Monitoring task performance

• US 8,164,461 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2007
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Best Buy Health Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Healthsense, Inc. (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Bischoff, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US11/788,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20070192174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,832 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/573.7, 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/539.22, 340/521, 340/522, 482 8- 9, 434258-261
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0423 detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• 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: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/185 Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

One system embodiment includes providing a number of sensors for monitoring an individual in performing a number of tasks from a list of tasks to be completed, the number of tasks each including, an associated number of steps to be completed by the individual, monitoring the performance of a task from the list by using at least one of the number of sensors, providing the individual with a number of step instruction prompts associated with the steps of the task, and obtaining task performance information corresponding to the performance of the task by the individual. The task performance information includes step prompt information including the number of step instruction prompts provided during performance of the task, sensor data from the at least one of the number of sensors, and adjusting the list of tasks to be completed based on the task performance information of the task.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring task performance, comprising:

providing a number of sensors for monitoring an individual in performing a number of tasks from a list of tasks to be completed, wherein the number of tasks each include an associated number of steps to be completed by the individual;

initiating a first task based upon integrating sensor data provided by at least one of the number of sensors upon an activation of at least one of the number of sensors by the individual, wherein performing the first task includes the activation of at least one of the number of sensors by the individual and wherein the first task is commenced by the individual via the activation of at least one of the number of sensors by the individual;

monitoring the performance of a first task from the list by using at least one of the number of sensors and a timer;

providing the individual with a number of step instruction prompts associated with the steps of the first task;

obtaining task performance information corresponding to the performance of the first task by the individual, wherein the task performance information includes;

step prompt information including the number of step instruction prompts provided during performance of the first task;

timer data relating to the amount of time elapsed during performance of the first task; and

sensor data from the at least one of the number of sensors; and

adjusting the list of tasks to be completed based on the task performance information of the first task.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the list of tasks includes changing the number of tasks from the list of tasks to be completed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the list of tasks includes changing the number of steps associated with the first task.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the number of sensors includes:

providing a number of fixed sensors; and

providing at least one portable sensor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein monitoring the performance of the first task includes using the at least one portable sensor to determine whether the first task is being completed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes prompting the individual to perform a second task from the list when the first task has been completed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the individual with a number of step instruction prompts includes providing the individual with a reminder when a step of the first task remains uncompleted.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes prompting the individual via a mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes scheduling the number of tasks to be completed by the individual, the number of tasks to be completed in a sequential order.

10. A method for monitoring task performance, comprising:

providing a number of sensors and a timer for monitoring an individual in performing a number of tasks from a list of tasks to be completed, wherein the number of tasks each include an associated number of steps to be completed by the individual;

initiating a first task having an associated number of steps based upon integrating sensor data provided by at least one of the number of sensors upon an activation of at least one of the number of sensors by the individual and one or more context items, wherein performing the first task includes the activation of at least one of the number of sensors by the individual and wherein the first task is commenced by the individual via the activation of at least one of the number of sensors by the individual;

monitoring the performance of the first task by using at least one of the number of sensors and the timer; and

providing a task completion indication based upon a determination of completion of the first task.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein initiating the first task based upon one or more context items includes initiating the first task based upon one or more context items from the group including:

a time of day;

a day of the week;

a list of completed tasks;

a list of uncompleted tasks;

a completion status of a particular task; and

a determined location of the individual.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein initiating the first task based upon one or more context items includes initiating the first task based upon localizing the individual within a residence by using at least one fixed sensor located in the residence.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the method includes initiating a second task having an associated number of steps to be completed based upon one or more context items.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein monitoring the performance of the first task by using at least one of the number of sensors includes using at least one portable sensor worn by the individual.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein monitoring the performance of the first task includes using the at least one portable sensor to determine whether the first task is being completed.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein initiating the first task includes prompting the individual on an interface of a mobile device.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the method includes initiating the first task based upon integrating sensor data provided by at least one fixed sensor and at least one portable sensor.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the method includes monitoring the performance of the first task by using integrated sensor data provided by at least one fixed sensor and at least one portable sensor.

19. A system for monitoring task performance, comprising:

a number of fixed sensors located throughout a residence of an individual;

at least one portable sensor worn by the individual; and

a computing device in communication with the number of fixed sensors and the at least one portable sensor, the computing device including a memory having instructions storable thereon and executable by a processor thereof to perform a method that includes;

initiating a first task based upon integrating sensor data provided by at least one of the number of sensors upon an activation of at least one of the number of sensors by the individual, wherein performing the first task includes the activation of at least one of the number of sensors by the individual and wherein the first task is commenced by the individual via the activation of at least one of the number of sensors by the individual;

monitoring, by using at least one of the number of sensors and a timer, the performance of the first task from a list of tasks to be completed, wherein the number of tasks each include an associated number of steps to be completed by the individual;

providing the individual with a number of step instruction prompts corresponding to the associated number of steps of the first task;

obtaining task performance information corresponding to the performance of the first task by the individual, wherein the task performance information includes;

step prompt information including the number of step instruction prompts provided during performance of the first task;

timer data relating to the amount of time elapsed during performance of the first task; and

sensor data from the at least one of the number of sensors;

indicating that a particular step has been completed based on the sensor data; and

adjusting, based on the task perfoi ance information corresponding to the performance of the first task, the number of step instruction prompts provided to the individual in performing the first task on a subsequent occasion.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein indicating that a particular step has been completed is accomplished by placing a flag in a data file.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein adjusting the number of step instruction prompts provided to the individual in performing the first task on a subsequent occasion is accomplished via a user interface.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein adjusting the number of step instruction prompts provided to the individual in performing the first task on a subsequent occasion is accomplished via an interface usable by the individual being monitored.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the system includes instructions to analyze the task performance information and initiate adjusting the number of step instruction prompts provided to the individual in performing the first task on a subsequent occasion.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the system includes instruction to schedule the number of tasks to be completed by the individual.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the system includes a guidance module for providing guidance information for accomplishing at least one step.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the system includes a tracking module for tracking completion of the steps associated with at least one task.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the system includes an emotion sensing module.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the system includes a solution module to provide information to the individual to aid in solving a particular problem encountered by the individual.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the solution module includes instructions executable to assist the individual with locating a particular item by providing the individual with a number of possible locations of an item.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the number of possible locations is based on data from at least one of the number of fixed sensors.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the number of possible locations is based on data from a database.

32. The system of claim 19, wherein adjusting the number of step instruction prompts provided to the individual in performing the first task on a subsequent occasion includes reducing the number of step instruction prompts provided to the individual in performing the first task on the subsequent occasion.

33. The system of claim 19, wherein adjusting the number of step instruction prompts provided to the individual in performing the first task on a subsequent occasion includes increasing the number of step instruction prompts provided to the individual in performing the first task on the subsequent occasion.