System and method for detecting unusual inactivity of a resident
First Claim
1. A system for detecting when a person occupying a structure is exhibiting a period of unusual inactivity, comprising:
- at least one location sensor operable to detect when the person is located at a specific location within the structure and to provide a signal when the person is located at the specific location;
at least one motion sensor operable to detect activity within the structure and to provide a signal when the at least one motion sensor detects activity within the structure; and
a processor-based system programmed to establish a normal period of inactivity within the structure based on signals received from the at least one location sensor and the at least one motion sensor, and wherein the processor-based system is operable to establish if a current period of inactivity is unusual based on whether the resident is located at the specific location and a comparison of the current period of inactivity with the normal period of inactivity within the structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for detecting a period of unusual inactivity of a person is provided. The system comprises a monitoring system, which is in communication with location and motion sensors. The monitoring system comprises a processor-based device programmed to develop a model of the person'"'"'s periods of inactivity within a structure based on data received from the sensors. The processor-based device may also be programmed to determine if a current period of inactivity within the structure is a period of normal inactivity or a period of unusual inactivity based on the model of the person'"'"'s periods of inactivity.
79 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A system for detecting when a person occupying a structure is exhibiting a period of unusual inactivity, comprising:
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at least one location sensor operable to detect when the person is located at a specific location within the structure and to provide a signal when the person is located at the specific location;
at least one motion sensor operable to detect activity within the structure and to provide a signal when the at least one motion sensor detects activity within the structure; and
a processor-based system programmed to establish a normal period of inactivity within the structure based on signals received from the at least one location sensor and the at least one motion sensor, and wherein the processor-based system is operable to establish if a current period of inactivity is unusual based on whether the resident is located at the specific location and a comparison of the current period of inactivity with the normal period of inactivity within the structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for detecting a period of unusual inactivity of a person, comprising:
a monitoring system in communication with at least one location sensor operable to detect when the person is located at a specific location within a residence and at least one motion sensor operable to detect movement within the residence, wherein the monitoring system comprises a processor-based device programmed to develop a model of the person'"'"'s patterns of activity within the residence based on data received from the at least one location sensor and the at least one motion sensor, and wherein the processor-based device is programmed to determine if a current period of inactivity within the residence is a period of normal inactivity or a period of unusual inactivity based on the model of the person'"'"'s patterns of activity within the residence. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer program, comprising:
programming instructions stored in a tangible medium, wherein the programming instructions enable a processor-based device to develop a model of a person'"'"'s patterns of activity within a residence based on data received from at least one location sensor and at least one motion sensor, and wherein the programming instructions enable the processor-based device to determine if a current period of inactivity within the residence is a period of normal inactivity or a period of unusual inactivity based on the model of the person'"'"'s patterns of activity. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for detecting when a resident has fallen down within a structure, comprising:
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detecting when the resident is not located at a defined location within the structure;
detecting when the resident is inactive;
establishing a period of inactivity of the resident when the resident is not located at the defined location within the structure and the resident is inactive; and
comparing the period of inactivity of the resident when the resident is not located at the defined location within the structure and the resident is inactive with an adaptive model of the resident'"'"'s normal patterns of activity to determine if the period of inactivity of the resident when the resident is not located at the defined location within the structure is unusual. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of providing assistance to a person in an event of the person becoming incapacitated, comprising:
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operating a monitoring system to develop a model of the person'"'"'s patterns of activity and inactivity within a structure using at least one motion sensor operable to detect motion of the person and at least one location sensor operable to detect when the person is located at a specific location within the structure;
operating the monitoring system to monitor the person'"'"'s activity within the structure to identify a period of inactivity within the structure when the person is not located at the specific location as being unusual based on the model of the person'"'"'s patterns of activity and inactivity within a structure; and
at least one of contacting the person and a caregiver when the monitoring system identifies the person as being in a period of unusual inactivity. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A system for identifying when a person has become unusually inactive, comprising:
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at least one location sensor operable to provide a signal representative of the person'"'"'s occupancy of a specific location;
at least one movement sensor operable to provide a signal representative of movement by the person; and
a processor-based device in communication with the at least one location sensor and the at least one movement sensor, wherein the processor-based device is operable to determine if a current period of inactivity is unusual based on the signal representative of the person'"'"'s occupancy of a specific location and the signal representative of movement by the person. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A system for detecting when a person is experiencing a period of unusual activity, comprising:
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at least one location sensor operable to detect when the person is located at a specific location within a structure and to provide a signal when the person is located at the specific location;
at least one motion sensor operable to detect activity within the structure and to provide a signal when the at least one motion sensor detects activity within the structure; and
a processor-based system programmed to establish a normal period of activity within the structure based on signals received from the at least one location sensor and the at least one motion sensor, and wherein the processor-based system is operable to establish if a current period of activity is unusual based on whether the resident is located at the specific location and a comparison of the current period of activity with the normal period of activity within the structure. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification