Sleep Environment Control Device with Cause-Specific Snoring Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sleep disturbance management technologies, such as snore detectors, are inadequate in distinguishing between nasal congestion and throat constriction as causes of snoring and fail to provide targeted stimuli to effectively reduce symptoms like snoring and bruxism during sleep.
Innovation Solution
An environment control device with a determination unit that identifies the type of sleep disturbance, such as snoring due to nasal congestion or throat constriction, and a supply unit that provides tailored stimuli, including humidity-controlled air, purified air, vasoconstriction effects, or positional airflow adjustments, to address the specific cause of the disturbance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a snore detector is used to detect snoring, then snoring can be detected, but the cause of snoring (nasal congestion or throat constriction) cannot be distinguished
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the snoring detection function into multiple specialized detectors: a snore detector for detecting snoring events, a nasal congestion detector for identifying nasal breathing characteristics, and a throat constriction detector for identifying throat-related breathing patterns. This segmentation allows each detector to specialize in detecting specific aspects, enabling both snoring detection and cause identification simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a symptom determination unit as an intermediary that receives detection results from multiple detectors and integrates them to determine the overall symptom type and cause. This intermediary processes the raw detection data, combines information from different sensors, and outputs the finalized symptom classification, bridging the gap between raw detection and cause identification.
2Reliability
If random airflow is supplied to stop snoring, then snoring may be reduced, but the treatment is not targeted to the specific cause
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic treatment system where the stimulus supply is continuously adapted based on real-time symptom determination. The supply unit adjusts the type, intensity, and characteristics of stimuli (such as airflow patterns, aromatic substances, or light therapy) according to the currently determined symptom cause, making the treatment responsive and adaptable rather than static and uniform.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes multiple parameters of the supplied stimuli based on the determined symptom cause. For nasal congestion, parameters such as airflow temperature, humidity, and aromatic compound concentration are adjusted to optimize nasal passage opening. For throat constriction, different parameters such as airflow direction, velocity, and timing are modified to effectively relax throat muscles. This parameter customization enables targeted treatment for each specific cause.
Data Source
AI summary
An environment control device includes a determination unit and a supply unit. The determination unit determines the type of symptom that disturbs sleep of a sleeper. The supply unit supplies the sleeper with a stimulus that reduces the symptom, according to the type of the symptom, disturbing the sleep, determined by the determination unit. The symptom includes at least snoring, and the determination unit determines whether the snoring is due to nasal congestion or due to constriction of the throat.