Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to wake up alarm devices and, more particularly, to alarm clocks having a programmable alarm for waking a sleeper more naturally. 
     2. Background Description 
     Presently, there are several types of alarm clocks available to wake a sleeping person. These include, for example, alarm clocks with a bell alarm, a beeper, or a tone generator each repetitively generating a jarring sound as an alarm. Clock radios are an attempt to eliminate the unnatural repetitive tone alarm, replacing it with broadcast music, for example, in order to wake the sleeper to a more calmly and soothingly. Even some of these clock radio alarms include functions wherein the alarm, whether a bell, beep, or radio, begins at a quiet, low volume that gradually increases until someone turns off the alarm. This ramped volume gently and gradually wakes the sleeper, to avoid the jarring effect of the clanging bell of the traditional alarm clock. 
     Alarms have been developed more recently that further reduce the traumatic effect of being woken by a traditional alarm. One such product is clock that simulates dawn to create a natural alarm clock marketed presently in the US as the “Sunrise Alarm Clock,” produced by Outside In (Cambridge) Ltd. These natural alarm clocks look like a bedside light with a built-in alarm clock. Simulating dawn gives the sleeper&#39;s internal body clock an opportunity to synchronize with the alarm, thereby, waking the person gently and more naturally. The manufacturer asserts that unlike traditional alarms, which may leave a person feeling groggy for several hours, after being awoken, the natural alarm allows the sleeper&#39;s system to adjust normally to the artificial dawn so that the person wakes up without the groggy feeling. 
     Although these natural wake-up alarm systems exhibit some degree of efficacy, they still do not accommodate another very important sleep factor known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Numerous studies have been done on sleep and sleep disorders. From these studies, sleep has been characterized as alternately having periods of REM sleep (typically lasting 5–60 minutes) interspersed with periods of non-REM sleep (typically lasting about 90 minutes). 
     Further, it has been shown that how quickly one awakens depends upon whether the person is woken during non-REM or REM sleep. A person having been woken during REM sleep finds it harder to wake up and function normally, experiencing more subsequent drowsiness than if woken during non-REM sleep. Unfortunately, these prior art systems wake the sleeper at a specific time independent of whether the person is in non-REM or REM sleep. 
     It has also been shown that dreams occur during the REM sleep. Typically, those dreams are forgotten. Often, people struggle to remember recent dreams and dream interpretation is part of popular culture, see e.g., www.dream-analysis.com and see, dir.yahoo.com/Social — Science/Psychology/Branches/Sleep — and — Dreams. Waking during REM sleep or immediately thereafter would assist in remembering dreams. 
     Thus, there is a need for an alarm clock capable of waking sleepers during non-REM sleep with less resulting drowsiness, the awakened sleeper feeling refreshed and alert or, conversely to select having a recollection of some of the previous nights dreams. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a purpose of the present invention to assist in selecting a wake up time consistent with the most optimum period in which to be awoken;
         It is another purpose of the present invention to allow a sleeper to set a wake up alarm time such that an alarm occurs during a sleeper&#39;s non-REM sleep periods;   It is yet another purpose of the present invention to allow a sleeper to set a wake up alarm time such that an alarm occurs during a sleeper&#39;s REM sleep periods;   It is yet another purpose of the present invention to allow select sounding a wake up alarm only during selected sleep periods.       

     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a programmable alarm clock system, method of operation and program product therefor with sleep analysis to identify and wake a person during REM, non-REM sleep patterns or other identifiable sleep patterns, such as a slow brain wave pattern. Sleepers awoken during a non-REM phase of sleep suffer less subsequent drowsiness and may function better during normal day-to-day activities. Sleepers awoken during REM sleep or immediately thereafter may be allowed to remember some of the previous evening&#39;s dreams. 
     The programmable alarm clock system includes at least one brain activity sensor attachable to a head of a sleeper. Brain activity signals from the sensor(s) are sent to a receiver at a local computer. Before retiring, the user inputs a wake up time, that may be in the form of a wake up command (e.g., “first REM phase after 6:30 am”) and, then attaches the sensor(s). The local computer sends brain activity signals to a remotely connected sleep analyzing server which analyzes the brain activity and identifies REM sleep periods and non-REM sleep periods. The labeled brain activity periods are returned to the local computer which waits for the wake up time. Then, the local computer sets an alarm time by adjusting the wake up time to coincide with the selected wake up time/command, e.g., a non-REM sleep period, if necessary and if possible. At the alarm time, the local computer sends a trigger to a remotely triggered local alarm device such as a clock, which sounds an alarm to wake the user/sleeper. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The foregoing and other objects, aspects and advantages will be better understood from the following detailed preferred embodiment description with reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the preferred embodiment sleep analysis and alarm system  100  for waking a person during periods of non-REM sleep; 
         FIG. 2  is an example of a prototype sleep chart; 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart of the steps of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the preferred Computerized Sleep Analyzing Web Server in communication with one or more local PC through a network; 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of the Signal Analyzer which charts data passed to it from the Signal Processing Unit; 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of the preferred Local Alarm Program; 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart of the preferred Decision Maker of the LAP of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly,  FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the preferred embodiment sleep analysis and alarm system arrangement  100  for waking a person  102  during selected periods of sleep. The arrangement includes a local computer  104 , which may be a personal computer (PC) for local control. At least one wireless sensor  106  is attached to the eyelids or elsewhere on the head  108  of the sleeping person (sleeper)  102 . The local computer is connected over a network  110  to a Computerized Sleep Analyzing Web Server (C-SAWS)  112 . The network  110  may be a wireless network or, a more traditional wired network. The local computer  104  is in communication with a Local Alarm Device (LAD)  114  or clock. Optionally, the local computer  104  may be an embedded device, embedded in and part of the LAD  114 . Further, the LAD  114  may include the C-SAWS  112  in addition to or independent of inclusion of the local computer  104 . 
     Before retiring, the user  102  manually inputs a designated wake-up time (DWT) into the local computer  104  that acts as a controller. Alternately, the user  102  may select a preferred wake up pattern in lieu of selecting a DWT. Input may be made vocally through the microphone or manually. The DWT is taken as a target and passed to a Local Alarm Program (LAP) running in the local computer  104 . After setting the alarm, the user  102  attaches non-intrusive wireless sensors  106  to strategic spots, e.g., the eyelids or elsewhere head  108 . These sensors  106  attached to the head  108 , which may be digital or analog, measure brain activity by measuring electrical signals using electroencephelography or polysomnography for example. The wireless eyelid sensors  106 , which also may be digital or analog, detect eye movement and transmit appropriate signals to the local computer  104 . Analog signals from analog sensors, when used, are converted to digital data in the local computer  104 . 
     The local computer passes the digital brain activity information over a network  110  to C-SAWS  112 . The network  110  may be a local area network (LAN) or, what is commonly referred to as the Internet or an Intranet. Local connection to the network may be a wired connection or wireless using infrared, radio, or by any suitable communication network allowing interconnection of computing devices for passing information. The C-SAWS  112  analyzes the brain activity information creating a brain activity or sleep chart. The C-SAWS  112  automatically detects slow wave sleep (SWS) patterns (normally referred to as deep sleep) or periods of REM, non-REM or other sleep activity using, for example, amplitude analysis, labeling the periods and recording the labeled information in a database. Multiple users can be connected to the C-SAWS  112  through individual computers  104 , each running a LAP and communicating with the C-SAWS  112  over the Internet, for example. An alarm clock  114  may be connected directly to the local computer  104  or, remotely connected using appropriate wireless communication. Optionally, the wake up alarm may be sounded by the local computer  104  itself. 
       FIG. 2  is an example of creates a prototype sleep chart  120  for each particular user  102 . Each sleep chart  120  may be displayed, locally, and used for statistical analysis of the particular user&#39;s sleep patterns. The sleep chart  120 , which has areas labeled as REM periods  122  and non-REM periods  124 , is sent back to the local computer  104 . In the local computer  104 , the LAP interrogates the chart  120  and decides when to initiate a wake up alarm. The chart  120  contains information identifiable by the LAP concerning when the sleeper  102  is experiencing REM sleep, non-REM sleep or other sleep patterns, and which the LAP can use to project future expected periods of REM sleep. 
     If the LAP determines that the DWT occurs during REM sleep, the LAP also decides an appropriate alternate time to wake the sleeper  102 , whether before, after or during REM sleep. So, to provide guidance in selecting an appropriate time other than the DWT when the DWT falls within a REM sleep period  122 , at the time that the user  102  designates the wake up time, the user  102  may also provide the LAP computer  104  with optional REM margins. The optional REM margins indicate how long before or after the DWT that the computer should advance or delay the alarm, if necessary, to avoid waking the sleeper  102  in REM sleep. If an early REM margin is not provided, then at the DWT the LAP computer  104  checks whether the sleeper  102  is in REM sleep and, if so, may postpone the alarm until it is anticipated that the sleeper  102  will enter a non-REM sleep period  124 . 
     If an early REM margin is provided, then as the DWT approaches, using the sleeper&#39;s chart  120 , the LAP projects whether the sleeper  102  will be in REM or non-REM sleep at the DWT. If it is determined that the sleeper  102  will be in REM sleep at the DWT, the alarm may be advanced or, tentatively, delayed according to previously selected user preferences or according to historical user preferences. If the alarm is tentatively delayed, the sleeper&#39;s sleep state is checked at the DWT for REM sleep and, the alarm is postponed if the sleeper  102  is in REM sleep. Otherwise, the alarm is issued at the DWT. 
     Thus, based on the above analysis, the LAP computer  104  issues the alarm, e.g., sending radio control signals to the wireless clock  114  or a clock radio which broadcasts the alarm to wake the sleeper  102 . Alternatively, the sleeper  102  may be awakened using a traditional-like clock that is controlled by wired or wireless communication with the LAP computer or, a clock radio like wireless peripheral may be caused to play a previously selected specific message or song. 
       FIG. 3  is an example of a flowchart of the preferred embodiment of the present invention for waking a sleeper  102  during a period of a selected sleep pattern. In the example of  FIG. 3 , non-REM sleep patterns are selected to wake the sleeper  102  feeling rested and alert. It is understood, however, that in addition to non-REM sleep patterns, other sleep patterns may be selected, for example, such as REM pattern periods, slow wave pattern periods, or any recognizable brain wave pattern periods. These types of sleep periods are provided for example only and not intended as a limitation. So, if a user  102  wishes to remember some of the previous nights dreams, the user  102  may select to be woken during REM sleep pattern period instead of non-REM sleep patterns. 
     Initially, in step  130  electronic signals from the sensors  106  on the sleeper&#39;s head are received and sent to a central server, the C-SAWS  112 . The C-SAWS  112  analyzes the electronic signals in step  132  to create a brain activity chart. In step  134  the charted signals are labeled according to the type of selected sleep pattern, i.e., periods on the chart are identified and labeled as either REM sleep or non-REM sleep in this example. Then, in step  136 , the labeled charts are sent to an appropriate local computer  104  for interrogation by the LAP. If the local computer  104  determines in step  138  that the sleeper  102  is currently experiencing non-REM sleep, then in  139  the local computer  104  initiates an alarm to wake the sleeper  102 . Otherwise, if the sleeper  102  is in REM sleep, in  138 R the local computer  104  must determine whether to wait until the end of a previously selected margin or to forcefully awaken the sleeper  102 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a block diagram of the preferred Computerized Sleep Analyzing Web Server  112  in communication with one or more local (LAP) computer  104  through a network  110 . The C-SAWS  112  receives brain activity information in Receiving Module  140  which passes the digitized signal to an optional Signal Processing Unit  142 . The optional Signal Processing Unit  142  is included when some or all of the sensors  106  are analog. Analog signals from analog wireless sensors  106  are converted to digital signals by the Signal Processing Unit  142 . 
     The digitized signal is then passed to the Signal Analyzer  144  which charts the data and automatically detects the selected sleep patterns based upon previous selected prototypes. The Signal Analyzer  144  passes the charted data to the Signal Labeler  146 , which labels the chart with identified pattern areas labeled as REM periods or non-REM periods (in the example of  FIG. 3 ) in a computer readable format acceptable by the local computer  104 . When data is requested, a Sender  148  sends the labeled chart over the network, e.g., the Internet, to the requesting local computer  104 . 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram of an example of the Signal Analyzer  144  which charts data passed to it from the Signal Processing Unit  142  or, when digital sensors  106  are employed, from the LAP unit (local computer  104 ). The chart data is input to a Normalizer  150  which converts the data to standard input format. The normalized data is sent to a Comparator  152  where it is compared with prototype data from a previous prototype database  154  that includes prototypical periods, REM periods  156  and non-REM periods  158  in the example of  FIG. 3 . These sleep pattern period prototypes may be generated using techniques such as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,135 entitled “Handwriting Signal Processing Front-End For Handwriting Recognizers” to Grajski et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. A Segmentator  160  separates the relevant pattern data, e.g., REM data from the non-REM data, and forwards the separated data to the Signal Labeler  146 . 
     Prior to occurrence of the DWT and any selected early margin, the LAP computer  104  sends a message to C-SAWS  112  requesting a labeled chart for the sleeper  102  from the Signal Labeler  146 . The labeled chart shows whether the user  102  is/will soon be experiencing a period of the selected sleep pattern, e.g., REM or non-REM sleep. Upon receiving the labeled chart, the LAP computer  104  initiates a decision maker process for deciding when to select as the best time to initiate an alarm. When the LAP computer  104  selects the best time to wake sleeper  102 , the LAP may cause the local computer  104  to emit an alarm or, to transmit a signal to the LAD  114  to wake the sleeper  102 . So, continuing the example of  FIG. 3 , if the sleeper  102  is in REM sleep, the local computer  104  waits until the designated REM margin passes before signalling the LAD  114  to wake sleeper  102 . 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram of the preferred Local Alarm Program  170 . The LAP  170  receives manual inputs  172  from a user  102  and labeled charts  174  from the C-SAWS  112 . As noted above, the manual input  172  includes the DWT and wait (REM) margins. Also, the user  102  may indicate a priority, i.e., wherein the user  102  wishes to be woken even during REM or, whether the LAP  170  should wait up to an amount of time specified by the wait (REM) margin. Both types of inputs  172  and  174  are used in a Decision Maker  176  for deciding when to initiate an alarm in  178 . The Decision Maker  176  chooses whether to send an alarm  178  immediately or, wait as long as the specified wait (REM) margin after the DWT as specified by user  102 . 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart of the preferred Decision Maker  176  of the LAP  170 . In step  180 , the decision maker periodically compares the given time interval input  182  and user priority input  184  to decide whether the alarm time has occurred. If not, then, the decision maker  176  waits, until the next time interval  182  occurs as determined by user priority input  184 . 
     However, if the alarm time has occurred, the labeled chart received from the C-SAWS  112  is read in  186  to determine if the sleeper  102  currently is experiencing the selected sleep patterns in step  188 , i.e., is in non-REM sleep in the example of  FIG. 3 . If the sleeper  102  is in non-REM sleep, then in step  190 , the Decision Maker  176  sends a signal to initiate an alarm. If in this example, however, the sleeper  102  is in REM sleep, i.e., in step  186  determined not to be experiencing the selected sleep patterns, then, an appropriate alarm time must be determined. The sleeper&#39;s brain activity history or prior sleep patterns are analyzed in  192 , checking previously collected data and sleep pattern prototypes. From the sleeper&#39;s brain activity history in  194  a determination is made whether the sleeper  102  will enter a selected sleep period (i.e., a non-REM sleep period) during the selected time interval  182 . If in step  194 , it is determined that selected sleep period will occur within the margin, then in step  196 , the Decision Maker  176  waits for the selected sleep period. 
     Otherwise, if a period of the selected sleep will not occur, then in step  196  user priorities, provided as manual input  172 , are checked to determine whether to wait or wake the user  102  during REM sleep. If the manual input  172  provides for waiting until the next selected sleep period occurence, then in  198  the Decision Maker  176  waits for selected sleep patterns to be identified by C-SAWS  112 , which determine when the sleeper  102  is woken by an alarm signal initiated by the LAD. 
     As noted above, the description herein is in terms of non-REM sleep periods as being the selected wake up periods. It is understood however, that this is for example only and not intended as a limitation. It is also understood that in addition to non-REM sleep patterns, other sleep patterns may be selected such as REM pattern peroids, slow wave pattern periods, or any recognizable brain wave pattern periods. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Technology Category: g