# US 2019/0168018 A1 · System, user device and associated methods for dynamically adjusting circadian rhythm responsive to future events > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168018 A1 - Document ID: US20190168018A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/271,208 - Filed: 2019-02-08 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2010-07-23 - Assignees: Biological Illumination, LLC - Inventors: Fredric S. Maxik; David E. Bartine; Mark Andrew Oostdyk; Matthew Regan; Robert S. Soler; Gregory Flickinger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168018A1 ## CPC - A61N 5/0618: {Psychological treatment} - A61M 21/02: for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia (for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021) - G16H 20/30: relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising - G16H 20/70: relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training - G16H 50/20: for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems - H05B 45/20: Controlling the colour of the light - H05B 47/115: by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings - H05B 47/16: by timing means - H05B 47/19: via wireless transmission - H05B 47/1965: {using handheld communication devices} - A61B 5/4857: {Indicating the phase of biorhythm} - A61M 2021/0027: {by the hearing sense} - A61M 2021/0044: {by the sight sense} - A61M 2021/0066: {with heating or cooling} - A61M 2205/3368: Temperature - A61M 2205/3592: using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission - A61M 2205/505: Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches - A61M 2230/63: Motion, e.g. physical activity - A61N 2005/0627: {Dose monitoring systems and methods} - F21K 9/23: Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings - F21S 9/02: the power supply being a battery or accumulator - F21V 23/045: {the sensor receiving a signal from a remote controller} - F21Y 2101/00: Point-like light sources - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - Y02B 20/40: Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - F21K: NON-ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES USING LUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING ELECTROCHEMILUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING CHARGES OF COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL; LIGHT SOURCES USING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES AS LIGHT-GENERATING ELEMENTS; LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract A method is for dynamically adjusting a circadian rhythm of an observer via a user device that includes control circuitry and an associated memory. The method includes determining a preconditioning schedule for at least one future event. Determining the schedule includes determining a preconditioning schedule for the at least one future events, including identifying a circadian shift needed, to the circadian rhythm of the observer, for the at least one future event, determining a timeframe for preconditioning, determining a per-day shift needed based upon the identified circadian shift needed and the determined timeframe, and determining if the needed per-day shift exceeds a threshold. Upon a determination that the per-day shift exceeds the threshold, the method includes setting the preconditioning schedule responsive to the determination to operate a light source to emit light based upon the preconditioning schedule. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of dynamically adjusting a circadian rhythm of an observer via a user device that includes control circuitry and an associated memory, the method comprising: determining a preconditioning schedule for at least one future event, the step of determining a preconditioning schedule including identifying a circadian shift needed to the circadian rhythm of the observer for the at least one future event, determining a timeframe for preconditioning, determining a per-day shift needed based upon the identified circadian shift needed and the determined timeframe, and determining if the needed per-day shift exceeds a threshold, wherein upon a determination that the per-day shift exceeds the threshold, setting the preconditioning schedule responsive to the determination to operate the light source to emit light based upon the preconditioning schedule. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein determining the preconditioning schedule is also based upon a time zone within which the future event will occur. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein determining the preconditioning schedule is also based upon future events within a time period accessed from a calendar. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: determining if preconditioning schedules for the future events conflict; and upon a determination that a conflict exists: querying a user to select one or more non-conflicting future events, and receiving an input from the user indicating one or more future events to precondition for. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein, upon a determination that the per-day shift exceeds the threshold, further performing: querying the user as to whether to override the threshold; receiving an input from the user responsive to the query of whether to exceed the threshold; and selecting the preconditioning schedule responsive to the user input. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein the threshold is 2.5 hours. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: monitoring a sleep cycle of the observer; and implementing changes to the preconditioning schedule responsive to the sleep cycle of the observer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein monitoring a sleep cycle of the observer comprises: determining if the observer is asleep; recording signals from a sleep sensor; identifying and recording an indication of low-quality sleep from the signals received from the sleep sensor; and determining changes to the preconditioning schedule responsive to the indication of the low-quality sleep. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the sleep sensor is at least one of an optical motion detector and an acceleration detector. ### Claim 10 A method of operating a user device, that includes control circuitry and an associated memory, to determine a preconditioning schedule responsive to a future event of an observer, the method comprising: identifying a needed circadian shift to the circadian rhythm of he observer for the future event, determining a magnitude of the needed circadian shift and a related magnitude of a per-day shift needed for the future event, and determining if the magnitude of the per-day shift exceeds a threshold, and selecting the preconditioning schedule based thereon for operating a light source to emit light based upon the preconditioning schedule. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein determining the preconditioning schedule is also based upon a time zone within which the future event will occur. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein determining the preconditioning schedule is also based upon future events within a time period accessed from a calendar. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein, upon a determination that the magnitude of the per-day shift exceeds the threshold, further performing: querying the user as to whether to override the threshold; receiving an input from the user responsive to the query of whether to exceed the threshold; and selecting the preconditioning schedule responsive to the user input. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the threshold is 2.5 hours. ### Claim 15 A user device for dynamically adjusting a circadian rhythm of an observer, the user device comprising: control circuitry, and associated memory, configured to determine a preconditioning schedule responsive to a future event by identifying a circadian shift needed, to the circadian rhythm of the observer, for the future event, determining a magnitude of the circadian shift and a related magnitude of a per-day shift needed for the future event, and determining if the magnitude of the per-day shift exceeds a threshold, and selecting the preconditioning schedule based thereon to control a light source to emit light based upon the preconditioning schedule. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The user device of claim 15 further comprising a communication device coupled with the control circuitry and configured to communicate across a network; and wherein the communication device is configured to access a calendar and identify future events associated with the observer via the network. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The user device of claim 15 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: access future events within a time period from a calendar; and determine which future events need preconditioning. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The user device of claim 15 wherein, upon a determination that the per-day shift exceeds the threshold, the control circuitry is further configured to: query the user as to whether to override the threshold; receive an input from the user responsive to the query of whether to exceed the threshold; and set the preconditioning schedule responsive to the user input. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The user device of claim 15 further comprising a sleep sensor configured to, in combination with the control circuitry, monitor a sleep cycle of the observer; wherein the control circuitry is further configured to implement changes to the preconditioning schedule responsive to the sleep cycle of the observer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The user device of claim 19 wherein the sleep sensor comprises at least one of an optical motion detector and an acceleration detector.