SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PATIENT FALL DETECTION
First Claim
1. A method of detecting at least one of whether a monitored patient has fallen or is about to fall by processing signals indicative of movement by the patient, the signals output from a wireless sensor and communicated to a processing device, the sensor including an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a first processor, and a first wireless transceiver, the sensor being configured to be worn by the patient, the processing device having a signal processor, a memory device, a storage device, a display, and a second wireless transceiver, the processing device configured to process the signals to determine at least one of whether the patient has fallen or is about to fall, the method comprising:
- receiving, by said processing device from said wireless sensor, signals responsive to a linear acceleration and an angular velocity of said patient; and
processing said signals with said signal processor of said processing device, including electronically;
forming a sensor data vector comprising data elements responsive to said linear acceleration and said angular velocity;
normalizing said data elements to form a normalized sensor data vector;
determining from said normalized sensor data vector, a plurality of features indicative of a patient fall, to form a feature vector;
applying an a priori weight vector to said feature vector to derive an activation value;
analyzing said derived activation value to determine at least one of whether a patient fall has occurred or is about to occur; and
when said determination is that the at least one of said patient fall has occurred or is about to occur, alerting a caregiver.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A patient monitoring system to help manage a patient that is at risk of falling is disclosed. The system includes a patient-worn wireless sensor that senses the patient'"'"'s motion and wirelessly transmits information indicative of the sensed motion to a patient monitor. The patient monitor receives, stores, and processes the transmitted information to determine whether the patient has fallen or is about to fall. Upon such detection, the system can notify the patient'"'"'s caretakers that the patient has fallen or is about to fall and therefore, is in need of immediate attention.
306 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of detecting at least one of whether a monitored patient has fallen or is about to fall by processing signals indicative of movement by the patient, the signals output from a wireless sensor and communicated to a processing device, the sensor including an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a first processor, and a first wireless transceiver, the sensor being configured to be worn by the patient, the processing device having a signal processor, a memory device, a storage device, a display, and a second wireless transceiver, the processing device configured to process the signals to determine at least one of whether the patient has fallen or is about to fall, the method comprising:
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receiving, by said processing device from said wireless sensor, signals responsive to a linear acceleration and an angular velocity of said patient; and processing said signals with said signal processor of said processing device, including electronically; forming a sensor data vector comprising data elements responsive to said linear acceleration and said angular velocity; normalizing said data elements to form a normalized sensor data vector; determining from said normalized sensor data vector, a plurality of features indicative of a patient fall, to form a feature vector; applying an a priori weight vector to said feature vector to derive an activation value; analyzing said derived activation value to determine at least one of whether a patient fall has occurred or is about to occur; and when said determination is that the at least one of said patient fall has occurred or is about to occur, alerting a caregiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system configured to determine at least one of whether a patient has fallen or is about to fall, the system comprising:
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a wireless physiological sensor including an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a processor, and a first wireless transceiver, said sensor configured to sense a linear acceleration and an angular velocity of said patient, said sensor also configured to transmit information indicative of said sensed linear acceleration and angular velocity of said patient; a patient monitor comprising a signal processor, a memory device, a storage device, a communications interface, a display, and a second wireless transceiver, said patient monitor configured to receive said transmitted information, to analyze said received information, and to determine at least one of whether said patient has fallen or is about to fall, said patient monitor further configured to transmit, in response to determining said patient has fallen or is about to fall, a notification that said patient has fallen or is about to fall. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification