Unconstrained sleep improvement device and sleep improvement method using the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to an unconstrained sleep improvement device and a sleep improvement method using the same, and more particularly to a sleep improvement device that detects biometric information from a user on a bed or mattress, determines the user's sleep state from the detected biometric information, and generates and provides stimuli to induce changes in the user's biometric signals in accordance with the determined sleep state, as well as a sleep improvement method using the same.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an unconstrained sleep improvement device and a sleep improvement method using the same, and more particularly to a sleep improvement device that detects biometric information from a user on a bed or mattress, determines the user's sleep state from the detected biometric information, and generates and provides stimuli to induce changes in the user's biosignals in accordance with the determined sleep state, as well as a sleep improvement method using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] As interest in "good sleep" grows, the sleep industry, especially the industry that offers various devices and services using sleep science, is experiencing rapid growth. Many devices and services to improve sleep quality are being commercialized, such as a sleep care service that provides advice on sleep environment, habits, and posture through consultations with experts, and a wearable device that detects the user's breathing and monitors sleep status.

[0003] On the other hand, although it is generally accepted that a good night's sleep is achieved when a user is sleeping comfortably on a mattress or bed, the sleep industry and sleep science fields still often use restraint-type devices to monitor a user's sleep state. For example, headgear-type monitoring devices worn on the head, nose-clamped monitoring devices, fingertip-mounted monitoring devices, and heart-attached monitoring devices can be considered as types of such restraint-type devices.

[0004] In order to grasp the sleep state, it is necessary to measure the user's biological information relatively accurately, but in order to measure accurate information, it is necessary to use sensors that come into direct contact with the user's body, and so far so-called restraining devices have been used. However, because these restraining devices inevitably come into contact with the user's body, there is a very high possibility that they will cause problems during sleep.

[0005] The present invention has been made with an eye on such problems, and aims to provide a sleep improvement device that has a detection means installed within a mattress-type product, so that the sleep state can be grasped without restraining the user's body, as well as a sleep improvement method using the same. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] An object of the present invention is to obtain biological information of a user in an unrestricted manner, thereby making it possible to grasp the sleep state of the user essentially without disturbing the user's sleep.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to extract significant information from the obtained biological information and accurately grasp the user's sleep state from the extracted information.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to generate and provide a stimulus that induces a change in a user's biological signals to improve the sleep state based on the determined sleep state.

[0009] Meanwhile, the technical problems of the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the unconstrained sleep improvement device of the present invention includes at least one layer having a plurality of configurations, a first detection unit provided on the layer and acquiring a vibration signal from a user, a second detection unit provided on the layer and acquiring a pressure signal accompanying the user's movements, a calculation unit that determines the user's sleep state or autonomic nervous system state from the signals obtained by the first detection unit and the second detection unit, and a stimulation unit that generates stimulation to induce a change in the user's biological signals depending on the sleep state or autonomic nervous system state.

[0011] Furthermore, in the unconstrained sleep improvement device, at least one of the first detection unit or the second detection unit is characterized in that it is provided within an area of ​​1 / 10 to 1 / 3 from the top end based on the vertical length of the layer.

[0012] In the unconstrained sleep improvement device, at least one of the first detection unit and the second detection unit includes a curved surface that curves upward or downward from the layer.

[0013] In the non-constraint sleep improvement device, the first detection unit or the second detection unit can include a wave-shaped belting member and a plurality of sensors arranged on the belting member.

[0014] Furthermore, in the unconstrained sleep improvement device, the calculation unit processes the vibration signal obtained by the first detection unit to extract multiple effective signals, and generates biometric information of the user from the extracted effective signals.

[0015] Furthermore, in the unconstrained sleep improvement device, the calculation unit is characterized in that it records the degree of correlation between the vibration signal obtained by the first detection unit and the pressure signal obtained by the second detection unit every unit time and creates a database.

[0016] In addition, the unconstrained sleep improvement device may be a mattress, and may further include a touch input pad provided on a side of the mattress and capable of receiving touch input from the user.

[0017] Meanwhile, according to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for improving a user's sleep using an unconstrained sleep improvement device includes the steps of receiving a vibration signal from a first detection unit, receiving a pressure signal from a second detection unit, determining the user's sleep state or autonomic nervous system state from the signals obtained by the first detection unit and the second detection unit, and generating a stimulus to induce a change in the user's biological signals according to the sleep state or autonomic nervous system state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] The present invention has the advantage that it is possible to obtain biological information for understanding the sleep state of a user without disturbing the user's deep sleep. That is, it is possible to obtain biological information of a user in an unrestrained environment, thereby enabling generation of stimuli to improve the quality of the user's sleep or to induce activity of the autonomic nervous system, and to understand the sleep state.

[0019] Furthermore, according to the present invention, various significant information can be extracted from the obtained biological information, which has the effect of enabling a more multifaceted understanding of the sleep state.

[0020] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by improving the sleep state, it is possible to provide long-term, safe, and fundamental care for the user's biological rhythm without relying on drugs.

[0021] In particular, the present invention has the effect of improving diseases and disorders such as sleep apnea syndrome, insomnia, PTSD, and mild cognitive impairment.

[0022] Furthermore, the present invention has the advantage that it is possible to simultaneously grasp the sleep states of two or more users and provide stimuli to improve the sleep states.

[0023] Meanwhile, the effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other technical effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1a] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an unconstrained sleep improvement device according to the present invention; [Figure 1b] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an unconstrained sleep improvement device according to the present invention; [Figure 2]FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing the internal configuration of another sleep improvement device according to the present invention, capable of acquiring biosignals from two users. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the shape and arrangement position of a detection unit. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the shape (sine wave shape) of a detection unit in another form. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a third detection unit that can be attached to the skin surface of a user. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 illustrates a fourth detector that can be worn on a user's ear. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing information that can be extracted from an original signal acquired by a first detection unit. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing an original signal acquired by a second detection unit and a sleeping posture of a user estimated therefrom. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which three or more detecting units are provided on a layer. [Figure 10] 1 is a diagram showing a predicted structure of a touch-type input pad capable of receiving touch input from a user. [Figure 11] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a sleep improvement method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] The details of the objectives, technical configurations, and effects of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description based on the drawings attached to the specification of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0026] The embodiments disclosed in this specification should not be construed or used to limit the scope of the present invention. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the description including the embodiments of this specification has various applications. Therefore, any embodiments described in the detailed description of the present invention are examples for more clearly explaining the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the embodiments.

[0027] The functional blocks shown in the drawings and described below are merely possible implementations. In other implementations, other functional blocks may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the detailed description. Also, although one or more functional blocks of the present invention are shown as individual blocks, one or more functional blocks of the present invention may be various combinations of hardware and software that perform the same function.

[0028] Furthermore, a phrase that includes a certain element should be understood to be an "open" phrase, merely indicating the presence of that element, and not excluding additional elements.

[0029] Furthermore, when a component is referred to as being "coupled" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly coupled or connected to the other component, but that there may be other components intervening.

[0030] 1A and 1B, the unconstrained sleep improvement device according to the present invention can be broadly configured to include a layer 10, a detection unit 20, an environmental information collection unit 25, a calculation unit 30, and a stimulation unit 40.

[0031] First, layer 10 may be understood as a component having a storage space in which the components described below can be placed. As long as it has a storage space, there are no limitations on the material or shape of layer 10. Layer 10 may be, for example, a mattress, or one of multiple surfaces constituting a mattress. Layer 10 may also be a mat that can be placed on a mattress, or may be a member made of wood or metal rather than a fibrous surface. As such, there are no limitations on the material or shape of layer 10 as long as it has a certain storage space. However, in the detailed description of the present invention, to facilitate understanding of the invention, it will be assumed that layer 10 is a mattress.

[0032] Next, the detection unit 20 is provided on the layer and configured to detect and acquire biometric information from the user. Specifically, the detection unit 20 can be divided into two types: a first detection unit 201 that detects vibration signals from the user, and a second detection unit 202 that detects pressure signals associated with the user's movements.

[0033] The first sensing unit 201 may preferably be made of PVDF (Polyvinylidene fluoride). PVDF is a piezoelectric material that generates electricity when mechanical or physical stimuli are applied, and this property can be used to detect vibration signals from a user sleeping on the mattress. The first sensing unit 201 ultimately detects vibrations to obtain biometric information of the user, particularly at least one of ballistocardiogram, respiratory status, and movement status.

[0034] The second detection unit 202 may preferably be implemented as an FSR (Force Sensing Resistor) array. An FSR converts pressure values ​​into resistance values. By providing a plurality of FSRs in an array, the user's posture can be estimated by referring to the magnitude of the resistance value detected when the user is lying on the mattress, utilizing the above-described characteristics. In the detailed description of the present invention, the set of values ​​obtained by the second detection unit 202 is defined as a pressure signal.

[0035] For reference, the first detection unit 201 or the second detection unit 202 may be lined on the surface with a film made of an elastic material, and such a film made of an elastic material may help to detect signals obtainable from a user more accurately and sensitively.

[0036] For reference, the division of the detection unit 20 into the first detection unit 201 and the second detection unit 202 is merely an optical division to facilitate understanding of the invention, and should not be construed as necessarily limiting the embodiments of the present invention. In particular, the detection unit 20 of the present invention can be designed in various forms, and may be designed so that the first detection unit 201 and the second detection unit 202 are arranged side by side as shown in the drawings, or so that vibration detection and pressure detection are arranged side by side on a single strip-shaped member. It should be emphasized again that there are no other limitations on the design method of the detection unit 20.

[0037] The environmental information collection unit 25 (see FIG. 1b) is a component for collecting information about the user's surrounding environment, and the information about the surrounding environment may include indoor temperature, noise, humidity, illuminance, etc. To acquire each piece of surrounding environment information, an appropriate means may be used, such as a thermometer, a hygrometer, or a illuminance meter.

[0038] The calculation unit 30 is configured to perform calculations to determine the user's sleep state from the vibration signal and / or pressure signal obtained by the first detection unit 201 and the second detection unit 202. For reference, the calculation unit 30 may be understood as a central processing unit. The central processing unit may also be called a controller, microcontroller, microprocessor, microcomputer, etc. The central processing unit may be implemented as hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. When implemented as hardware, the central processing unit may be implemented as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP), digital signal processing device (DSPD), programmable logic device (PLD), field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. When implemented as firmware or software, the firmware or software may be configured to include modules, procedures, or functions that perform the above-mentioned functions or operations. The calculation unit 30 may also include a memory, which may be implemented as a ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), flash memory, SRAM (Static RAM), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), etc.

[0039] The calculation unit 30 can extract significant signals from the signals obtained by the detection unit through filtering, and can determine the user's current sleep state from at least one signal or a combination of multiple significant signals from the extracted signals. It is known that human sleep states can be broadly divided into an awake state, a REM sleep state, and a non-REM sleep state, and that the non-REM sleep state can be further divided into multiple stages (stage 1: pre-sleep, stage 2: light sleep, stage 3 and stage 4: slow wave sleep). The calculation unit 30 can determine which stage the user is in, such as an awake state, a REM sleep state, a non-REM sleep state, or a non-REM sleep state, based on the signals detected from the user.

[0040] More specifically, the calculation unit 30 can extract at least one valid signal from a ballistocardiogram, a respiratory signal, or a movement signal by applying a preset filter condition to the vibration signal (original signal) obtained from the first detection unit 201, and can determine the user's current sleep state based on these valid signals. The determination depends on which valid signal is included within a preset specific range, which is set differently for each user. More specifically, the calculation unit 30 can extract biosignals such as a ballistocardiogram, a respiratory signal, or a movement signal from the vibration signal (original signal). The extracted biosignals can be used to obtain bioinformation such as heart rate, respiratory rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, or movement level, which can then be used to determine the user's sleep state. The determination of the sleep state depends on which bioinformation is included within a preset specific range, which is set differently for each user.

[0041] The calculation unit 30 can also estimate the sleeping posture of the currently sleeping user based on the pressure signal obtained from the second detection unit 202. That is, it can estimate from the pressure signal whether the user is lying on the layer 10 in a right lateral position, left lateral position, supine position, prone position, or sitting position. For example, the second detection unit 202 may have a plurality of sensors arranged therein, and as shown in the figure, the second detection unit 202 may be installed across the width of the mattress (layer). Depending on the user's sleeping posture, sensors that detect pressure and sensors that do not detect pressure may be distinguished. Furthermore, even among sensors that detect pressure, the magnitude of pressure may differ. Thus, the user's posture can be estimated by observing the pattern in which the sensors detect pressure. The estimated sleeping posture of the user can be used to determine the user's overall sleep state by referring to the vibration signal acquired by the first detection unit 201 or an effective signal extracted therefrom.

[0042] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 1b, the calculation unit is further divided into a first calculation unit 301 and a second calculation unit 302. The first calculation unit 301 receives signals from the detection unit 20 and performs primary processing of these signals. The second calculation unit 302 generates biometric information from the signals processed by the first calculation unit 301 and controls the stimulation unit 40 based on the biometric information. The signal processing function of the first calculation unit 301 may include a filtering function for extracting only signals of a specific band and a noise reduction function for removing noise from the signals. While the first calculation unit 301 focuses on signal processing, the second calculation unit 302 focuses on signal analysis and device control. That is, the second calculation unit 302 can calculate any judgment result by performing signal analysis using an algorithm on the obtained signals and can generate control commands based on the result to control other driving units in the sleep improvement device.

[0043] Finally, the stimulating unit 40 is configured to generate stimuli for inducing changes in the user's biosignals according to the determined sleep state. The stimulating unit 40 can be implemented in various ways depending on the type of stimuli that may affect the user. For example, the stimulating unit 40 can be implemented as an actuator that generates vibrations, a speaker that generates sound, a heater that generates heat, a cooler that generates cold, a fan that generates wind, a light that can emit light, or any other configuration that can stimulate at least one of the human senses.

[0044] Although the stimulation unit 40 is shown in the drawing as being disposed on the layer 10, the stimulation unit 40 does not necessarily have to be disposed on the layer 10, and may be disposed outside the layer 10, i.e., at a location separated by a certain distance from the layer 10. For example, assuming that the stimulation unit 40 is embodied as a speaker, the speaker is provided on the wall of the room, not on the mattress (layer), so that sound can be output when the user is asleep.

[0045] Meanwhile, the stimulation unit 40 can generate stimulation for the purpose of inducing a change in the user's biosignal. Here, the user's biosignal can include various signals detectable from the user, and the signal obtained by the first detection unit 201 or the second detection unit 202 should also be considered a type of biosignal. Inducing a change in the biosignal ultimately means activating the user's sympathetic or parasympathetic nerves through stimulation in a direction that improves the quality of the user's sleep. More specifically, activating the user's parasympathetic nerves to a desired state can enable the user to achieve good quality sleep, and activating the user's sympathetic nerves can induce the user to wake up at an appropriate time or a predetermined time (e.g., a predetermined alarm time). The stimulation unit 40 can be driven differently depending on the user's sleep state determined by the calculation unit 30. The calculation unit 30 generates a series of control signals indicating what kind of stimulation to apply based on the determined user's sleep state, and transmits the control signals to the stimulation unit 40, thereby applying appropriate stimulation to the user. In this case, the guideline may be determined differently for each user, and in particular, if the degree of activation of the sympathetic or parasympathetic nerves has been measured in advance, the degree of activation during the time when the user is presumed to be asleep may be used as the guideline. Alternatively, even if the degree of activation has not been measured in advance, the degree of activation that has already been known through many studies may be used as the guideline.

[0046] For reference, in this detailed description, unless otherwise specified, the stimulating unit 40 in which vibrations are generated by an actuator provided in the layer 10 will be taken as a representative example in order to facilitate understanding of the invention.

[0047] The unconstrained sleep improvement device according to the present invention has been described above with reference to FIG.

[0048] FIG. 2 shows another sleep improvement device according to the present invention, conceptually illustrating the internal configuration of a sleep improvement device capable of acquiring biosignals from two users. Simply put, while FIGS. 1a and 1b are sleep improvement devices compatible with a single mattress layer for one person, FIG. 2 can be understood as a sleep improvement device compatible with a double mattress (layer) for two people. The sleep improvement device of FIG. 2 may have detectors 201a and 202a, an environmental information collector 25a, a first calculator 301a, and a stimulation unit 40a on the left side of the layer 10, and similarly may have detectors 201b and 202b, an environmental information collector 25b, a calculator 301b, and a stimulation unit 40b on the right side of the layer 10. It should be noted that only one second calculator 302, i.e., the second calculator 302 configured to analyze signals and generate control commands, may be provided and designed to receive signals from the first calculators 301a and 301b on both sides. Furthermore, in some cases, it is not necessary to provide two environmental information collection units 25a, 25b, and only one can be provided around layer 10 so that the collected environmental information can be shared and utilized.

[0049] 3 shows the shape and arrangement of the detection unit 20, and as can be seen from the figure, the detection unit 20 does not necessarily have to be provided in a linear, flat or strip-like shape. In FIG. 1, the first detection unit 201 or the second detection unit 202 is illustrated as a strip-like structure arranged side by side in the width direction on the layer 10, but FIG. 3 shows that the shape of the first detection unit 201 does not have to be a flat strip-like structure.

[0050] Specifically, the upper part of FIG. 3 shows the first detection unit 201 having an upwardly convex shape, and the flat, strip-shaped second detection unit 202 disposed below it. The reason for the convex shape of the first detection unit 201 is to more effectively detect vibration signals from a sleeping user. In particular, to obtain the user's ballistocardiogram, respiratory signals, etc., the first detection unit 201 needs to be disposed as close as possible to the user's shoulders or upper back, preferably in direct contact with the user's shoulders or upper back. For this purpose, in the unconstrained sleep improvement device according to the present invention, the first detection unit 201 may be formed in an upwardly convex shape based on the flat layer 10. The second detection unit 202 may also be embodied in the same shape to effectively obtain pressure signals from the user. Meanwhile, a closer look at the upper diagram of FIG. 3 reveals that the convex shape of the first detection unit 201 can guide the user to sleep in a position where the convex shape is positioned around the user's neck. Generally, when a person is sleeping, the line connecting the head, neck, and shoulders includes a bend as shown in the figure. The user can determine the position so that the convex shape of the first detection unit 201 is positioned along this bend. For example, from the user's perspective, the user can visually identify a slightly protruding portion on the mattress (layer) and then determine the pillow and sleep position so that the user's neck is positioned at that portion. Alternatively, if the first detection unit 201 is located inside the mattress (layer) cover and the user has difficulty visually determining its position, guidelines that allow the user to determine the location of the first detection unit 201 can be displayed on the surface of the mattress (layer), allowing the user to determine the sleep position by looking at the guidelines. A mattress cover with guidelines displayed on it can be separately manufactured and provided so that the position of the first detection unit 201 can be identified, allowing the user to determine their sleep position.

[0051] Meanwhile, the lower part of FIG. 3 shows the first detection unit 201 having another shape. It can be seen that the first detection unit 201 here is embodied in a smoothly curved "L" shape, and that the first detection unit 201 having this shape is positioned so as to closely contact the shoulder line of the sleeping user when viewed from the side. The first detection unit 201 is embodied in this curved "L" shape to effectively detect vibration signals from the user. As with the upper diagram of FIG. 3, the user can be guided to determine a sleeping position according to the shape of the first detection unit 201. In this case, the outer shape of the mattress (layer), particularly the line in a side view, can be recessed from a specific portion according to the shape of the first detection unit 201, and the user can be guided to naturally adjust the position of the pillow and their sleeping position according to this recessed shape. Furthermore, as explained with respect to the upper diagram of Figure 3, since the first detection unit 201 is provided inside the cover of the mattress (layer), if it is difficult for the user to visually determine its position, convenience for the user can be increased by displaying guidelines on the surface of the mattress (layer) that allow the user to determine the location of the first detection unit 201, or by separately providing a mattress (layer) cover with guidelines displayed on it.

[0052] Meanwhile, the first and second detecting units 201 and 202 may be preferably disposed within a region of 1 / 10 to 1 / 3 from the top end of the layer in the vertical direction. This range is determined in consideration of the upper regions of the user's shoulders and back when the user is sleeping on the layer 10, i.e., the regions that are close to or in direct contact with the detecting units.

[0053] The shape and arrangement position of the detection unit have been described above with reference to FIG.

[0054] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a plurality of layers 10, and is a diagram for explaining that first detector 201B and second detector 202B can also be mounted in a wave pattern.

[0055] While it was previously mentioned that the detection unit can be embodied in a convex or concave shape in FIG. 3, a wave-shaped detection unit having a curve in a plane as shown in the drawing will be described here. A wave-shaped detection unit can have two major technical effects. One of these is that it can improve detection efficiency. Generally, mattresses (layers) have a standardized width, and when a detection unit is embodied in a general strip shape, only a limited number of detailed components (sensors) constituting the detection unit can be arranged. However, when fabricated in a wave shape as shown in FIG. 4, even a matrix (layer) of equal width can be fabricated with a greater number of sensors or a larger user contact surface, thereby improving detection efficiency. In particular, when initially creating a sleep improvement device, the detection effect of the detection unit can be improved by adjusting the width of the peaks and valleys of the waves during the design process. Another technical effect is that it can improve the durability of the detection unit. Compared to a strip-shaped detection part, a wave-shaped detection part having many bends can have better characteristics in terms of the flexibility of the member, and since pressure applied by the user's movements can place a considerable burden on the detection part when considering the characteristics of mattresses and beds in particular, adopting a wave shape that can add flexibility can further increase the durability of the detection part. The flexibility of the strip-shaped detection part can also be improved depending on the material used, but in this embodiment, assuming that the strip-shaped detection part and the wave-shaped detection part are made of the same material, it is intended to emphasize that the wave-shaped detection part exhibits better performance in terms of flexibility.

[0056] On the other hand, FIG. 4 shows both the first detector 201B and the second detector 202B embodied in a wave shape. Similar to the band-shaped detectors, the two detectors can be arranged vertically at a fixed interval. The first detector 201B and the second detector 202B do not necessarily have to have the same wave shape. For example, the two detectors may have curves with different curvatures or different lengths. Alternatively, one of the two detectors may maintain its traditional band shape. For example, the first detector 201B may maintain its band shape, while the second detector 202B may be embodied in a wave shape. Furthermore, the first detector 201B may be embodied in a concave or convex shape, as shown in FIG. 3, and the second detector 202B may be embodied in a wave shape. In this way, the detectors provided on the layer 10 can be manufactured in different shapes according to the designer's intention.

[0057] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the third detection unit 203 in the unconstrained sleep improvement device according to the present invention. As shown, the third detection unit 203 is configured to be adhesive or attachable to the user's skin, preferably a planar detection unit. The third detection unit 203 may include an adhesive layer that can be attached to the user's skin surface, and may include a sensor strip for signal detection on its surface, as well as other elements that enable it to function as a detection unit. The third detection unit 203 may include a communication means (e.g., Bluetooth) capable of short-range communication and may transmit detected signals to the calculation unit 30. In this case, it is assumed that the layer 10 includes an additional communication means capable of receiving signals from the third detection unit 203.

[0058] The third detection unit 203 is preferably attached near the location of the user's heart and can detect a vibration signal generated by heart rate or heartbeat. The first detection unit 201 is also used to determine the user's sleep state by acquiring a vibration signal. However, due to its structure, the first detection unit 201 may not be able to directly contact the user's skin, which may result in inaccurate acquired data. To compensate for this, data acquired by the third detection unit 203 can be used. For example, even if the first detection unit 201 is unable to detect the user's vibration signal for some reason, the sleep state can be analyzed and determined using the signal received from the third detection unit 203. Alternatively, if the error between the valid signal extracted from the signal received by the first detection unit 201 and the corresponding signal received from the third detection unit 203 is outside a predetermined range (e.g., more than 20%), the valid signal extracted from the first detection unit 201 can be excluded and the signal acquired by the third detection unit 203 can be used to analyze and determine the sleep state.

[0059] Meanwhile, although only an adhesive type third detecting unit 203 is shown in the drawings, the third detecting unit 203 may also be implemented as a band type in some cases. That is, the third detecting unit 203 may be defined as the third detecting unit 203 regardless of whether it is an adhesive type or a band type, as long as the third detecting unit 203 has a form in which a sensing strip or a sensing element can directly contact the surface of the user's skin.

[0060] FIG. 6 illustrates a fourth detector 204 that can be included in a sleep improvement device. The fourth detector 204 may be an earplug-type detector that can be worn in the user's ear while sleeping. The fourth detector 204 is configured to detect ear-EEG, which is a signal (electroencephalogram) that can identify brain activity through minute voltage changes measured on the skin deep in the ear. The fourth detector 204 may include a plug body 2041 inserted into the ear and electrodes 2042 attached to the plug body for detecting minute voltage changes. The fourth detector 204 may further include a wire 2043 for transmitting signals to an external device or receiving power from an external device. The fourth detector 204 may also be implemented wirelessly. In this case, the fourth detector 204 may include a wireless communication means to provide the calculation unit 30 with data necessary for analyzing and determining a sleep state. In other words, the calculation unit 30 can grasp the user's sleeping state using at least one of the vibration signal obtained from the first detection unit 201, the pressure signal obtained from the second detection unit 202, the signal obtained from the third detection unit 203, and the ear-EEG signal obtained from the fourth detection unit 204.

[0061] 7 illustrates a process in which the calculation unit 30 extracts various effective signals from the vibration signal acquired by the first detection unit 201. Referring to FIG. 7, the signal detected by the first detection unit 201 may have the same waveform as the original signal, and the detected signal may be immediately transmitted to the calculation unit 30. The calculation unit 30 may extract at least one effective signal, such as a ballistocardiogram, a respiratory signal, or a movement signal, from the original signal. Extracting an effective signal means that the calculation unit 30 filters the raw signal to obtain a signal according to a filter condition. That is, the calculation unit 30 sets the characteristics of the effective signal to be extracted as a filter condition, and as a result, applies the filter condition to the original signal to obtain the effective signal.

[0062] For reference, the lower part of Figure 7 shows how the calculation unit 30 detects heartbeat intervals from a ballistocardiogram. In this manner, the calculation unit 30 extracts a specific signal from the original signal acquired by the detection unit 20 and then derives a significant separate signal from the extracted signal, thereby determining the user's sleep state or the activity state of the autonomic nervous system. Meanwhile, when detecting heartbeat intervals, the calculation unit 30 may be designed to exclude times when the user is likely to be moving and detect heartbeat intervals only during other times. For example, the calculation unit 30 may determine that the user is moving during times when the movement signal from the signal separated from the original signal is below a predetermined value or when the magnitude value of the ballistocardiogram exceeds a predetermined value, and not detect heartbeat intervals.

[0063] 8 illustrates a process in which the calculation unit 30 estimates a user's sleeping posture from a pressure signal obtained by the second detection unit 202. Referring to FIG. 8, the signal detected by the second detection unit 202 may have values ​​as shown in the upper diagram, and the thus detected signal may be analyzed by the calculation unit 30 and used to determine the user's current posture. Specifically, based on the magnitude of the pressure signal over time, the calculation unit 30 may determine whether the user is lying on their back, on their right side, on their left side, sleeping with their arms down, or sitting. For reference, the calculation unit 30 may store pressure signals for each user's posture in advance and analyze the user's sleeping posture in real time by referring to these pressure signals. As shown in Figure 8, when the user is in the supine position, pressure signals are detected only from channels 2 to 6 out of the sensors from channels 1 to 7; when the user is in the left lateral position, pressure signals are detected from channels 3 to 6, with the signal values ​​of channels 5 and 6 gradually decreasing; and when the user is in the prone position, valid signal values ​​are detected from channels 1 to 15, with channels 3 and 4 showing signal values ​​with relatively large variations compared to the remaining channels.

[0064] Meanwhile, the calculation unit 30 not only extracts valid signals from the original signals but also performs a process of determining the user's sleep state from the valid signals. As described above, sleep states are divided into awake, REM, and non-REM sleep states, and non-REM sleep states can be further divided into various stages. The calculation unit 30 can determine the user's current sleep state by using at least one of various valid signals extractable from the original signals. For example, when the ballistocardiogram shows peak-to-peak values ​​from a1 to a2 and the respiration shows peak-to-peak values ​​from b1 to b2, the calculation unit 30 can determine the user's sleep state as REM sleep, when one cycle of the respiration signal is 5 seconds or longer, the calculation unit 30 can determine the user's sleep state as slow-wave sleep, and when the movement signal shows four or more different values ​​within 10 seconds, the calculation unit 30 can determine the user's wakefulness. Alternatively, when average movement information extracted from the movement signal is equal to or greater than a certain magnitude, it can be determined to be in an awake state; when the heartbeat interval is extracted from the ballistocardiogram and the degree of fluctuation in the heartbeat interval is quantified in the time or frequency domain and the value is equal to or greater than / less than a certain magnitude, it can be determined to be in a slow wave sleep state; or when the breathing interval is extracted from the breathing signal and the degree of fluctuation in the breathing interval is quantified in the time or frequency domain and the value is equal to or greater than / less than a certain magnitude, it can be determined to be in a REM sleep state.

[0065] The calculation unit 30 can also record the correlation between the vibration signal obtained by the first detection unit 201 and the pressure signal obtained by the second detection unit 202 for each unit time and store it in a database. When a user is present, various signals can be obtained from the user, and there are characteristic correlations between these signals. The calculation unit 30 of the present disclosure stores such correlations in a database for each unit time, thereby enabling more accurate determination of the sleep state of each individual user. The correlation between signals can be defined by various mathematical formulas, and there are no particular limitations on this. Furthermore, not only the signals obtained by the first detection unit 201 and the second detection unit 202, but also the signals obtained by the third detection unit 203 and the fourth detection unit 204 can be used to store such correlations in a database. For example, a first correlation between a ballistocardiogram extracted from a vibration signal and a pressure signal can be calculated for each unit time and stored in a database, or a second correlation between a respiratory signal extracted from a vibration signal and an ear-EEG signal can be calculated for each unit time and stored in a database. The correlation degree thus databased can be used as a reference when the calculation unit 30 determines the sleep state of a specific user, and in particular, when a specific correlation degree is shown in a specific time period, it is possible to check what sleep state was determined to be in the past when the corresponding conditions were met, thereby improving the accuracy and speed of calculations by the calculation unit 30.

[0066] FIG. 9 shows a state where a plurality of detectors are provided on the layer 10. While the above-described FIG. 1 or FIG. 3 shows a state where one first detector and one second detector are provided, a plurality of detectors can be provided as needed, as shown in FIG. 9. When a plurality of detectors are provided, more vibration signals and pressure signals can be obtained from the user, and in particular, pressure signals can be obtained from the entire area of ​​the layer 10, making it possible to grasp the sleeping posture more accurately.

[0067] FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of a sleep improvement device according to the present invention, characterized by an input pad 50 provided on the side of a mattress 100. As described above, the sleep improvement device includes a stimulator 40, which generates stimuli capable of inducing biosignals in response to the user's sleep state. However, the operation of the stimulator 40 may need to be stopped in some cases. In this embodiment, the input pad 50 is provided on the side of the mattress 100, allowing the stimulator 40 to be easily and intuitively stopped. For example, if the computing unit 30 incorrectly determines the user's sleep state and generates long-period vibration stimuli even though the user is not yet asleep, the user can stop the vibrations by pressing the input pad 50 on the side of the mattress, which simultaneously initializes the operation of the detection unit and allows the user's sleep state to be assessed again from the beginning. The stimulator 40 can also generate an alarm stimuli to wake the user up in the morning. In this case, the user can also stop the alarm stimuli by pressing the input pad 50.

[0068] Meanwhile, the input pad 50 may be provided at a position other than the side of the mattress, and may be at any position that is easily reachable by the user's hands or feet. The input pad 50 may be designed to be large so that a user who is still half asleep can easily find and press it, for example, a rectangle with a side length of 10 cm or more, or a rectangle with a side length of 50% or more of the thickness of the mattress.

[0069] 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for improving a user's sleep according to a further embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 11, the sleep improvement method may include step S101 of first determining whether the user is sleeping on layer 10, step S103 of receiving a vibration signal from a first detector, and step S105 of receiving a pressure signal from a second detector. Subsequently, step S107 of determining the user's sleep state or the state of the autonomic nervous system from the signals obtained by the first and second detectors in parallel, and step S109 of generating a stimulus to induce a change in the user's biosignal according to the sleep state or the state of the autonomic nervous system. That is, referring to FIG. 11, the sleep improvement method according to the present invention may determine the user's sleep state or the state of the autonomic nervous system (parasympathetic or sympathetic activation state) from the user's biosignal detected by detector 20, and may generate a stimulus to induce a change in the user's biosignal to a specific state based on the detected biosignal.

[0070] Alternatively, steps S107 and S109 may be performed sequentially after step S107 and then step S109, rather than in parallel after step S105. In other words, in the method for improving sleep according to the present invention, the user's sleep state may be determined from a signal obtained from the user, and then a stimulus may be generated based on the determined sleep state.

[0071] Meanwhile, the method for improving sleep may further include, most preferably, a step of checking whether a vibration signal or a pressure signal from the user is properly detected. The first and second detection units described in the present invention are both fixedly mounted on the layer 10, and the user cannot freely adjust their positions. Therefore, the user must determine where to lie on the layer 10 for an accurate analysis of their sleep state. Step S100 is a step of determining whether the signal acquisition state of the first or second detection unit is good for a predetermined period of time. Specifically, it can be understood as a step in which the user repeatedly lies down on the layer 10 for a predetermined period of time to find the position that best obtains the signal. For example, the user can find the appropriate position by repeatedly changing positions according to a given guide, such as lying down in a first position for 20 seconds and then in a second position for the next 20 seconds. Among the above steps, steps S100 and S101 are not necessarily required.

[0072] The above describes the unconstrained sleep improvement device and the sleep improvement method using the same according to the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and applications described above, and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims. However, such modifications should not be understood as being distinct from the technical ideas and perspectives of the present invention.

[0073] In particular, the configurations implementing the technical features of the present invention contained in the block diagrams and flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings of this specification imply logical boundaries between the components. However, in software or hardware embodiments, the illustrated configurations and their functions may be implemented in the form of independent software modules, monolithic software structures, code, services, or a combination thereof, and the functions may be embodied by being stored on a computer-executable medium having a processor capable of executing stored program code, instructions, etc., and therefore all such embodiments should be considered to fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0074] Therefore, although the accompanying drawings and the related description explain the technical features of the present invention, the specific arrangement of software for realizing such technical features should not be merely inferred unless explicitly stated. In other words, various embodiments as described above are possible, and these embodiments may be partially modified while having the same technical features as the present invention, and these should also be considered to fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0075] Also, while flowcharts may depict operations in a particular order, this is done to obtain the most preferred results and should not be understood as necessarily requiring such operations to be performed in the particular order or sequential order shown, or that all of the operations shown must be performed. In certain cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. It should be understood that the separation of various system components in the above-described embodiments should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments, and that the described program components and systems may generally be incorporated into a single software product or packaged into multiple software products. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 10 layers 20 Detection unit 25 Environmental Information Collection Department 25a Environmental Information Collection Department 25b Environmental Information Collection Department 30 Arithmetic section 40 Stimulation part 40a Stimulator 40b Stimulator 50 Input Pads 100 mattresses 201 First detection unit 201B First detection unit 201a Detection unit 201b Detection unit 202 Second detection unit 202B Second detection unit 203 Third detection unit 204 4th detection unit 301 1st calculation section 301a Arithmetic unit 301a 1st calculation section 301b 1st calculation section 302 2nd calculation section 2041 plug body 2042 Electrode 2043 Electric wire

Claims

1. At least one layer comprising a plurality of configurations; a first detection unit provided on the layer and configured to acquire a vibration signal from a user; a second detection unit provided on the layer and configured to acquire a pressure signal associated with a user's movement; a calculation unit that determines the sleep state or the state of the autonomic nervous system of the user from the signals obtained by the first detection unit and the second detection unit; a stimulation unit that generates stimulation to induce a change in the user's biological signal in accordance with the sleep state or the state of the autonomic nervous system; An unconstrained sleep improvement device comprising:

2. At least one of the first detection unit and the second detection unit is 2. The unconstrained sleep improvement device according to claim 1, wherein the layer is provided within an area of ​​1 / 10 to 1 / 3 from the top end based on the vertical length of the layer.

3. At least one of the first detection unit and the second detection unit is 2. The unconstrained sleep improvement device of claim 1, wherein the layer includes a curved surface that curves upward or downward.

4. The first detection unit or the second detection unit 2. The unconstrained sleep improvement device according to claim 1, comprising: a corrugated belting member; and a plurality of sensors arranged on said belting member.

5. The calculation unit The unconstrained sleep improvement device according to claim 1, characterized in that the vibration signal obtained by the first detection unit is processed to extract a plurality of effective signals, and biological information of the user is generated from the extracted effective signals.

6. The calculation unit 2. The unconstrained sleep improvement device according to claim 1, wherein the correlation between the vibration signal obtained by the first detection unit and the pressure signal obtained by the second detection unit is recorded for each unit time and compiled into a database.

7. The unconstrained sleep improvement device is a mattress, The unconstrained sleep improvement device according to claim 1 , further comprising a touch input pad provided on a side of the mattress and capable of receiving touch input from the user.

8. 1. A method for improving a user's sleep using an unconstrained sleep improvement device, comprising: receiving a vibration signal from a first detection unit; receiving a pressure signal from the second sensing unit; determining a sleep state or an autonomic nervous system state of the user from the signals obtained by the first detection unit and the second detection unit; generating a stimulus that induces a change in the user's biological signal in response to a sleep state or a state of the autonomic nervous system; A method for improving a user's sleep, including:

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