Patent ID: 7848795
Filing Date: 2010-12-07
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method for determining the depth of sleep of a subject, the method comprising the steps of: acquiring EEG signal data from a subject; detecting REM sleep periods of the subject from the EEG signal data using a control unit; deriving a sequence of a measure indicative of irregularity in the EEG signal data using the control unit; producing, based on the measure and the detecting step, a combined sleep depth curve depicting both a sequence of a sleep depth index indicative of the depth of sleep of the subject and state information indicative of whether the EEG signal data is obtained during a REM sleep period; discarding selected segments of the EEG signal data, the selected segments corresponding to the REM sleep periods detected in the detecting step; and displaying the combined sleep depth curve on a monitor, wherein the portions of the combined sleep depth curve obtained during the REM sleep periods are visually distinguished from other sleep periods.