JP2979713B2 - Sleep state determination device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sleep state judging device for judging a sleep state.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this kind of sleep state judging apparatus has various kinds of electrodes attached to a human body as represented by a polygraph, detects brain waves, eye movements, and myoelectric potentials, performs waveform processing of detection signals, and performs sleep processing. The state was determined.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional sleep state detecting apparatus, the measurement results of the electroencephalogram, eye movement and myoelectric potential are analyzed by a visual operation, or analyzed by performing complicated signal processing. There is a problem that complicated work is required, which requires a large amount of labor and cost.

[0004] If the sleep state can be detected easily and at low cost, it can be applied to product fields such as control of bedroom environment and prevention of falling asleep, and there is a thing which greatly contributes to social life. A sleep state detection device has been desired.

The first object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems. The first object of the present invention is to stop the body motion when the human body shifts to a sleep state, and to continue the body motion still state for a set time or more. Based on the physiological knowledge that the probability of falling asleep is high, and the physiological knowledge that the sensing threshold for the stimulus from the outside world increases when falling asleep, the human body's stationary state of motion and the human body's recognition state of the stimulus are determined. It is an object of the present invention to provide a practical sleep state determination device for easily and inexpensively determining a sleep state by detecting the sleep state.

A second object is to improve the accuracy of sleep judgment by changing the set time with individual differences based on a certain calculated value, that is, by automatically finding the optimum value of the set time. is there.

[0007]

In order to achieve the first object, a sleep state judging device according to the present invention comprises a body movement detecting means for detecting a body movement of a human body and an output of the body movement detecting means. A timer for measuring the stationary time of the body motion, a comparing means for comparing the preset set time with the stationary time of the body motion, a setting means for setting the set time, and the static time for the body motion and the stimulus adding means for adding a stimulus to the human body when it becomes a time or more, the human body itself whether a human body has recognized that stimulation was added input, a recognition recording means for recording the output of said recognition recording means And a determination means for determining a sleep state by using

[0008] In order to achieve the second object, the present invention provides a storage means for storing the output of the recognition recording means every night;
It has a calculating means for calculating a recognition rate of the human body for adding a stimulus based on the storage contents of the storage means, and a setting means for changing a set time so that the recognition rate becomes equal to or less than a predetermined set value.

[0009]

The present invention operates as follows by the above configuration. When the body movement detecting means detects whether or not a body movement has occurred in the human body, the timer measures the duration of the state in which no body movement has occurred, that is, the body movement stationary time.
Next, a preset set time is compared with the body motion rest time, and when the body motion rest time becomes equal to or longer than the set time, a stimulus such as sound or vibration is applied to the human body. here,
The user of the apparatus is instructed in advance, such as "when the stimulus is felt, perform a predetermined input to the recognition and recording means". That is, when the user feels a stimulus, a predetermined input is made to the recognition and recording means. And
The sleep state is determined based on the output of the recognition recording means.

Further, according to the present invention, the output of the recognition recording means is stored every night, the recognition rate of the human body with respect to stimulus application is calculated based on the stored contents, and the set time is set so that the recognition rate becomes a certain set value or less. By changing the value, the optimum value of the set time is automatically obtained.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an external appearance when this embodiment is applied to a bed, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram. 1 and 2
, 1 is a body movement detecting means for detecting a body movement of a human body,
Piezoelectric element 2, filter 3, amplifying means 4, rectifying means 5,
It comprises a smoothing means 6 and a first comparing means 7. The piezoelectric element 2 is a thin film made of a polymer piezoelectric material such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and a flexible electrode film is adhered to both surfaces thereof, and is formed into a tape shape. I have. Reference numeral 9 denotes a timer for starting time measurement based on the output of the first comparison means 7, reference numeral 10 denotes a setting means for setting a certain set time, and reference numeral 11 denotes a second which compares the set time with the time measured by the timer 9. Means of comparison,
Reference numeral 12 denotes a stimulus applying means including a buzzer,
Volume setting means for setting the volume of the sound, recognition recording means 14 comprising a push button switch, determination means 15 for determining a sleep state based on the output of the push button switch 14, LED 16 for displaying the output of the determination means 15, Is a microcomputer which incorporates a timer 9, a second comparing means 11, a determining means 15 and the like, and controls the buzzer 12 and the LED 16. Filter 3, amplifying means 4, rectifying means 5, smoothing means 6, first
The comparison means 7 and the microcomputer 17 are built in the control unit 18. The push button switch is placed so that the user can easily operate it at hand, for example, near the bedside of the mattress 8 so as to be easily moved.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below. When the piezoelectric element 2 undergoes deformation due to body motion,
A voltage is generated from the piezoelectric element 2 according to the degree of the deformation. This output signal is filtered by the filter 3, amplified by the amplifying means 4, rectified by the rectifying means 5, and smoothed by the smoothing means 6.
Is smoothed. FIG. 4 shows the smoothing device 6 when actually sleeping.
The output waveform of FIG. As shown in the figure, in the case of a coarse movement such as entering the bed, turning over, or leaving the bed, the piezoelectric element 2 undergoes a large deformation and a large output is obtained from the smoothing means 6. When the human body is in a resting state, a relatively low level output is obtained from the smoothing means 6 due to the minute body movement of the body propagated by the heart activity or respiratory activity of the human body. When no human resources are present, the output of the smoothing means 6 is zero. Hereinafter, the processing contents of the microcomputer 17 based on this output will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. The first comparing means 7 compares and determines the output V of the smoothing means 6 with two predetermined set values Va and Vb as follows. If V <Va, it is determined that the human body is absent. If Va ≦ V <Vb, it is determined that the human body is in a resting state. Further, if Vb <V, it is determined that the human body has caused a body motion. Then, the timer 9 starts a time counting operation when the first comparing means 7 determines that the person is in the bed. However, this time counting operation is reset when the absence or the body movement is determined by the first comparing means 7. That is, the timer 9 measures the body movement stationary time T.

Next, the second comparing means compares the set time To set by the setting means 10 with the time T measured by the timer 9. The reason for measuring T here is based on physiological knowledge that the human body stops moving when the human body shifts to the sleep state, and furthermore, the set time T
The reason for providing o is based on physiological knowledge that the probability of falling asleep is high if the body motion quiescent state continues for a certain period of time or longer. When T reaches To, the buzzer 12 is driven and a buzzer sounds for a certain period of time. Here, the volume of the buzzer 12 can be arbitrarily set by the volume setting means 13. The user of the apparatus is instructed in advance such as "Press the push button switch when a buzzer sound is heard." This is for determining whether or not the user's consciousness can recognize the buzzer sound. Therefore, when the user presses the push button switch 14, the determination means 15 determines that the user is in the awake state, and when the user does not press the push button switch 14, it determines that the user is in the sleep state. When the user presses the push button switch 14, a short buzzer sounds immediately after that, and the user is informed that the user has surely pressed the switch, and the LED 16 is turned on to put the user to sleep. Is displayed. A certain period of time after sleep onset is determined or the first comparing means 7 confirms that the person is asleep,
For example, if 60 minutes have passed, the buzzer 1
2 is stopped. This is to prevent the user's sleep from being disturbed by the buzzer sound by stopping the buzzer sound even if a state where To ≦ T occurs thereafter.

The above operation is performed every night at bedtime. Whether the sleep onset determination has been successful may be confirmed by checking the lighting state of the LED 16 after getting up every morning. Set time To
Is set in advance, but since there is an individual difference, the setting means 10 sets the setting time T so that the number of times of going to bedtime that the user did not feel the buzzer sound increases.
It is desirable to adjust o, so that an optimum set time To can be obtained for the user himself. Also, To
After the optimal value of is obtained, since falling asleep can be determined only by detecting the body motion rest time, generation of a buzzer sound is not necessary, and the volume of the buzzer sound may be set to zero by the volume setting means 13. .

According to the above-mentioned operation, a sleep state can be easily reduced by a simple configuration in which a stimulus is added to the human body when the body motion rest time exceeds a certain set time, and the recognition state of the human body with respect to the added stimulus is detected. There is an effect that detection can be performed at low cost. In addition, there is an effect that a sleep state can be determined in consideration of individual differences of users.

A plurality of piezoelectric elements 2 may be used, and the accuracy of detecting body movement is improved. Further, the piezoelectric element 2 may be mounted in the body axis direction of the mattress (head-to-foot direction).

Further, if a body movement can be detected, another pressure-sensitive sensor such as a capacitance sensor or a weight sensor may be used instead of the piezoelectric element.

Further, instead of the piezoelectric element, a configuration may be employed in which a body motion is detected by using an infrared sensor 19 as shown in FIG. 5, or a configuration in which the body motion is detected by an ultrasonic sensor, an optical sensor, or the like.

Although the buzzer is used as the stimulus generating means 12, a physical stimulus to be applied is provided, for example, by arranging an electric vibrator on a mattress to apply a stimulus due to vibration, or to add light with a lighting device. Is not particularly limited.

Although the recognition and recording means 14 uses a push button switch, the user is instructed to make a voice when a stimulus is felt, and the result is detected and recorded by a microphone. If you feel a stimulus by also using it, teach it to move and detect it,
It may be configured to record.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below.
The present invention is different from the above embodiment in that, as shown in FIG. 6, a storage unit 20 for storing the output of the recognition recording unit every night.
Calculating means 21 for calculating the recognition rate of the human body for adding a stimulus based on the contents stored in the storage means 20, third comparing means 22 for comparing the calculated recognition rate with a predetermined set value, The setting means 10 for changing the set time by the output of the third comparing means 22.

With the above configuration, the output of the recognition recording means every night is stored by the storage means 20, and the calculating means 21 calculates the recognition rate of the human body for adding the stimulus based on the stored contents. Thus, the recognition rate is compared with a predetermined set value. The setting unit 10 changes the set time To based on the comparison result so that the recognition rate is equal to or less than the set value. For example,
If To is short, a buzzer sound often sounds even though the user has not fallen asleep, so that the recognition rate increases. In that case, the setting of To is changed longer. Then, the setting of To is gradually changed until the recognition rate becomes equal to or less than a predetermined set value. When the recognition rate falls below a predetermined set value, To at that time is fixed as an optimum value, and the volume of the buzzer is set to zero by the volume setting means 13. After that, falling asleep is determined only by detecting the body motion rest time.

According to the above operation, in the first embodiment, the user himself / herself seeks the optimum To by trial and error. However, according to the present embodiment, the optimum value of To is automatically found, so that the usability is improved. It has the effect of doing. As a configuration for obtaining the optimum value of To, a configuration for performing fuzzy inference or the like other than the above may be used.

In each of the embodiments described above, the present invention is installed on a bed. However, the present invention may be installed on a sofa or a study chair, or installed on a bathroom or toilet to determine a sleep state. Is also good. Further, it may be installed in a car seat and applied to detection of dozing.

[0025]

As described above, according to the sleep state detecting device of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

When the body motion rest time exceeds a predetermined time, a stimulus is added to the human body, and the state of recognition of the human body with respect to the added stimulus is easily detected so that the sleep state can be reduced easily. There is an effect that detection can be performed at a cost.

Further, since the optimum value of the set time is automatically obtained, there is an effect that the user himself / herself does not have to perform trial and error and the usability is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a sleep state detection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a waveform chart showing an output from a smoothing unit of the apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the body movement detecting means of the apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a sleep state detection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 body movement detecting means 7 first comparing means 9 timer 10 setting means 11 second comparing means 12 stimulus adding means 14 recognition recording means 15 determining means means 20 storing means 21 calculating means 22 third comparing means

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A body movement detecting means for detecting a body movement of a human body, a timer for measuring a stationary time of the body movement based on an output of the body movement detecting means, a preset set time and the body movement stationary time Comparison means for comparing the setting time, setting means for setting the set time, and stimulus adding means for adding a stimulus to the human body at the time when the body motion rest time is equal to or longer than the set time,
The human body whether or not the human body has recognized that the stimulus has been added
A sleep state judging device comprising: recognition recording means for inputting and recording by itself; and judgment means for judging a sleep state based on an output of the recognition recording means. 2. A storage means for storing an output of a recognition recording means every night; a calculating means for calculating a recognition rate of a human body for applying a stimulus based on the storage contents of said storage means; The sleep state determination device according to claim 1, further comprising a setting unit that changes the set time so as to be equal to or less than the value.