Sleep Schedule Optimization for Night Shift Workers

Solution Overview

Problem

Night shift workers often experience sleep deprivation and difficulty synchronizing their sleep schedules with normal daily activities, leading to health and social issues.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method and apparatus that determines a sleep schedule for shift workers by analyzing their shift patterns, required sleep duration, and personal activities, optimizing sleep windows to ensure adequate sleep while accommodating social and family life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of moving object

If night shift workers sleep during the day, then they can maintain their work schedule, but they experience sleep deprivation and difficulty falling asleep

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetotal daily sleep durationVSAvoidsleep quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the sleep period into multiple sleep windows throughout the day instead of requiring a single continuous sleep block. This segmentation allows workers to accumulate sufficient total sleep duration while taking advantage of multiple opportunities to sleep, thereby improving both total sleep duration and sleep quality by distributing sleep across periods of lower alertness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sleep schedule is dynamically adjusted based on the worker's specific shift pattern, personal activities, and individual sleep requirements. The system calculates optimal sleep windows that adapt to changing conditions, allowing the schedule to be flexible rather than fixed, which improves both sleep duration and quality by accounting for real-world constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If night shift workers follow a fixed sleep schedule, then they can maintain routine, but they cannot accommodate personal activities and family life

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesleep routine controlVSAvoidflexibility for personal activities

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The sleep schedule is dynamically adjusted based on the worker's specific shift pattern, personal activities, and individual sleep requirements. The system calculates optimal sleep windows that adapt to changing conditions, allowing the schedule to be flexible rather than fixed, which improves both sleep duration and quality by accounting for real-world constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The sleep schedule serves multiple functions simultaneously: it ensures adequate total sleep duration, accommodates personal and family activities, and adapts to varying shift patterns. This multi-functional approach allows the same system to address sleep needs while also supporting work-life balance and personal commitments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If night shift workers prioritize work schedule, then they can maintain employment, but they experience social isolation and family problems

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvework performanceVSAvoidsocial and family involvement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The sleep schedule serves multiple functions simultaneously: it ensures adequate total sleep duration, accommodates personal and family activities, and adapts to varying shift patterns. This multi-functional approach allows the same system to address sleep needs while also supporting work-life balance and personal commitments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20240232746A1Determining a sleep schedule

Publication Date: 2024.07.11 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV

AI summary

According to an aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented method for determining a sleep schedule (20; 40; 60) for a subject. The method comprises obtaining (101) information indicating a shift working pattern for the subject, the shift working pattern comprising at least one night shift, information indicating a required duration of sleep for the subject, and information relating to any personal activities to be undertaken by the subject during the day before or day after the at least one night shift. The method also comprises analyzing (103) the obtained information to determine a sleep schedule (20; 40; 60) for the subject. The sleep schedule (20; 40; 60) comprises two or more sleep windows in the day before or day after the at least one night shift in which the subject is to sleep, with the two or more sleep windows being scheduled according to the required duration of sleep for the subject and according to any personal activities to be undertaken by the subject.