Adjusting alarms based on sleep onset latency

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9692874-B2
Application number	US-201514871882-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2015
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

In some implementations, a mobile device can adjust an alarm setting based on the sleep onset latency duration detected for a user of the mobile device. For example, sleep onset latency can be the amount of time it takes for the user to fall asleep after the user attempts to go to sleep (e.g., goes to bed). The mobile device can determine when the user intends or attempts to go to sleep based on detected sleep ritual activities. Sleep ritual activities can include those activities a user performs in preparation for sleep. The mobile device can determine when the user is asleep based on detected sleep signals (e.g., biometric data, sounds, etc.). In some implementations, the mobile device can determine recurring patterns of long or short sleep onset latency and present suggestions that might help the user sleep better or feel more rested.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
detecting, by a computing device, performance of sleep ritual activities associated with a user of the computing device;
determining, by the computing device, that the user has performed the user's sleep ritual, wherein the user's sleep ritual includes one or more activities that the user performs before going to bed;
in response to determining that the user has performed the user's sleep ritual, determining, by the computing device, a first time, wherein the first time is when the user intends to sleep;
detecting, by the computing device, biological signals corresponding to the user sleeping;
determining, by the computing device, a second time based on the detection, wherein the second time is when the user falls asleep;
calculating, by the computing device, a sleep onset latency duration based on the first time and the second time; and
adjusting, by the computing device, a scheduled alarm time based on the sleep onset latency duration.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sleep ritual activities include two or more activities that the user regularly performs before going to sleep.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sleep ritual activities are detected using two or more distinct sensors of the computing device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first time corresponds to a third time when the sleep ritual activities end.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sleep onset latency duration is calculated by determining a period of time between the first time and the second time.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the scheduled alarm time includes adding the sleep onset latency duration to the scheduled alarm time to generate a new alarm time and adjusting the scheduled alarm time to correspond to the new alarm time.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
obtaining calendar information describing a calendar event scheduled for a fourth time;
determining whether the new alarm time allows the user to attend the calendar event at the fourth time; and
adjusting the scheduled alarm time to correspond to the new alarm time when the new alarm time allows the user to attend the calendar event at the fourth time.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes:
detecting, by a computing device, performance of sleep ritual activities associated with a user of the computing device;
determining, by the computing device, that the user has performed the user's sleep ritual, wherein the user's sleep ritual includes one or more activities that the user performs before going to bed;
in response to determining that the user has performed the user's sleep ritual, determining, by the computing device, a first time, wherein the first time is when the user intends to sleep;
determining, by the computing device, a second time based on the detection, wherein the second time is when the user falls asleep;
detecting, by the computing device, biological signals corresponding to the user sleeping;
calculating, by the computing device, a sleep onset latency duration based on the first time and the second time; and
adjusting, by the computing device, a scheduled alarm time based on the sleep onset latency duration.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the sleep ritual activities include two or more activities that the user regularly performs before going to sleep.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the sleep ritual activities are detected using two or more distinct sensors of the computing device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the first time corresponds to a third time when the sleep ritual activities end.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the sleep onset latency duration is calculated by determining a period of time between the first time and the second time.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions that cause adjusting the scheduled alarm time include instructions that cause adding the sleep onset latency duration to the scheduled alarm time to generate a new alarm time and adjusting the scheduled alarm time to correspond to the new alarm time.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions cause:
obtaining calendar information describing a calendar event scheduled for a fourth time;
determining whether the new alarm time allows the user to attend the calendar event at the fourth time; and
adjusting the scheduled alarm time to correspond to the new alarm time when the new alarm time allows the user to attend the calendar event at the fourth time.

15. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes:
detecting, by a computing device, performance of sleep ritual activities associated with a user of the computing device;
determining, by the computing device, that the user has performed the user's sleep ritual, wherein the user's sleep ritual includes one or more activities that the user performs before going to bed;
in response to determining that the user has performed the user's sleep ritual, determining, by the computing device, a first time, wherein the first time is when the user intends to sleep;
determining, by the computing device, a second time based on the detection, wherein the second time is when the user falls asleep;
detecting, by the computing device, biological signals corresponding to the user sleeping;
calculating, by the computing device, a sleep onset latency duration based on the first time and the second time; and
adjusting, by the computing device, a scheduled alarm time based on the sleep onset latency duration.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the sleep ritual activities include two or more activities that the user regularly performs before going to sleep.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the sleep ritual activities are detected using two or more distinct sensors of the computing device.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first time corresponds to a third time when the sleep ritual activities end.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the sleep onset latency duration is calculated by determining a period of time between the first time and the second time.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions that cause adjusting the scheduled alarm time include instructions that cause adding the sleep onset latency duration to the scheduled alarm time to generate a new alarm time and adjusting the scheduled alarm time to correspond to the new alarm time.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the instructions cause:
obtaining calendar information describing a calendar event scheduled for a fourth time;
determining whether the new alarm time allows the user to attend the calendar event at the fourth time; and
adjusting the scheduled alarm time to correspond to the new alarm time when the new alarm time allows the user to attend the calendar event at the fourth time.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Raymann Roy J
• Dougherty Wren N
• Nag Divya
• Lambert Deborah M
• Greer Stephanie
• Gruber Thomas R

Classifications

• H04M1/72566 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W4/005

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L67/22

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L67/535

  Tracking the activity of the user (network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34) · CPC title

• H04M1/72451

  according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications · CPC title