Wake-up induction device and method using vibration or sound

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wake-up induction device and method using vibration or sound, including at least one layer unit having a plurality of components; a sensor unit provided in the layer unit and sensing user status information; a memory unit storing the user status information sensed by the sensor unit; a control unit generating a wake-up induction signal for each user based on the user status information stored in the memory unit; and a wake-up induction unit generating a user-specific stimulus based on the signal generated by the control unit.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a wake-up induction device and method using vibration or sound, and more particularly to a wake-up induction device and method using vibration or sound that induces a wake-up by detecting status information of a user who is on a mattress and outputting vibration or sound to the user in an appropriate manner based on the detected user information. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, as people's standard and quality of living have improved, interest in "good sleep" has increased, and in particular, industries offering various sleep induction devices or services using the latest science and technology have grown significantly. In response, many devices and services aimed at improving sleep quality have been commercialized, including a slip care service that provides guidance on sleep environment, habits, and posture through expert consultations, and a wearable device that monitors sleep status by detecting the user's breathing. While "good sleep" and "good waking up" also play an important role in determining human condition, simply waking up from a sleep state at the desired time can significantly contribute to physical and mental health throughout the day, which helps improve efficiency in aspects such as learning and work.

[0003] As the positive effects of "good sleep" and "good waking up" have emerged, busy modern people have come to expect good sleep and good waking up effects just by sleeping on a bed or mattress without any additional equipment. In response to this trend, there has been active development of beds that include a function to induce users to wake up in addition to the functions of the bed or mattress itself.

[0004] However, the wake-up function of a bed according to the conventional technology is merely connected to a user terminal via a wired / wireless method and wakes up through an alarm sound at a time set on the user terminal. In this case, if the user terminal is turned off or if the user is in a deep sleep and cannot hear the sound, the bed cannot wake up at the set time. This has the disadvantage.

[0005] The present invention has been proposed to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, and provides a wake-up guidance device and method using vibration or sound that guides users to wake up in a way suited to each user through vibration or sound output from a bed or mattress, instead of simply inducing wake-up through an alarm function of a user terminal. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a wake-up induction device and method that uses vibration or sound to induce a user to wake up through a vibration or sound generating module incorporated into a structure such as a mattress on which the user sleeps.

[0007] The present invention provides an alarm stimulus to wake up a sleeping user, but aims to propose how to generate the stimulus or what process should be performed before adding the stimulus, with the aim of creating a good weather environment for the user.

[0008] In this process, the present invention aims to provide a wake-up guidance device and method using vibration or sound that senses user status information and wakes up the corresponding user in a manner appropriate for each user based on the sensed status information.

[0009] In addition, the present invention aims to provide a wake-up guidance device and method using vibration or sound that detects status information of each user even when multiple users are sleeping and enables users to wake up individually in a manner appropriate for each user based on the detected status information.

[0010] 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]

[0011] The wake-up induction device using vibration or sound according to the present invention includes at least one layer unit having a plurality of components; a sensing unit provided in the layer unit and sensing user status information; a memory unit storing the user status information sensed by the sensing unit; a control unit generating a wake-up induction signal for each user based on the user status information stored in the memory unit; and a wake-up induction unit generating a user-specific stimulus based on the signal generated by the control unit.

[0012] In addition, in the wake-up guidance device using vibration or sound according to the present invention, the sensing unit includes at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, a vibration sensor, a position sensor, an acoustic sensor, an infrared sensor, a motion sensor, and a face recognition sensor.

[0013] In the wake-up guidance device using vibration or sound according to the present invention, the memory unit stores user status information sensed by the sensing unit in a mapped manner for each user.

[0014] In the wake-up induction device using vibration or sound according to the present invention, the memory unit may store a map of wake-up times for each user.

[0015] In addition, in the wake-up induction device using vibration or sound according to the present invention, the control unit adjusts at least one of the interval, intensity, duration, and intensity for each time period of the wake-up induction signal for each user according to user status information.

[0016] In the wake-up induction device using vibration or sound according to the present invention, the control unit controls the on / off of the wake-up induction signal according to user feedback.

[0017] In the wake-up induction device using vibration or sound according to the present invention, the wake-up induction unit includes at least one of a vibration generating module and a sound generating module.

[0018] The wake-up induction method using vibration or sound according to the present invention is a wake-up induction method performed by a wake-up induction device including a layer unit, a sensor unit, a memory unit, a control unit, and a wake-up induction unit, and includes the steps of: sensing user status information from the sensor unit provided in the layer unit; storing the user status information sensed by the sensor unit in the memory unit; generating a user-specific wake-up induction signal from the control unit based on the user status information stored in the memory unit; and generating a user-specific stimulus from the wake-up induction unit based on the signal generated by the control unit.

[0019] In addition, in the wake-up induction method using vibration or sound according to the present invention, the step of sensing the user's status information is characterized in that at least one of the user's weight, height, body proportions, identification information, and sleep state is sensed through a sensing unit including at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, a vibration sensor, a position sensor, an acoustic sensor, an infrared sensor, a motion sensor, and a face recognition sensor.

[0020] In addition, in the wake-up induction method using vibration or sound according to the present invention, the step of storing the user's state information in the memory unit is characterized in that the user's state information sensed by the sensing unit is mapped and stored for each user.

[0021] In addition, in the wake-up induction method using vibration or sound according to the present invention, the step of storing the user's state information in the memory unit is characterized in that the wake-up time for each user is mapped and stored.

[0022] In addition, in the wake-up induction method using vibration or sound according to the present invention, the step of generating a wake-up induction signal for each user from the control unit is characterized in that at least one of interval, intensity, duration, and intensity for each time period of the wake-up induction signal for each user is adjusted according to status information of the user.

[0023] In addition, in the wake-up induction method using vibration or sound according to the present invention, the step of generating a wake-up induction signal for each user from the control unit is characterized in that the wake-up induction signal is turned on / off according to user feedback.

[0024] In addition, in the wake-up induction method using vibration or sound according to the present invention, the wake-up induction unit includes at least one of a vibration generating module or a sound generating module, and the step of generating a user-specific stimulus from the wake-up induction unit is performed such that vibration or sound is output in response to a user-specific wake-up induction signal generated from the control unit.

[0025] According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a wake-up induction device using vibration or sound, comprising: at least one layer unit having a plurality of components; first and second sensing units provided in the layer unit and sensing state information of a plurality of users; a memory unit storing state information of a plurality of users sensed by the first and second sensing units; a control unit generating wake-up induction signals for each user according to the state information of the plurality of users stored in the memory unit; and first and second wake-up induction units generating stimuli for each user according to the signals generated by the control unit; wherein the first and second wake-up induction units are independently driven by the control unit to generate stimuli for each of the plurality of users.

[0026] In addition, in the wake-up guidance device using vibration or sound according to another embodiment of the present invention, the memory unit is characterized in that status information of a plurality of users sensed by the first and second sensing units is mapped and stored for each user.

[0027] In addition, in the wake-up induction device using vibration or sound according to another embodiment of the present invention, the first and second wake-up induction units include at least one of a vibration generating module or a sound generating module.

[0028] In addition, in the wake-up induction device using vibration or sound according to another embodiment of the present invention, the first and second wake-up induction units generate stimulations with different intervals, intensities, durations, and time periods for each of the plurality of users. [Effects of the Invention]

[0029] According to the present invention, by inducing a user to wake up through vibration, sound, or vibration and sound stimulation, it is possible to effectively induce the user to wake up in accordance with the user's target wake-up time.

[0030] In addition, according to the present invention, by detecting user status information and generating an optimal wake-up inducement signal according to the detected user status information, it is possible to induce the user to wake up in the most effective way for each user.

[0031] In addition, according to the present invention, user feedback information regarding detected user status information or wake-up inducement signals is periodically / non-periodically accumulated and updated, and an optimal wake-up inducement signal is generated for each user based on the updated information, so that the user can be induced to wake up in the optimal manner according to changes in the user status without the user having to specifically set their status information or preferred or disliked manner.

[0032] Furthermore, the present invention can generate wake-up signals for a plurality of users through a single device by classifying the users and detecting status information for each user.

[0033] 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]

[0034] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a wake-up induction device using vibration or sound according to the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating a method for inducing wake-up using vibration or sound according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a method for inducing wake-up using vibration or sound according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a method for generating a wake-up guidance signal based on a user's heart rate according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5a] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining a method of inducing a user to wake up by a stimulus generated from a wake-up induction unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5b] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a method for inducing a user to wake up by a stimulus generated from a wake-up induction unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5c] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining a method of inducing a user to wake up by a stimulus generated from a wake-up induction unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5d] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining a method of inducing a user to wake up by a stimulus generated from a wake-up induction unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5e] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a method for inducing a user to wake up by a stimulus generated from a wake-up induction unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6a] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a method for inducing a user to wake up by a stimulus generated from a wake-up inducing unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6b] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a method for inducing a user to wake up by a stimulus generated from a wake-up inducing unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6c] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a method for inducing a user to wake up by a stimulus generated from a wake-up inducing unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7]10 is a diagram illustrating a user-specific wake-up guidance device according to another embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] The purpose, technical configuration, and effects of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description based on the accompanying drawings. With reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention will be described in detail.

[0036] The embodiments disclosed herein 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 the present specification has various applications. Therefore, any embodiments described in the detailed description of the present invention are merely examples for better explaining the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the embodiments.

[0037] The functional blocks shown in the drawings and described below are merely examples of 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 of the functional blocks of the present invention may be a combination of various hardware and software configurations that perform the same function.

[0038] Furthermore, a phrase "including a certain component" simply refers to the presence of the component as an "open" phrase and should not be understood to exclude additional components. Furthermore, when a component is referred to as being "coupled" or "connected" to another component, it is understood that the component may be directly coupled or connected to the other component, but that other components may also be present in between.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a wake-up induction device using vibration or sound according to the present invention.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 1, a wake-up induction device 100 according to the present invention includes at least one layer unit 110 having a plurality of components, a sensing unit 120 provided in the layer unit 110 and sensing user status information, a memory unit 130 storing the user status information sensed by the sensing unit 120, a control unit 140 generating a wake-up induction signal for each user according to the user status information stored in the memory unit 130, and a wake-up induction unit 150 generating a user-specific stimulus according to the signal generated by the control unit 140.

[0041] The layer unit 110 can be understood as a member having a storage space in which the components described below can be placed. Given that the layer unit 110 has a storage space, there is no limitation on the material or shape of the layer unit 110. The layer unit 110 may be a space in which a user sleeps, such as a mattress, or any one of multiple surfaces constituting a mattress. The layer unit 110 may also be a mat placed on a mattress, or may be a member made of a fiber material other than cotton, such as wood or metal. Thus, given that the layer unit 110 has a certain storage space, there is no limitation on the material or shape of the layer unit 110. However, to facilitate understanding of the invention, the following detailed description will continue assuming that the layer unit 110 is a mattress.

[0042] The sensing unit 120 is provided on the layer unit 110 and configured to sense and acquire status information from a user. The sensing unit 120 may include a variety of sensors capable of sensing user status information, such as a pressure sensor, a vibration sensor, a position sensor, an acoustic sensor, an infrared sensor, a motion sensor, and a face recognition sensor, and may be configured with a combination of at least one of the sensors.

[0043] Specifically, the sensing unit 120 can obtain status information such as a user's weight and position information through a pressure sensor, or a user's vibration signal through a vibration sensor, thereby obtaining status information such as a heart rate, breathing status, and movement status. The sensing unit 120 can also recognize a user's voice through an acoustic sensor, and can receive feedback information by sensing a user's gesture through a motion sensor.

[0044] As such, the sensing unit 120 of the present invention is configured to sense various status information of the user located on the layer unit 110, and adjusting the type, number, layout, etc. of sensors used to sense more precise and specific user status information is not limited to the embodiments of the present invention.

[0045] The memory unit 130 is configured to store user status information sensed by the sensing unit 120, and may be an external device that is embedded in the wake-up guidance device 100 or connected to the wake-up guidance device 100 via a communication method such as wired or wireless.

[0046] The memory unit 130 may store detected user status information mapped for each user. For example, the memory unit 130 may store face information, voice information, heart rate information, etc., in addition to physical information such as height and weight of user A, and may also store specific information such as heart rate information in a wake-up state, heart rate information in a sleep state, and time taken to go from a sleep state to a wake-up state. The memory unit 130 may also store a map of wake-up times for each user, thereby allowing the wake-up time to be set automatically or manually based on the user information stored in the layer unit 110.

[0047] The control unit 140 generates a wake-up signal to wake up the user based on the user status information stored in the memory unit 130. The control unit 140 may also be understood as a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU may also be called a controller, microcontroller, microprocessor, or microcomputer. The CPU may be implemented using hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. When implemented using hardware, the CPU may be an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP), digital signal processing device (DSPD), programmable logic device (PLD), field programmable gate array (FPGA), or the like. When implemented using firmware or software, the firmware or software may be configured to include modules, procedures, or functions that perform the above-described functions or operations.

[0048] Here, the control unit 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention generates a wake-up inducement signal to induce a user to wake up according to a previously set target wake-up time, and in particular, can adjust at least one of the interval, intensity, duration, and intensity for each time period of the wake-up inducement signal for each user. That is, the present invention does not induce all users to wake up in the same way, but induces each user to wake up according to a wake-up inducement signal individually generated by the control unit 140, thereby providing a more accurate and appropriate "good wake-up" effect to the user.

[0049] The wake-up inducing unit 150 is configured to generate a user-specific stimulus according to a wake-up inducing signal generated by the control unit 140, and may include a vibration generating module or a sound generating module. The wake-up inducing unit 150 may i) generate a stimulus to induce the user's heart rate to reach a preset target value, or ii) generate an alarm stimulus to directly wake up the user.

[0050] Meanwhile, the vibration generating module or sound generating module constituting the wake-up inducing unit 150 can be driven to generate vibrational or sound stimulation based on a principle similar to that of a woofer speaker, and can be driven to simultaneously output vibrational and sound stimulation when a stronger stimulation is desired. That is, the wake-up inducing unit 150 of the present invention can induce a user to wake up in a manner suitable for or preferred by the user, among vibrational stimulation, sound stimulation, or vibration and sound stimulation. Here, the wake-up inducing unit 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to provide a user with vibrational or sound stimulation, or a combination thereof. Although a woofer speaker is merely exemplified as a device for generating the vibrational or sound stimulation, any device that generates vibrational, sound, or vibration and sound stimulation can be applied.

[0051] Furthermore, the wake-up induction device 100 of the present invention may further include a feedback receiving unit 160 that receives feedback from a user. The feedback receiving unit 160 may be implemented in various forms such as a contact or non-contact panel, an audio receiver, a motion recognition device, a button, etc., and the user can transmit various information to the wake-up induction device 100 through the feedback receiving unit 160. For example, the user can adjust a desired wake-up time and adjust the intensity or on / off of stimulation generated from the wake-up induction unit 150 through the feedback receiving unit 160.

[0052] As described above, the wake-up induction device 100 according to the present invention can individually generate an optimal wake-up induction signal according to the user's state information by detecting the user's state information through the sensing unit 120 having various sensors. In addition, the wake-up induction device 100 according to the present invention can induce the user to wake up through vibration and / or sound stimulation according to the individually generated wake-up induction signal, and can more precisely adjust the appropriate interval, intensity, and duration of stimulation for each user, thereby inducing the user to wake up in an optimal way at a time desired by the user, thereby providing a more accurate and comfortable "good wake-up" effect.

[0053] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a method for inducing wake-up using vibration or sound according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 2, the present invention provides a wake-up induction method performed by a wake-up induction device including a layer unit, a sensor unit, a memory unit, a control unit, and a wake-up induction unit, and includes step S100 of sensing user status information from the sensor unit provided in the layer unit, step S200 of storing the user status information sensed by the sensor unit in a memory unit, step S300 of generating a user-specific wake-up induction signal from the control unit according to the user status information stored in the memory unit, and step S400 of generating a user-specific stimulus from the wake-up induction unit according to the signal generated by the control unit.

[0055] The main technical feature of the present invention is that a wake-up prompt is generated based on status information of a user sleeping on a layer unit. First, step S100 of detecting the user's status information from the sensing unit is performed by detecting at least one of the user's weight, height, body proportions, identification information, and sleeping status through the sensing unit including at least one sensor of a pressure sensor, a vibration sensor, a position sensor, an acoustic sensor, an infrared sensor, a motion sensor, and a face recognition sensor.

[0056] The sensing unit can sense not only the user's physical information but also the user's identification level such as face and voice, and can sense how biometric information such as heart rate changes depending on the user's waking state or sleeping state. It can also sense the user's position and posture while sleeping. That is, step S100 of sensing the user's state information is performed by sensing various information of the user through various sensors provided in the sensing unit.

[0057] Thereafter, step S200 is performed in which the user's status information sensed by the sensing unit is stored in a memory unit. Step S200 of storing in the memory unit may be performed such that the user's status information sensed by the sensing unit is mapped and stored for each user. For example, in addition to physical information such as height and weight of user A, facial information, voice information, heart rate information, etc. may be mapped and stored in the memory unit. Furthermore, specific information such as heart rate information in the awake state, heart rate information in the sleep state, and the time it takes to go from the sleep state to the wake up state may be mapped and stored in the memory unit. In addition, the wake up time for each user may be mapped and stored in the memory unit, thereby allowing the wake up time to be set automatically or manually according to the user information located in the layer unit.

[0058] Next, the step S300 is performed in which the control unit generates a wake-up prompting signal for each user according to the user's status information stored in the memory unit. Specifically, the control unit generates the wake-up prompting signal so as to prompt the user to wake up according to the user's previously set target wake-up time, and may adjust at least one of the interval, intensity, duration, and intensity for each time period of the wake-up prompting signal for each user.

[0059] That is, the wake-up guidance method according to the present invention does not induce all users to wake up in the same way, but induces each user to wake up by a wake-up guidance signal individually generated for each user from the control unit, thereby providing the user with a more accurate and appropriate "good wake-up" effect.

[0060] Thereafter, step S400 is performed in which the wake-up inducing unit generates a user-specific stimulus in response to a signal generated from the control unit. The wake-up inducing unit may include at least one of a vibration generating module and a sound generating module, and step S400 in which the wake-up inducing unit generates a user-specific stimulus may be performed such that vibration or sound is output in response to the user-specific wake-up inducing signal generated from the control unit.

[0061] Specifically, the vibration generating module or sound generating module may refer to a module that generates vibrations or low-pitched sounds (solid-state radio wave sound) with long wavelengths, and may be driven to generate vibrational or sound stimulation using a principle similar to that of a woofer speaker. Furthermore, if a stronger stimulation is required, vibrational and sound stimulations may be output simultaneously. That is, the wake-up inducer of the present invention may induce a user to wake up using a method suitable for or preferred by the user, among vibration stimulation, sound stimulation, or vibration and sound stimulation.

[0062] As described above, the wake-up induction device method according to the present invention detects status information for each user and generates an optimal wake-up induction signal for the detected status information of the user, thereby inducing wake-up through vibration, sound, or vibration + sound stimulation in an accurate and effective manner for each user.

[0063] Furthermore, the present invention can receive a feedback signal from the user as well as sensed user status information, and generate a more optimized wake-up signal for each user by reflecting the feedback signal.

[0064] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a wake-up induction method using vibration or sound according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, the method may further include step S500 of receiving user feedback information regarding the stimulation generated by the wake-up induction unit.

[0065] A user can transmit various feedback information to the wake-up guidance device through various types of equipment such as a contact or non-contact panel, an audio receiver, a motion recognition device, a button, etc. For example, a user can adjust a desired wake-up time and can adjust the intensity or on / off of the stimulation generated by the wake-up guidance unit.

[0066] The received user feedback information can be transmitted to the memory unit and mapped to the corresponding user information and stored, and the control unit can generate a wake-up inducement signal for each user that reflects the user feedback information. Also, since the user feedback information receiving process is repeated several times and the user information is updated and stored, the user's status information can be always kept up to date. Therefore, the present invention can generate an optimal wake-up inducement signal suitable for the latest user status information, thereby always providing a "good sleep" effect.

[0067] In addition, the present invention generates a sub-threshold level of stimulation for a specific user to induce an increase in the user's heart rate, thereby activating the user's sympathetic nervous system first, and thus activating the autonomic nervous system first, thereby inducing a wake-up of the user. In this detailed description, the terms "sub-threshold level" and "threshold level" are used interchangeably. The term "sub-threshold level" refers to a stimulation level at which the user's biosignals (especially the heart rate) are regulated when the user is not yet awake, and the term "threshold level" refers to a stimulation level at which the user can be woken up from a sleep state. As can be inferred from the meaning of the term "threshold," the "sub-threshold level" is a stimulation level defined as a boundary between a stimulation level at which the user's biosignals are not regulated and a stimulation level at which the biosignals are regulated, and the "threshold level" is a stimulation level defined as a boundary between a stimulation level at which the user can maintain a sleep state and a stimulation level at which the user can be woken up. To facilitate understanding of the invention, the sub-threshold and threshold level stimulation referred to in this detailed description will be described assuming that they are levels capable of regulating the user's biological signals or waking the user, respectively, as defined above.

[0068] 4 is a diagram illustrating a method for generating a wake-up induction signal based on a user's heart rate according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the heart rate for each state of the user can be sensed from the sensor 120 of the wake-up induction device in order to derive a sub-threshold level stimulus for each user. The sensor may sense the user's heart rate through a vibration sensor and monitor or cumulatively record the heart rate for each state of the user, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto. If heart rate information for more various states is required, the heart rate may be monitored through a separate device worn by the user, and the monitored heart rate information may be transmitted to the wake-up induction device of the present invention and cumulatively recorded.

[0069] Specifically, the sensor 120 of the wake-up induction device of the present invention monitors the user's heart rate for various states, for example, the heart rate in a normal non-sleep state, the heart rate while transitioning from a non-sleep state to a sleep state, the heart rate while transitioning from a sleep state to a wake-up state, the heart rate while fully awake, etc. The heart rate information may be monitored by detecting the heart rate at least once within a specific time period and then calculating the average, or by excluding the minimum and maximum values ​​within the time period and then calculating the average.

[0070] The wake-up induction device according to the present invention defines a stimulus at a level at which the heart rate of a specific user changes in response to a stimulus generated arbitrarily based on the cumulatively recorded heart rate information for each state of the user as a sub-threshold level, and can induce a user in a sleeping state to change their heart rate to a predetermined value by applying the sub-threshold level stimulus. The wake-up induction device also defines a stimulus at a level at which the user can be woken up from sleep based on the cumulatively recorded state information of the user as a threshold level, and can change a user in a sleeping state to a non-sleeping state by applying the threshold level stimulus. The output of the sub-threshold level stimulus can be adjusted so that its intensity gradually increases until it reaches the threshold level, and the intensity of the output of such stimulus can be controlled so that the signal appears to change continuously. That is, the present invention monitors the heart rate of a user according to sleep state or sleep stage during normal times, and in particular, grasps not only the heart rate and stimulation level at the time when a specific user wakes up from sleep, but also the heart rate and stimulation level at which the heart rate can be adjusted before waking up from sleep, and can output vibration and / or sound stimulation so that the user's heart rate (or other biological signals that can induce the user to wake up) reaches a certain value at the wake-up time set by the user or at a time earlier than the set wake-up time.

[0071] For example, if a specific user's heart rate is 80-85 when waking up from sleep and if it is monitored that the current user's heart rate during the sleep stage before waking up is maintained at 70-75 for a certain time before waking up from sleep, the wake-up induction device according to the present invention can induce a gradual increase in the user's heart rate by applying a predefined sub-threshold level stimulus. If the specific user has set 6:30 as their wake-up time, the wake-up induction device can output vibration and / or sound stimulus so that the user's heart rate reaches 80 by 6:20, which is at least 10 minutes earlier than 6:30. The time up to which sub-threshold level stimulus is applied to induce the user's heart rate to reach a predetermined value is determined according to a calculation result calculated by the wake-up induction device itself. Preferably, a calculation algorithm can be implemented to induce the user's heart rate to a level that will wake them up, or to increase the stimulus to a threshold level that is strong enough to wake them up, up to a time 0-5% earlier than the user's total sleep time. This is to give the user time to maintain the sleep stage at the heart rate that is most suitable for the user for a certain period of time just before waking up, thereby preventing the user from experiencing inconvenient weather conditions due to instability of the autonomic nervous system, at least at the moment of waking up.

[0072] As another example, in order to induce a faster heart rate of a specific user currently being monitored, the wake-up induction device according to the present invention can apply a vibration stimulus that is n% shorter or m% longer than the current heart rate. By applying a sub-threshold level stimulus to the user using the current heart rate value as a reference value in this way, the wake-up induction device can induce the user's sleep state or autonomic nervous system into a desired state.

[0073] Meanwhile, such user heart rate information is periodically or non-periodically updated and cumulatively recorded, and the latest sub-threshold level and threshold level that reflect the user's surrounding environment and recent health condition can be derived. Therefore, the present invention can provide a "good wake-up" effect in an optimal manner for the user without the user having to separately input their latest environmental information or health condition.

[0074] In addition, the present invention can provide a wake-up induction signal and stimulation intensity and time optimized for each user, and Figures 5a to 5e are diagrams for explaining a method of inducing wake-up by a user-specific stimulation generated from a wake-up induction unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] The magnitude and duration of the stimulus that induces an appropriate wake-up state vary depending on the user's tendencies, preferences, and sleep state, and the present invention can generate an optimal wake-up induction signal for each user from the control unit based on the user's state information obtained from the sensing unit.

[0076] For example, the user can be induced to wake up by gradually or stepwise increasing or decreasing the intensity of the stimulus provided to the user. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5a, the user can be induced to wake up by starting with a weak stimulus and gradually increasing the intensity of the stimulus, or as shown in FIG. 5b, the user can be induced to wake up by starting with a strong stimulus and gradually decreasing the intensity of the stimulus.

[0077] In addition, the intensity of the stimulation provided to the user can be adjusted intermittently to induce wake-up in an interval manner, such as by generating a short strong stimulation followed by a long weak stimulation as shown in Fig. 5c, or by generating a long strong stimulation followed by a short weak stimulation as shown in Fig. 5d. Furthermore, the user can be induced to wake up by generating an impulse signal at predetermined intervals or at predetermined time points.

[0078] In addition, although not shown, the present invention can embody a variety of methods, such as a method of continuously generating only a strong intensity or a method of continuously generating only a weak intensity, a method of simultaneously generating a strong vibration stimulus and a weak sound stimulus or a method of simultaneously generating a weak vibration stimulus and a strong sound stimulus, a method of generating a strong vibration + sound stimulus or a weak vibration + sound stimulus, a method of generating only a vibration stimulus and then generating a sound stimulus at the end or first, or a method of generating only a sound stimulus and then generating a vibration stimulus at the end or first.

[0079] In other words, the present invention is characterized in that it generates an optimal wake-up induction signal for each user by generating a wake-up induction signal based on the user's status information, rather than generating a uniform vibration or sound stimulation or a fixed method set by the user to induce the user to wake up. Furthermore, the present invention periodically / non-periodically updates feedback information such as the user's status information and likes / dislikes, and generates a wake-up induction signal for each user based on the updated information, thereby generating an optimal wake-up induction signal at any time depending on the user's condition and sleep state, and providing a good "good wake-up" state.

[0080] In another embodiment of the present invention, the user may be prompted to wake up by generating a wake-up prompting signal for the user at or before or after the target wake-up time set by the user.

[0081] 6a to 6c are diagrams illustrating a method of inducing a user to wake up by a user-specific stimulus generated by a wake-up induction unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6a, a user can be induced to wake up by generating a vibration, sound, or vibration + sound stimulus from a target wake-up time set by the user. As shown in FIG. 6b, a user can be induced to wake up by generating a stimulus with a weak intensity at first and then a strong stimulus at the target wake-up time set by the user. As shown in FIG. 6c, a user can be induced to wake up by generating a stimulus with a strong intensity at first and then a weak stimulus at the target wake-up time set by the user.

[0082] That is, the present invention can induce a user to wake up in various ways, such as generating a wake-up induction signal from a target wake-up time set by the user, or generating a strong or weak stimulus before or after the target wake-up time. Therefore, the present invention can adjust the stimulus generation time and intensity in an optimal way according to each user's preference and / or status information.

[0083] In addition, although not shown, the present invention can be embodied in various embodiments, such as adjusting the intensity of stimulation stepwise or gradually around the target wake-up time set by the user, or providing vibration, sound, or vibration + sound stimulation repeatedly, and the optimal wake-up induction signal for each user can be changed and applied in real time based on user feedback information or user status information that is updated periodically / non-periodically.

[0084] Meanwhile, even when a plurality of users use the wake-up guidance device according to another embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to generate an optimal wake-up guidance signal for each user and guide the user to wake up.

[0085] 7 is a diagram illustrating a user-specific wake-up guidance device according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which a configuration for detecting user-specific status information and a configuration for generating user-specific stimuli to induce wake-up may be configured in plural for each user. Hereinafter, a description of configurations that perform the same or similar functions as the configuration of FIG. 1 will be omitted, and the wake-up guidance device according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 7, a wake-up induction device 100 using vibration or sound according to another embodiment of the present invention includes at least one layer unit 110 having a plurality of components; first and second sensing units 120a and 120b provided in the layer unit 110 and configured to sense state information of a plurality of users; a memory unit 130 storing the state information of the plurality of users sensed by the first and second sensing units 120a and 120b; a control unit 140 performing a calculation to distinguish which of the plurality of users is each based on the state information sensed by the first and second sensing units and generating a wake-up induction signal for each user according to the state information of the plurality of users stored in the memory unit 130; and first and second wake-up induction units 150a and 150b generating a stimulus for each user according to the signal generated by the control unit 140.

[0087] Here, the first and second sensing units 120a and 120b are configured to sense status information for a plurality of users, and can sense identification information for distinguishing users located on the layer unit 110, status information for each user, and the location of the corresponding user. The process of sensing identification information for distinguishing users can be performed while the user is sleeping on the layer unit 110, and is preferably performed once in the sleeping state considering that the location of the user is unlikely to change while sleeping, but can be performed two or more times depending on the characteristics or request of the user.

[0088] Various methods can be applied to distinguish the characteristics and positions of multiple users, but for example, this can be done by detecting physical information such as the user's height, weight, shoulder width, etc. through pressure sensors provided in the first and second sensing units 120a and 120b, or by detecting the magnitude of pressure, weight, impact strength, etc. applied when the user stands on the layer unit 110.

[0089] Furthermore, in order to distinguish between the characteristics and positions of multiple users, the wake-up guidance device 100 may detect the user's voice through an acoustic sensor provided in the wake-up guidance device 100, or may detect the user's face, body part, etc. through an image sensor provided in the wake-up guidance device 100. Alternatively, multiple users may be distinguished by previously stored voice signals for each user. For example, if user A is stored with a negative signal such as "I'm going to sleep" and user B is stored with a negative signal such as "I'm going to lie down," user A and user B can be distinguished by detecting such negative signals.

[0090] In addition, in order to distinguish the characteristics and locations of multiple users, it is also possible to detect the sleeping patterns and biometric information of each user. For example, the characteristics and locations of users can be distinguished by detecting various biometric information such as changes in sleeping posture and frequency of changes, sleeping postures frequently taken on a daily basis, heart rate patterns, breathing rate patterns, etc.

[0091] Here, various sensors capable of distinguishing the features and locations of multiple users may be provided as components of the first and second sensing units 120a and 120b, or may be provided in specific parts of the wake-up guidance device 100, or may be provided as separate devices connected by wire / wireless to the wake-up guidance device 100. In addition, in order to distinguish the features and locations of multiple users, at least one of the various methods mentioned above may be combined and applied, and the most accurate method may be applied sequentially depending on the accuracy of user classification.

[0092] The status information of the plurality of users sensed by the first and second sensing units 120a and 120b is stored in the memory unit 130. The memory unit 130 may map and store the status information and location of each of the plurality of users. In addition, the information stored in the memory unit 130 may be updated periodically / non-periodically for higher accuracy.

[0093] The control unit 140 generates a wake-up signal for each user according to the state information of the plurality of users stored in the memory unit 130. In particular, the present invention is characterized in that the state information for each user is mapped and stored in the memory unit 130, so that the control unit 140 generates an optimal wake-up signal for each of the plurality of users.

[0094] The first and second wake-up inducing units 150a and 150b generate a user-specific stimulus according to a user-specific wake-up inducing signal generated by the control unit 140. The first and second wake-up inducing units 150a and 150b include at least one of a vibration generating module and a sound generating module, and can be driven to simultaneously output a vibration stimulus and a sound stimulus when a stronger stimulus is desired. That is, the wake-up inducing unit 150 of the present invention can induce the user to wake up in a manner suitable for or preferred by the user, among a vibration stimulus, a sound stimulus, or a vibration and sound stimulus.

[0095] Here, the wake-up guidance units 150a and 150b according to another embodiment of the present invention are configured to provide vibration or sound stimulation, or a combination thereof, to the user, and can be any device that generates vibration, sound, or vibration and sound stimulation, and can be configured with different modules for each of multiple users.

[0096] In addition, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the first and second wake-up inducing units 150a and 150b are independently driven by the control unit 140. Therefore, the present invention can generate stimuli of different intensities and durations at different times for each of a plurality of users. That is, although the stimulating signal inducing a "good wake-up" state may vary for each of a plurality of users, in the present invention, the first and second wake-up inducing units 150a and 150b are independently driven and controlled, so that different stimuli can be provided to each user. In other words, in this embodiment of the present invention, the wake-up inducing methods of the various embodiments shown and described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 are independently applied to each of a plurality of users.

[0097] As described above, the wake-up induction device 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention is equipped with the first and second sensing units 120a and 120b that sense state information of a plurality of users, thereby enabling recognition and classification of each user as well as analysis and authentication of each user's sleep pattern. In addition, the wake-up induction device 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention independently drives the first and second wake-up induction units 150a and 150b that generate wake-up induction stimuli for each user, so that even if each user has different sleep patterns, target wake-up times, preferred wake-up methods, etc., it is possible to provide a "good wake-up" effect to all users in an optimal manner at a time desired by the user.

[0098] Incidentally, some specific embodiments for inducing a user to wake up using the wake-up induction device according to the present invention are as follows.

[0099] In one embodiment, a user can set the alarm time of the wake-up induction device to 6 o'clock, and the wake-up induction device can generate a stimulus at least at 6 o'clock by increasing the intensity of the stimulus to a level that will reliably wake the user up, thereby waking the user up at 6 o'clock. The intensity of the stimulus at this time can be adjusted to the maximum limit that the vibration generating module or the sound generating module can output, or, even if not to the maximum limit, it can be output at a stimulus intensity that is at least 20% or more of a threshold level, which is a stimulus intensity that will reliably wake the user up, so that the user can be reliably woken up. In addition, the wake-up induction device can also increase the combined output intensity by simultaneously driving the vibration generating module and the sound generating module.

[0100] In another embodiment, the wake-up induction device may be designed to apply stimulation starting n minutes before the user's set alarm time, and the intensity of the stimulation may be gradually increased over the n minutes, thereby preventing the user from being startled by a sudden alarm signal output at the set time. The intensity of the stimulation may also be adjusted based on information obtained by monitoring the user's biological signals (e.g., heart rate) so that the biological signals gradually increase. It is expected that when the intensity of the stimulation gradually increases, the user will naturally transition from a sleeping state to a non-sleeping state, providing a pleasant environment.

[0101] In another embodiment, the wake-up induction device can be controlled to start monitoring the user's heart rate a minutes before the set alarm time, and generate and output vibration stimuli that are m% faster than the monitored heart rate (for example, if the average monitored heart rate is 60 bpm (heartbeat interval is 1 second), the wake-up induction device generates vibration stimuli that are 5% faster, generating pulse-type vibration stimuli at 0.95-second intervals), thereby guiding the user's heart rate to a certain value. In this case, the user's heart rate may gradually increase due to the vibration stimuli, and each time the heart rate gradually increases, the wake-up induction device can again generate vibration stimuli that are n% faster in response to the increased value, thereby adjusting the user's heart rate. In this case, the value n may be a real number that is preferably smaller than m, but is not necessarily limited thereto, and the value n may also be the same as m.

[0102] The present invention has been described above with reference to a wake-up induction device and method using vibration or sound. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and applications described above, and various modifications may be made by a person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. However, such modifications should not be considered as being distinct from the technical idea or scope of the present invention.

[0103] 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 configurations. However, in software or hardware embodiments, the configurations and functions shown may be implemented in the form of stand-alone 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 are within the scope of the present invention.

[0104] Therefore, although the accompanying drawings and the associated techniques illustrate the technical features of the present invention, the specific arrangement of software for realizing such technical features should not be inferred unless it is clearly stated. In other words, various embodiments as described above may exist, and since such embodiments may be partially modified while having the same technical features as the present invention, they also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0105] Also, while flowcharts depict operations in the figures in a particular order, this is done to obtain the most suitable results and should not be understood as necessarily performing such operations in the particular order shown or in a sequential order, or as necessarily performing all of the operations shown. In certain cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Additionally, the separation of various system components in the embodiments described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments; the program components and systems described may generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged in multiple software products.

Claims

1. At least one layer portion having a plurality of structures; a sensing unit provided in the layer unit for sensing user status information; a memory unit in which user status information sensed by the sensing unit is stored; a control unit that generates a wake-up signal for each user based on the user's status information stored in the memory unit; and a wake-up inducing unit that generates a user-specific stimulus based on the signal generated by the control unit; Contains A wake-up induction device characterized by:

2. The memory unit The user's status information sensed by the sensing unit is mapped and stored for each user. The wake-up guidance device according to claim 1 .

3. The control unit generates a sub-threshold level or threshold level stimulus that can be calculated from accumulated user state information as the wake-up induction signal, The sub-threshold level is a critical level of stimulation that can induce a change in the biological signal of a user in a sleep state to a predetermined value; The threshold level is a critical level of stimulation that can induce a user to wake up from sleep. The wake-up guidance device according to claim 1 .

4. The wake-up induction unit Includes at least one of a vibration generating module or a sound generating module The wake-up guidance device according to claim 1 .

5. A wake-up induction method performed by a wake-up induction device including a layer unit, a sensing unit, a memory unit, a control unit, and a wake-up induction unit, sensing user state information from a sensing unit provided in the layer unit; storing user status information sensed by the sensing unit in a memory unit; generating a wake-up signal for each user from the control unit according to the user's state information stored in the memory unit; and generating a user-specific stimulus from the wake-up induction unit in response to the signal generated by the control unit; Contains A wake-up induction method characterized by:

6. At least one layer portion having a plurality of structures; first and second sensing units provided in the layer unit for sensing state information of a plurality of users; a memory unit in which state information of a plurality of users sensed by the first and second sensing units is stored; a control unit that generates a wake-up signal for each user based on the state information of the plurality of users stored in the memory unit; and first and second wake-up inducing units that generate user-specific stimuli according to the signals generated by the control unit; Including, The first and second wake-up prompting units are independently driven by the control unit to generate stimuli for each of a plurality of users. A wake-up induction device characterized by:

7. The memory unit stores a plurality of user status information sensed by the first and second sensing units, the information being mapped for each user. The wake-up guidance device according to claim 6.

8. The control unit performs a calculation to identify each of the plurality of users based on the state information of the plurality of users obtained by the first and second sensing units. The wake-up guidance device according to claim 6.

9. A wake-up induction method performed by a wake-up induction device including a layer unit, first and second sensing units, a memory unit, a control unit, and first and second wake-up induction units, sensing user status information of a plurality of users from first and second sensing units provided in the layer unit; storing user status information sensed by the sensing unit in a memory unit; generating a wake-up signal for each user from the control unit according to the user's state information stored in the memory unit; and generating a user-specific stimulus from at least one of the first and second wake-up inducing units in response to a signal generated by the control unit; Contains A wake-up induction method characterized by:

10. The step of generating a wake-up signal for each user from the control unit is performed after the step of determining which of the plurality of users each corresponds to based on the state information of the plurality of users obtained by the first and second sensing units. The wake-up induction method according to claim 9.

Images