HMD Sleep Detection and Agent Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wearable head-mounted display (HMD) devices can cause strain and disrupt sleep when users fall asleep unintentionally while wearing them, as they often do not allow for normal sleep postures.

Innovation Solution

The HMD device detects a wearer's sleep onset and, based on whether the wearer is set as a care recipient, either provides an alarm for detachment or sends a request to an agent device to remove the HMD, ensuring the device is removed without disturbing the user.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the HMD device is worn continuously for extended use, then the functionality and immersion experience are improved, but the user may fall asleep unintentionally causing strain and sleep disruption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveusage durationVSAvoidstrain and sleep disruption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of sleep onset state before the user actually falls asleep, and proactively provides alarms or notifications to prevent the harmful effects of sleeping while wearing the HMD device. This early intervention resolves the contradiction by maintaining extended usability while preventing sleep-related harm.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the user's state through sensors and provides real-time feedback through alarms when sleep onset is detected. This feedback mechanism allows the user to adjust their behavior and remove the device appropriately, resolving the contradiction between extended wear and preventing sleep disruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If an alarm is provided to alert the user to detach the HMD device, then the user is notified to remove the device, but the alarm may disturb the user's sleep

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetachment notificationVSAvoidsleep disturbance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides a gentle alarm notification that is sufficient to alert the user of the sleep onset state without being excessively loud or disruptive. This partial action approach resolves the contradiction by providing adequate notification while minimizing sleep disturbance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the HMD device sends a request to an agent device to remove the device, then the device is removed without disturbing the user, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesleep disturbanceVSAvoidsystem architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an agent device as an intermediary that receives requests from the HMD and performs the physical removal action. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by enabling non-disturbive device removal while managing system complexity through a dedicated helper component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250118191A1Head-mounted display device and method for controlling the same

Publication Date: 2025.04.10 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A method of requesting detachment of a head-mounted display (HMD) device, may include: detecting a sleep onset of a wearer wearing the HMD device; based on the sleep onset of the wearer being detected and the wearer not being set as a care recipient, generating an alarm for the detachment of the HMD device; and based on the sleep onset of the wearer being detected and the wearer being set as the care recipient, sending a request to detach the HMD device to an agent device not operated by the wearer.