HK40026793A - Method of transmission by a watch of an information message relating to an assessment of the sleep quality of a user of said watch - Google Patents

Description

Method for transmitting information related to sleep quality assessment of watch user through watch

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method for transmitting information relating to an assessment of the sleep quality of a user of a watch by means of said watch and to a system for implementing such a method.

The invention also relates to a watch comprising such a system and to a computer program.

Background

Sleep is a state in which the body of a person self-restores, for example, to defend against infection or to produce hormones. Sleep quality directly affects our mental, mental and physical health. In this context, it will therefore be appreciated that it is important to be able to assess the quality of sleep of a person, in particular in order to improve the quality of sleep when necessary.

To achieve this, methods are known in the prior art for assessing the sleep quality of a person by performing a processing of measurement data, which is typically obtained from motion sensors or physiological sensors.

However, one of the main drawbacks of these methods is that the provided sleep quality assessment is often inaccurate or erroneous, since it is generated from measurement data, which is sometimes difficult to obtain and not always directly related to the condition related to the sleep quality.

It will be appreciated that there is a need to find an alternative solution, in particular one that does not have the drawbacks of the prior art.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of communicating information relating to sleep quality assessment by a watch, which is reliable and easy to implement.

To this end, the invention relates to a method for communicating information relating to an assessment of the sleep quality of a user of a wristwatch by means of said wristwatch, comprising the following steps:

-recording, by the processing unit, descriptive data describing at least one event-driven scenario (event-driven event) of at least one environmental event recorded during sleep of the user;

-identifying at least one environmental event disturbing the sleep of the user by processing said descriptive data;

-estimating a sleep quality assessment index (sleep quality assessment index) for the user as a function of a sleep disturbance indicator (sleep disturbance indicator) for each identified sleep disturbing environmental event, and

-designing information comprising the estimated evaluation index for communication to the user.

In other embodiments:

-the identifying step comprises a sub-step of selecting one or more event driven scenarios related to each environmental event recorded during the user's sleep using at least one selection criterion;

-the first selection criterion specifies: comparing at least one environmental measurement of descriptive data for each event driven scenario related to each environmental event to a sleep disturbance reference threshold;

-the second selection criterion consists in: comparing the duration of each event driven scenario related to each environmental event to a reference threshold of sleep disturbance duration;

-the identifying step comprises a generating sub-step of generating a sleep disturbance index for each identified sleep disturbing environmental event;

-the generation sub-step comprises a stage of calculating a sleep disturbance index for each identified sleep disturbance environment event using the following descriptive features:

an average of the environmental measurements contained in the descriptive data of the selected event-driven scenario relating to such environmental event;

the total duration of such environmental events;

the number of selected event-driven scenarios of such environmental events;

the start and end times of the selected event driven scenario for such an environmental event.

The invention also relates to a system for transmitting information relating to an assessment of the sleep quality of a user of a wristwatch by means of said wristwatch, implementing such a method, comprising the following interconnected elements: a processing unit, at least one environmental sensor, and a visual and/or audible information transfer interface.

The invention also relates to a watch comprising such a system.

Advantageously, the watch is a smart mechanical watch.

The invention also relates to a computer program comprising program code instructions for performing the steps of the method when said computer program is executed by a processing unit.

Drawings

Other features and advantages will emerge clearly from the description that follows, given by way of non-limiting illustration with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a schematic view of a watch including a system for communicating information relating to an assessment of the sleep quality of a user of said watch, according to an embodiment of the invention, an

Figure 2 is a logic diagram relating to a method for communicating this information according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a watch 100 comprising a system 1 for communicating information relating to an assessment of sleep quality of a user of said watch 100 by means of the watch 100. The system 1 is embodied in a watch 100, the watch 100 preferably being a smart mechanical watch 100 with a hybrid display. The system 1 more particularly comprises, in a non-limiting and/or non-exhaustive manner:

a processing unit 2 comprising hardware and software resources, in particular at least one processor cooperating with memory elements;

a visual information transfer interface 3, for example a hybrid display dial provided with a first analogue display member and a second digital and/or alphanumeric display member;

an auditory information transfer interface 4, such as a loudspeaker;

-a communication interface;

at least one environmental sensor 5;

at least one behavior sensor 6, and

at least one physiological sensor 7.

In this system 1, the processing unit 2 is connected to, inter alia, visual and auditory information transfer interfaces and environmental, behavioral and physiological sensors 5, 6, 7.

The system 1 in this watch 100 is able to assess the sleep quality of the user, preferably only from at least one environmental event recorded during the sleep of the user. Each recorded event is quantified using at least one event-driven scenario that is specific to the event and that occurs during the user's sleep. Each event-driven scenario is characterized by descriptive data, which in particular comprises one or more measured values of an environmental parameter. The environmental parameter is a quantity related to a characteristic of the environment in which the watch 100 and its user are located. Such parameters relate in a non-limiting and/or non-exhaustive way to: temperature, relative humidity, ambient noise level, barometric pressure, illumination, motion, air quality, etc.

For example, when the parameter corresponds to a "noise level", the event-driven scenario is defined by the following descriptive data:

one or more measurements of the noise level determined by at least one suitable environmental sensor 5 and transmitted to the processing unit 2;

duration of the event-driven scenario, e.g. 10 minutes, calculated by the processing unit 2, an

A start time 10am and an end time 10:10 determined by the processing unit 2.

It will be appreciated that at this stage the environmental event is associated with a "noise level" and for this type of event several scenarios with different descriptive data can be evaluated during sleep. Subsequently, according to the method described below, if such an environmental event is considered to disturb the sleep of the user, it becomes "noise disturbance".

In this case, the environmental sensor 5 is particularly suitable for measuring these environmental parameters. As will be seen below, the other behavioral and physiological sensors 6 and 7 participate in the formation of measurements that may optionally be used by the processing unit 2 in order to assess the quality of sleep of the user. The behavior sensor 6 is able to measure all types of behavioral characteristics of the user of the watch 100, for example, movements or gestures made by the user during sleep. To this end, these behavior sensors 6 may comprise one or more inertial sensors of the micro-multiaxial accelerometer, gyroscope or rate-gyroscope type, for example multiaxial sensors combined with accelerometers and/or gyroscopes, made in MEMS technology, able to detect angular and linear accelerations along multiple axes. As regards the physiological sensors 7, these sensors are able to measure parameters related to the functioning of the user's organism, such as pulse, blood oxygen saturation, skin impedance, breathing frequency, respiratory arrhythmia, skin temperature, perspiration rate, blood oxygen saturation or blood flow.

The system 1 of the watch 100 is capable of implementing the method of communicating this information through the watch 100 shown in fig. 2.

The method comprises a step 10 of recording, by the processing unit 2, descriptive data describing at least one event-driven scenario of at least one environmental event recorded during sleep of the user. During this step 10, from the start of the sleep period in which the user is detected until the end of this period, descriptive data of one or more event-driven scenarios of at least one environmental event are stored in the memory element of the processing unit 2 of the watch 100. The descriptive data for each event-driven scenario includes, in a non-exhaustive and non-limiting manner:

one or more environmental measurements determined by the respective sensor 5 and transmitted to the processing unit 2,

duration of the event-driven scenario calculated by the processing unit 2, an

The start and end times of the scene determined by the processing unit 2.

It should be noted that the generation of a scenario is associated with the recognition by the processing unit 2 of a change of an environmental parameter related to a respective type of environmental event.

In this case, the start of the sleep period may be determined from the illuminance measurement value measured by the environment sensor 5 such as an illuminance meter. Thus, for example, when the illuminance measurement transmitted by the sensor 5 is below the light intensity reference threshold for a determined period of time, the start time of the sleep period may be identified as soon as a low lighting condition is determined by the processing unit 2. Alternatively, the start of the sleep period may be detected from physiological and/or behavioural measurement data relating to the user. For example, the processing unit 2 may determine the start time of the sleep period when the activity sensor 6 (e.g. an inertial sensor) indicates that the user is motionless for a determined period of time. In a variant, the processing unit 2 may use further information, such as the time of day and the user's circadian rhythm estimate. For example, when the user is expected to fall asleep, the sleep onset time is detected only at a specific time of day. Similarly, for example, when the illuminance measurement transmitted by the sensor 5 is greater than the light intensity reference threshold within a determined period of time, the end of the sleep period may be determined from the illuminance measurement, once a strong lighting condition is thus determined by the processing unit 2. Alternatively, the processing unit 2 may estimate the end of the sleep period, for example, when the behavioural measurement data relating to the user's movement of potential indicates that he has got up.

The method then comprises a step 11 of identifying at least one type of environmental event interfering with the sleep of the user by processing said descriptive data. To this end, this step 11 comprises a substep 12 of selecting one or more event-driven scenarios related to each environmental event recorded during the user's sleep using at least one selection criterion. At least one environmental measurement of the descriptive data for each event driven scenario relating to each environmental event is compared to a sleep disturbance reference threshold according to a first selection criterion. If the at least one measurement is greater than the sleep disturbance reference threshold, the scenario may be selected or pre-selected when the selection condition is associated with verification of the second selection criterion. The second selection criterion consists in: the duration of each event driven scenario associated with each environmental event is compared to a reference threshold for sleep disturbance duration. In this case, if the duration of a scenario is greater than the reference threshold for the sleep disturbance duration, the scenario is selected.

The identifying step 11 then comprises a substep 13 of detecting one or more environmental events from the selected event-driven scenarios that interfere with the sleep of the user of the watch 100. This sub-step may specify that, for a given type of environmental event, the number of instances of the event must be above a reference threshold in order to be detected.

Subsequently, the identifying step 11 comprises a sub-step 14 of generating a sleep disturbance index for each identified/detected sleep disturbance environmental event. This sub-step 14 comprises a stage 15 of calculating a sleep disturbance index for each identified sleep disturbance environment event according to the descriptive characteristics. These descriptive characteristics of each identified sleep disturbance environmental event are as follows:

-an average of the environmental measurements contained in the descriptive data of the selected event-driven scenario;

the total duration of such sleep disturbing environmental events during sleep of the user of the watch 100, equal to the sum of the durations of the selected event-driven scenarios;

-a number of selected event driven scenarios;

-the start and end times of selected event driven scenarios, which can evaluate their effect/impact on sleep cycle disturbances. In practice, the user's sleep time includes a series of periods with NREM sleep stages, which allow the body to physically recover, especially at early nights, and REM sleep, which corresponds to the time when the user dreams or releases nervousness.

It should be noted that the calculation of the sleep interference index is performed according to one or more of these descriptive characteristics.

Furthermore, this identification step 11 may be performed immediately at the end of the sleep session or may be performed simultaneously with the recording step 10, i.e. at the beginning of the sleep session.

The method then includes a step 16 of estimating a sleep quality assessment index for each identified sleep disturbance environmental event as a function of the sleep disturbance index. In this step 16, the processing unit 2 determines a sleep quality assessment index by calculating the average of the sleep disturbance indices obtained in the generating sub-step 14. During this calculation, coefficients may be applied to certain metrics depending on the nature of the type of sleep-disturbing environmental event associated with the metrics. In fact, certain types of events may have a greater impact on sleep disturbance than other types of events.

It should be noted that optionally, physiological and/or behavioral measurement data generated during event driven scenarios may also be considered in calculating the index.

Next, the method comprises a step 17 of designing a message containing the estimated evaluation index for the purpose of communicating to the user. Such information may be audible or visual information comprising a two-dimensional or three-dimensional graphical representation with an index. In addition to the sleep quality assessment index, this information may also include recommendations for the user of the watch 100 regarding attitudes (or actions) to take in order to improve sleep quality, which is defined according to the value of the index and thus according to the assessed sleep quality level.

It should be noted that the method may also provide a step in which the user can share his sleep assessment by selecting, in a pop-up menu displayed in the second display part of the dial, criteria for rating the sleep from a list of criteria comprising, for example, the following elements: nice night/sleep, comfortable night/sleep, hard night/sleep, etc.

This step then provides an archive of this assessment of the watch user in the form of data which, when processed by the processing unit, can improve the accuracy of the sleep assessment by means of the method and system of the invention.

The invention also relates to a computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps 10 to 17 of the method when said program is executed by the processing unit 2 of the watch 100.

Claims (10)

1. A method of communicating information by a watch (100) related to an assessment of sleep quality of a user of the watch (100), the method comprising the steps of:

-recording (10), by means of the processing unit (2), descriptive data describing at least one event-driven scenario of at least one environmental event recorded during sleep of the user;

-identifying (11) at least one environmental event interfering with the sleep of the user by processing said descriptive data;

-estimating (16) a sleep quality assessment index for the user as a function of the sleep disturbance indicator for each identified sleep disturbance environmental event, and

-designing (17) information comprising the estimated sleep quality assessment index for delivery to the user.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifying step (11) comprises the sub-step (12) of using at least one selection criterion to select one or more event driven scenarios related to each environmental event recorded during the user's sleep.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first selection criterion specifies: at least one environmental measurement of descriptive data for each event driven scenario relating to each environmental event is compared to a sleep disturbance reference threshold.

4. The method according to any one of claims 2 and 3, wherein the second selection criterion consists in: the duration of each event driven scenario associated with each environmental event is compared to a reference threshold for sleep disturbance duration.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifying step (11) comprises a generating sub-step (14) of generating a sleep disturbance index for each identified sleep disturbance environmental event.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the sub-step of generating (14) comprises a stage of calculating (15) the sleep disturbance index for each identified sleep disturbance environmental event using the following descriptive features:

-an average of the environmental measurements contained in the descriptive data of the selected event-driven scenario related to such environmental event;

-the total duration of such environmental events;

-a number of selected event driven scenarios of such ambient events;

-start and end times of selected event driven scenarios of such ambient events.

7. A system for communicating information relating to an assessment of sleep quality of a user of a wristwatch (100) by means of the wristwatch (100) implementing the method according to any one of the preceding claims, the system (1) comprising the following interconnected elements: a processing unit (2), at least one environmental sensor (5) and a visual and/or audible information transfer interface (3, 4).

8. A watch (100) comprising a system (1) according to claim 7.

9. The watch (100) according to claim 8, wherein the watch is a smart mechanical watch (100).

10. A computer program comprising program code instructions for performing the steps (10 to 17) of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 when the computer program is executed by a processing unit (2).