Sleep Induction System Using Respiration Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for inducing sleep, such as guided breathing devices, face limitations in detecting the awake-to-sleep transition and modifying stimuli to maintain sleep without interfering with the falling-asleep process, and lack real-time continuous measures for performance quality.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that includes a monitor for analyzing respiration patterns, a stimulus generator, a sync detector, and a sleep detector, which continuously control the stimulus to synchronize with the user's respiration, transitioning from guiding to non-guiding stimuli upon sleep detection to maintain sleep without waking the user.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If guided breathing stimulus is continuously applied to synchronize respiration, then respiration control is improved, but user awareness decreases and sleep transition is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the guiding stimulus based on real-time detection of sleep transition. When sleep is detected, the system automatically transitions from active guidance to passive stimulus, allowing the user to fall asleep without disruption while maintaining respiration control benefits during the awake state
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors respiration patterns and user awareness levels, using this feedback to determine when to switch between guiding and non-guiding modes. This feedback mechanism ensures optimal balance between respiration control and maintaining user awareness until sleep transition occurs
2Reliability
If guiding stimulus is modified after sleep detection, then sleep maintenance is improved, but interference with falling-asleep process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the sleep process into distinct phases: the falling-asleep phase (where guided respiration is applied) and the sleep maintenance phase (where passive stimulus is used). This segmentation allows different strategies to be applied to different phases, optimizing both sleep induction and maintenance without interference
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for sleep maintenance by detecting the sleep transition point in advance, allowing a smooth transition from guiding to passive stimulus. This preliminary detection and preparation ensures that sleep maintenance is initiated at the optimal moment without disrupting the falling-asleep process
3Measurement precision
If real-time continuous measure for performance quality is implemented, then sleep induction accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a multi-functional approach where the same respiration monitoring infrastructure serves multiple purposes: measuring respiration rate, detecting sleep transition, and assessing performance quality. This universality reduces overall system complexity while maintaining high measurement precision through integrated functionality
Data Source
AI summary
A system for sleep induction, detecting and tracking includes a monitor for analyzing single- and multiple-respiration patterns of a user and a stimulus generator for providing to the user multiple stimuli each bearing selectable relationships with selected temporal characteristics of the monitored respiration patterns. At least stimulus is operative to change one or more temporal characteristics of the respiration patterns by synchronization of respiration movements with specific aspects of the stimulus. A sync detector determines at least one measure of synchronization between at least one selected temporal characteristic of selected stimuli and a corresponding temporal characteristic of the respiration patterns for selected relationships between the stimuli and the temporal characteristics of the respiration patterns. A sleep detector indicates onset of sleep and a driver continuously controls the operation of the stimulus generator, the sync detector and the sleep detector based on signals as they are received.