METHOD FOR MONITORING OF ACTIVITY AND FALL

• US 20170172464A1
• Filed: 03/01/2017
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupe Everclose, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Christian Cloutier
• Inventors: CLOUTIER, CHRISTIAN, FORTIN, RGIS
• Granted Patent: US 10,299,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0415 detecting absence of activity per se
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait

Abstract

A method for monitoring activity of a subject in an environment, comprising providing at least one sensing assembly in the environment of the subject; providing a server communicating with at least one of: i) the subject and ii) the at least one sensing assembly; generating property vectors from data collected by the at least one sensing assembly; characterizing activity of the subject from the property vectors; and having a result of said characterizing step accessible to the server.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring activity of a subject in an environment, comprising:

providing at least one sensing assembly in the environment of the subject;

providing a server communicating with at least one of;

i) the subject and ii) the at least one sensing assembly;

generating property vectors from data collected by the at least one sensing assembly;

characterizing activity of the subject from the property vectors; and

having a result of said characterizing step accessible to the server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing at least one sensing assembly comprises providing at least one accelerometer in the region of the back of the neck of the subject;

said step of generating property vectors comprising collecting and processing signals emitted by the at least one accelerometer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing at least one sensing assembly comprises providing a high frequency-low accuracy accelerometer and a low frequency-high accuracy accelerometer in a region of the neck of the subject;

said step of generating property vectors comprising collecting and processing signals emitted by the accelerometers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing at least one sensing assembly comprises providing a first sensing unit in the region of the back of the neck of the subject and a second sensor unit at one of:

i) the diaphragm, ii) the wrist and iii) a leg of the subject.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing at least one sensing assembly comprises providing at least one accelerometer in the region of the back of the neck of the subject and a low G accelerometer at one of:

i) the diaphragm, ii) the wrist and iii) a leg of the subject.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of generating property vectors comprises generating property vectors containing data related to a number of parameters of the subject, including at least one of:

i) frequency of movement of the subject'"'"'s body;

ii) subject'"'"'s trunk space position variation;

iii) subject'"'"'s body height along a vertical axis;

iv) angular velocity of the trunk of the subject;

v) shock wave amplitude; and

vi) number of shock waves.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing at least one sensing assembly in the environment of the subject comprises combining a first sensor unit at the wrist of the subject and a second sensor unit in the region of the base of the neck of the subject.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing at least one sensing assembly comprises providing a first sensor unit located on a first part of the body of the subject and providing a second sensor unit located on a second part of the body of the subject.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing at least one sensing assembling comprises providing a first sensor unit located on one of:

i) the upper trunk and ii) the base of the neck of the subject, and providing a second sensor unit located at one of;

i) the diaphragm, ii) the wrist and iii) the leg of the subject.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a detector of a position of the subject along a vertical axis.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a detector of a position of the subject along a vertical axis, wherein said detector is one of:

i) a RFID detector, ii) an ultrasound detector and iii) a camera.

12. The method of claim 1, said step of characterizing activity of the subject comprising obtaining at least one of:

i) energy levels;

ii) movement levels; and

iii) impact indicators as obtained using an impact sensor measuring a gradient and amplitude of shock waves.