Sleep Wake-Up Window Control Using Light Sleep Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Poor sleep quality and insomnia affect a significant portion of the adult population, leading to health issues, accidents, and decreased productivity, with existing solutions failing to provide comprehensive sleep management and improvement.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for sleep management that includes monitoring sleep patterns, adjusting environmental conditions, providing personalized recommendations, and using sound cues to assist in relaxation and wake-up times, while integrating with smartphones for data processing and expert advice.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If comprehensive sleep monitoring and management systems are implemented, then sleep quality and efficiency are improved, but device complexity and system resource requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesleep qualityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sleep management system is divided into multiple independent modules: sleep stage detection module, environmental condition adjustment module, sound cue generation module, and recommendation generation module. Each module performs a specific function and can operate independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive sleep management capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system integrates multiple functions into a single comprehensive platform that includes monitoring, environmental control, audio output, and advisory services. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate devices, managing complexity through integration rather than proliferation of components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If multiple sleep parameters and environmental factors are monitored simultaneously, then measurement precision and comprehensiveness are improved, but device complexity and data processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesleep stage detection accuracyVSAvoidmonitoring system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple monitoring functions including sleep stage detection, environmental sensing, and physiological parameter tracking are merged into a unified monitoring framework. The system combines data from various sources (movement sensors, environmental sensors, audio cues) and processes them through integrated algorithms to determine sleep stages, achieving comprehensive measurement without requiring completely separate systems for each parameter.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If personalized recommendations and expert advice are provided, then sleep improvement effectiveness is enhanced, but information processing and communication requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesleep improvement effectivenessVSAvoiddata processing load
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements continuous feedback loops where sleep data is collected, analyzed, and used to generate personalized recommendations. The system monitors user responses to interventions (such as sound cues or environmental adjustments) and adapts future recommendations based on this feedback, improving effectiveness while managing information processing through iterative refinement rather than exhaustive analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Loss of time

If sound cues and environmental adjustments are used to promote relaxation, then sleep onset time is reduced, but energy consumption and device operation time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime to fall asleepVSAvoiddevice energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Sound cues and environmental adjustments are applied periodically rather than continuously. The system uses timed intervals for playing relaxation sounds, adjusting environmental conditions at specific phases of the sleep attempt, and providing advice at strategic moments. This periodic operation reduces energy consumption compared to continuous operation while still achieving effective sleep onset promotion through strategically timed interventions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP4133997B1A method carried out by a processor and system for sleep management
Publication Date: 2026.04.15 RESMED SENSOR TECH LTD
  • EP4133997B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4133997B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4133997B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention discloses an apparatus to promote sleep of a user comprising: an alarm device to generate an alarm to wake user, and a processor configured to: prompt a user to input a wake-up time and a wake-up time window, the wake-up time window ending with the wake-up time; receive signals from a motion sensor, the signals being indicative of motion of the user; detect sleep information with an analysis of a breathing rate in the received signals indicative of motion; and trigger activation of the alarm device as a function of the sleep information and a function of the wake-up window and the wake-up time, wherein the function of the sleep information and the function of the wake-up window and the wake-up time comprise detecting the user being in a light sleep stage during the wake-up window.