Patent Publication Number: US-2022233805-A1

Title: Customized-type sleep management method and system

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting sleep disorder according to a sleep step and suggesting and adjusting optimal stimulation for alleviating the sleep disorder in order to increase sleep quality. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and system for increasing sleep quality by classifying a sleep step and sleep disorder according to the sleep step by utilizing a user&#39;s bio-signal during sleep based on machine learning and suggesting customized optimal stimulation to effectively alleviate corresponding sleep disorder. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A human-computer interface is a technology that analyzes brain signals generated during various brain activities to recognize user intentions and control external devices therethrough. A user may control computers or machines through the human-computer interface without using muscles. The human-computer interface was mainly used to develop devices to assist motions of patients with kinetic disorder due to accident or disease. 
     Sleep is an important activity that maintains the body&#39;s circadian rhythm and enhances the body&#39;s recovery function. In particular, melatonin secreted from the brain during sleep not only acts as an antioxidant and anti-aging, but also regulates sleep rhythm to increase immunity through anticancer activity, blood pressure control, and stress relief. Such high-quality sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy life. However, according to the report of the organization for economic cooperation (OECD) in 2016, Korea ranked the lowest with 7 hours and 41 minutes in an “average sleep time by country survey”. This is 41 minutes shorter than an average (8 hours 22 minutes), and office workers recorded 6 hours and 6 minutes, much lower than that. In addition, according to announcement of the National Health Insurance Corporation in 2013, the number of patients treated for sleep disorders is also rapidly increasing. Insufficient sleep or poor sleep quality may break the circadian rhythm and easily lead to weakened immunity, and these sleep disorders include, for example, insomnia, hypersomnia, sleep apnea, and somnambulism. Therefore, various methods for increasing sleep quality by alleviating sleep disorders are required. 
     Methods for treating the sleep disorders include drug therapy and stimulation therapy. Drugs for treating insomnia among sleep disorders include zolpidem, halcion, ativan, diazepam, and so on, and drugs for snoring or sleep apnea include atomoxenin and oxybutynin. However, these medications are only a temporary alternative to alleviate sleep disorders, and when taken for more than 2 to 3 weeks, tolerance develops to make it difficult to see effects, and when stopping taking the drugs, symptoms may get worse. Therefore, stimulation therapy is emerging as an alternative to alleviating sleep disorders. Treatment using sensory stimuli such as hearing, sight, and smell has advantages of being relatively easily used by ordinary people in real life and having relatively few side effects. However, existing technologies for detecting and alleviating sleep disorders detect specific sleep disorders to provide a notification service or suggest only appropriate stimulation. Since the technologies did not simultaneously detect various sleep disorders that degrade the sleep quality during sleep, application of the technologies had a limitation of not leading to increase in the sleep quality. In addition, since characteristics related to the sleep disorders cannot be accurately extracted by using only specific bio-signals such as electroencephalogram signals or electromyogram signals to detect sleep disorders, it is difficult to consider that sleep disorders are accurately detected. 
     Basically, sleep is mainly composed of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. NREM sleep is a step in which rapid pupil movement does not occur and is further divided into three steps. First step (NREM1) is between sleep and wakefulness. During the first step of sleep, brain waves and muscle activity start to slow down, and representative brain waves at this time are theta waves (4 to 7 Hz). Second step (NREM2) is a step of light sleep, and in this step, a sleep spindle and K-complex are prominently displayed along with theta waves. The sleep spindle (12 to 14 Hz) and K-complex serve to suppress the body&#39;s response to external stimulation and protect sleep. Third step (NREM3) is a step of deep sleep and also known as slow wave sleep. During this step, the body responds less sensitively to the external environment, and the representative EEG is delta wave (0.5 to 4 Hz). Depending on the frequency of delta waves, it is sometimes divided into three steps and four steps. The REM sleep is a step in which rapid pupil movement occurs, during which a person usually dreams. Brain waves at this time appear similar to ae waking state. Sleep disorders do not appear continuously during sleep, but rather occur at a specific step of sleep. Therefore, there is a need for a method to accurately classify each sleep step in order to fundamentally increase a user&#39;s sleep quality, detect sleep disorders that may appear in the corresponding sleep step, and propose optimal stimulation to alleviate the sleep disorders. 
     The existing inventions have a limitation in that only one sleep disorder is detected, and determine a sleep state and occurrence of sleep disorders only with the user&#39;s non-electrophysiological signals during sleep without measuring the electrophysiological signal and do not use machine learning, and thus, there is a disadvantage that accuracy of accurate sleep step measurement and sleep disorder detection is reduced. In addition, since one person may have various sleep disorders, it is necessary to suggest a machine learning-based customized optimal stimulation that may accurately detect and effectively alleviate sleep disorders according to sleep steps. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     In order to solve the above-described problems, an object of an embodiment of the present invention is to detect accurate sleep step and various sleep disorders in real time by simultaneously analyzing an electrophysiological signal including brain waves and a non-electrophysiological signal including motion and sound and provide customized optimal stimulation according to the sleep disorders. 
     However, technical problems to be solved by the present embodiments are not limited to the technical problems described above, and there may be other technical problems. 
     Solution to Problem 
     According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, as a technical means for solving the above-described technical problems, a customized sleep management method performed by a customized sleep management system includes a step of collecting a bio-signal by using a computing device; a step of generating user sleep data by performing a pre-processing process on the collected bio-signal; a step of classifying sleep steps by using a sleep analysis model receiving the user sleep data and detecting sleep disorder appearing in the classified sleep steps; and a step of providing customized stimulation for alleviating the detected sleep disorder. The bio-signal includes at least one of an electrophysiological signal (EEG, EOG, EMG, or ECG) and a non-electrophysiological signal. 
     According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, as a technical means for solving the above-described technical problems, a customized sleep management system includes a measurement device including at least one measurement module for measuring a bio-signal; a stimulation providing device including at least one stimulation providing module for providing stimulation to a user; and a computing device that collects the bio-signal through the measurement device and provides customized stimulation through the stimulation providing device to alleviate sleep disorder in sleep steps classified by analysis of the collected bio-signal. The computing device includes a memory storing a customized sleep management program, and a processor for executing the program stored in the memory. The processor executes the customized sleep management program to collect the bio-signal measured by the measurement device, performs a pre-processing process on the collected bio-signal to receive user sleep data generated by performing pre-processing process for the collected bio-signal and to output sleep disorder information, and provides the customized stimulation matching the sleep disorder information through the stimulation providing device. The bio-signal includes at least one of an electrophysiological signal (EEG, EOG, EMG, or ECG) and a non-electrophysiological signal. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     According to a problem solving means of the present invention described above, it is possible to accurately determine a sleep step and sleep disorder by simultaneously analyzing an electrophysiological signal and a non-electrophysiological signal. 
     In addition, according to the problem solving means of the present invention, stimulation intensity may be adjusted by suggesting optimal stimulation capable of effectively alleviating each sleep disorder and continuously measuring a user&#39;s sleep state. 
     In addition, according to the problem solving means of the present invention, the user&#39;s sleep step and the sleep disorder are analyzed in real time to suggest customized optimal stimulation according thereto, and stimulation intensity according thereto is adjusted, and thus, sleep quality may be increased more effectively than existing technology. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a customized sleep management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a user terminal in the customized sleep management system according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a process sequence of a customized sleep management method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating sleep analysis result data of a visualized user interface provided by the customized sleep management method according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     MODE OF DISCLOSURE 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings such that those skilled in the art to which the present application belongs may easily implement the embodiments. However, the present application may be implemented in several different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In addition, in order to clearly describe the present application in the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and similar reference numerals are attached to similar components throughout the specification. 
     Throughout the present specification, when a portion is “connected” to another portion, this includes not only a case of being “directly connected”, but also a case of being “electrically connected” with another component interposed therebetween. In addition, when a portion “includes” a component, this means that other components may be further included therein rather than excluding other components, unless otherwise stated, and it will be understood that the present invention does not preclude a possibility of presence or addition of one or more other features or numbers, steps, operations, components, portions, or combinations thereof. 
     In the present specification, a “terminal” may be a wireless communication device with guaranteed portability and mobility, and may be, for example, any type of handheld-based wireless communication device such as a smartphone, a tablet personal computer (PC), or a notebook computer. In addition, the “terminal” may also be a wired communication device such as a PC that may be connected to another terminal or a server through a network. In addition, the network indicates a connection structure capable of exchanging information between respective nodes such as terminals or servers, and includes a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet (World Wide Web (WWW)), a wired and wireless data network, a telephone network, and a wired and wireless television network. 
     For example, the wireless data communication network includes third generation (3G), 4G, 5G, third generation partnership project (3GPP), long term evolution (LTE), world interoperability for microwave access (WIMAX), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth communication, infrared communication, ultrasound communication, visible light communication (VLC), Li-Fi, and so on but are not limited thereto. 
     The following embodiments are detailed description to help understanding of the present invention, and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, an invention of the same scope performing the same function as the present invention will also fall within the scope of the present invention. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a customized sleep management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     A customized sleep management method may be performed by a computing device  300 , a user terminal  100 , or a server  200  linked to the user terminal  100 . In the customized sleep management method, sleep data collection may be performed by one or more computing devices  300  and a measurement device  400 . Analysis of the collected data may be performed by the server  200 , and analysis result data may be provided to each user terminal  100 . A plurality of users may each perform the customized sleep management method by using the computing device  300 . 
     The user terminal  100  may be one of various devices, such as a smartphone, a tablet PC, a laptop computer, and a smart watch. The computing device  300  may include only the user terminal  100 , and in this case, the measurement device  400  and a stimulation providing device  500  linked to the user terminal  100  may be used. 
     The measurement device  400  for measuring a bio-signal may measure an electrophysiological signal appearing when a user is sleeping and a non-electrophysiological signal. For example, the measurement device  400  may measure, for example, an electroencephalogram (EEG), an electromyography (EMG), an electrocardiogram (ECG), an electrooculogram (EOG) signal and a sound, a body temperature, and a motion signal of a user during sleep. The measurement device  400  may include a measurement module for each bio-signal to be measured. 
     The stimulation providing device  500  for providing a customized stimulation may provide a stimulation including at least one of sound, vibration, and light to a user in order to alleviate the detected sleep disorder. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, Optimal stimulation (sound, light, stimulation using an ultrasonic humidifier, vibration, temperature/humidity, electrical stimulation, and so on) may be suggested to a user according to the detected sleep disorder. For example, in a person who suffer from snoring, bruising, or in severe cases sleep apnea, a breathing passage (upper airway) such as a nasal passage or sinus are narrowed to cause oxygen to be not smoothly supplied to the brain, and thus, sleep quality is reduced. In this case, when fine water particles are sprayed into the nose by using an ultrasonic humidifier sensor module, an effect of widening the upper airway may be obtained, and thus oxygen may be smoothly supplied to the brain. As a result, a sleep disorder symptom of a user having sleep apnea may be alleviated to increase sleep quality. The stimulation providing device  500  may include a stimulation providing module for each stimulation type to be provided. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, after a stimulation is suggested, the user&#39;s sleep state is evaluated depending on whether or not the sleep disorder is alleviated in real time. When sleep disorder symptoms are not alleviated, stimulation intensity is adjusted again in consideration of user-specific characteristics. 
     In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the measurement device  400  and the stimulation providing device  500  may be connected to the user terminal  100  by using a communication module  110  to configure a customized sleep management system. For example, the user terminal  100  is a personalization device such as a mobile phone or a tablet PC, and the measurement device  400  and the stimulation providing device  500  may be used in conjunction with the user terminal  100  by using short-distance communication such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or Zigbee in the same type as a mobile accessory. In this case, a bio-signal measured by the measurement device  400  may be transmitted to the server  200  through the user terminal  100  to be analyzed by the server  200 , and the analyzed result may be transmitted to the user terminal  100  again to be displayed, and a customized stimulation may also be transmitted from the server  200  to the stimulation providing device  500  via the user terminal  100  and then provided to a user. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a user terminal in a customized sleep management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a user terminal  100  of a customized sleep management system may include a communication module  110 , a memory  120 , a processor  130 , a database  140 , and an input module  150 . 
     The communication module  110  communicates with the connected user terminal  100  and the linked server  200  to transmit or receive data. The communication module  110  may include hardware and software necessary for transmitting and receiving a signal such as a control signal or a data signal through wired/wireless connection to other network devices. 
     A customized sleep management program is stored in the memory  120 . The customized sleep management program may collect bio-signals through a computing device, perform a pre-processing process on the collected bio-signals to generate user sleep data, classify sleep steps through a sleep analysis model by receiving the user sleep data, detect sleep disorder appearing in each of the classified sleep steps, and provide a customized stimulation for alleviating the detected sleep disorder. 
     The memory  120  stores an operating system for driving the customized sleep management server  200  or various data generated during execution of the customized sleep management program. 
     In this case, the memory  120  may include a non-volatile memory device that continuously maintains stored information even when power is not supplied, and a volatile memory device that requires power to maintain the stored information. 
     The processor  130  executes the program stored in the memory  120  and controls all processes according to execution of the customized sleep management program. Respective operations performed by the processor  130  will be described in more detail below. 
     The processor  130  may include any type of devices capable of processing data. For example, the processor  130  may indicate a data processing device embedded in hardware including a physically structured circuit to perform a function expressed as a code or a command included in a program. The data processing device embedded in hardware described above may include, for example, a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), a processor core, a multiprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and so on, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. 
     The database  140  stores or provides data required for a customized sleep management system under the control of the processor  130 . The database  140  may store, for example, an electrophysiological signal including an electroencephalogram signal, a non-electrophysiological signal including motion, sound, body temperature, and so on, and data of a specific frequency domain subjected to pre-processing, and also store data on sleep steps classified by the customized sleep management system, sleep disorder, sleep analysis data, and customized stimulation. The database  140  may be included as a component separate from the memory  120  or may be built in a partial region of the memory  120 . 
     The server  200  may include a communication module, a memory, a processor, a database, and an input module, and a configuration and content thereof may be the same as the configuration and content of the user terminal  100 . The customized sleep management method may be performed by the server  200  or may also be performed by the computing device  300  or the user terminal  100 . 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a process sequence of a customized sleep management method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     The processor  130  may collect bio-signals through the computing device (S 110 ). The bio-signal may include at least one of an electrophysiological signal (EEG, EOG, EMG, or ECG) and a non-electrophysiological signal (sound, body temperature, or motion). 
     The computing device is a human-computer interface device and may include the user terminal  100 , the measurement device  400 , and the stimulation providing device  500 . The user terminal may receive a bio-signal measured by the measurement device  400 , and the customized stimulation may be provided by the stimulation providing device  500 . 
     The bio-signal may include bio-signals measured from a waking state before sleep and may include bio-signals measured in real time according to a sleep step and sleep disorder after sleep starts. 
     The processor  130  generates user sleep data by performing a pre-processing process on the collected bio-signals (S 120 ). The processor  130  may perform a pre-processing process such as removing noise unnecessary for analyzing a corresponding signal from the measured bio-signals and filtering the signal in a specific frequency band. For example, the processor  130  may perform a pre-processing process such as removing unnecessary noise to analyze the corresponding signal from the measured EEG data and filtering the signal in a specific frequency range (delta wave, theta wave, alpha wave, beta wave, gamma wave). 
     The processor  130  receives user sleep data and classifies sleep steps by using a sleep analysis model and detects sleep disorders appearing in the classified sleep steps. 
     The sleep analysis model may use a machine learning algorithm such as a support vector machine, an autoencoder, a convolution neural network, or recurrent neural network to analyze and classify in real time a user&#39;s sleep step based on information such as start time of each sleep steps, a frequency of a corresponding sleep step, and so on and may analyze and detect in real time sleep disorder that may appear in the corresponding sleep step by using the machine learning algorithm based on the classified sleep step and a user&#39;s bio-signal. 
     The measured EEG signal may be further analyzed to detect sleep disorder that may occur according to the classified sleep steps of Wake, NREM1, NREM2, NREM3, and REM. In addition, a user&#39;s sleep disorder may be detected in real time by simultaneously using pre-processed EMG, ECG, EOG signals, feature-extracted sound, body temperature, and motion signals. A representative sleep disorder for each sleep step includes insomnia in alpha/beta (Wake) state, bruising in theta (NREM1) step, sleep apnea in K-complex (NREM2), somnambulism in delta (NREM3), night terrors, restless legs syndrome in theta/beta (REM), behavioral disorder, and so on. 
     The processor  130  may generate sleep analysis result data and provide the sleep analysis result data to the computing device (S 140 ). 
     The processor  130  may generate sleep analysis result data including at least one of a sleep step, a sleep disorder, a sleep step time, whether or not to detect a sleep disorder, life quality data, a customized stimulation type, and a customized stimulation intensity, and may provide the sleep analysis result data to the computing device via a visualized user interface. 
     The processor  130  may receive user information including one or more of age, gender, height, and weight in addition to the user sleep data and calibrates the user sleep data to correct a difference between bio-signals for each user based on the user information. In this case, characteristics of a brain signal changes depending on characteristics of a user&#39;s age, gender, and so on for each sleep step, and thus, a frequency band, an amplitude, a power spectrum, sleep spindle density, a sleep spindle duration, and so on which are representative for each sleep step and are characteristics of a brain signal, may be considered for calibration. 
     The processor  130  may provide a customized stimulation to alleviate the detected sleep disorder (S 150 ). 
     The processor  130  may provide a user with a stimulation including one or more of sound, vibration, and light to alleviate the detected sleep disorder. Optimal stimulation (sound, light, stimulation using an ultrasonic humidifier, vibration, temperature/humidity, electrical stimulation, and so on) may be suggested to a user according to the detected sleep disorder. For example, in a person who suffer from snoring, bruising, or in severe cases sleep apnea, a breathing passage (upper airway) such as a nasal passage or sinus are narrowed to cause oxygen to be not smoothly supplied to the brain, and thus, sleep quality is reduced. In this case, when fine water particles are sprayed into the nose by using an ultrasonic humidifier sensor module, an effect of widening the upper airway may be obtained, and thus oxygen may be smoothly supplied to the brain. As a result, a sleep disorder symptom of a user having sleep apnea may be alleviated to increase sleep quality. 
     In addition, an auditory stimulation is effective for insomnia, visual stimulation and auditory stimulation are effective for sleep hallucination, electrical stimulation and vibration stimulation are effective for sleep paralysis, stimulation using temperature/humidity and electrical stimulation are effective for jet lag, shift work disorder, and restless legs syndrome, electrical stimulation and visual stimulation and auditory stimulation are effective for somnambulism and night terror, electrical stimulation is effective for enuresis, and electrical stimulation and visual stimulation and auditory stimulation are effective for REM sleep behavior disorder. 
     After the stimulation is suggested, the processor  130  evaluates a user&#39;s sleep state whether or not the sleep disorder is alleviated in real time. When the sleep disorder symptoms is not alleviated, the stimulation intensity may be adjusted again in consideration of characteristics of each user. the stimulation intensity according to a user&#39;s condition may be adjusted by considering the fact that optimal stimulation intensity required to alleviate the sleep disorder changes according to characteristics such as age, gender, and so on of a user. 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating sleep analysis result data on a visualized user interface provided by the customized sleep management method according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     On the visualized user interface, sleep steps for each sleep time may be illustrated in a graph. The sleep steps may be classified into Wake, NREM1, NREM2, NREM3, and REM. 
     In addition to the EEG signal measured at each sleep step, the detected sleep disorder may be illustrated in a graph along with a degree thereof by simultaneously using the pre-processed EMG, ECG, and EOG signals and the feature-extracted sound, body temperature, and motion signals. Representative sleep disorder for each sleep step includes insomnia in alpha/beta (Wake) state, bruising in theta (NREM1) step, sleep apnea in K-complex (NREM2), somnambulism in delta (NREM3), night terrors, restless legs syndrome in theta/beta (REM), behavioral disorder, and so on. 
     When a degree of sleep disorder exceeds a preset reference, a necessary stimulation may be suggested. Optimal stimulation (sound, light, stimulation using an ultrasonic humidifier, vibration, temperature/humidity, electrical stimulation, or so on) may be suggested to a user according to the detected sleep disorder. For example, in a person who suffer from snoring, bruising, or in severe cases sleep apnea, a breathing passage (upper airway) such as a nasal passage or sinus are narrowed to cause oxygen to be not smoothly supplied to the brain, and thus, sleep quality is reduced. In this case, when fine water particles are sprayed into the nose by using an ultrasonic humidifier sensor module, an effect of widening the upper airway may be obtained, and thus oxygen may be smoothly supplied to the brain. As a result, a sleep disorder symptom of a user having sleep apnea may be alleviated to increase sleep quality. 
     In addition, an auditory stimulation is effective for insomnia, visual stimulation and auditory stimulation are effective for sleep hallucination, electrical stimulation and vibration stimulation are effective for sleep paralysis, stimulation using temperature/humidity and electrical stimulation are effective for jet lag, shift work disorder, and restless legs syndrome, electrical stimulation and visual stimulation and auditory stimulation are effective for somnambulism and night terror, electrical stimulation is effective for enuresis, and electrical stimulation and visual stimulation and auditory stimulation are effective for REM sleep behavior disorder. 
     Sleep quality may be evaluated by several criteria. Sleep evaluation indicators include time taken to enter NREM1 (Time to sleep), the number of wakes after falling asleep (Wake after sleep onset), total sleep time, a duration of a deep sleep (NREM3) step, sleep efficiency, and so on. In addition, a method of alleviating a sleep disorder symptom is also one of important criteria for sleep quality. Therefore, a user&#39;s sleep quality is evaluated based on the indicators. 
     The present invention may detect an accurate sleep step and various sleep disorders in real time by simultaneously analyzing electrophysiological signals including brain waves and non-electrophysiological signals including motion and sound and may provide customized optimal stimulation according to sleep disorder, and thus, sleep quality may be effectively increased. 
     Meanwhile, a method according to an embodiment of the present invention may also be implemented in the form of a recording medium including commands executable by a computer, such as a program module executed by the computer. Computer readable media may be any available media that may be accessed by a computer and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, and removable and non-removable media. In addition, the computer readable media may include computer storage media. The computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, and removable and non-removable media implemented by any method or technology for storing information such as computer readable commands, data structures, program modules, or other data. Although the method and system of the present invention are described with reference to specific embodiments, some or all of components or operations thereof may be implemented by using a computer system having a general purpose hardware architecture. 
     The above description of the present application is for illustration, and those skilled in the art to which the present application belongs will understand that the present invention may be easily modified into other specific forms without changing the technical idea or essential characteristics of the present application. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single type may be implemented in a distributed manner, and likewise components described as distributed may also be implemented in a combined form. 
     The scope of the present application is indicated by the following claims rather than the above detailed description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts should be construed as being included in the scope of the present application. 
     SIGNS LIST 
     
         
           10 : system 
           100 : user terminal 
           110 : communication module 
           120 : memory 
           130 : processor 
           140 : display module 
           150 : input module 
           200 : server 
           300 : computing device 
           400 : measurement device 
           500 : stimulation providing device