IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,377,241
Granted Patent B2
US 12,377,241 · App. 17/420,829 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Sleep inducing device

Inventors: Kangsoo Shin (Seoul, KR); Heenam Yoon (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
A61M21/02A61M2021/0027A61M2021/0088A61M2205/50A61M2230/42
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,377,241
App. No.
17/420,829
Granted
Aug 5, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sleep inducing device is disclosed. The sleep inducing device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a sound output part for outputting a sound; a sensing part for acquiring a respiration signal of a user; and a processor which acquires a respiration frequency of the user on the basis of the respiration signal, determines a characteristic frequency of a respiration conforming sound on the basis of the respiration frequency, and outputs the respiration confirming sound according to the characteristic frequency.

Claims (38)

1. A sleep induction device comprising:

a speaker configured to output sound;

a sensor configured to obtain a breathing signal of a user; and

a processor configured to:

obtain a breathing frequency of the user per a first time period based on the obtained breathing signal;

determine and generate a breathing-tuned sound according to a characteristic frequency by combining a breathing induction signal with an ambient noise masking sound, wherein the characteristic frequency of the breathing-tuned sound including the ambient noise masking sound is determined according to a characteristic of the breathing induction signal; and

output the breathing-tuned sound for inducing sleep in the user by inducing the user's breathing while simultaneously reducing the ambient noise,

wherein the characteristic of the breathing induction signal corresponds to a magnitude of the obtained breathing signal or a frequency of the obtained breathing signal for a second time period.

2. The sleep induction device of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic frequency of the breathing tuned sound is less than the obtained breathing frequency.

3. The sleep induction device of claim 2 , wherein a difference between the characteristic frequency and the obtained breathing frequency is maintained at a preset value.

4. The sleep induction device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

output the breathing-tuned sound according to the characteristic frequency being a first frequency,

reduce the frequency of the breathing-tuned sound from the first frequency to a second frequency based on the obtained breathing frequency, wherein the second frequency is less than the first frequency, and

output the breathing-tuned sound according to the second frequency.

5. The sleep induction device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a point in time at which the characteristic frequency changes from the first frequency to the second frequency based on the obtained breathing frequency.

6. The sleep induction device of claim 5 , wherein

the breathing-tuned sound is output according to the second frequency based on a difference between the obtained breathing frequency and the first frequency becoming smaller than a predetermined magnitude.

7. The sleep induction device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to

output the breathing-tuned sound according to the second frequency based on the obtained breathing frequency decreasing to the first frequency.

8. The sleep induction device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to

output the breathing-tuned sound according to the second frequency based on a preset time elapsing since the breathing-tuned sound is output according to the first frequency.

9. The sleep induction device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

provide the obtained breathing frequency as an input to a reinforcement learning model,

output the breathing-tuned sound according to at least one of a point in time at which the characteristic frequency recommended by the reinforcement learning model changes or a delta in the characteristic frequency, and

train the reinforcement learning model using a reaction of the user.

10. The sleep induction device of claim 9 , wherein the reaction of the user comprises at least one of a change in the breathing frequency, a movement of the user, or a time required for the user to enter a sleep state.

11. The sleep induction device of claim 1 , wherein a minimum value of the characteristic frequency corresponds to the breathing frequency obtained during a sleep state of the user.

12. The sleep induction device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to adjust a maximum magnitude of the breathing-tuned sound based on environment information determined by the processor.

13. The sleep induction device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

provide the breathing frequency and environment information as an input to a reinforcement learning model,

output the breathing-tuned sound according to at least one of a point in time at which the characteristic frequency recommended by the reinforcement learning model changes, a delta in the characteristic frequency, a maximum magnitude of the breathing-tuned sound, or a type of the breathing-tuned sound, and

train the reinforcement learning model using a reaction of the user.

14. A method for operating a sleep induction device, the method comprising:

obtaining a breathing signal of a user by a sensor of the device;

obtaining, by a processor of the device, a breathing frequency of the user per a first time period based on the obtained breathing signal;

determining and generating, by the processor, a breathing-tuned sound according to a characteristic frequency by combining a breathing induction signal with an ambient noise masking sound, wherein the characteristic frequency of the breathing-tuned sound including the ambient noise masking sound corresponds to a characteristic of the breathing induction signal; and

outputting, by a speaker of the device, the breathing-tuned sound for inducing sleep in the user by inducing the user's breathing while simultaneously reducing the ambient noise,

wherein the characteristic of the breathing induction signal corresponds to a magnitude of the breathing induction signal or a frequency of the breathing induction signal for a second time period.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 6, 2021
From: SHIN, KANGSOO; YOON, HEENAM
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 056769/0642 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220088346A1 · Mar 24, 2022
References Cited (14)
US 20090062598A1 · Haisma et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20110288431A1 · Alshaer et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20150367097A1 · Gavish · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160151603A1 · Shouldice · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170312476A1 · Woo · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20190030278A1 · Kremer · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190065970A1 · Bonutti · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200086076A1 · McElhone · 2020 [cited by examiner]
JP 5437642 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
KR 20130141289 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
KR 101687321 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
Ghanbari, A., Vaghei, Y., & Sayyed Noorani, S. M. R. (2014). Reinforcement Learning in Neural Networks: A Survey. International Journal of Advanced Biological and Biomedical Research, 2(5), 1398-1416 (Year: 2014). [cited by examiner]
Machine Learning Algorithms: A Review; by Ayon Dey; Department of CSE, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. Ayon Dey / (IJCSIT) International Journal of Computer Science and Information Technol… [cited by examiner]
PCT International Application No. PCT/KR2019/000116, International Search Report dated Oct. 1, 2019, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]