Bed having sensors features for determining snore and breathing parameters of two sleepers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bed systems lack the capability to simultaneously and accurately monitor the breathing and snoring patterns of multiple users, often leading to false alarms due to environmental noise interference and crosstalk between sensors.

Innovation Solution

A bed system equipped with both acoustic and pressure sensors, a controller that processes data from these sensors to generate snore/breath parameters for each user, and a machine learning classifier to improve detection accuracy and reduce false alarms by using both sensing modalities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If acoustic sensors are used to monitor breathing and snoring, then detection capability is improved, but false alarms increase due to environmental noise interference

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebreathing and snoring detection accuracyVSAvoidfalse alarm rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines acoustic sensing with pressure sensing to create a multi-modal detection system. The controller processes both acoustic data and pressure data together, using the pressure sensor information as a reference to validate acoustic detections and filter out false alarms caused by environmental noise.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The pressure sensor acts as an intermediary validation mechanism. Instead of relying solely on acoustic sensors that are directly affected by environmental noise, the system uses pressure sensor data as an intermediate check to confirm whether acoustic signals truly represent breathing or snoring events.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If pressure sensors are used to monitor user presence, then user-specific monitoring is improved, but crosstalk between sensors increases when multiple users are present

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser-specific breathing pattern detectionVSAvoidsignal crosstalk between users

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The mattress is divided into multiple pressure sensing zones corresponding to different user positions. Each zone independently monitors pressure changes, allowing the system to distinguish between users based on their spatial location and reduce crosstalk between their signals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies local quality by assigning different acoustic sensor zones to different pressure sensor zones. This allows acoustic signals to be attributed to specific users based on the local pressure detection, improving user-specific monitoring while reducing crosstalk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple sensors are deployed to monitor multiple users, then monitoring coverage is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-user monitoring capabilityVSAvoidsensor integration and data processing

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The controller serves multiple functions: it processes acoustic sensor data, processes pressure sensor data, correlates data from both sensor types, generates snore/breath parameters, and triggers home automation rules. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated processing units for each sensing modality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system effectively monitors and distinguishes between the breathing and snoring patterns of multiple users, reducing false alarms and improving the confidence in snore detection by integrating pressure and acoustic data.

Implementation Method 1

at least one acoustic sensor configured to sense acoustic energy in the environment of the left-side user and of the right-side user

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic energy detection: Sound

Implementation Method 2

at least one pressure sensor configured to sense pressure applied to the left-side portion by the left-side user and applied to the right-side portion by the right-side user

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure sensing: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentUS20230037482A1Bed having sensors features for determining snore and breathing parameters of two sleepers

Publication Date: 2023.02.09 SLEEP NUMBER CORP

AI summary

A mattress supports a left-side user and a right-side user. At least one acoustic sensor is configured to sense acoustic energy in the environment of the left-side user and of the right-side user. At least one pressure sensor is configured to sense pressure applied to the left-side portion by the left-side user and applied to the right-side portion by the right-side user. A controller is configured to receive at least one acoustic stream from the at least one acoustic sensor and at least one pressure stream from the at least one pressure sensor. Left-side snore/breath parameters and right-side snore/breath parameters are generated. The controller is further configured to, responsive to determining that a home automation rule includes a condition that includes at least one of the left-side snore/breath parameters and the right-side snore/breath parameters send an instruction to drive a controllable device to the controllable device.