Method for controlling a daily living activity monitoring system from a remote location

• US 7,937,461 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2005
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Care Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Intel-GE Care Innovations, LLC (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Kutzik, David M., Glascock, Anthony P.
• Primary Examiner(s): DENNISON, JERRY B
• Application Number:
  US11/081,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20050278409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,239 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/573.1, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709220-224, 379/38
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0423 detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0484 Arrangements monitoring consumption of a utility or use of an appliance which consumes a utility to detect unsafe condition, e.g. metering of water, gas or electricity, use of taps, toilet flush, gas stove or electric kettle
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

A system is provided for monitoring a user in a user living area. The system includes a system controller and an activity detection subsystem. The activity detection subsystem monitors a daily living activity of the user and provides information representative of the daily living activity to the system controller. The system controller includes a control circuit which generates a control signal in response to the daily living activity information obtained by the activity detection subsystem. Control information from the system controller is applied by way of a control information communication channel both to the activity detection subsystem and to a remote monitoring site. The activity detection subsystem may be a system for determining the movement of the user around the home, medication compliance by the user, problems with usage of stoves or other potentially dangerous appliances, and selected auxiliary appliances.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a user in a user living area said system including a remote monitoring site, comprising;

a system controller;

an activity detection subsystem for monitoring a daily living activity of said user independently of physiological measurements;

said activity detection subsystem having at least one detector device activated in response to occurrences of said daily living activity to provide to said system controller information representative of said occurrences of said daily living activity;

a control signal generated by said system controller in response to said information representative of said occurrences of said daily living activity;

a remotely received control signal received by said remote monitoring site by way of a control information communication channel in accordance with said control signal;

scheduled periodic reports on said occurrences of said daily living activity, said reports having collections of said information representative of said selected daily living activity; and

a control parameter in said user living area for controlling intervention in a selected activity of daily living in said user living area adjusted from said remote monitoring site in accordance with statistical operations performed on said information representative of a daily living activity.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising cognitive function information determined in accordance with said statistical operations.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said activity detection subsystem comprises a medication management system for determining medication use.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a report generator disposed at the user living area for generating said report.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said detector device comprises a sensor disposed at said user living area for sensing at said user living area said occurrence of said daily living activity and determining at said user living area that said daily living activity has occurred.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said sensor comprises a switch.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising a processor separate from said sensor and disposed at said remote monitoring site for receiving said remotely received control signal and determining at said remote monitoring site that said daily living activity has occurred in accordance with said remotely received control signal.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising circuitry for intervening in said user living area in accordance with said scheduled periodic reports.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said scheduled periodic reports comprise information on a plurality of said occurrences of said daily living activity.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said scheduled periodic reports comprise information indicating that no said daily living activity has occurred.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said adjusted control parameter comprises a time control parameter.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said adjusted control parameter comprises a control parameter range.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said adjusted control parameter comprises a threshold parameter.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said scheduled periodic reports comprise a trend analysis.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said trend analysis comprises a long term trend analysis.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising an event pattern measurement wherein said trend analysis is determined in accordance with deviations from said event pattern measurement.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said trend analysis is determined in accordance with a frequency of occurrence determination.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein said trend analysis is determined in accordance with medication compliance.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said trend analysis is determined in accordance with eating habits.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein said trend analysis is determined in accordance with stove usage.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein said scheduled periodic reports comprise a summary report on said daily living activity of said user.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising a determination whether said user is having difficulty with said daily living activity in accordance with said scheduled periodic reports.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising a scheduled periodic report provided in accordance with weighted daily living activity information.