U.S. patent application number 13/922611 was filed with the patent office on 2013-10-24 for system, medium, and method to conduce a user's breathing.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. The applicant listed for this patent is Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Wan Taek HAN, Sun Gi HONG, Kyung Ho KIM, Sang Hoon SHIN.
Application Number | 20130281872 13/922611 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37732017 |
Filed Date | 2013-10-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130281872 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SHIN; Sang Hoon ; et
al. |
October 24, 2013 |
SYSTEM, MEDIUM, AND METHOD TO CONDUCE A USER'S BREATHING
Abstract
A system, medium, and method conducing a user's breathing, in
which a sound generated during a user's exhale and/or an ambient
temperature change occurring during the exhale is sensed to measure
a respiratory waveform of the user. Respiratory information of the
user may then be produced from the respiratory waveform, and when
the respiratory information of the user is different from normal
respiratory information of the user, breathing information
according to the normal respiratory information may be provided to
the user so the user can use the same to modify their
breathing.
Inventors: |
SHIN; Sang Hoon;
(Seongnam-si, KR) ; HONG; Sun Gi; (Hwaseong-si,
KR) ; KIM; Kyung Ho; (Yongin-si, KR) ; HAN;
Wan Taek; (Hwaseong-si, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. |
Suwon-si |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
37732017 |
Appl. No.: |
13/922611 |
Filed: |
June 20, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11603015 |
Nov 22, 2006 |
8491489 |
|
|
13922611 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
600/529 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 5/742 20130101;
A61B 7/003 20130101; A61B 5/7405 20130101; A61B 5/08 20130101; A61B
5/0878 20130101; A61B 5/486 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
600/529 |
International
Class: |
A61B 5/08 20060101
A61B005/08; A61B 5/00 20060101 A61B005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 4, 2006 |
KR |
10-2006-0001104 |
Claims
1. A method of conducing a user's breathing, the method comprising:
detecting a user's breathing; generating a current respiratory
information of the user based on the user's breathing, with the
current respiratory information including a current respiratory
cycle and/or current respiratory rate of the user; and comparing
the current respiratory information with predefined respiratory
information of the user, and displaying and/or representing the
predefined respiratory information to the user through a display
and/or an audio output if the current respiratory information and
the predefined respiratory information are different, wherein, when
the current respiratory information and the predefined respiratory
information are different, the generating of the current
respiratory information continues while the predefined respiratory
information is displayed and/or represented to the user through the
display and/or audio output, and wherein the comparing of the
current respiratory information further comprises providing visual
and/or audio feedback to the user to indicate a progression of the
user's breathing in matching the predefined respiratory
information.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the
predefined respiratory information in a memory, the predefined
respiratory information being a normal respiratory cycle and/or
normal respiratory rate of the user, with the normal respiratory
cycle and/or normal respiratory rate representing a breathing state
of the user that does not indicate stress.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the normal respiratory cycle and
normal respiratory rate are previously generated by the generating
of the current respiratory information when the user's breathing
was the breathing state of the user that does not indicate
stress.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the user's
breathing is performed by detecting an audible aspect of the user's
breathing and/or by detecting an ambient temperature change during
an exhale.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the comparing of the current
respiratory information, the displaying and/or representing of the
predefined respiratory information to the user, and providing of
visual and/or audio feedback to the user are performed by a
portable device includes at least one of a mobile communication
terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld gaming
device, an MP3 player, a PMP (Portable Multimedia Player), a
digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) terminal, and a notebook
computer.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein a period of the user's breathing
is determined to be an exhale period based on a magnitude of the
user's breathing being greater than a predetermined threshold
value, wherein a period of the user's breathing during which the
magnitude of the user's breathing is not greater than the
predetermined threshold value is determined to be an inhale period
of the user's breathing, and wherein the comparison of the current
respiratory information with the predefined respiratory information
is based on the exhale period and the inhale period.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined threshold
represents a change in a detected ambient temperature and/or a
detected sound level.
8. The method of claim 6, further comprising adding the exhale
period and the inhaled period to calculate the current respiratory
cycle, dividing the exhale period by the inhale period to calculate
the current respiratory rate, and using the current respiratory
cycle and/or the current respiratory rate in the comparison of the
current respiratory information with the predefined respiratory
information.
9. The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying and/or
representing detected exhale information and/or detected inhale
information of the detected user's breathing in the providing of
the visual and/or audio feedback to the user through the display
and/or the audio output together with predefined exhale information
and/or predefined inhale information of the predefined respiratory
information.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Divisional Application of Ser. No.
11/603,015, filed Nov. 22, 2006, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. This application
claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0001104,
filed on Jan. 04, 2006, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office,
the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] Embodiments of the present invention relate at least to a
system, medium, and method to guide/conduce a user's breathing.
More particularly, such a system, medium, and method may detect a
user's exhaling sound signal and/or an ambient temperature change
during breathing, and then generate respiratory information from
analyzing such sensor data. If this respiratory information is
different from normal respiratory information of the user, e.g., at
a normal non-stressed state, a user may be presented with
information to help adjust his or her breathing to be closer to the
normal non-stressed state.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] As ubiquitous-related technologies have recently been
highlighted, the ubiquitous technology field using portable
terminals has also been advancing every day. Particularly, a
Ubiquitous (U)-Health Care has recently been in the spotlight as a
remarkable technology field owing to a recent health craze and
"well-being" phenomenon among people. Ubiquitous(U)-Health Care
refers to a ubiquitous technology in which chips or sensors
associated with a medical service are installed at various living
spaces of the human being so that all the people can be naturally
provided with medical services anytime and anywhere. According to
such a Ubiquitous Health Care, health care in hospitals including
various kinds of health diagnoses, disease management, emergency
management, consultation with a doctor, etc., can be naturally
implemented in each person's daily life without having to actually
visit the hospital.
[0006] A causal link has been found between some diseases and
stress, e.g., stress generated by people's busy daily lives. In
almost all these cases, people breathe more rapidly and irregularly
as compared to their normal breathing habits. In this case, they
may attempt to modify their breathing to conform to a normal
respiratory cycle or take deep breaths so that only their
parasympathetic nerves are activated, so as to conduce
psychological stability, and thereby reduce stress.
[0007] As such, since stress derives from various sources, normal
respiration is very important for prevention and reduction of
stress. In this regard, the inventors have found that there is a
need for a portable system that may measure a user's respiratory
state, determine whether the user may be under stress based on the
user's respiratory state, and then help conduce stable normal
breathing if necessary, as the part of the Ubiquitous Health
Care.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] To overcome the above problems, an aspect of an embodiment
of the present invention is to provide a system, medium, and method
for conducing a user to modify their breathing, where a user's
current respiratory information is determined based on his or her
exhale sound and/or a sensed ambient temperature change occurring
during his or her exhale. When the current respiratory information
is different from normal respiratory information of the user, at a
normal state, the normal breathing respiratory information may be
provided to the user so that the user can simply and easily measure
and correct their own respiratory state anytime and anywhere, e.g.,
through a portable system which he or she can always carry
around.
[0009] Still another aspect of an embodiment of the present
invention is to provide a portable system, medium, and method for
conducing a user to modify their breathing, where a user's normal
respiratory information is displayed or represented to him or her
through a predetermined display or audio output. The user can
simply and easily correct their own respiratory state to maintain
psychological stability anytime and anywhere, e.g., through such a
portable system which he or she can always carry around.
[0010] Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will
be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,
will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by
practice of the invention.
[0011] To achieve the above and/or other aspects and advantages,
embodiments of the present invention include a system for conducing
a user's breathing, including a breathing monitoring device to
detect a user's breathing, a respiratory information generator to
generate current respiratory information of the user based on the
user's breathing, with the current respiratory information
including a current respiratory cycle and/or current respiratory
rate of the user, and a breathing-conducing unit to compare the
current respiratory information with predefined respiratory
information of the user, and to display and/or represent the
predefined respiratory information to the user through a display
and/or audio output if the current respiratory information and the
predefined respiratory information are different, wherein, when the
current respiratory information and the predefined respiratory
information are different, the respiratory information generator
continues to review the user's breathing while the predefined
respiratory information is displayed and/or represented to the user
through the display and/or audio output, and wherein the
breathing-conducing unit further provides visual and/or audio
feedback to the user to indicate a progression of the user's
breathing in matching the predefined respiratory information.
[0012] The system may include a memory to store the predefined
respiratory information, the predefined respiratory information
being a normal respiratory cycle and/or normal respiratory rate of
the user, with the normal respiratory cycle and/or normal
respiratory rate representing a breathing state of the user that
does not indicate stress.
[0013] Here, the normal respiratory cycle and normal respiratory
rate may be previously generated by the respiratory information
generator.
[0014] Further, the breathing monitoring device may be a microphone
to detect a sound generated and/or a temperature sensor to detect
an ambient temperature change during an exhale.
[0015] Further, the system may be a portable device. In addition,
the portable device may include at least one of a mobile
communication terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a
handheld gaming device, an MP3 player, a PMP (Portable Multimedia
Player), a digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) terminal, and a
notebook computer.
[0016] A period of the user's breathing may be determined to be an
exhale period based on a magnitude of the user's breathing being
greater than a predetermined threshold value, wherein a period of
the user's breathing during which the magnitude of the user's
breathing is not greater than the predetermined threshold value may
be determined to be an inhale period of the user's breathing, and
wherein the comparison of the current respiratory information with
the predefined respiratory information by the respiratory
information generator may be based on the exhale period and the
inhale period.
[0017] The predetermined threshold may represent a change in a
detected ambient temperature and/or a detected sound level.
[0018] In addition, the respiratory information generator may add
the exhale period and the inhaled period to calculate the current
respiratory cycle, divide the exhale period by the inhale period to
calculate the current respiratory rate, and use the current
respiratory cycle and/or the current respiratory rate in the
comparison of the current respiratory information with the
predefined respiratory information.
[0019] Further, the breathing-conducing unit may display and/or
represent detected exhale information and/or detected inhale
information of the user's breathing in the providing of the visual
and/or audio feedback to the user through the display and/or the
audio output together with predefined exhale information and/or
predefined inhale information of the predefined respiratory
information.
[0020] To achieve the above and/or other aspects and advantages,
embodiments of the present invention include a method of conducing
a user's breathing, the method may include detecting a user's
breathing, generating a current respiratory information of the user
based on the user's breathing, with the current respiratory
information including a current respiratory cycle and/or current
respiratory rate of the user, and comparing the current respiratory
information with predefined respiratory information of the user,
and displaying and/or representing the predefined respiratory
information to the user through a display and/or an audio output if
the current respiratory information and/or the predefined
respiratory information are different, wherein, when the current
respiratory information and the predefined respiratory information
are different, the generating of the current respiratory
information continues while the predefined respiratory information
is displayed and/or represented to the user through the display
and/or audio output, and wherein the comparing of the current
respiratory information further includes providing visual and/or
audio feedback to the user to indicate a progression of the user's
breathing in matching the predefined respiratory information.
[0021] The method may include maintaining the predefined
respiratory information in a memory, the predefined respiratory
information being a normal respiratory cycle and/or normal
respiratory rate of the user, with the normal respiratory cycle
and/or normal respiratory rate representing a breathing state of
the user that does not indicate stress.
[0022] Further, the normal respiratory cycle and normal respiratory
rate may be previously generated by the generating of the current
respiratory information when the user's breathing was the breathing
state of the user that does not indicate stress.
[0023] The detecting of the user's breathing may further be
performed by detecting an audible aspect of the user's breathing
and/or by detecting an ambient temperature change during an
exhale.
[0024] The comparing of the current respiratory information, the
displaying and/or representing of the predefined respiratory
information to the user, and providing of visual and/or audio
feedback to the user may be performed by a portable device includes
at least one of a mobile communication terminal, a personal digital
assistant (PDA), a handheld gaming device, an MP3 player, a PMP
(Portable Multimedia Player), a digital multimedia broadcasting
(DMB) terminal, and a notebook computer.
[0025] Further, a period of the user's breathing may be determined
to be an exhale period based on a magnitude of the user's breathing
being greater than a predetermined threshold value, wherein a
period of the user's breathing during which the magnitude of the
user's breathing is not greater than the predetermined threshold
value is determined to be an inhale period of the user's breathing,
and wherein the comparison of the current respiratory information
with the predefined respiratory information is based on the exhale
period and the inhale period.
[0026] The predetermined threshold may represent a change in a
detected ambient temperature and/or a detected sound level.
[0027] In addition, the method may further include adding the
exhale period and the inhaled period to calculate the current
respiratory cycle, dividing the exhale period by the inhale period
to calculate the current respiratory rate, and using the current
respiratory cycle and/or the current respiratory rate in the
comparison of the current respiratory information with the
predefined respiratory information.
[0028] Still further, the method may include displaying and/or
representing detected exhale information and/or detected inhale
information of the detected user's breathing in the providing of
the visual and/or audio feedback to the user through the display
and/or the audio output together with predefined exhale information
and/or predefined inhale information of the predefined respiratory
information.
[0029] To achieve the above and/or other aspects and advantages,
embodiments of the present invention include at least one medium
including computer readable code to implement embodiments of the
present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the
following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings of which:
[0031] FIG. 1 illustrates a system for conducing a user's normal
breathing, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0032] FIG. 2 illustrates a measured current respiratory waveform,
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0033] FIG. 3 illustrates another measured current respiratory
waveform, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 4 illustrates generated current respiratory
information, according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0035] FIGS. 5A and 5B respectively illustrate a user's normal
respiratory information displayed on a display of a portable system
and a breathing screen provided to a user based on the normal
respiratory information, according to an embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0036] FIG. 6 illustrates a process for conducing a user to modify
their breathing using a portable system, according to an embodiment
of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0037] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the
present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the
like elements throughout. Embodiments are described below in order
to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.
[0038] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a
system for conducing a user's normal breathing may include a
microphone(s), temperature sensor(s), display(s), or audio
output(s), which may together, or individually, be embodied in
portable terminals, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a
cellular phone, a personal communication service (PCS) phone, a
hand-held PC, a CDMA-2000(1X, 3X) phone, a wideband CDMA (WCDMA)
phone, a dual band/dual mode phone, a global standard for mobile
communications (GSM) phone, a mobile broadband system (MBS) phone,
a digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) phone, an MP3 player, a
notebook computer, a handheld gaming device, a personal media
player (PMP), and a navigation terminal, for example. Here,
alternative embodiments are equally available.
[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates a system/device for conducing a user's
normal breathing, according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0040] Referring to FIG. 1, the system may include a memory 110, a
respiratory waveform-measuring unit 120, a respiratory information
generator 130, a breathing-conducing unit 140, a central processing
unit (CPU) 150, a microphone 160, a display 170, an audio output
180 and a temperature sensor 190, for example. In embodiments of
the present invention, the system may be a portable system, and in
addition, may include only the microphone 160, only the temperature
sensor 190, a combination of the two, or such sampling aspects may
be accomplished through alternative elements.
[0041] In an embodiment, the memory 110 may store normal
respiratory information of a user, with the normal respiratory
information including the user's respiratory cycle or respiratory
rate at a normal state, for example.
[0042] The memory 110 may be include any of a USB memory of various
capacities, a CF memory, an SD memory, a mini SD memory, an XD
memory, a memory stick, a memory stick duo, an SMC memory, an MMC
memory, and an RS-MMC, for example, noting that alternatives are
equally available. Similarly, the memory 110 may be of an internal
type included in an inner construction of a corresponding portable
element of the system/device, or an external type disposed remote
from such a portable system/device. Again, the memory 110 may
support the above-mentioned memory types as well as any type of
memory that is likely to be developed and appear in the near
future, such as phase change random access memories (PRAMs),
ferroelectric random access memories (FRAMs), and magnetic random
access memories (MRAMs), for example.
[0043] The microphone 160 may receive a sound generated during the
user's exhale. Generally, one's breath includes a short, almost
explosive expiration (or exhale) and a slightly longer inspiration
(inhale) following the expiration.
[0044] Thus observance of the exhale sound can be usually be made
during the user's exhale, e.g., by sampling by microphone 160.
Here, it is noted that sounds are not usually made by the user
during the user's inhale, which also, or in the alternative, could
be used as a delineation between the user's inhaling and exhaling
of air.
[0045] The respiratory waveform-measuring unit 120 may receive a
first current respiratory waveform of the user based on the user's
exhale sound, e.g., as sampled for a certain period of time. Thus,
the respiratory waveform-measuring unit 120 may receive the first
current respiratory waveform of the user, according to the user's
exhale sound, as received by the microphone 160, noting that
alternative embodiments are equally available. An example of the
first current respiratory waveform is illustrated in FIG. 2, where
the signal illustrates an exhale period and an inhale period. That
is, during the exhale period, the waveform has the amplitude of
more than a predetermined threshold value and can be measured.
Conversely, during the inhale period, little or no sound may be
generated or detected.
[0046] The temperature sensor 190 may also sense an ambient
temperature change occurring during the user's exhale. Usually, the
ambient temperature changes due to a convection phenomenon of air
during the user's respiration. Thus, in an embodiment, the
temperature sensor 190 may sense the ambient temperature change
occurring during a user's exhale.
[0047] Accordingly, the respiratory waveform-measuring unit 120 may
measure a second current respiratory waveform of the user, e.g.,
based on the ambient temperature change sensed for a certain period
of time. The second current respiratory waveform illustrated in
FIG. 3 includes an exhale period and an inhale period. That is, as
illustrated in FIG. 3, the measured ambient temperature changes
during the exhale period and reverts back to the original
temperature during the inhale period. Here, the period during which
the ambient temperature changes may be recognized as the exhale
period. Since the ambient temperature does not change during the
inhale period, the period during which the ambient temperature does
not change thus may be recognized as the inhale period.
[0048] Thus, the respiratory information generator 130 may generate
both a normal and a current respiratory information, e.g., based on
the measured first current respiratory waveform and/or the measured
second current respiratory waveform of the user. As an example, the
generating of the user's current respiratory information based on
the first current respiratory waveform will now be described. The
same techniques are equally applicable to the second current
respiratory waveform.
[0049] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the respiratory information
generator 130 may determine the period during which the magnitude
of the waveform is greater than a predetermined threshold value,
among respective periods of the first current respiratory waveform,
as an exhale period of the user. Similarly, the respiratory
information generator 130 may further determine the period during
which the magnitude of the waveform is smaller than the
predetermined threshold value as an inhale period of the user, for
example.
[0050] With this approach, it is possible eliminate or minimize the
affect of noise, e.g., from other sources nearby the user, that may
be picked up by the microphone 110 along with the user's exhale
sound.
[0051] Accordingly, in an embodiment, the respiratory information
generator 130 may then generate a graph indicative of the current
respiratory information of the user. The current respiratory
information graph could also be interpreted as a conversion of the
first current respiratory waveform into a digital signal or digital
information. Alternatively, the input from the microphone could
already be digitized, in which case the conversion of the same to a
graph form may still be implemented. In an embodiment, the digital
signal of current respiratory information of the graph may include
information for both the exhale period and an inhale period of the
user. Such techniques can equally be applied to the use of the
temperature sensor and the second current respiratory waveform to
either implement embodiments of the present invention with either
technique, or both together. The current respiratory information
may represent the current respiratory cycle or the current
respiratory rate of the user, for example.
[0052] The respiratory cycle will be discussed as meaning a value
obtained by adding an inhale time to an exhale time, though
embodiments are not limited thereto. Similarly, the respiratory
rate will be discussed as meaning a value obtained by dividing the
exhale time by the inhale time, for example. Accordingly, using
FIG. 4 as only an example, it can be seen that the current
respiratory cycle can be implemented with the addition of the
exhale period and the inhale period in a specific respiratory
period. Further, the current respiratory rate can also be
implemented by a division of the exhale period by the inhale period
in the specific respiratory period.
[0053] The breathing-conducing unit 140 may then compare the
generated current respiratory information with the previously
detected, known, or expected normal respiratory information, e.g.,
stored in the memory 110. For example, the breathing-conducing unit
140 may compare the current respiratory cycle or the current
respiratory rate with the normal respiratory cycle or the normal
respiratory rate, respectively.
[0054] In an embodiment where the normal respiratory information is
also detected, to compare between the current respiratory
information and the normal respiratory information, the respiratory
waveform-measuring unit 120 may measure the user's normal
respiratory waveform, and the respiratory information generator 130
may generate the user's normal respiratory information based on the
normal respiratory waveform. The generated normal respiratory
information of the user may then be stored in the memory 110. As an
example, the measurement of the normal respiratory waveform and the
generation of the normal respiratory information may be implemented
in the same manner as that of the current respiratory waveform and
that of the current respiratory information, as described
above.
[0055] The breathing-conducing unit 140 may control the display of
the normal respiratory information to the user through a certain
display 170 of a system/device, e.g., if the current respiratory
information and the normal respiratory information are different
from each other as a result of the comparison. Alternatively, or in
addition, the breathing-conducing unit 140 may provide the normal
respiratory information to the user through an audio output 180 of
the system.
[0056] For example, the breathing-conducing unit 140 may control
the display of a normal exhale time and/or a normal inhale time
according to the normal respiratory information through the display
170 and/or the audio output 180, which will be described in more
detail below with reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B.
[0057] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a user's normal respiratory
information being displayed on a display of a portable
terminal/device, e.g., on an LCD screen of the portable
terminal/device, according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0058] FIG. 5A illustrates a bar graph for guiding an inhale breath
according to the normal inhale timing of the user. That is, here in
this embodiment, the height of the bar graph represents the time
needed for the user's normal inhale breath.
[0059] In addition, as the breathing is provided to the user, when
he or she inhales air, a illustrated gauge can be displayed on the
bar graph alongside the illustrated normal inhalation information.
Therefore, the user can be guided through their inhale breath until
the illustrated inhale breath gauge fully fills the bar graph, to
thereby conduce the normal breathing of the user. Here, the
illustrated gauge is shown aside the normal inhalation information.
However, embodiments are not limited thereto, e.g., the illustrated
gauge could be illustrated as overlaying the normal inhalation
information, or illustrated alone without the normal inhalation
information.
[0060] FIG. 5B illustrates a bar graph for guiding an exhale
breath, e.g., according to the normal exhale timing of the user.
Similarly, it is possible to conduce the user to exhale with a
normal breath in the same manner as the above inhale breath
technique. In case of the inhale breath and the exhale breath, the
speed in which the gauge of each bar graph fills may change
differently depending on each case. In addition, though the inhale
breath and exhale bar graphs are illustrated as being displayed
separately, they could also be illustrated together. Alternative
embodiments are equally available. In addition, alternate
illustrating techniques are equally available.
[0061] Thus, when the user breathes more rapidly and/or more
irregular than the user's normal breathing habit, for example,
e.g., due to stress, the desired normal breathing, according to the
normal respiratory information, may be provided the user so that
his or her parasympathetic nerves are activated so as to ensure the
user's psychological stability, for example.
[0062] Referring back to FIG. 1, the central processing unit (CPU)
150 may typically include a processor to process the data of the
inventive device/system. Here, according to an embodiment where all
illustrated elements are enclosed within a single portable device,
the central processing unit (CPU) 150 may control the operation of
the memory 110, the respiratory waveform-measuring unit 120, the
respiratory information generator 130, the breathing-conducing unit
140, the microphone 160, the display 170, the audio output 180 and
the temperature sensor 190, for example. To this end, the central
processing unit (CPU) 150 may also implement an
incorporated/attached mobile station modem (MSM), digital signal
processor (DSP), open multimedia application platform (OMAP), etc.
In addition, in alternative embodiments the illustrated system of
FIG. 1 may be embodied in different devices, or a mixture of the
same.
[0063] In addition, the display 170 may include a certain screen to
display the current respiratory information and/or the normal
respiratory information. Respiratory information in addition to the
normal respiratory information may also be available, in differing
embodiments of the present invention. In other words, the display
170 may include any of a super twisted nematic (STN) LCD, a thin
film transistor (TFT) LCD, an organic electroluminescent (EL) LCD,
a cathode ray tube (CRT), a plasma display panel (PDP), etc., for
example, noting that alternative embodiments are equally
available.
[0064] In addition, the audio output 180, which may output various
sounds generated from the portable device, may include any of a
speaker, an earphone jack, a microphone jack, and a vibration
motor, for example. In differing embodiments, the audio output 180
may further output the current respiratory information and/or the
normal respiratory information, or another type of respiratory
information, in a certain audio format to provide the breath
information or guidance to the user.
[0065] FIG. 6 illustrates a process for conducing a user's
breathing, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0066] According to this embodiment of the present invention, the
system may maintain a user's predetermined respiratory information
of a normal state, e.g., in a memory, or may obtain the same from
an alternate source, in operation 611. At this time, the normal
respiratory information may include the user's normal respiratory
cycle or normal respiratory rate. As noted above, embodiments of
the present invention are not limited to the application of the
normal respiratory cycle or normal respiratory rate, as other
respiratory cycles or other respiratory rates may be available.
[0067] A sound, for example, generated during the user's exhale may
be monitored, in operation 612, and a first current respiratory
waveform of the user may be measured, in operation 613. The system
may also, or in the alternative, sense an ambient temperature
change occurring during the user's exhale, in operation 614, and
measure a second current respiratory waveform of the user, in
operation 615.
[0068] The system may generate the user's current respiratory
information, based on the measured first current respiratory
waveform and/or the measured second current respiratory waveform,
in operation 616. The current respiratory information may further
include a current respiratory cycle and/or a current respiratory
rate of the user.
[0069] The system may compare the current respiratory information
with the normal respiratory information, for example, in operation
617, and if it is determined, in operation 617, that the current
respiratory information and the normal respiratory information are
similar or identical to each other, the process may return to
operations 612 or 614, where the system may repeatedly receive the
sound and/or temperature information.
[0070] However, if it is determined, in operation 617, that the
current respiratory information and the normal respiratory
information are different, the process may proceed to operation
618, where the system may display or represent the normal
respiratory information to the user through any of a display and/or
audio output, for example.
[0071] The system may, thus, then conduce the breathing of the user
based on the normal respiratory information with the display and/or
representation of the normal respiratory information, in operation
619, thereby helping the user activate his or her parasympathetic
nerves according to the normal breath state, so as to ensure his or
her psychological stability. In operation 619, the system,
according to a present invention, may be implemented to conduce the
breathing of the user for a predetermined period of time to thereby
alleviate stress of the user, and may further be implemented in a
measurement mode for measuring the respiratory cycle of the user
again after the conducing of the breathing of the user for the
predetermined time period to thereby identify whether or not the
respiratory cycle of the user has returned to a normal state.
[0072] In addition to the above described embodiments, embodiments
of the present invention can also be implemented through computer
readable code/instructions in/on a medium, e.g., a computer
readable medium. The medium can correspond to any medium/media
permitting the storing and/or transmission of the computer readable
code.
[0073] The computer readable code can be recorded/transferred on a
medium in a variety of ways, with examples of the medium including
magnetic storage media (e.g., ROM, floppy disks, hard disks, etc.),
optical recording media (e.g., CD-ROMs, or DVDs), and
storage/transmission media such as carrier waves, as well as
through the Internet, for example. Here, the medium may further be
a signal, such as a resultant signal or bitstream, according to
embodiments of the present invention. The media may also be a
distributed network, so that the computer readable code is
stored/transferred and executed in a distributed fashion.
[0074] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a
system, medium, and method conducing a user's breathing has an
advantageous effect in that a user's current respiratory
information may be produced from his or her respiratory waveform,
based on his or her exhale sound and/or a change in ambient
temperature caused by the user's exhale, and when the current
respiratory information is different from the normal respiratory
information of the user, a normal breathing may be provided to the
user so that the user can simply and easily measure and correct
their own respiratory state anytime. The user's normal respiratory
information may be displayed or represented through a display or
audio output, for example. Further, as noted above, the recited
system may also be embodied in a portable device, or a system where
all or some of the elements are portable, e.g., such that the
monitoring and conducing of the breathing of the user can be
accomplished anywhere and anytime, e.g., through a portable device
which the user can always be carried around.
[0075] Although a few embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described, the present invention is not limited to
the described embodiments. Instead, it would be appreciated by
those skilled in the art that changes may be made to these
embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the
invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their
equivalents.
* * * * *