System for monitoring activities and location

• US 20070008111A1
• Filed: 06/13/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Petrovic, Dragan, Tice, Lee, Clow, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,405,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.120
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0423 detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0469 Presence detectors to detect unsafe condition, e.g. infrared sensor, microphone G08B21/0476 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0484 Arrangements monitoring consumption of a utility or use of an appliance which consumes a utility to detect unsafe condition, e.g. metering of water, gas or electricity, use of taps, toilet flush, gas stove or electric kettle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

A residential monitoring system incorporates both physiological sensors and activity sensors. Some of the sensors can be in wireless communication with control circuitry. One or more activity profiles can be established for a resident to expand upon and supplement information from the physiological sensors.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one sensor of a physiological condition of an individual;

at least one sensor of activity of the individual;

control circuitry coupled to the sensors, the control circuitry evaluates sensor activity of the individual as well as at least one sensed physiological condition of the individual and, responsive thereto, determines the presence an abnormal condition.

2. A system as in claim 1 where the control circuitry includes a communications port, the port provides at least unidirectional communications between the control circuitry and a displaced device.

3. A system as in claim 2 including circuitry to transmit information relating at least to sensed activities from the communications port.

4. A system as in claim 3 where the control circuitry includes software to evaluate the sensed physiological condition of the individual.

5. A system as in claim 3 where the control circuitry includes software to evaluate sensed activities of the individual.

6. A system as in claim 5 where the software establishes at least one activity profile for the individual.

7. A system as in claim 6 where sensed current activities are compared to the profile.

8. A system as in claim 3 which includes a manually operable indicator of absence of the individual.

9. A system as in claim 8 which includes software to evaluate the presence in or absence of an individual from a region.

10. A system as in claim 6 which includes a plurality of activity sensors.

11. A system as in claim 10 where members of the plurality are selected from a class that includes at least acoustic sensors, fluid flow sensors, motion sensors, position sensors, communications sensors, orientation sensors, exercise equipment usage sensors, at least one sensor of presence/absence of an individual from a region.

12. A system as in claim 7 where the control circuitry include at least one of a personal computer, or a residential monitoring apparatus.

13. A system as in claim 12 where the control circuitry communicates wirelessly with at least one of the sensors.

14. A system as in claim 10 where the control circuitry communicates wirelessly with at least some of the sensors.

15. An in-residence monitoring system comprising;

at least a first sensor that monitors a physiological condition of a person and provides a first signal;

at least a second sensor that monitors at least one of appliances, doors, utilities, movement, locations of a person within the residence and provides at least a second signal indicative of activity of a person;

an interface for transferring the first and least second signals to local control circuitry, the interface includes a processor and software to at least in part analyze sensor signals; and

an interface for transferring information to and from at least one remote unit where the control circuitry provides information regarding at least one of activity or physiological condition of the person.

16. A system as in claim 15 where the second sensor responds to at least one of motion, contact, sound, vibration, or vision.

17. A system as in claim 15 where the appliances include at least one of a refrigerator, stove, microwave, washing machine, dryer, house current monitor, television, or stereo.

18. A system as in claim 15 where the doors include at least one of a drawer, cabinet door, residence interior door, or residence exterior door.

19. A system as in claim 15 where the utilities include at least one of a toilet, bathtub, shower, sink, or faucet.

20. A system as in claim 15 where the movement is sensed by use of at least one of a contact, light beam, passive infra-red sensor, position sensor, proximity sensor, or device carried on the person.

21. A system as in claim 15 where the second sensor can be associated with furniture such as a monitorable chair.

22. A system as in claim 15 including a display device of at least one of text, pictures, drawings or graphs.

23. A system as in claim 15, where the at least a second sensor comprises an orientation sensor to track horizontal or vertical orientation of the person.

24. A system as in claim 15 where the at least a second sensor at least in part determines the location of a person outside the residence using a global positioning system.

25. A system as in claim 15 where sensed activity is compared to historical activity.

26. A system as in claim 15 which includes software to establish a plurality of activity profiles for a person.

27. A system as in claim 26 which includes further software that evaluates a current activity profile relative to a respective, established activity profile.

28. A system as in claim 27 which includes additional software, responsive to results from the evaluating software, to initiate communications with a displaced location.

29. An activity evaluation system comprising:

a plurality of activity sensors;

software, responsive to at least some of the sensors for establishing a plurality of activity profiles; and

a plurality of stored activity profiles.

30. A system as in claim 29 which includes activity profile evaluation software coupled to the stored activity profiles.