GB2124491A

GB2124491A - Electronic sleepmaker

Info

Publication number: GB2124491A
Application number: GB08221827A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Caradoc Williams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-07-26
Filing date: 1982-07-26
Publication date: 1984-02-22

Abstract

An electronic instrument for promoting sleep, by relaxation rhythms induced through the eyes or ears into the nerve system. Sleep is induced through the use of a earpiece, providing low level audio tones, intermodulated at very low frequency and adjusted by the user to sustain a comforting bio-rhythm. Alternatively, a very low intensity modulated light is used to induce a rhythm through the closed eyelids. The earpiece or light is conveniently located on the head pillow and the outputs are normally used separately or they may be used together. The instrument is powered by two small self-contained batteries and may be used for many hundreds of hours without appreciable battery power loss.

Description

SPECIFICATION Electronic sleepmaker This invention relates to an electronic instrument for promoting sleep to be used as an alternative to the use of relaxation drugs or other method used at present.

General The human body is sensitive to very low frequency oscillations, which are induced through the nerve system4for example through the eyes, ears and other parts of the body. These biorhythms are at a few cycles a second and are in the nature of resonances induced into the nerve system from external sources. Such rhythms can be induced by electronic and other means.

Depending upon their character, they can be pleasing, comforting, restful, irritating or annoying. The object of the instrument to be described here, is to provide comforting and restful experience by passing rhythms through the ears or the eyes or to both senses at the same time, if desired, and by so doing to induce sleep when it is needed. As an alternative to the use of relaxation drugs or sleeping pills, which may be habit forming and often have unpleasant side effects, the electronic methods described here are considered to be attractive and harmless to the user.

The device used through the ears is a very low level pulsing acoustic tone. The tone is complex in nature, in that two audio tones are generated, which are inter-modulated to produce a third tone, which is more or less sub-audio to the ear response, though its presence gives a sense of restfulness to the sensory system. In a technical sense, the third tone is a modulation of such low frequency, that it is not heard as such, yet provides the elements of restfulness to the nervous system and induces sleep. These waves are pulsed as on/off tones with a duration of about one to two seconds and repeated as an on/off cycle. These sounds are of exceedingly low amplitude level and are induced through a earphone either inserted into the ear or resting on a head pillow in close proximity to the ear.The electronic sleepmaker instrument and its selfcontained battery power supply is so small, that it can be placed under the head pillow. The frequency of the tones and the pulsing time can be adjusted to provide a comforting and restful experience, thus inducing sleep. The comforting nature of the tone helps to remove other thoughts of a disturbing nature causing sleeplessness, by the biological rhythm, which is induced into the mind of the user. Sleep comes quickly under these conditions.

The second feature, which is combined with the first in a single unit, is in the nature of a flashing electronic light of exceedingly low intensity, which is itself modulated and is used on a head pillow in much the same manner as the earphone. The electronic light is placed on the pillow near the eyelids, where it can be viewed or otherwise. The eyelids may be closed, yet there is an illumination or glow, which reaches the sensitive part of the eye and gives awareness of its presence. The light level is modulated in intensity, giving a bio-rhythm, which is sensitive to the eye retina and is communicated to the brain. As with the acoustic device, the modulated light is adjusted in its variations to be restful and pleasing. It is this effect which induces sleep.The power consumption of the unit is very small and it can be left in operation for long periods if desired, without significant battery power loss.

Technical description This instrument is called an Electronic sleepmaker and its functioning is described in conjunction with Figs 1 and 2. Fig. 1 is a block schematic of a combined acoustic-visual instrument. Fig. 2 is a diagram of the electronic circuit relating to Fig. 1. The unit, as described uses two metal oxide semi-conductor integrated circuits (CMOS Type 401 1.) in its circuit, but other types of semi-conductor may also be suitable.

Tone generator 1 Tone generator 1 comprises a resistance capacitor oscillator and uses a resistor 33K ohms and a capacitor 50 N.Fd to provide an audio frequency output 600 cycles a second nominal.

Tone generator 2 Tone generator 2 is in all respects similar to tone generator 1, but uses a 1 OK ohms variable resistor in series with a 27K fixed resistor to permit manual adjustment of its frequency, which is also 600 c/s nominal.

Electronic timer 3 The two tone generators are switched on and off together, in a rhythmic manner by an Electronic timer 3, which uses a 2.2M ohm resistor and a 1 .OM.Fd capacitor to provide on/off cycle switching at between one and two seconds duration approximately.

Mixer circuit 5 The outputs of the two tone generators are mixed through two 880K ohm resistors to a common point, which activates a high impedance piezo-electric earphone 7, which is connected to the instrument case by a flexible lead and a plug and socket.

Buffer amplifier 6 To increase the response, the buffer amplifier is connected to the output 5 and its output activates a light Emitting Diode (L.E.D.) 8, which likewise is external to the instrument case and is connected to it by a flexible lead and a plug and socket, the diode being fastened at the centre of a small linen or cotton sheet, for the convenience of locating it on a head pillow when in use.

Power supply 4 The power supply is self-contained in the instrument case and comprises two size A2 primary batteries or nickel cadium secondary cells to provide 3 volts d.c. This supply is connected through an on-off switch to pins 14 (+ve) and pins 7(-ve) of the Type 4011 integrated circuit circuits and this activates all sections of the instrument. The total consumption is of the order of 0.3 milliamps, which permits the instrument to be used for many hundreds of hours, without significant battery power loss.

Operation Switch on the power. A tone will be heard at a low level in the acoustic earphone and the variable control 1 OK resistor can be carefully adjusted to provide a beat-tone bio-rhythm which is pleasing and acceptable to the user. In a darkened room the light from the L.E.D. can be viewed. It is at very low illumination level and the bio-rhythm is observed in the light output. Again, this can be adjusted in a manner which is most pleasing to the user. The eyelids may be closed, yet there is an illumination which reaches the sensitive part of the eye retina and gives an awareness of rhythmic modulated illumination.

Etiehr the acoustic output or the light output may be used independently or both at the same time, the object being to provide bio-rhythm through the ears or eyes in place of the disturbing and distracting thoughts which usually create restlessness and impair sleep.

Claims

1. The design of an electronic unit to combat sleeplessness and thereby to reduce the need for relaxation drugs and avoid their undesirable side effects.

2. The design of an electronic unit with sound and light outputs, which produces relaxation, tranquility and induces sleep through its effect upon the human senses and the outputs of which are induced through the ears and eyes to the brain.

3. The application to use two audio frequencies, which are closely related together, being inter-modulated, to provide a very low frequency electrical output, adjustable over the sub-audio range from about one to ten cycles a second or thereabouts, being induced in the brain as bio-rhythms, through the ears and eyes, by the agency of an acoustic earpiece and a light sensitive diode.

4. The design of an electronic unit, in accordance with these claims, which can provide a modulated acoustic output, a modulated light output, or both outputs simultaneously.

5. A design assembly of electronic components in a very small unit, to fulfil the claims and provided with a self-contained power supply having very low current requirements and therefore very extended battery life.

6. The provision of a very low level acoustic tone and modulated light output unit, such as would be comforting and not disturbing to a person seeking relaxation and sleep in a quiet and darkened room.