METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FALL PREVENTION AND DETECTION

• US 20090121881A1
• Filed: 12/16/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anders Fredriksson, Fredrik Rosqvist
• Original Assignee: Anders Fredriksson, Fredrik Rosqvist
• Inventors: ROSQVIST, Fredrik, FREDRIKSSON, Anders
• Granted Patent: US 8,106,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.400
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/043 detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0476 Cameras to detect unsafe condition, e.g. video cameras

Abstract

Method and device for fall prevention and detection, specifically for the elderly care based on digital image analysis using an intelligent optical sensor. The fall detection is divided into two main steps; finding the person on the floor, and examining the way in which the person ended up on the floor. When the first step indicates that the person is on the floor, data for a time period of a few seconds before and after the indication is analyzed in the second step. If this indicates a fall, a countdown state is initiated in order to reduce the risk of false alarms, before sending an alarm. The fall prevention is also divided into two main steps: identifying a person entering a bed; and identifying the person leaving the bed to end up standing beside it.

Claims

1. A method of detecting an object in a bed, said method comprising

capturing a number of consecutive image frames comprising at least a first and a second image frame,

determining a difference image by subtracting said first image frame with said second image frame,

determining a number of difference pixels in a bed zone of said difference image and a number of difference pixels outside said bed zone, calculating a share of difference pixels in said bed zone by calculating a ratio between said number of difference pixels in said bed zone and a number of difference pixels outside said bed zone,

determining if said object is present in said bed by determining if said share is larger than a reference share, and

transmitting a signal indicating that said object is present in said bed if said object is determined to be present in said bed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said number of difference pixels is determined by

comparing pixels of said difference image with a negative difference pixel reference value and a positive difference pixel reference value,

for each difference image pixel belonging to said bed zone and having a pixel value being less than said negative difference pixel reference value,

increasing said number of negative difference pixels in said bed zone by one pixel,

for each difference image pixel being outside said bed zone and having a pixel value being less than said negative difference pixel reference value, increasing said number of negative difference pixels outside said bed zone by one pixel,

for each difference image pixel belonging to said bed zone and having a pixel value being greater than said positive difference pixel reference value, increasing said number of positive difference pixels in said bed zone by one pixel,

for each difference image pixel being outside said bed zone and having a pixel value being greater than said positive difference pixel reference value, increasing said number of positive difference pixels outside said bed zone by one pixel,

determining said number of difference pixels in said bed zone by adding said negative difference pixels in said bed zone with said positive difference pixels in said bed zone, and

determining said number of difference pixels outside said bed zone by adding said negative difference pixels outside said bed zone with said positive difference pixels outside said bed zone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said number of consecutive image frames further comprises a third image frame, said method further comprising determining a long time effect difference image by subtracting said first image frame with said third image frame, and

wherein said step of determining a number of difference pixels is based on said difference image and said long time effect difference image.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said number of difference pixels is determined by

comparing pixels of said difference image with a negative difference

pixel reference value and a positive difference pixel reference value, for each difference image pixel belonging to said bed zone and having a pixel value being less than said negative difference pixel reference value, increasing said number of negative difference pixels in said bed zone by one pixel,

for each difference image pixel being outside said bed zone and having a pixel value being less than said negative difference pixel reference value, increasing said number of negative difference pixels outside said bed zone by one pixel, for each difference image pixel belonging to said bed zone and having a pixel value being greater than said positive difference pixel reference value,

increasing said number of positive difference pixels in said bed zone by one pixel,

for each difference image pixel being outside said bed zone and having a pixel value being greater than said positive difference pixel reference value, increasing said number of positive difference pixels outside said bed zone by one pixel,

comparing pixels of said long time effect difference image with a negative long time effect difference pixel reference value and a positive long time effect difference pixel reference value,

for each long time effect difference image pixel belonging to said bed zone and having a pixel value being less than said negative long time effect difference pixel reference value, increasing said number of negative difference pixels in said bed zone by one pixel,

for each long time effect difference image pixel being outside said bed zone and having a pixel value being less than said negative long time effect difference pixel reference value, increasing said number of negative difference pixels outside said bed zone by one pixel,

for each long time effect difference image pixel belonging to said bed zone and having a pixel value being greater than said positive long time effect difference pixel reference value, increasing said number of positive difference pixels in said bed zone by one pixel,

for each long time effect difference image pixel being outside said bed zone and having a pixel value being greater than said positive long time effect difference pixel reference value, increasing said number of positive difference pixels outside said bed zone by one pixel,

determining said number of difference pixels in said bed zone by adding said negative difference pixels in said bed zone with said positive difference pixels in said bed zone, and

determining said number of difference pixels outside said bed zone by adding said negative difference pixels outside said bed zone with said positive difference pixels outside said bed zone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said difference image frame is divided into a number of detection blocks, each detection block comprising a number of pixels, and wherein only activated detection blocks are taken into account when determining difference pixels.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising

determining a number of positive difference pixels and a number of negative difference pixels for each detection block of said difference image, activating detection blocks of said difference image having a number of positive difference pixels exceeding a first activation threshold and a number of negative difference pixels exceeding a second activation threshold, wherein said activated detection blocks are activated for a number of forthcoming frames.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of determining if said object is present in said bed further comprises determining that a number of detection blocks in said bed zone exceeds a threshold value.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said bed zone is divided into a number of sub-zones.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of determining if said object is present in said bed further comprises

determining that a number of difference pixels in each of said number of sub-zones exceeds a threshold value.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising

starting a timer if a first number of positive difference pixels is present in each of said sub-zones, a second number of negative difference pixels is present in each of said sub-zones, and a third number of positive and negative difference pixels is present in each of said sub-zones.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising

resetting said timer if positive or negative difference pixels are absent in one of said sub-zones.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of determining if said object is present in said bed further comprises determining that said timer has run out.

23. A computer program product, comprising computer program code stored on a computer-readable medium which, when executed on a processor carries out the method according to claim 1.

13. An image capturing device configured to detect an object in a bed, said image capturing device comprising

an optical sensor configured to capture a number of consecutive image frames comprising at least a first and a second image frame,

a difference image determinator configured to determine a difference image by subtracting said first image frame with said second image frame,

a difference pixel determinator configured to determine a number of difference pixels in a bed zone of said difference image and a number of difference pixels outside said bed zone,

a share determinator configured to calculate a share of difference pixels in said bed zone by calculating a ratio between said number of difference pixels in said bed zone and said number of difference pixels outside said bed zone,

an in-bed determinator configured to determine if said object is present in said bed by determining if said share is larger than a reference share, and a transmitter configured to transmit a signal indicating that said object is present in said bed if said object is determined to be present in said bed by said in-bed determinator.

14. The image capturing device of claim 13, wherein said number of consecutive image frames further comprising a third image frame, wherein said difference image determinator is further configured to determine a long time effect difference image by subtracting said first image frame with said third image frame, wherein said difference pixel determinator is further configured to determine a number of difference pixels based on said difference image and said long time effect difference image.

15. The image capturing device of claim 13, wherein said difference image frame is divided into a number of detection blocks, each detection block comprising a number of pixels, and wherein only activated detection blocks are taken into account by said difference pixel determinator when determining difference pixels.

16. The image capturing device of claim 15, wherein said difference pixel determinator is further configured to determine a number of positive difference pixels and a number of negative difference pixels for each detection block of said difference image, said image capturing device further comprising

a detection block activator configured to activate detection blocks of said difference image having a number of positive difference pixels exceeding a first activation threshold and a number of negative difference pixels exceeding a second activation threshold, wherein said activated detection blocks are activated for a number of forthcoming frames.

17. The image capturing device of claim 15, further comprising a detection block counter configured to determine a number of detection blocks in said bed zone, and

wherein said in-bed determinator is further configured to determine if said number of detection blocks exceeds a threshold value.

18. The image capturing device of claim 13, wherein said bed zone is divided into a number of sub-zones.

19. The image capturing device of claim 18, further comprising a sub-zone determinator configured to determine if a number of difference pixels in each of said number of sub-zones exceeds a threshold value, and

wherein said in-bed determinator is further configured to determine if a number of difference pixels in each of said number of sub-zones exceeds a threshold value.

20. The image capturing device of claim 13, further comprising a timer configured to be started if a first number of positive difference pixels is present in each of said sub-zones, a second number of negative difference pixels is present in each of said sub-zones, and a third number of positive and negative difference pixels is present in each of said sub-zones,

21. The image capturing device of claim 20, wherein said timer is configured to be reset if positive or negative difference pixels are absent in one of said sub-zones.

22. The image capturing device of claim 21, wherein said in-bed determinator is further configured to determine if said timer has run out.