METHOD AND PROCESS FOR DETERMINING WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL SUFFERS A FALL REQUIRING ASSISTANCE

• US 20170109991A1
• Filed: 12/30/2016
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: KUSENS, NEIL
• Granted Patent: US 10,078,951 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30232 Surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/251 involving models
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/043 detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0476 Cameras to detect unsafe condition, e.g. video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0492 Sensor dual technology, i.e. two or more technologies collaborate to extract unsafe condition, e.g. video tracking and RFID tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/204 using stereoscopic image cameras stereoscopic photography G03B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A method for monitoring an individual in a dwelling so as to know when such individual falls or indicates the need of assistance. A plurality of 3D motion and sound sensors are located in the dwelling and provide data to a computerized monitoring system. The sensors are configured to recognize one or more biometric identifiers of the individual being monitored. When the monitoring system detects that the individual has fallen or gestured, a computerized communication system contacts the individual to determine the need to send assistance to help the individual. Where assistance is required the system automatics contacts the previously designated caregiver for the individual and can also contact emergency personnel.

Claims

1. A method for detecting when a monitored individual within a dwelling has fallen or otherwise indicated that he or she needs medical assistance, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing one or more 3D motion and sound sensors within one or more rooms of a dwelling occupied by an individual;

(b) configuring the one or more sensors to recognize one or more biometric identifiers of the individual;

(c) continually capturing data by the 3D motion and sound sensors concerning the one or more rooms regardless of whether any movements or sounds have occurred in the one or more rooms;

(d) continually forwarding the data to a remote computerized monitoring system by the one or more sensors prior to the individual falling or making a gesture corresponding to a pre-programmed gesture recognizable by the remote computerized monitoring system; and

(e) receiving a message by the individual from a computerized communication system in communication with the computerized monitoring system to determine whether or not the individual needs assistance when the remote computerized monitoring system detects from the data forwarded from the one or more sensors that the individual has fallen or gestured that he or she needs assistance.

2. The method for detecting when a monitored individual within a dwelling of claim 1 further comprising the step of updating a database in communication with the computerized monitoring system regarding the detection of a fall or gesture by the individual.

3. The method for detecting when a monitored individual within a dwelling of claim 1 further comprising the step of notifying a previously designated contact by an electronic message of the detected fall by or gesture from the monitored individual after determining that the individual has fallen or gestured in step (d).

4. The method for detecting when a monitored individual within a dwelling of claim 1 wherein in step (c) said 3D motion and sound sensors continually capture data at all times.

5. A method for monitoring a designated individual in a dwelling in order to detect when such individual falls or otherwise is in need of medical assistance, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) continually receiving by a computerized monitoring system data from one or more 3D motion and sound sensors located within a remote dwelling prior to an individual located in the dwelling falling or making a gesture corresponding to a pre-programmed gesture recognizable by the computerized monitoring system, wherein the one or more sensors continually capture data concerning the one or more rooms and are configured to recognize one or more biometric identifiers of an individual previously designated for monitoring while within the dwelling;

(b) detecting from the data received from the one or more sensors that the individual has fallen or has made a gesture corresponding to a pre-programmed gesture by the computerized monitoring system; and

(c) contacting the individual by a computerized communication system to determine whether the individual needs assistance sent to the dwelling after detecting that the individual has fallen or made the gesture.

6. The method for monitoring a designated individual in a dwelling of claim 5 further comprising the step of receiving information from the individual as to whether or not to send assistance to the dwelling.

7. The method for monitoring a designated individual in a dwelling of claim 6 further comprising the step of notifying a previously designated caregiver when the individual indicates that he or she needs assistance.

8. The method for monitoring a designated individual in a dwelling of claim 6 further comprising the step of notifying emergency personnel when the individual indicates that he or she needs assistance.

9. The method for monitoring a designated individual in a dwelling of claim 5 further comprising the step of updating a database in communication with the computerized monitoring system regarding the detection of a fall or gesture by the individual.

10. The method for monitoring a designated individual in a dwelling of claim 6 further comprising the step of continuing to monitor the individual for a period of time after the individual indicates he or she does not need assistance to be sent to the dwelling.

11. A method for monitoring a designated individual in a dwelling in order to detect when such individual falls or otherwise is in need of medical assistance, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) continually receiving by a computerized monitoring system data from one or more 3D motion and sound sensors located within a remote dwelling prior to an individual located in the dwelling falling or making a gesture corresponding to a pre-programmed gesture recognizable by the remote computerized monitoring system and regardless of whether there is any movement or sound occurring in the dwelling, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to recognize one or more biometric identifiers of an individual previously designated for monitoring while within the dwelling;

(b) detecting from the data received from the one or more sensors that the individual has fallen or has made a gesture corresponding to a pre-programmed gesture by the computerized monitoring system;

(c) contacting the individual by a computerized communication system to determine whether the individual needs assistance sent to the dwelling after detecting that the individual has fallen or made the gesture;

(d) receiving information from the individual as to whether or not to send assistance to the dwelling; and

(e) notifying a previously designated caregiver when the individual indicates that he or she needs assistance in step (d).

12. The method for monitoring a designated individual in a dwelling of claim 11 further comprising the step of notifying emergency personnel when the individual indicates that he or she needs assistance.

13. The method for monitoring a designated individual in a dwelling of claim 11 further comprising the step of updating a database in communication with the computerized monitoring system regarding the detection of a fall or gesture by the individual.

14. The method for monitoring a designated individual in a dwelling of claim 11 further comprising the step of continuing to monitor the individual for a period of time after the individual indicates he or she does not need assistance to be sent to the dwelling.