Slow, regular breathing is considered to be beneficial for relaxation. To support the breathing process, breath pacing devices are known to provide a sequence of desired respiration cycles that corresponds to a regular breathing rhythm. These respiration cycles, each comprising an inhale phase and a subsequent exhale phase, are displayed to a user in form of an output signal that is easily perceivable by the user. For this purpose an optical signal can be used, i.e. a light that changes it intensity, color or shape according to the desired respiration cycles. For example, breath pacers are known that can be used in bed by a person to reduce sleep onset latency. This breath pacer projects a light spot of slowly varying size on the ceiling of the bedroom. However, light projections require at least a minimum of attention by the user and can be found disturbing by other persons. This also stands for audible cues to pace the user's respiration, because an audio signal is always hearable to another person present in the room or requires the user to wear headphones. However, the output signal representing the respiration cycles can also be haptically perceivable as a characteristic of a haptic output unit like, for example, a pad or a ball that increases or decreases its size or shape periodically.
To support the relaxation of a person using a breath pacing apparatus, it is beneficial to mimic a typical human breathing rhythm related to increasing relaxation as good as possible. For example, the length of the guiding respiration cycles may increase with time, i.e., each subsequent respiration cycle is longer than the preceding one, to increase the chance for relaxation. One problem arising with haptic output units is that with increasing length of the respiration cycles, it becomes more difficult to feel the change of the haptically perceivable feature and to follow the respiration rhythm. For example, a haptic output unit like an inflatable pad may increase its thickness from the beginning of one respiration cycle to the end of the inhale phase, reaching its maximum thickness, and beginning to decrease its thickness at the transition from the inhale phase to the exhale phase, reaching its minimum thickness again at the end of the cycle. The longer the cycle becomes, the more difficult it is for the user to feel the “turning point” at which the pad reaches its maximum thickness and further the transition from the exhale phase to the inhale phase of the subsequent cycle, where the pad has its minimal thickness. However, when the tactile stimulus gets weaker, the breath pacing effect is deteriorated.
A sleep aid device for inducing and/or manipulating sleep is disclosed in US 2007/0179334 A1. This device includes a fluid-filled mattress, a fluid pump sealably connected to the mattress, and a control module. The fluid pump modulates fluid into and/or out of the mattress, which may stimulate the feel and/or sound of a human breathing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,301 teaches a kinesthetic system for promoting rhythmic breathing by tactile stimulation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,301 claims a method and a system for encouraging a desired breathing pattern, the system comprising a respiratory ventilator for respirating a patient according to the desired pattern, a kinesthetic device capable of being worn by the patient having a means for providing the patient with a non-driving cyclical tactile stroking sensation, the stroking sensation emulating human touch, and means for cyclically operating said kinesthetic device in synchronization with said respiratory ventilator so as to encourage the patient to breath in accordance with the desired breathing pattern.
International publication WO 86/02815 A1 discloses a mattress incorporating means to stimulate the heartbeat of an adult, the mattress comprises a sound chamber, means to stimulate the heartbeat and power means therefore. In addition means may be provided to stimulate the respiratory movements of an adult.
Document FR 2 834 875 discloses a rhythmic pillow to aid sleep and relaxation. The pillow is in two parts—a fixed section filled with foam or feathers, and an inflatable section connected by rubber tubes to a housing containing a small blower. The blower, which is electronically controlled, delivers air to the inflatable section of the pillow through two valves to produce either a gentle rising and falling motion or a side to side rocking motion.
Patent application GB 2 397 761 A pertains to a mattress for inducing a calming effect on a person using the mattress, which mattress comprises an upper portion for being laid upon by the person, and movement-creating means that causes the upper portion to rise and fall with a movement that is smooth and rhythmical and substantially the same as the rising and falling action of a mother's chest as the mother reclines and breathes with an infant resting on her chest.
United States patent application no. US 2010/0125226 A1 concerns a simple, portable, easy to operate device that helps the user to practice deep breathing techniques in their everyday life.
The German utility model DE 201 03 442 U1 relates to a pillow or a support for a pillow which is characterized in that its height changes periodically, comparable to a breathing movement.
German utility model DE 202 05 187 U1 discloses a mattress for infants, the mattress being characterized in that it includes means for continuously raising and lowering an area smaller than the contact area of an infant lying on the mattress, wherein the alternating up- and down movement is within a height of 1 to 5 cm within the breathing rhythm of a resting adult.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a breath pacing apparatus providing a variable haptically perceivable feature according to a sequence of desired respiration cycles that enables the user to follow the respiration cycles easier than with known breath pacing apparatuses, even with increasing length of the respiration cycles.
It is another object of the present invention to create a corresponding method for pacing the respiration of a person, providing an output signal haptically perceivable during a sequence of desired respiration cycles that can be haptically perceived easily by a user even with increased length of the respiration cycles.