Intelligent Respiratory Entrainment for Sleep

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing breathing programs are not personalized, failing to effectively assist individuals in falling asleep, staying asleep, or achieving better sleep quality, particularly for those with sleep-related and respiratory disorders like Obstructive Sleep Apnea and insomnia.

Innovation Solution

A system that uses biometric sensor data to determine a target respiration pattern and presents an entrainment program with tailored entrainment signals and stimuli to guide users towards optimal breathing patterns for sleep, incorporating audio, visual, or tactile cues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If existing breathing programs are used, then users can perform paced breathing exercises, but the programs are not personalized for each user and fail to effectively assist individuals in falling asleep or achieving better sleep quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepersonalization of breathing programVSAvoideffectiveness in assisting sleep

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by customizing the breathing program parameters (rate, depth, timing) to match each user's specific respiratory characteristics and sleep needs. The system adjusts the entrainment signal properties locally for each user based on their biometric data, rather than applying a uniform program to all users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adapts the breathing program in real-time based on continuous monitoring of user biometrics. The entrainment signal parameters are adjusted dynamically during the session to optimize sleep assistance effectiveness, transitioning from wakeful breathing patterns to sleep-promoting patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If biometric monitoring and personalized entrainment programs are implemented, then sleep quality and breathing pattern optimization are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesleep quality improvementVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical respiratory therapy devices with a softer, more integrated system that uses biometric sensors and software-based entrainment signals. The complexity is shifted from mechanical hardware to intelligent software algorithms that process biometric data and generate personalized breathing programs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-adjustment by automatically analyzing user biometric data and generating appropriate entrainment signals without requiring manual configuration. The system serves itself by continuously monitoring and adapting the program based on real-time physiological feedback, reducing the need for complex external controls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If respiratory therapy systems are used to treat sleep disorders, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but the systems are not fully effective until the user's trouble falling asleep is managed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoiddifficulty falling asleep

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by implementing breathing entrainment programs before the user attempts to sleep. The personalized breathing exercises prepare the user's respiratory and nervous systems in advance, reducing sympathetic activation and creating optimal conditions for falling asleep before the main sleep therapy begins.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by counteracting sympathetic nervous system activation and hyperarousal that prevent sleep onset. The entrainment signals work against the harmful effects of stress and anxiety, promoting parasympathetic dominance and creating a physiological state conducive to sleep before respiratory therapy is applied.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS20240399085A1Intelligent respiratory entrainment

Publication Date: 2024.12.05 RESMED DIGITAL HEALTH INC

AI summary

An intelligent entrainment program can make use of received biometric sensor data to provide hyper-personalized guidance to entrain a user's respiration pattern towards a target respiration pattern. The entrainment program can be used for sleep-related therapy, such as to facilitate falling asleep, staying asleep, and/or waking up. Respiration information (e.g., respiration rate, time between breaths, maximal inspiration information, maximal expiration information, respiration rate variability, respiration morphology information, and the like) can be extracted from the biometric sensor data and used to establish a target respiration pattern. An entrainment signal can be determined from the target respiration pattern and then used to present an entrainment stimulus (e.g., via audio, visual, tactile, or other stimuli) to the user.