System and method for monitoring behavior patterns

• US 6,614,348 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2001
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sachar, Howard E., Mackay, John D., Ciccolo, Arthur C., Hobbs, Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu, Van
• Application Number:
  US09/814,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20020135484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 340/555, 340/565, 340/545.3, 340/556, 340/557, 340/573.3, 340/573.4, 340/541, 340/576, 340/575, 128/903, 600/529, 600/543, 600/558, 600/595, 250/338.5, 250/339.02, 250/339.05, 250/339.14
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19613 Recognition of a predetermined image pattern or behaviour pattern indicating theft or intrusion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0423 detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0476 Cameras to detect unsafe condition, e.g. video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 31/00 Predictive alarm systems characterised by extrapolation or other computation using updated historic data
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring behavior patterns which effectively distinguishes between alarming and non-alarming behavior patterns, includes at least one sensor for detecting behavior patterns, a memory device coupled to the sensor, for storing standard behavior patterns, and a processor, coupled to the memory device, for comparing standard behavior patterns with detected behavior patterns, and causing a response to be activated when standard behavior patterns and detected behavior patterns have a predetermined relationship.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring behavior patterns, comprising:

at least one sensor for detecting behavior patterns;

a memory device coupled to said at least one sensor, for storing standard behavior patterns; and

a processor, coupled to said memory device, for comparing said standard behavior patterns with detected behavior patterns, and causing a response to be activated when at least one standard behavior pattern and said detected behavior pattern have a predetermined relationship,

wherein said standard behavior patterns and said detected behavior patterns comprise radiant energy level data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined relationship comprises said detected behavior pattern matching said at least one standard behavior pattern.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined relationship comprises said detected behavior pattern differing from said at least one standard behavior pattern.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said infrared sensor detects a variation in radiant energy of less than one Kelvin.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said behavior patterns comprise behavior patterns of one of either infants, hospital patients, employees, customers and prisoners.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a controller having a video display unit for controlling said system including activating and deactivating said system, inputting data to said memory device, reading data from said memory device, updating data in said memory device and inputting predetermined relationship data and response data.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said response comprises one of a human response, an audiovisual device, a photographic device and an auto-dialer for automatically dialing a telephone.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, and

wherein said plurality of sensors are interconnected.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of sensors detects behavior patterns comprised of sequences of patterns, and

wherein said response comprises activating additional sensors to detect supplementary data which is transmitted to a remote location.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processor comprises a microprocessor.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processor comprises an adaptive processor such that when a predetermined condition is met, said processor automatically stores a detected behavior pattern as a new standard behavior pattern, and automatically stores a predetermined relationship corresponding to said new standard behavior pattern which causes a response to be activated, and automatically stores a response to be activated when said predetermined relationship exists.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processor comprises an adaptive processor such that when a predetermined condition is met, said processor automatically erases a standard behavior pattern from said memory device.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said system monitors said behavior patterns without human intervention.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said memory device stores information other than detected behavior patterns from said at least one sensor.

16. A method of monitoring behavior patterns, comprising:

storing standard behavior patterns;

using at least one sensor to detect behavior patterns;

comparing detected behavior patterns to said standard behavior patterns; and

activating a response when a detected behavior pattern and at least one standard behavior pattern have a predetermined relationship,

wherein said standard behavior patterns and said detected behavior patterns comprise radiant energy level data.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said predetermined relationship comprises said detected behavior pattern matching said at least one standard behavior pattern.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein said predetermined relationship comprises said detected behavior pattern differing from said at least one standard behavior pattern.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein said sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said infrared sensor detects a variation in radiant energy of less than one Kelvin.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, and

wherein said plurality of sensors are interconnected.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said plurality of sensors detect behavior patterns comprised of sequences of patterns, and

wherein said response comprises activating additional sensors to detect supplementary data which is transmitted to a remote location.

23. The method according to claim 16, wherein said standard behavior patterns are stored in a semiconductor memory device.

24. The method according to claim 16, wherein said behavior patterns comprise behavior patterns of infants, hospital patients, employees, customers and prisoners.

25. The method according to claim 16, wherein said response comprises one of a human response, an audiovisual device, a photographic device and an auto-dialer for automatically dialing a telephone.

26. The method according to claim 16, wherein said comparing is performed by a processor.

27. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

determining whether a predetermined condition has been met for storing detected behavior pattern as a standard behavior pattern;

when it is determined predetermine that a predetermined condition has been met for storing detected behavior pattern as a standard behavior pattern, storing said detected behavior patterns as new standard behavior patterns, predetermined relationships corresponding to said new standard behavior patterns and responses to be activated;

determining whether a predetermined condition has been met for erasing a standard behavior pattern; and

when it is detemined that a predetermined condition has been met for erasing a standard behavior pattern, erasing said standard behavior pattern.

28. The method according to claim 16, wherein when a predetermined relationship exists, it is determined whether a predetermined condition has been met for erasing a standard behavior pattern, and when a predetermined relationship does not exist, it is determined whether a predetermined condition has been met for storing a detected behavior pattern as a standard behavior pattern.

29. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method for monitoring behavior patterns, said method comprising:

storing standard behavior patterns;

using at least one sensor to detect behavior patterns;

comparing detected behavior patterns to said standard behavior patterns, and

activating a response when said detected behavior pattern and at least one standard behavior pattern have a predetermined relationship,

wherein said standard behavior patterns and said detected behavior patterns comprise radiant energy level data.