JPH03184526A - Sleep state determination device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the judgment of sleeping condition without mounting a detection means on a human body by arranging a stimulus generating means to generate a stimulus to a sleeping person, a body motion detecting means to detect a body moving reaction of the sleeping person and a judging means to judge sleeping condition of the sleeping person. CONSTITUTION:A voltage set by a setting means 5 is applied to an electric vibrator of a stimulus generating means 4 by a control means 9 at each fixed time determined by a timer 8 and when a vibration is generated, a body motion of a sleeping person is detected by a body motion detecting means 6 with respect to the vibration. Sleeping condition is judged by a judging means 7 in a non-sleeping state when there is a body motion and in a sleeping state when there is no body motion. The magnitude of vibration generated is adjustable by a setting means 5 and can be set for a size enough not to disturb sleeping. After once a sleeping state is reached, a control means 9 works to keep the vibration from being generated so that sleeping is not disturbed after the person falls asleep.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sleep state determination device for determining the sleep state of a sleeper.

A device that detects the brain waves and eye movements of a sleeper and processes the detected signals to determine the sleep state (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-2530
34 Publication), and one that detects false waves of a sleeping person and performs waveform processing on the detected signal to determine the sleep state (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 63-
150047), and as shown in FIG. 2, a detection means 1 for detecting biological signals such as brain waves, eye movement, and pulse, a signal processing means 2 for processing signals from the detection means 1, It consisted of a determining means 3 for determining the sleep state based on the output of the signal processing means 2.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with the above configuration, brain waves, eye movements,
Since the detection means 1 for detecting pulse waves, etc. is attached directly to the scalp or skin of the human body, there are problems such as discomfort caused by wearing it and sleep disturbance, and signal processing is complicated and costly. There were 8 questions such as ``expensive''.

The present invention solves the conventional problems, and aims to easily and inexpensively determine the sleep state without attaching the above-mentioned detection means to the human body.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the sleep state determination device of the present invention includes a stimulation generating means that generates a stimulus to a sleeping person, and a non-contact method that detects the sleeping person's body movement response to the stimulation. The apparatus includes a body movement detecting means for detecting body movement, and a determining means for determining the sleeping state of the sleeper based on the signal from the body movement detecting means.

According to the above-described configuration, the body movement detection means detects the body movement reaction of the sleeper to the stimulus generated by the stimulus generation means, and the sleep state is determined by the determination means based on the detected signal.

Example Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the same embodiment.

In the figure, reference numeral 4 denotes a stimulation generating means composed of an electric vibrator or the like whose vibration magnitude changes depending on the magnitude of the applied voltage, 5 a setting means for setting the voltage applied to the electric vibrator, and 6 7 is a body movement detecting means for detecting the sleeping person's body movement, which is composed of a strain gauge, etc.; 7 is a determining means for determining the sleeping state of the sleeping person based on the signal from the body movement detecting means 6; 8 is a timer; 9 is a setting. This control means controls the voltage applied to the stimulation generating means 4 based on signals from the means 5, the determining means 7, and the timer 8. When used while sleeping, the stimulation generating means 4 and the body movement detecting means 6 are placed under a sheet, mattress, pillow, etc. so that they do not come into contact with the sleeping person.

With the above configuration, when the voltage set by the setting means 5 is applied to the electric vibrator of the stimulation generating means 4 by the control means 9 at certain fixed time intervals determined by the timer 8 and vibration is generated, a biological reaction to the vibration occurs. The body movements of the sleeping person are detected by the body movement detecting means 6. Then, the sleep state is determined by the determination means 7 as a non-sleep state if there is body movement, and a sleep onset state if there is no body movement. The magnitude of the generated vibrations can be adjusted by the setting means 5, and can be set to a desired magnitude that does not disturb sleep. Moreover, once the sleep state is reached, the control means 9 can prevent voltage from being applied to the electric vibrator so as not to generate vibrations, so as not to disturb the sleep after falling asleep.

Due to the above action, the sleep state is determined by applying vibrations to the sleeper without contact and detecting the presence or absence of body movements at that time, so it is possible to determine the sleeping state by non-contactly detecting the presence or absence of body movements of the sleeper. There is no discomfort caused by attaching the detection means directly to the scalp or skin of the human body, and sleep is not disturbed. Furthermore, unlike conventional methods, signal processing is not complicated and costly, and sleep states can be determined easily and at low cost.

In the above embodiment, the stimulus generating means 4 is configured to generate vibrations, but it may also be configured to generate at least one of vibrations, sound, light, scent, heat, air current, electromagnetic waves, etc. A similar effect can be obtained.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the sleep state determining device of the present invention provides the following effects.

(1) Since it is non-contact, there is no discomfort caused by attaching the detection means for detecting brain waves, eye movements, and false information directly to the scalp or skin of the human body, and sleep is disturbed. With that said.

(2) Sleep state can be determined easily and at low cost without the need for complicated signal processing and high cost as in the past.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a sleep state determination device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional sleep state determination device. 4... Stimulation generating means, 6... Body movement detecting means, 7...
- Judgment means.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Stimulation generating means for generating stimulation to the sleeping person;
A sleep state determining device comprising a body movement detecting means for non-contactly detecting a sleeper's body movement response to the stimulation, and a determining means for determining the sleep state of the sleeper based on a signal from the body movement detecting means. (2) The sleep state determining device according to claim 1, wherein the stimulation generating means generates at least one of stimulations such as vibration, sound, light, scent, heat, air current, and electromagnetic waves to the sleeping person without contacting the sleeping person.