Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Yasushi Yamamoto

Yoshihisa Fujiwara

Shima Okada

Takeshi Minamiura

Naoki Hiro

Fumiiki Yoneda

Hidetaka Sakai

Kenji Nasako

Takafumi Nakayama

Tomohito Takada

Katsuyoshi Oki

Hirotsugu Furutate

Hajime Shiba

Hideto Doi

Mamoru Misono

Yasuhiro Mizokami

A sleep state of a subject is estimated from respiration signals that are readily detected without restraining the subject. From a voltage waveform based on respiratory movement of a person, positive peak values and the (time) interval between adjacent peaks are calculated. Also obtained is the area of a region that is enclosed by the voltage waveform and a time axis between peaks, and the average value and dispersion value of the obtained inter-peak areas are calculated. The calculated values are used to set a preliminary sleep state value for a given period, and sleep state values over plural periods are factored in to estimate a sleep state at a given time point.

Sleep state estimating device and program product

An object of the present invention is to provide a sleep state estimation device capable of estimating a sleep state (deep sleep, light sleep) in real time with relative simplicity. Voltage variations resulting from human respiratory movement are measured for each given period to calculate from the measurement results positive voltage peak values and time intervals between adjacent peaks. The obtained peak values and peak intervals are used to calculate a mean peak interval value A, a coefficient of variation B based on dispersion of the peak intervals, and a coefficient of variation C based on the peak values. The sleep state in this period is estimated from the calculation results. More specifically, referring to FIG., the sleep state is estimated as a 'wakeful state' or a 'hypnagogic state' by checking whether the mean value A is larger or smaller than a threshold a and whether the coefficient of variation C is larger or smaller than a threshold c (S) whereas the sleep state is estimated as the &#x201c;hypnagogic state&#x201d;, &#x201c;light sleep&#x201d; or &#x201c;deep sleep&#x201d; by checking whether the coefficient of variation B is larger or smaller than a threshold b and whether the coefficient of variation C is larger or smaller than the threshold c (S, S, S, S).

Sleep state estimation device and program product for providing a computer with a sleep state estimation function

A heat carrier comprises a closed or looped heat pipe having a heat receiving section and a heat radiating section, and accommodating therein a heating medium such as carbon dioxide, which becomes a low-viscous supercritical fluid when it is heated. The supercritical fluid is circulated in the heat pipe by convection due to a density difference based on a temperature difference between the heat receiving section and the heat radiating section, thereby carrying heat from the heat receiving section to the heat radiating section.

Heat carrier

A part list for making an operator designate a part related to knowledge to be defined is displayed. The part related to the knowledge is designated by the operator on the basis of the part list. A knowledge type list for making the operator designate the type of the knowledge to be defined is displayed. The type of the knowledge to be defined is designated by the operator on the basis of the knowledge type list. A knowledge defining way candidate list for making the operator designate a knowledge defining way which can be used with respect to the designated type of the knowledge is displayed. The knowledge defining way is designated by the operator on the basis of the knowledge defining way candidate list. A required information item to be inputted is displayed in accordance with the designated type of the knowledge and the designated knowledge defining way. Required information is inputted by the operator on the basis of the displayed information item to be inputted. The knowledge is defined and is registered in a knowledge base on the basis of the required information inputted.

Knowledge base constructing system

Growing community of inventors

Hirakara, Japan

Yasushi Yamamoto