such that the control unit causes the speaker unit to output a sound that urges the subject to wake up when it is estimated that the subject has fallen into a light sleep state after entering a deep sleep state. . An estimation system comprising a measurement device and an estimation device,
The measuring device includes:
a sensor unit that measures blood flow in the subject's ear;
a speaker unit that outputs sound to the subject,
The estimation device includes a control unit that estimates that the subject is in a light sleep state when the blood flow reaches a threshold,
The control unit is configured to cause the speaker unit to output a sound that prompts the subject to wake up when the blood flow reaches the threshold and then reaches the threshold again. A control method executed by an electronic device including a sensor section, a control section, and a speaker section that outputs sound to a subject,
The sensor unit measures information regarding blood flow in the subject's ear;
The control unit estimates the sleep state of the subject based on the information;
When the control unit estimates that the subject has fallen into a light state after being in a deep state of sleep, causing the speaker unit to output a sound that urges the subject to wake up;
including control methods. A control method executed by an electronic device including a sensor section, a control section, and a speaker section that outputs sound to a subject,
The sensor unit measures blood flow in the subject's ear;
The control unit estimates that the subject is in a light sleep state when the blood flow reaches a threshold;
The control unit causes the speaker to output a sound that urges the subject to wake up when the blood flow reaches the threshold again after reaching the threshold;
including control methods. to the computer,
Measuring information regarding blood flow in the subject's ear;
Estimating the sleep state of the subject based on the information;
causing a speaker unit to output a sound that urges the subject to wake up when it is estimated that the subject has fallen into a light state after falling into a deep state of sleep;
A control program that executes. to the computer,
Measuring blood flow in the subject's ear;
Estimating that the subject is in a light sleep state when the blood flow reaches a threshold;
After the blood flow reaches the threshold, when the blood flow reaches the threshold again, a speaker unit outputs a sound that urges the subject to wake up;
A control program that executes.

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