Digital Sound Relaxation and Sleep-Inducing System and Method

Abstract

In one embodiment, an improved-customizability digital sound relaxation system having a sound card receiving port and a collectable sound card are cooperative to play prerecorded natural or other sounds by depressing one of a plurality of sound selector switches and a sound card selector switch. The new sounds of each collectable sound card customize the library of available sounds to individual taste. In another embodiment, an improved-flexibility digital sound relaxation system having at least two (2) prerecorded sounds stored at first and second memory locations of internal or external/internal memory devices may be selected and combined for concurrent and/or individual replay by depressing one of a plurality of sound selector switches and a combine switch, or by depressing one of a plurality of sound selector switches, a sound card selector switch and a combine switch. In this manner, from eighteen (18) digitally prerecorded sounds of the preferred embodiment ninety (90) individually selectable and/or combinable sounds are made available. In either embodiment, natural or other sounds may be stored in loop or sound bite format in either or both of the internal and external memories. In a further sound relaxation and sleep-inducing embodiment, first and second preselected sound patterns selected respectively to mask sound and soothe the listener and to induce a state of deep relaxation that helps the listener to fall asleep may be selected by depressing combination mode select and sequential sound selector switches. In alarm mode, sound select and alarm check buttons respectively allow any sound of the library of prerecorded sounds (sound card or internal, single or mixed) to be selected as the alarm wake-up sound and one-touch alarm status display and audible alarm replay of any sound selected at wake-up volume in sound wake-up mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Apparatus for inducing sleep, comprising:
 at least one speaker for reproducing sounds;   digital samples to be replayed of sounds previously recorded at a record rate that each contain start and end sounds that are acoustically seamless and that last a certain duration at said record rate;   user-input control means; and   a processor-implemented sound controller operatively connected to said digital samples, to said user-input control means and to said speaker and operative in sleep-induce mode, in response to user-input control entered via said user-input control means, (1) to replay a sound sample repetitively for a first time interval greater than the sample duration at the record rate the whole number of times that the sample duration is contained within the first time interval, and (2) to replay the sound sample for a second time interval that consists of a certain number of third time intervals during which, for every third time interval less than said second time interval, the sound sample is replayed at another, progressively slower rate the whole number of times that the selected sample duration, factored by the ratio of said record and each another, progressively slower rate, is contained within each said third time interval, wherein said certain number of third time intervals and each said another progressively slower rate are selected to replay the sound sample as to induce sleep as it is replayed at each progressively slower rate each said whole number of times the duration of the sound sample, factored by the ratio of said record and each another progressively slower rate, is contained in each said third time interval of said second interval.