Systems and methods for monitoring a subject at rest

A sensor apparatus comprising:

• an air bladder configured to be positioned under a mattress, wherein the air bladder has a bladder top and a bladder bottom that combine to define an air chamber of the air bladder, wherein the air chamber of the air bladder has a substantially rectangular outer perimeter portion when viewed from above or below the air bladder, wherein the outer perimeter portion has first, second, third, and fourth edges, wherein the air bladder defines a bladder inlet to the air chamber that is positioned along the first edge of the outer perimeter of the air chamber of the air bladder, wherein the bladder top is connected to the bladder bottom so as to define a plurality of channels that extend longitudinally in a direction that is parallel to the second and fourth edges and that is perpendicular to the first and third edges, wherein the air bladder is configured to allow air flow between the bladder inlet and the channels, wherein the air bladder is sized smaller than a surface area of a mattress and is sized large enough to sense a user's heart and lungs when positioned under a mattress, wherein the air bladder is made of an inflatable and substantially air-tight plastic material;
• a housing made of a rigid plastic material;
• an electrical air pump positioned in the housing, in fluid communication with the bladder inlet of the air bladder, and operable to control fluid pressure within the air bladder;
• an air pressure sensor positioned in the housing, in fluid communication with the bladder inlet of the air bladder, and configured to sense fluid pressure of the air bladder and to generate a sensor signal as a function of sensed fluid pressure of the air bladder;
• a processing unit in electrical communication with the air pressure sensor and configured to:
• receive the sensor signal from the air pressure sensor;
• and
• convert the received sensor signal to data;
• a transmitter in data communication with the processing unit configured to transmit the data;
• and
• a cover configured to cover the air bladder for comfort without substantially insulating the sensor apparatus from sensing vibrations generated by heart and lung function.

A sleep sensor system comprising:

• an air bladder configured to be positioned under a mattress, wherein the air bladder has a bladder top and a bladder bottom that combine to define an air chamber of the air bladder, wherein the air chamber of the air bladder has a substantially rectangular outer perimeter portion when viewed from above or below the air bladder, wherein the outer perimeter portion has first, second, third, and fourth edges, wherein the air bladder defines a bladder inlet to the air chamber that is positioned along the first edge of the outer perimeter of the air chamber of the air bladder, wherein the bladder top is connected to the bladder bottom so as to define a plurality of channels that extend longitudinally in a direction that is parallel to the second and fourth edges and that is perpendicular to the first and third edges, wherein the air bladder is configured to allow air flow between the bladder inlet and the channels, wherein the air bladder is sized smaller than a surface area of a mattress and is sized large enough to sense a user's heart and lungs when positioned under a mattress, wherein the air bladder is made of an inflatable and substantially air-tight plastic material;
• a cover configured to cover the air bladder for comfort without substantially insulating the sleep sensor system from sensing vibrations generated by heart and lung function for comfort;
• a housing made of a rigid plastic material;
• an electrical air pump positioned in the housing, in fluid communication with the air bladder, and operable to control a fluid pressure within the air bladder;
• an air pressure sensor positioned in the housing, in fluid communication with the bladder inlet of the air bladder, and configured to sense fluid pressure of the air bladder and to generate a pressure sensor signal as a function of sensed fluid pressure of the air bladder, wherein the air pressure sensor is configured to sense incident fluid pressure waves caused by cardiopulmonary activity of a user lying on the mattress;
• a temperature sensor;
• a light sensor;
• an audio sensor;
• an alarm system;
• a processing unit, comprising a processor, in electrical communication with the air pressure sensor, and configured to:
• receive the pressure sensor signal from the air pressure sensor;
• receive a temperature sensor signal from the temperature sensor;
• receive a light sensor signal from the light sensor;
• receive an audio sensor signal from the audio sensor;
• convert the received sensor signals to data;
• determine, based on the data, presence of the user on the mattress;
• determine, based on the data, absence of the user on the mattress;
• determine, based on the data, a length of sleep by the user;
• determine, based on the data, the user's heart beats;
• determine, based on the data, the user's breaths;
• a wireless transmitter in data communication with the processing unit and configured to transmit the data using at least one of an IEEE 802.11 protocol and a BLUETOOTH protocol.

A sensor apparatus comprising:

• an air bladder configured to be positioned under a mattress and above a bed frame, wherein the air bladder has a bladder top and a bladder bottom that combine to define an air chamber of the air bladder, wherein the chamber of the air bladder has a substantially rectangular outer perimeter portion when viewed from above or below the air bladder, wherein the outer perimeter portion has first, second, third, and fourth edges, wherein the air bladder defines a bladder inlet to the air chamber that is positioned along the first edge of the outer perimeter of the air chamber of the air bladder, wherein the bladder top is connected to the bladder bottom so as to define a plurality of channels that extend longitudinally in a direction that is parallel to the second and fourth edges and that is perpendicular to the first and third edges, wherein the air bladder is configured to allow air flow between the bladder inlet and the channels, wherein the air bladder is sized smaller than a surface area of a mattress and is sized large enough to sense a user's heart and lungs when positioned under a mattress, wherein the air bladder is made of an inflatable and substantially air-tight plastic material;
• a pressure control unit comprising:
• a housing made of a rigid plastic material;
• an electrical air pump positioned in the housing, in fluid communication with the bladder inlet of the air bladder, and operable to control fluid pressure within the air bladder;
• an air pressure sensor positioned in the housing, in fluid communication with the bladder inlet of the air bladder and configured to sense fluid pressure of the air bladder and to generate a sensor signal as a function of sensed fluid pressure of the air bladder, wherein the air pressure sensor is configured to sense incident fluid pressure waves caused by cardiopulmonary activity of a the user lying on a top of the mattress;
• a processing unit integral with the air bladder and in electrical communication with the air pressure sensor and the electrical air pump and configured to:
• receive the sensor signal from the air pressure sensor;
• operate the electrical air pump to maintain a predetermined pressure within the air bladder;
• and
• convert the received sensor signal to data;
• a wireless transmitter in data communication with the processing unit, integral with the air bladder, and configured to transmit the data using at least one of an IEEE 802.11 protocol and a BLUETOOTH protocol;
• and
• a cover configured to cover the air bladder for comfort without substantially insulating the sensor apparatus from sensing vibrations generated by heart and lung function of the user lying on the top of the mattress.

A method of sensing one or more sleep parameters, the method comprising:

• placing an air bladder under a mattress, wherein the air bladder has a bladder top and a bladder bottom that combine to define an air chamber of the air bladder, wherein the air chamber of the air bladder has a substantially rectangular outer perimeter portion when viewed from above or below the air bladder, wherein the outer perimeter portion has first, second, third, and fourth edges, wherein the air bladder defines a bladder inlet to the air chamber that is positioned along the first edge of the outer perimeter of the air chamber of the air bladder, wherein the bladder top is connected to the bladder bottom so as to define a plurality of channels that extend longitudinally in a direction that is parallel to the second and fourth edges and that is perpendicular to the first and third edges, wherein the air bladder is configured to allow air flow between the bladder inlet and the channels, wherein the air bladder is sized smaller than a surface area of a mattress and is sized large enough to sense a user's heart and lungs when positioned under a mattress, wherein the air bladder is made of an inflatable and substantially air-tight plastic material;
• controlling, by an electrical air pump in fluid communication with the bladder inlet of the air bladder, operable to control fluid pressure within the air bladder, and housed within a housing made of a rigid plastic material, a fluid pressure within the air bladder;
• sensing, by an air pressure sensor positioned in the housing, in fluid communication with the air bladder and configured to sense fluid pressure of the air bladder and to generate a sensor signal as a function of sensed fluid pressure of the air bladder, fluid pressure of the air bladder, wherein sensing the fluid pressure within the air bladder comprises sensing incident fluid pressure waves caused by cardiopulmonary activity of a user lying on the mattress and wherein the air bladder is covered by a cover configured to cover the air bladder for comfort without substantially insulating the pressure sensor from sensing vibrations generated by heart and lung function of a user on a top of the mattress;
• generating, by the air pressure sensor, a sensor signal as a function of sensed fluid pressure of the air bladder;
• receiving, by a processing unit integral with the air bladder and in electrical communication with the air pressure sensor, the sensor signal from the air pressure sensor;
• converting, by the processing unit, the received sensor signal to data indicative of the user's heart rate, the user's respiratory rate, and the user's time in bed;
• and
• transmitting, by a wireless transmitter in data communication with the processing unit and integral with the air bladder, the data.