RADAR BASED SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING A SUBJECT

• US 20130053653A1
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Cuddihy, Paul Edward, Cleary, Daniel Joseph, Ashe, Jeffrey Michael, Yardibi, Tarik
• Granted Patent: US 8,740,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0247 for compensation or correction of the measured physiological value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0507 using microwaves or terahertz waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1102 Ballistocardiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

Methods and systems for monitoring a subject in a resting state using one or more range-controlled radars are presented. The radars non-invasively detect one or more motion and/or physiological parameters corresponding to the subject. The motion parameters comprise one or more activity levels and the physiological parameters comprise one or more of heartbeat and respiration. Further, one or more patterns in the motion parameters detected over a designated motion period of time are determined Additionally, one or more patterns in the physiological parameters detected over the designated physiological period of time are also determined The systems then assess a health condition of the subject based on the determined patterns of the motion parameters and/or the determined patterns of the physiological parameters.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a subject, comprising:

monitoring a subject in a resting state using one or more range-controlled radars;

non-invasively detecting one or more motion parameters, one or more physiological parameters, or combinations thereof, corresponding to the subject, wherein the motion parameters comprise one or more activity levels and the physiological parameters comprise one or more of heartbeat and respiration;

determining one or more patterns in the motion parameters detected over a designated motion period of time;

determining one or more patterns in the physiological parameters detected over the designated phyiological period of time; and

assessing a health condition of the subject based on the determined patterns of the motion parameters, the determined patterns of the physiological parameters, or combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein non-invasively detecting one or more physiological parameters comprsies:

receiving one or more signals using the one or more range-controlled radars;

processing the received signals to extract components corresponding to one or more frequency bands, wherein each frequency band corresponds to a particular physiological parameter; and

determining one or more characteristics corresponding to the one or more physiological parameters based on the corresponding frequency band components.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein non-invasively detecting one or more motion parameters comprsies:

receiving one or more signals using the one or more range-controlled radars;

processing the received signals to extract components corresponding to one or more frequency bands, one or more amplitudes, or combinations thereof, wherein one or more specific frequency bands and amplitudes correspond to a particular motion parameter; and

determining one or more characteristics corresponding to the one or more motion parameters based on the corresponding frequency band and amplitude components.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing a health condition of the subject comprises determining the presence of motion parameters as indicators of sleep disturbance.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing a health condition of the subject comprises ignoring values of the detected physiological parameters on determining the presence of motion parameters corresponding to the subject.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing a health condition of the subject comprises assigning a designated weighted value to the physiological parameters detected in the presence of motion parameters corresponding to the subject.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing a health condition of the subject comprises assigning a designated weighted value to the physiological parameters detected in view of one or more of a known health condition, ambient environmental conditions and determined activity levels.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing the health condition of the subject comprises matching the determined patterns corresponding to the detected physiological parameters to stored patterns corresponding to known health conditions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing the health condition of the subject comprises:

determining a known health condition of the subject;

determining ambient environmental conditions corresponding to the subject;

determining an activity level of the subject when awake; and

identifying the health condition of the subject based on based on the determined patterns of the motion parameters, the physiological parameters, or combinations thereof, in view of one or more of the known health condition, the ambient environmental conditions and the determined activity level.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing the health conditions of the subject comprises:

detecting changes in values of the detected heartbeat over the designated physiological time period; and

identifying the health condition associated with the subject as one of bradycardia and tachycardia based on the detected changes.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing the health conditions of the subject comprises:

detecting changes in values of the detected respiration over the designated physiological time period; and

identifying the health condition associated with the subject as one or more of bradypnea, tachypnea, and apnea based on the detected changes.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing the health conditions of the subject comprises:

detecting changes in values of the detected motion parameters over the designated motion time period; and

identifying the health condition associated with the subject as one or more of restless leg syndrome, periodic limb movements disorder and insomnia based on the detected anomalous changes.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing the health conditions of the subject comprises:

detecting changes in values of one or more motion parameters outside corresponding designated limits over the designated motion time period;

detecting changes in values of one or more physiological parameters outside corresponding designated limits over the designated physiological time period; and

identifying the health condition associated with the subject based on the detected changes in one or more of the motion parameters and the physiological parameters over corresponding designated limits

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an audio output, a visual output, an alert message, or combinations thereof, upon determining that values of the detected physiological parameters are outside correspodning thresholds.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising terminating the generated audio output, the visual output, the alert message, or combinations thereof, upon determining that values of the detected physiological parameters are within correspodning thresholds.

17. The system of claim 12, comprsing further comprising timing circuitry coupled to the processing unit, wherein the timing circuitry determines a duration of time corresponding to a presence of one or more physiological parameters, one or more motion parameters, or a combinations thereof.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising an alerting system coupled to one or more of the processing unit, wherein the processing unit configures the alerting system to generate an audio output, a visual output, an alert message, or combinations thereof, upon determining the health condition of the subject.

19. The system of claim 12, further comprising one or more sensors coupled to at least one of the range-controlled radar system and the processing unit, wherein the sensors measure one or more of an ambient temperature, humidity, sound level and the subject'"'"'s body tempertaure.

16. A system for non-contact monitoring of a subject, comprising:

one or more range-controlled radars configured to transmit a radar signal and receive a reflected radar signal from the subject in a resting state;

at least one processing unit communicatively coupled to the one or more range-controlled radars such that the processing unit is configured to;

non-invasively detect one or more motion parameters, one or more physiological parameters, or combinations thereof, corresponding to the subject using the one or more range-controlled radars, wherein the motion parameters comprise one or more activity levels and the physiological parameters comprise one or more of heartbeat and respiration;

determine one or more patterns in the motion parameters detected over a designated motion period of time;

determine one or more patterns in the physiological parameters detected over the designated phyiological period of time;

assess a health condition of the subject based on the determined patterns of the motion parameters, the determined patterns of the physiological parameters, or combinations thereof; and

a data repository coupled to the processing unit, wherein the data repository stores one or more of the reflected radar signal data, the motion parameters, the physiological parameters, the determined patterns, or combinations thereof.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores instructions executable by one or more processors to perform a method for monitoring a subject, comprising:

monitoring a subject in a resting state using one or more range-controlled radars;

non-invasively detecting one or more motion parameters, one or more physiological parameters, or combinations thereof, corresponding to the subject, wherein the motion parameters comprise one or more activity levels and the physiological parameters comprise one or more of heartbeat and respiration;

determining one or more patterns in the motion parameters detected over a designated motion period of time;

determining one or more patterns in the physiological parameters detected over the designated phyiological period of time; and

assessing a health condition of the subject based on the determined patterns of the motion parameters, the determined patterns of the physiological parameters, or combinations thereof.