Breath Detecting Mat With Vibration Sensor And Signal Processing Circuit

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing breath detecting devices for sleep, especially contactless ones, face challenges in accurately calculating breath frequency due to weak sensing signals with high noise levels, making them unsuitable for babies and specific patients, and increasing costs due to complex signal processing circuits and algorithms.

Innovation Solution

A breath detecting system comprising a breath detecting mat with a hollow board, vibration sensors, and a signal processing circuit that generates fast-moving and slow-moving average signals using different moving average points to calculate time differences, which are then transmitted to a host for accurate breath frequency calculation, effectively removing noise from the sensing signals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a contactless breath detecting device is used, then the device is suitable for babies and specific patients, but the sensing signal becomes weak with more noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuitability for babies and specific patientsVSAvoidsignal quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a mattress as an intermediary medium between the sensor and the user. The vibration sensor is embedded in the mattress, which transmits body vibrations to the sensor while providing comfort and contactless detection. This resolves the contradiction by enabling suitable contactless detection for babies and patients while maintaining signal quality through the mattress's vibration transmission properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If a contactable breath detecting device is used, then accurate breath frequency calculation is achieved, but the device is not suitable for babies or specific patients

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebreath frequency calculation accuracyVSAvoidsuitability for babies and specific patients
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The mattress serves as an intermediary that enables accurate vibration detection without direct contact with the user's body. The vibration sensor embedded in the mattress captures body vibrations through the mattress material, achieving accurate breath frequency calculation while maintaining suitability for babies and specific patients who require contactless monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If complex signal processing circuit and algorithm are used, then accurate breath frequency is calculated from weak sensing signal, but the cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebreath frequency calculation accuracyVSAvoidsignal processing circuit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary signal processing by generating fast-moving and slow-moving average signals and calculating their cross points before transmitting data to the host. This preliminary processing reduces the complexity of signal processing required at the host端, as the most critical noise filtering and feature extraction are already completed in the signal processing circuit, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Measurement precision

If moving average processing is applied to remove noise, then signal accuracy is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal accuracyVSAvoidsignal processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses dynamic moving average processing with different lengths (fast-moving and slow-moving averages) to adaptively balance noise removal and processing time. The fast-moving average responds quickly to signal changes while the slow-moving average provides stable baseline, allowing the system to achieve good signal accuracy without excessive processing delay. This dynamic approach optimizes the trade-off between accuracy and time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 accurately calculates breath frequency without direct contact, reducing noise and increasing accuracy, making it suitable for all individuals, including babies and specific patients, while maintaining cost-effectiveness.

Implementation Method 1

at least one vibration sensor mounted in the hollow board to sense vibrations of the hollow board and output a sensing signal

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration sensing: Vibration

Data Source

PatentUS20230118938A1Breath detecting system and breath detecting mat thereof
Publication Date: 2023.04.20 YUNYUN CO LTD
  • US20230118938A1 patent drawing
  • US20230118938A1 patent drawing
  • US20230118938A1 patent drawing

AI summary

A breath detecting system and breath detecting mat thereof are disclosed. The breath detecting mat is placed under bed mattress and has a hollow board, a vibration sensor and a signal processing circuit. The vibration sensor and the signal processing circuit are mounted in the hollow board. The vibration sensor senses the micro-vibrations caused by the breathing of the person is lying on the bed mattress and outputs the breath sensing signal to the signal processing circuit. The signal processing circuit samples the sensing signal according to different moving average points to generate the fast-moving and slow-moving average signals. Since the first fast-moving and slow-moving average signals have many cross points, the signal processing circuit calculates each time difference between every two adjacent cross points. A present breath frequency is calculated according to the time differences. Therefore, the noises of the sensing signal are effectively removed.