Dynamic Threshold Sleep Detection Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining whether a person is sleeping or awake are not accurate, particularly in the initial stages of falling asleep, leading to incorrect state determination.
Innovation Solution
An evaluating apparatus with a detector to measure biological signals and a controller that uses multiple thresholds to differentiate between awake and sleeping states, adjusting thresholds based on detection periods and signal magnitudes to accurately determine sleep onset.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single threshold is used to determine sleep state, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of sleep state determination deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the threshold value changeable over time. The system transitions from a static single threshold to a dynamic multi-threshold system where threshold values are adjusted based on detection period and signal magnitude, enabling accurate sleep state determination without requiring complex manual configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the sleep detection process into multiple periods (first period for initial detection, second period for confirmed sleep) with different threshold values. This segmentation allows the system to use appropriate thresholds for different detection stages, improving overall measurement precision while maintaining manageable complexity through structured division
2Reliability
If a high threshold is used to confirm sleep state, then false positives are reduced, but the detection time for sleep onset increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using a lower threshold in the first detection period to quickly identify potential sleep onset. This preliminary detection triggers confirmation in the second period with a higher threshold, thereby reducing false positives while minimizing the time delay through staged verification rather than requiring high threshold from the start
3Productivity
If a low threshold is used for initial sleep detection, then sleep onset is detected quickly, but false positives increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by using the detection result from the first period as input for the second period. The lower threshold in the first period enables quick detection, and the system uses this initial detection to trigger confirmatory measurement in the second period with a higher threshold, thereby maintaining both speed and reliability through iterative feedback verification
Data Source
AI summary
An evaluating apparatus of this application includes a detector configured to detect a biological signal of a user, and a controller configured to calculate an amount of activity of the user from the biological signal, determine whether the user is sleeping during a first period by comparing the amount of activity with a low threshold, and determine whether the user is sleeping during a second period after the first period by comparing the amount of activity with a high threshold, the low threshold being lower than the high threshold.