US-12622605-B2 - Smart infant monitoring system and method

Abstract

A sleep system including an analysis unit configured to be in data communication with a plurality of sensors, the sensors being selected from one or more sound sensors, biological sensors, environmental sensors, motion sensors, or a combination thereof.

Inventors

• Harvey N. Karp
• Peter Fornell

Assignees

• HB INNOVATIONS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20220316

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An infant analysis system, the system comprising: a plurality of sensors positioned relative to a sleep device to collect data with respect to an infant when positioned within the sleep device, wherein the plurality of sensors include a sound sensor to collect sound data, a weight sensor to collect weight data with respect to the infant when positioned within the sleep device, and a motion sensor; and an analysis unit configured to perform cry analyses that analyze the data collected by the plurality of sensors to identify cry behavior states and generate predictive response instructions that control stimulus outputs by the sleep device or a peripheral device to soothe and transition the infant from the cry behavior states, wherein, with respect to the cry analyzes, the analysis unit is configured to: analyze the collected sound data corresponding to cries together with the weight data including comparison of weight collected over time to a current weight, generate predictive response instructions to cause one or both of the sleep device or peripheral device to output stimuli, the output stimuli comprising initiation or modification of one or more of: temperature control modulated by a temperature control device, motion of a platform of the sleep device modulated by a motor, sound output from a speaker, or lighting modulated by lights, compare changes to cry behavior state characteristics of respective cry behavior state determinations following execution of predictive response instructions, and output a notification to a user interface that the infant is hungry when a cry state analysis informed by the comparison of changes to cry behavior state characteristics following previous cry behavior state determinations indicates the infant is in a hungry cry behavior state indicative of a cry behavior state that will not be soothed by the output stimuli.
2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cry analysis further includes correlation of the sound data corresponding to the cries and weight data with additional non-sound data collected by the plurality of sensors selected from motion data, vitals data, environmental data, sleep cycle data, wake/sleep data, or combination thereof.
3. 3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the characteristics of the sound data analyzed includes amplitude, frequency, wavelength, duration, or combination thereof.
4. 4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the characteristics of the sound data analyzed includes sound patterns, cadence, or both.
5. 5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the cry analysis starts with a baseline cry to differentiate between cries and grunts.
6. 6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sound analysis module is configured to generate a cry algorithm that is personalized to the infant and use the cry algorithm in the cry analyses.
7. 7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the cry algorithm is configured to identify values or value ranges in measured characteristics based on previous analyses that are specific to the infant and its cry behavior states.
8. 8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cry analysis further includes analysis of motion data, vital data, or combinations thereof collected by the plurality of sensors.
9. 9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the cry analysis includes the analysis of motion data collected by a motion sensor, and wherein the analysis of the motion data includes identification of intensity of kicking or other motions of the infant.
10. 10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein, when the cry analysis identifies grunting in the sound data corresponding to the cries and determines if similar grunting sounds have been associated with one or more levels of hunger states, sleep states, tired states, content states, bored states, unwell states, or other behavioral states in previous cry analyses.
11. 11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cry analysis further includes analysis of motion data collected by a motion sensor related to a movement of the infant during collection of the sound data corresponding to the cries, and wherein the movement corresponds to leg movement, eye movement, arm movement, body movement, or head movement.
12. 12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the analysis of the motion data includes analyzing rate, duration, pattern, and/or distance of the movement.
13. 13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cry analysis is further configured to distinguish between whether the infant is unwell/ill, uncomfortable, content, bored, or tired.
14. 14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cry analysis further includes analysis of motion data collected by the motion sensor related to a movement of the infant during collection of the sound data corresponding to the cries, and wherein the movement corresponds to movement of feet, toes, mouth, hands, or fingers.
15. 15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the notification includes a suggested amount or duration of feeding.
16. 16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is accessible to a user to specify a desired behavior state and the system is configured to provide a suggested feeding schedule along with one or more additional instructions to transition the infant to the desired behavioral state.
17. 17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the suggested feeding schedule includes an amount, duration, and timing of feeding to transition the infant to the desired behavioral state.
18. 18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more additional instructions include a setting with respect to a sleep device and/or peripherals of the sleep device to transition the infant to the desired behavioral state.
19. 19 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the comparison of changes to cry behavior state characteristics are taken from multiple time points after initiation of output stimuli.
20. 20 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the comparison of changes to cry behavior state characteristics are taken from multiple ranges of time after initiation of output stimuli.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority benefit to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/161,653, filed Mar. 16, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure generally relates to monitoring infants to collect biological, environments, and/or situational data and analyzing the same. In disclosed embodiments, such collected data may be analyzed to identify psychological, physiological, or various medical conditions. BACKGROUND Crib death or SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is a leading cause of infant mortality. Approximately 2400 US infants die each year from SIDS during the first year of life. The peak occurrence is from 2-4 months of age, with 80% of the victims being under 4 months and 90% being under 6 months of age. While the exact cause of SIDS is unknown, the primary cause is believed to be immaturity of the breathing regulatory system in the brain. In essence, it seems that infants “forget” to breath and their internal alarm system does not reliably arouse them to recommence breathing. Once breathing stops, the body becomes more and more hypoxemic and acidotic, leading to a downward spiral of reduced heart rate, dropping blood pressure, cardiovascular collapse and death. In the hospital setting, the use of an infant monitor immediately alerts the healthcare workers if an infant stops breathing. The health care workers can often resuscitate the infant with simple stimulation (e.g. vigorous jiggling), without the need of oxygen or formal CPR. However, in the home setting where such medical monitoring equipment may be unavailable, the need exists for a way to detect if infant breathing has stopped so that a corrective action can occur before the onset of serious adverse health effects or SIDS. By intervening as soon as possible after an infant's breathing has stopped, it may become possible to reduce the occurrence of SIDS and further lower infant mortality rates. Language development is an acquired skill and infant communication is limited to more primal or generalized mechanisms that relay how an infant feels. For example, infants may cry, kick, or toss when upset. But determining the reason as to why an infant is upset is often a matter of educated guessing. SUMMARY In various embodiments, an infant analysis system includes a plurality of sensors positioned relative to a sleep device to collect data with respect to an infant when positioned within the sleep device and an environment around the infant. The plurality of sensors include a sound sensor and a motion sensor. In a first aspect, the system includes a sound analysis module configured to analyze the sound data. The sound analysis module may be configured to identify characteristics and patterns of the sound data alone or together with non-sound data. In a first configuration, the sound analysis module is configured perform a cry analysis that includes analysis of the sound data corresponding to cries for characteristics to identify nuances and/or emotional factors related to the infant including grunting. In one example, the cry analysis includes correlation of the sound data corresponding to cries with data collected by the plurality of sensors including motion data, vitals data, environmental data, sleep cycle data, wake/sleep data, or combination thereof. In the above or another example, the cry analysis utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML) model to unwrap the nuances of the cries of the infant. In any of the above or another example, the sound analysis module may utilize data and/or analysis performed by one or more additional modules selected from a motion analysis module, vital analysis module, weight analysis module, environmental analysis module, evaluation module, sleep state analysis module, or combination thereof. In a further example, the sound analysis module associates with the evaluation module and/or condition identification module to provide sound data or analyses thereof according to an evaluation program and/or for identification of a condition. In any of the above or another example with respect to the cry analysis, the sound analysis module is configured to analyze sound data corresponding to cries for patterns therein. In any of the above or another example with respect to the cry analysis, the analysis may further comprises correlating the sound data corresponding to cries or patterns therein with collected data related to vital states, conditions, evaluations, motion/movement, feeding, weight, environment, wake/sleep or sleep cycle data, or combinations thereof. In any of the above or another example with respect to the cry analysis, the sound analysis module may be is configured to perform a cry analysis that includes analysis of characteristics of cries detected by one or more sound sensors. In any of the above or another example with respect to the cry analysis, the sound data corresponding to cries is inpu