Auditory Sleep Stimulation System with Frequency Band Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current audio systems for improving sleep quality either rely on masking sounds that are not feedback-controlled, leading to potential disruption during sleep, or combine masking sounds with sleep-enhancing tones ineffectively, undermining the benefits of both.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates noise masking sounds in a specific frequency range before sleep onset, using a sleep monitor to detect sleep characteristics and fade out the masking sounds in the second frequency band, allowing sleep stimulation tones to be provided in that band, thereby maintaining noise masking while preserving the effectiveness of sleep-enhancing tones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If masking sounds are played throughout the night, then external noise is masked effectively, but the effectiveness of sleep enhancing tones is undermined
Solution Approach 1:
The frequency spectrum is segmented into multiple bands, with masking sounds applied selectively to certain bands while leaving other bands clear for sleep enhancing tones. This allows simultaneous noise masking and effective tone delivery without mutual interference.
Solution Approach 2:
Different frequency regions are assigned different functions: some bands receive masking sounds for noise cancellation, while other bands remain dedicated to sleep enhancing tones. This local differentiation resolves the conflict between masking and tone effectiveness.
2Reliability
If masking sounds are stopped completely, then sleep enhancing tones can be delivered effectively, but external noise masking is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The audio spectrum is divided into multiple frequency bands, allowing masking sounds to be maintained in some bands while sleep enhancing tones are delivered in other bands simultaneously, resolving the trade-off between masking and tone effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
Masking sounds and sleep enhancing tones are merged in the frequency domain by assigning them to different frequency bands, allowing both functions to operate simultaneously without interference.
3Ease of operation
If a deadline for falling asleep is set, then users have a predetermined time to sleep, but it becomes counterproductive for users with problems falling asleep
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the audio output based on real-time sleep detection feedback, transitioning from wakeful audio guidance to sleep enhancement tones as sleep onset is detected, eliminating rigid deadlines while maintaining structured audio delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sleep detection feedback to determine when to transition from wakeful audio to sleep enhancement tones, creating an adaptive system that responds to actual sleep state rather than following a predetermined timeline.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures continuous noise masking during sleep while allowing sleep stimulation tones to be effective, enhancing deep sleep quality by adjusting frequency and amplitude based on detected sleep stages and depth, thus improving overall sleep restoration.
Implementation Method 1
A system known as 'SmartSleep' of the applicant uses a sleep detection feature to create a feedback loop... delivers auditory stimulation (sleep enhancing tones) to enhance sleep slow waves
Implementation Method 2
An electroencephalogram (EEG) signal analysis is used to detect deep sleep in real-time and the system delivers auditory stimulation
Implementation Method 3
WO 2018/001936 discloses a system for adjusting a volume of sleep stimulation tones, in dependence on a depth of sleep, within this type of system. Thus, it is known to control the sleep stimulation tones using feedback from sleep monitoring.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A system delivers auditory sleep stimulation. It is able to generate masking sounds for masking external noise as well as sleep stimulation tones for promoting deep sleep. Noise masking sounds are provided in a frequency range including first and second frequency bands, before the onset of sleep. In response to the detection of particular sleep characteristics (such as a particular sleep stage), the noise masking sounds in the second frequency band are stopped. Instead, sleep stimulation tones are provided in the second frequency band. Thus, noise masking continues but the sleep stimulation tones are not masked.