SEIZURE DETECTION

• US 20180189946A1
• Filed: 12/30/2016
• Published: 07/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Granted Patent: US 10,147,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0016 involving temporal comparison
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• 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

Abstract

Systems, methods and media for detecting a seizure use one or more 3D cameras to monitor an individual. The 3D cameras may detect rigidity and/or rapid movements associated with the tonic or clonic phases of a seizure. Body position and/or movements consistent with a seizure may cause the system or media to alert the individual, a central monitoring system, caregivers, and/or others.

Claims

1. A system for detecting seizures, the system comprising:

one or more 3D motion sensors located to provide the one or more 3D motion sensors with a view of a person to be monitored, the 3D motion sensors configured to collect a series of images of the person;

a computerized monitoring system communicatively coupled to the one or more 3D motion sensors, the computerized monitoring system configured to establish a detection zone defining an area or volume less than the full view of the one or more 3D motion sensors around the person and analyze data from the detection zone to identify one or more reference points on the person'"'"'s body, determine the rate and duration of movement for one or more monitored reference points between two or more images in the series of images, and determine whether the rate and duration of movement is consistent with a seizure; and

a computerized communication system communicatively coupled to the computerized monitoring system, the computerized communication system configured to send an alert to one or more designated recipients if it is determined that the rate and duration of movement is consistent with a seizure.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a central monitoring system communicatively coupled to the computerized communication system, the central monitoring system configured to display at least a portion of the series of images of the person.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the central monitoring system comprises a primary display and an alert display.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the alert display is a dedicated portion of the primary display.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the alert display is a display or series of displays separate from the primary display.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein if the computerized monitoring system determines the rate and duration of movement is consistent with a seizure, the computerized communication system sends an alert to the central monitoring system, and the central monitoring system moves a display of at least a portion of the series of images of the person from the primary display to the alert display.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the computerized communication system is configured to send a message to the person being monitored.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the computerized communication system is communicatively coupled to a public announcement system, intercom system, speaker, telephone, mobile phone, personal computing device, pager, alarm, or combination thereof near the person being monitored.

9. The system of claim 2, further comprising a database communicatively coupled to at least one of the computerized communication system and the central monitoring system.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the rate and duration of movement comprises assessing a change in position over time of one or more reference points on a blob or skeleton model.

10. A method for detecting seizure symptoms, the method comprising:

receiving from a 3D motion sensor two or more images of a person taken at different time points;

identifying the person in the two or more images;

establishing a detection zone defining an area or volume less than the full view of the one or more 3D motion sensors around the person;

analyzing data from the detection zone to determine a rate and duration of movement for at least a portion of the person in the images; and

determining whether the rate and duration of movement is consistent with a seizure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the detection zone moves with the person if the person moves.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining whether and/or how to move the detection zone based on tracking a wireless transmitter, facial recognition, voice recognition, skeletal recognition, blob recognition, biometrics, or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein it is determined that the rate and duration of movement is consistent with a seizure if one or both of the rate and duration of movement exceeds a predefined threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising alerting the person or a designated recipient if the rate and duration of movement is consistent with a seizure.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the person is alerted, and further comprising monitoring whether the rate and duration of movement changes after alerting the person.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising alerting a designated recipient if, after alerting the person, the person does not provide a response recognized as reassuring.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the designated recipient comprises a caregiver or a central monitoring system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the designated recipient comprises a central monitoring system, and alerting the central monitoring system causes a display of the images of the person to move from a primary monitoring display to an alert monitoring display.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein identifying the person in the images comprises blob analysis, skeleton analysis, or both.