Respiration training machine enabling grasp of effect

Abstract

A breathing exerciser includes: a guide unit for guiding an exercise pattern of breathing to a user; a biological information detecting unit for detecting biological information on the user; a biological information detection control unit for controlling detection of the biological information at timing associated with an exercise period during which the exercise pattern is guided; a characteristic value calculating unit for calculating a characteristic value that reflects an exercise index, based on the biological information detected according to the control of the biological information detection control unit, the exercise index being a target of breathing exercise; an effect index calculating unit for calculating an effect index based on at least two characteristic values, the effect index representing an effect of the breathing exercise; and an informing unit for informing the effect index to the user.

1 . A breathing exerciser comprising:
 a guide unit for guiding an exercise pattern of breathing to a user;   a detecting unit for detecting biological information on the user;   a detection control unit for controlling detection of the biological information before and after an exercise period during which the exercise pattern is guided;   a characteristic value calculating unit ( 203 ) for calculating two characteristic values that reflect an exercise index, based on the biological information respectively for before and after the exercise period detected according to the control of the detection control unit, the exercise index being a target of breathing exercise;   an effect index calculating unit for calculating an effect index for before and after the exercise period, based on the two characteristic values, the effect index representing an effect of the breathing exercise; and   an informing unit for informing the effect index to the user.   
   
   
       2 . (canceled) 
   
   
       3 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a storage unit for storing the characteristic value which is based on the biological information detected before or after the previous exercise period, wherein   the characteristic value calculating unit calculates the two characteristic values based on the detected biological information and the biological information stored in the storage unit, and   the effect index calculating unit calculates the effect index for before each exercise period or for after each exercise period, based on the calculated characteristic values.   
   
   
       4 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the detection control unit further allows the detecting unit to detect the biological information during the exercise period,   the characteristic value calculating unit calculates the characteristic value based on the detected biological information for during the exercise period, and   the effect index calculating unit further calculates the effect index for during the exercise period, based on the calculated characteristic value.   
   
   
       5 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 4  further comprising: a changing unit for changing the exercise pattern based on a result of comparison between the effect index for during the exercise period which is calculated by the effect index calculating unit and a predetermined threshold. 
   
   
       6 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the exercise index and the characteristic value each are a blood pressure value, and   the effect index is a degree of decrease in the blood pressure value.   
   
   
       7 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the exercise index is an autonomic nervous activity level index representing an autonomic nervous activity level,   the characteristic value includes a heart rate fluctuation,   the characteristic value calculating unit calculates heart rate fluctuations based on two heart rates respectively corresponding to two pieces of detected biological information, and   the effect index calculating unit calculates, as the effect index, a degree of suppression of the autonomic nervous activity level based on the two heart rate fluctuations.   
   
   
       8 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the exercise index is a blood pressure stability index,   the characteristic value includes a baroreflex sensitivity,   the characteristic value calculating unit calculates the baroreflex sensitivities based on a heart rate fluctuation and a blood pressure fluctuation respectively corresponding to two pieces of detected biological information, and   the effect index calculating unit calculates, as the effect index, a degree of increase in blood pressure stability based on a difference or ratio between the two baroreflex sensitivities.   
   
   
       9 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a storage unit for storing the effect index associated with the previous exercise period, wherein   the informing unit further informs a trend between the stored effect index and the calculated effect index.   
   
   
       10 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 an input unit for inputting physical information on the user; and   a determining unit for determining an exercise pattern based on the inputted physical information, wherein   the guide unit guides the determined exercise pattern.   
   
   
       11 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 10 , wherein the determining unit determines the exercise pattern based on the effect index associated with the previous exercise period. 
   
   
       12 . A breathing exerciser comprising:
 a guide unit for guiding an exercise pattern of breathing to a user;   a detecting unit for detecting biological information on the user;   a detection control unit for controlling detection of the biological information before and after an exercise period during which the exercise pattern is guided;   a characteristic value calculating unit for calculating two characteristic values that reflect an exercise index, based on the biological information respectively for before and after the exercise period detected according to the control of the detection control unit, the exercise index being a target of breathing exercise; and   an informing unit for informing the characteristic values respectively for before and after the exercise period to the user.   
   
   
       13 . (canceled) 
   
   
       14 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 12  further comprising:
 a storage unit for storing a characteristic value which is based on the biological information detected before or after the previous exercise period, wherein   the characteristic value calculating unit calculates two characteristic values based on the detected biological information and the biological information stored in the storage unit, and   the informing unit informs the characteristic values for before each exercise period or for after each exercise period.   
   
   
       15 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the detection control unit further allows the detecting unit to detect biological information during the exercise period,   the characteristic value calculating unit calculates the characteristic value based on the detected biological information for during the exercise period, and   the informing unit further informs the characteristic value for during the exercise period.   
   
   
       16 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 15  further comprising:
 a changing unit for changing the exercise pattern based on a result of comparison between the characteristic value for during the exercise period which is calculated by the characteristic value calculating unit and a predetermined threshold.   
   
   
       17 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the exercise index and the characteristic value each are a blood pressure value.   
   
   
       18 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the exercise index is an autonomic nervous activity level index representing an autonomic nervous activity level,   the characteristic value includes a heart rate fluctuation, and   the characteristic value calculating unit calculates heart rate fluctuations based on two heart rates respectively corresponding to two pieces of the detected biological information.   
   
   
       19 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the exercise index is a blood pressure stability index,   the characteristic value includes a baroreflex sensitivity, and   the characteristic value calculating unit calculates the baroreflex sensitivities based on a heart rate fluctuation and a blood pressure fluctuation respectively corresponding to two pieces of detected biological information.   
   
   
       20 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 12  further comprising:
 an input unit for inputting physical information on the user; and   a determining unit for determining an exercise pattern based on the inputted physical information, wherein   the guide unit guides the determined exercise pattern.   
   
   
       21 . The breathing exerciser according to  claim 20 , wherein the determining unit determines the exercise pattern based on the effect index associated with the previous exercise period.