Fatigue time determination for an activity

• US 10,282,959 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TATA Consultancy Services Limited (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TATA Consultancy Services Limited (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jayaraman, Srinivasan, Purushothaman, Balamuralidhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Hatcher, Deirdre D
• Application Number:
  US13/716,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20130159041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,332 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining an actual fatigue time (AFT) for an activity are provided. The method comprises receiving a standard fatigue time (SFT) representing a time duration. The SFT is indicative of an onset of fatigue in individuals upon continuously performing the activity. The method further comprises receiving at least one external parameter and a fatigue index corresponding to the at least one external parameter. The at least one external parameter and the fatigue index are associated with the activity. The method further comprises determining the AFT for the activity based upon the SFT and the fatigue index.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for determining an actual fatigue time (AFT) for a worker performing an activity, the method comprising:

identifying, by a processor, the worker performing the activity based upon a set of biological parameters of the worker received from a set of bio sensors, wherein the activity is operating a heavy machine, wherein the set of biological parameters comprises at least one of a biological signal produced by the worker during the activity and biometric data of the worker;

receiving a standard fatigue time (SFT) of the activity, by the processor, wherein the standard fatigue time is indicative of a time duration for an onset of fatigue in the worker upon continuously performing the activity, wherein the onset of fatigue in the worker is determined by measuring a change in the set of biological parameters;

receiving, by the processor, a plurality of external parameters associated with the activity and applicable to the worker performing the activity by using a set of external sources, wherein the external parameters alter the SFT of the activity based on the worker and an external parameter from the plurality of external parameter, and wherein the external parameter is classified into one or more sub-categories, wherein each of the one or more sub-categories is associated with a fatigue index;

and wherein the plurality of external parameters comprise at least one of a machine condition of the heavy machine, a machine type of the heavy machine, a climatic condition during the activity, and a time of a day during the activity;

determining, by the processor, the actual fatigue time for the worker performing the activity based upon the standard fatigue time, a worker specific fatigue factor based on biological condition of the worker performing the activity, and the fatigue index associated with each of the sub-categories of the external parameters, wherein the actual fatigue time is representative of a time duration that the worker spends performing the activity continuously before feeling fatigued; and

generating, by the processor, a real time fatigue index of the worker performing the activity based upon the actual fatigue time, wherein the real time fatigue index is indicative of a degree of fatigue in the worker in real time, and wherein the real time fatigue index is represented as an increasing bar that increases as the time duration of the worker approaches actual fatigue time.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising generating a work schedule for the activity based upon the actual fatigue time, wherein the work schedule comprises an on-time duration and an off-time duration for the worker performing the activity.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

monitoring compliance of the worker with the work schedule; and

generating an alert on non-compliance of the worker with the work schedule.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the activity is driving of a vehicle, and wherein the plurality of external parameters comprise at least one of a road type, a road condition, a vehicle type, a vehicle condition, a terrain, a climatic condition during an activity, a time of a day during the activity, and a traffic condition during the activity.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the biological parameters comprise a biological signal and biometric data of the worker, wherein the biological signal comprises at least one of an Electrocardiogram (ECG) signal, an Electroencephalogram (EEG) signal, an Electromyography (EMG) signal, and wherein the biometric data comprises at least one of finger prints data, eye retina data, ECG, and face detection data.

5. A computer implemented system for determining an actual fatigue time (AFT) for a worker performing an activity, the computer implemented system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprising;

an input receiver to;

receive a set of biological parameters from a set of biosensors coupled to the system;

identify the worker performing the activity based on the set of biological parameters, wherein the activity is operating a heavy machine, wherein the set of biological parameters comprises at least one of a biological signal produced by the worker during the activity and biometric data of the worker; and

receive a standard fatigue time (SFT) of the activity, wherein the standard fatigue time is indicative of a time duration for an onset of fatigue in the worker upon continuously performing the activity, wherein the onset of fatigue in workers is determined by measuring a change in the set of biological parameters; and

receive a plurality of external parameters associated with the activity, and applicable to the worker performing the activity by using a set of external sources, wherein the external parameters alter the SFT of the activity based on the worker and an external parameter from the plurality of external parameter, and wherein the external parameter is classified into one or more sub-categories, wherein each of the one or more sub-categories is associated with a fatigue index

wherein the plurality of external parameters comprise at least one of a machine condition of the heavy machine, a machine type of the heavy machine, a climatic condition during the activity, and a time of a day during the activity; and

a fatigue calculator to;

determine the actual fatigue time for the worker performing the activity based on the standard fatigue time, a worker specific fatigue factor, and the fatigue index, wherein the actual fatigue time is representative of a time duration that the worker spends performing the activity continuously before feeling fatigued, and wherein the worker specific fatigue factor is based on one or more biological conditions of the worker performing the activity and the fatigue index associated with the plurality each of the sub-categories of the external parameters, wherein the actual fatigue time is representative of a time duration that the worker spends performing the activity continuously before feeling fatigued;

generate a real time fatigue index of the worker performing the activity based upon the actual fatigue time, wherein the real time fatigue index is indicative of a degree of fatigue in the worker in real time and wherein the real time fatigue index is represented as an increasing bar that increases as the time duration of the worker approaches actual fatigue time.

6. The computer implemented system of claim 5, wherein the fatigue calculator obtains the standard fatigue time for a fatigue database.

7. The computer implemented system of claim 5, wherein the input receiver receives plurality of external parameters from at least one of the worker performing the activity, a set of sensors coupled to the system, and an external source.

8. The computer implemented system of claim 5, further comprising a work schedule generator to generate a work schedule during the activity for the worker performing the activity based upon the actual fatigue time, wherein the work schedule is indicative of an on-time duration and an off-time duration for a worker performing the activity.

9. The computer implemented system of claim 8, further comprising an alarm unit to generate an alert in case of non-compliance with the work schedule, wherein the alert is provided to stakeholders associated with the activity.

10. The computer implemented system of claim 5, wherein the fatigue calculator determines a real time fatigue index of the worker performing the activity based upon the actual fatigue time, wherein the real time fatigue index is an indicative of a degree of fatigue in the worker in a real time.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program for executing a method for determining an actual fatigue time (AFT) for a worker performing an activity, the method comprising:

identifying, by a processor, the worker performing the activity based upon a set of biological parameters of the worker received from a set of bio sensors, wherein the activity is operating a heavy machine, wherein the set of biological parameters comprises at least one of a biological signal produced by the worker during the activity and biometric data of the worker;

receiving a standard fatigue time (SFT) of the activity, by the processor, wherein the standard fatigue time is indicative of a time duration for an onset of fatigue in the worker upon continuously performing the activity, wherein the onset of fatigue in workers is determined by measuring a change in the set of biological parameters;

receiving, by the processor, a plurality of external parameters associated with the activity, and applicable to the worker performing the activity by using a set of external sources, wherein the external parameters alter the SFT of the activity based on the worker and an external parameter from the plurality of external parameter, and wherein the external parameter is classified into one or more sub-categories, wherein each of the one or more sub-categories is associated with a fatigue index,

and wherein the plurality of external parameters comprise at least one of a machine condition of the heavy machine, a machine type of the heavy machine, a climatic condition during the activity, and a time of a day during the activity;

determining, by the processor, the actual fatigue time for the worker performing the activity based upon the standard fatigue time, a worker specific fatigue factor based on biological condition of the worker performing the activity, and the fatigue index associated with each of the sub-categories of the external parameter, wherein the actual fatigue time is representative of a time duration that the worker spends performing the activity continuously before feeling fatigued; and

generating, by the processor, a real time fatigue index of the worker performing the activity based upon the actual fatigue time wherein the real time fatigue index is indicative of a degree of fatigue in the worker in real time and wherein the real time fatigue index is represented as an increasing bar that increases as the time duration of the worker approaches actual fatigue time.