Monitoring apparatus

• US 20040210155A1
• Filed: 03/15/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KEIO University, Sumitomo Osaka Cement Company Limited
• Original Assignee: KEIO University, Sumitomo Osaka Cement Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakajima, Masato, Takemura, Yasuhiro, Takesue, Toshiharu, Katou, Kei, Mimura, Kazuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,428,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/534
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0064 Body surface scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/05 Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves impedance plethysmography A61B5/0295; measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/48 Active triangulation systems, i.e. using the transmission and reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications

Abstract

To provide a monitoring device which can detect conditions of a sleeping person reliably and which is simple. A monitoring device comprising: multiple independent distance sensors 11 installed facing different positions in a monitored target area 50 to be monitored for measuring a distance to a monitored target 2, a calculating unit 22 for calculating changes over time in the outputs of the distance sensors 11, and a detection processor 23 for detecting changes in shape of the monitored target 2 based on the calculated changes over time in one or multiple distance sensor 11 among the multiple distance sensors 11.

Claims

1-41. -41. (Cancelled)

42. A monitoring device comprising:

a distance sensor installed facing monitored target area for measuring a distance to a monitored target;

a calculating unit for calculating changes over time in the output of said distance sensor; and

a detection processor for detecting changes in shape of said monitored target based on the calculated change over time.

44. The monitoring device as recited in claim 42, determining the condition of said monitored target based on the detected changes in shape of said monitored target.

45. The monitoring device as recited in claim 42, wherein said detection processor determines the condition of said monitored target based on either or both of the period and amplitude of periodic changes in said detected changes in shape.

54. The monitoring device as recited in claim 42, wherein said distance sensor has light emitting means for emitting a light flux to said monitored target and an imaging optical system for forming an image of a light emission pattern generated on said monitored target by said light emitting means, and obtains an output corresponding to the distance by trigonometry based on the position where imaging pattern light is formed into an image by said imaging optical system.

56. The monitoring device as recited in claim 42, wherein said distance sensor has at least two imaging units for forming images of said monitored target with individual optical axes and obtains an output corresponding to the distance by trigonometry based on information on the position where said images are formed from said imaging units.

43. A monitoring device comprising:

multiple independent distance sensors installed facing different positions respectively within a monitored target area for measuring a distance to a monitored target;

a calculating unit for calculating changes over time in the outputs of each of the multiple distance sensors; and

a detection processor for detecting changes in shape of said monitored target based on the calculated changes over time in one or multiple selected distance sensors among the multiple sensors.

46. The monitoring device as recited in claim 43, wherein said detection processor selects an output which showed the largest change over time within a predetermined period of time in the immediate past and detects changes in shape of said monitored target based on change over time in said output.

47. The monitoring device as recited in claim 43, wherein said detection processor selects all of said multiple distance sensors, obtains the total of changes over time in the distances, and detects changes in shape of said monitored target based on said total.

48. The monitoring device as recited in claim 43, wherein said detection processor calculates the frequency spectra of all the outputs from said multiple distance sensors, selects a distance sensor whose output has a frequency spectrum with a peak having a sharpness which is a predetermined value or higher and the highest among the calculated frequency spectra, and detects changes in shape of said monitored target based on changes over time in the selected distance sensor.

49. The monitoring device as recited in claim 43, wherein said detection processor calculates the frequency spectra of outputs from the distance sensors which detected a change over time having an absolute value within a predetermined range, selects a distance sensor whose output has a frequency spectrum with a peak having a sharpness which is a predetermined value or higher and the highest among the calculated frequency spectra, and detects changes in shape of said monitored target based on changes over time in the selected distance sensor.

50. The monitoring device as recited in claim 43, wherein said detection processor calculates the frequency spectra of outputs from a plurality of the distance sensors which detected a change over time having one of the largest absolute values, selects a distance sensor whose output has a frequency spectrum with a peak having a sharpness which is a predetermined value or higher and the highest among said calculated frequency spectra, and detects changes in shape of said monitored target based on changes over time in the selected distance sensor.

51. The monitoring device as recited in claim 43, wherein said detection processor selects changes over time having absolute values which are larger than a predetermined value and detects change in shape of said monitored target based on the average of said selected changes over time.

52. The monitoring device as recited in claim 43, wherein said detection processor selects changes over time having absolute values which are larger than a predetermined value and detects changes in shape of said monitored target based on the average of said absolute values of the selected changes over time.

53. The monitoring device as recited in claim 43, wherein said detection processor compares the phases of changes over time relating to a plurality of the selected distance sensors each other, classifies said changes over time into groups according to the similarity of said phases, obtains the total of said changes over time in each group, calculates the difference between the totals of groups, the groups having approximately opposite phases each other, and detects changes in shape of said monitored target based on the value obtained by said calculation.

55. The monitoring device as recited in claim 43, wherein said distance sensor has light emitting means for emitting a light flux to said monitored target and an imaging optical system for forming an image of a light emission pattern generated on said monitored target by said light emitting means, and obtains an output corresponding to the distance by trigonometry based on the position where imaging pattern light is formed into an image by said imaging optical system.

57. The monitoring device as recited in claim 43, wherein said distance sensor has at least two imaging units for forming images of said monitored target with individual optical axes and obtains an output corresponding to the distance by trigonometry based on information on the position where said images are formed from said imaging units.

58. A monitoring method comprising the steps of:

measuring a distances to multiple different positions within a monitored target area to measure the distances to a monitored target changing in shape within said monitored area;

calculating changes over time in the multiple distances; and

detecting changes in shape of said monitored target based on the calculated changes over time in one or multiple selected distances among changes over time.

59. The monitoring method as recited in claim 58, wherein an output which showed the largest change over time within a predetermined period of time in the immediate past is selected and changes in shape of said monitored target are detected based on change over time in said output in said step of detecting.

60. The monitoring method as recited in claim 58, wherein all said multiple distances are selected, the total of all the changes over time in said distances is obtained, and changes in shape of said monitored target are detected based on said total in said step of detecting.

61. The monitoring method as recited in claim 58, wherein changes over time having absolute values which are larger than a predetermined value are selected and changes in shape of said monitored target are detected based on the average of the selected changes over time in said step of detecting.

62. The monitoring method as recited in claim 58, wherein changes over time having absolute values which are larger than a predetermined value are selected and changes in shape of said monitored target are detected based on the average of said absolute values of said selected changes over time in said step of detecting.

63. The monitoring method as recited in claim 58, wherein each of the phases of changes over time relating to multiple the selected distance sensors each other are compared, said changes are classified into groups according to the similarity of said phases, the total of said changes over time in each group is obtained, the difference between the totals of groups, the groups having approximately opposite phases each other, is calculated, and changes in shape of said monitored target are detected based on the value obtained by the calculation in said step of detecting.

64. A monitoring device comprising:

a distance sensor for measuring a distance to a monitored target in a monitored target area;

a calculating unit for calculating changes in output from said distance sensor over time; and

a detection processor for detecting changes in shape of said monitored target based on the calculated changes over time;

wherein said distance sensor has light emitting means for emitting a light flux to said monitored target, an imaging optical system for forming an image of a light emission pattern generated on said monitored target by said light emitting means, and a light receiving surface installed in the vicinity of the position where said imaging optical system forms an image and divided into a plurality of light receiving regions for receiving imaging pattern light from said formed image of said light emission pattern; and

further has a position information output unit for receiving signals from said light receiving regions, comparing the intensities of imaging pattern light incident on said light receiving regions each other based on the receive signals, and outputting information on the position where an imaging pattern is formed corresponding to the distance to said monitored target.

66. The monitoring device as recited in claim 64, wherein said monitored target is an object which changes periodically, and wherein said detection processor monitors the period of the periodic changes based on the detected changes in shape of said monitored target.

68. The monitoring device as recited in claim 64, having a plurality of said distance sensors, said plurality of distance sensors being independent and installed facing different positions in said monitored target area.

70. The monitoring device as recited in claim 68, wherein said detection processor selects a distance sensor which detected the largest change over time within a predetermined period of time in the immediate past and detects changes in shape of said monitored target based on said change over time.

65. A monitoring device comprising:

a distance sensor for measuring a distance to a monitored target in a monitored target area;

a calculating unit for calculating changes in the output from said distance sensor over time; and

a detection processor for detecting changes in shape of said monitored target based on the calculated changes over time;

wherein said distance sensor has light emitting means for emitting a light flux to said monitored target, an imaging optical system for forming an image of a light emission pattern generated on said monitored target by said light emitting means, light receiving means disposed in the vicinity of the position where said imaging optical system forms an image for receiving imaging pattern light from said formed image of said light emission pattern; and

a position information output unit for outputting information on the position where an imaging pattern is formed corresponding to the distance to said monitored target based on the position where imaging pattern light is formed into an image on said light receiving means.

67. The monitoring device as recited in claim 65, wherein said monitored target is an object which changes periodically, and wherein said detection processor monitors the period of the periodic changes based on the detected changes in shape of said monitored target.

69. The monitoring device as recited in claim 65, having a plurality of said distance sensors, said plurality of distance sensors being independent and installed facing different positions in said monitored target area.

71. The monitoring device as recited in claim 69, wherein said detection processor selects a distance sensor which detected the largest change over time within a predetermined period of time in the immediate past and detects changes in shape of said monitored target based on said change over time.

72. A monitoring device, comprising:

a sensor for detecting a variable correlating to a distance to an monitored target in a monitored target area;

a calculating unit for calculating a distance-related value based on said variable output from said sensor;

a determination unit for determining if there are changes in the shape of said monitored target based on the calculated distance-related value;

wherein said determination unit determines that said monitored target has had a first change in shape when said distance-related value is the same or larger than a first threshold, and lower than a second threshold, with said second threshold being larger than said first threshold; and

wherein said determination unit determines that said monitored target has had a second change in shape, which is different from said first change in shape, when said distance-related value is the same or larger than a second threshold value, and lower than a third threshold, with said third threshold being larger than said second threshold.

73. A monitoring device as recited in claim 72, wherein said determination unit determines that the monitored target has deviated from said monitored target area when no change in shape of said monitored target can be detected within a first predetermined period of time after said distance-related value has exceeded said third threshold value.

74. The monitoring device as recited in claim 72, wherein said determination unit determines that the monitored target has deviated from said monitored target area when neither said first change in shape nor said second change in shape of said monitored target can be detected for a predetermined period of time or longer without detection of periodic changes after said distance-related value has exceeded said third threshold value.

75. The monitoring device as recited in claim 72, wherein said determination unit determines that there has been a third change in shape when periodic changes in said distance-related value are detected.

76. The monitoring device as recited in claim 72, wherein said determination unit determines that said monitored target is in said monitored target area when changes in shape of said monitored target are determined to have continued for a second predetermined period of time.

77. The monitoring device as recited in claim 72, wherein said determination unit determines that said monitored target is in said monitored target area when periodic changes in said distance-related value has been detected for a predetermined period of time or longer.

78. The monitoring device as recited in claim 76, wherein said determination unit determines that said monitored target has no change in shape when said distance-related value is lower than said first threshold value and determines that said monitored target is in a critical condition when said monitored target is determined to have had no change in shape for a third predetermined period of time after said monitored target has been determined to be in said monitored target area.

79. The monitoring device as recited in claim 77, wherein said determination unit determines that said monitored target has no change in shape when said distance-related value is lower than said first threshold value and determines that said monitored target is in a critical condition when said monitored target is determined to have had no change in shape for a third predetermined period of time after said monitored target has been determined to be in said monitored target area.

80. The monitoring device as recited in claim 72, wherein said determination unit determines that said monitored target is in a critical condition when said second change in shape is determined to have continued for a fourth predetermined period of time.

81. The monitoring device as recited in claim 78, further comprising alarm means, wherein said determination unit sends an alarm signal to said alarm means when said monitored target is determined to be in a critical condition.

82. The monitoring device as recited in claim 79, further comprising alarm means, wherein said determination unit sends an alarm signal to said alarm means when said monitored target is determined to be in a critical condition.

84. The monitoring device as recited in claim 72, wherein the determination unit determines that said monitored target has had a fourth change in shape when said distance-related value exceeds said third threshold value.

86. The monitoring device as recited in claim 72, wherein the calculated distance-related value is changes over time in said variable or the absolute value of said changes over time.

88. The monitoring device as recited in claim 72, wherein said sensor has light emitting means for emitting a light flux to said monitored target, an imaging optical system for forming an image of a light emission pattern generated on said monitored target by said light emitting means, a light receiving surface disposed in the vicinity of the position where said imaging optical system forms an image and divided into a plurality of light receiving regions for receiving imaging pattern light from the formed image of said light emission pattern;

and a position information output unit for receiving signals from said light receiving regions, comparing the intensities of imaging pattern lights incident on said light receiving regions based on said receiving signals, and outputting information on the position where an imaging pattern is formed corresponding to the distance to said monitored target.

90. The monitoring device as recited in claim 72, wherein said sensor has light emitting means for emitting a light flux to said monitored target, an imaging optical system for forming an image of light emission pattern generated on said monitored target by said light emitting means, light receiving means disposed in the vicinity of the position where said imaging optical system forms an image for receiving imaging pattern light from said formed image of said light emission pattern;

and a position information output unit for outputting information on the position where an imaging pattern is formed corresponding to the distance to said monitored target based on the position where imaging pattern light is formed into an image on said light receiving means.

92. The monitoring device as recited in claim 72, having a plurality of said sensors.

83. A monitoring device, comprising:

a sensor for detecting a variable correlating to the distance to a monitored target in a monitored target area;

a calculating unit for calculating a distance-related value based on said variable output from said sensor;

a determination unit for determining if there are changes in the shape of said monitored target based on said calculated distance-related value;

wherein said determination unit determines that said monitored target has deviated from said monitored target area when no change in shape of said monitored target can be detected within a first predetermined period of time after said distance-related value has exceeded a third threshold.

85. The monitoring device as recited in claim 83, wherein the determination unit determines that said monitored target has had a fourth change in shape when said distance-related value exceeds said third threshold value.

87. The monitoring device as recited in claim 83, wherein the calculated distance-related value is changes over time in said variable or the absolute value of said changes over time.

89. The monitoring device as recited in claim 83, wherein said sensor has light emitting means for emitting a light flux to said monitored target, an imaging optical system for forming an image of a light emission pattern generated on said monitored target by said light emitting means, a light receiving surface disposed in the vicinity of the position where said imaging optical system forms an image and divided into a plurality of light receiving regions for receiving imaging pattern light from the formed image of said light emission pattern;

and a position information output unit for receiving signals from said light receiving regions, comparing the intensities of imaging pattern lights incident on said light receiving regions based on said receiving signals, and outputting information on the position where an imaging pattern is formed corresponding to the distance to said monitored target.

91. The monitoring device as recited in claim 83, wherein said sensor has light emitting means for emitting a light flux to said monitored target, an imaging optical system for forming an image of light emission pattern generated on said monitored target by said light emitting means, light receiving means disposed in the vicinity of the position where said imaging optical system forms an image for receiving imaging pattern light from said formed image of said light emission pattern;

and a position information output unit for outputting information on the position where an imaging pattern is formed corresponding to the distance to said monitored target based on the position where imaging pattern light is formed into an image on said light receiving means.

93. The monitoring device as recited in claim 83, having a plurality of said sensors.

94. A monitoring device, comprising:

multiple independent distance sensors installed facing different positions respectively within a monitored target area for measuring the distances to an monitored target;

a calculating unit for calculating changes over time in respectively the outputs from the multiple distance sensors; and

a detection processor for selecting the distance sensor which detected the largest change over time within a predetermined period of time in the immediate past, and detect changes in shape of said monitored target based on changes over time detected by said selected distance sensor;

wherein said detection processor selects a distance sensor which detected the largest change over time within a predetermined period of time after said monitored target has been in a quiet state, and detects changes in the shape of said monitored target based on changes over time detected by the selected distance sensor when movement of said monitored target has been detected.