System and method for detecting activities of daily living of a person

• US 8,587,438 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2009
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifeline Systems Company (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Abernethy, Simon George, Sinitsyn, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US12/991,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20110068931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/568.2, 702/188
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0423 detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule

Abstract

The system according to the invention comprises a plurality of sensors (10), (20) arranged to measure an ambient condition of a person. A movement of the person is being detected by the movement sensor (20) included in the system. The system further comprises interpretation means (110) arranged for interpreting a plurality of first output signals (100) and a second output signal (200). The plurality of first output signals (100) is provided by the ambient sensors (10) and the second output signal (200) is provided by the movement sensor (20). The interpretation means (110) are further arranged to determine an activity of daily living of said person. The interpretation means may provide an alarm signal (120) indicating that the person may need direct assistance and a warning signal (130) indicating a potential deteriorating health condition of the person.

Claims

1. A system for non-intrusive monitoring of a person the system comprising:

at least one ambient sensor arranged for measuring an ambient condition of said person;

a movement sensor arranged for detecting a movement of said person;

interpretation means arranged for;

interpreting a first output signal provided by the at least one ambient sensor and a second output signal provided by the movement sensor to determine an activity of daily living of said person, and

providing a timestamp to the first output signal of the at least one ambient sensor in dependence of a detected movement as indicated by the second output signal.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the interpretation means are further arranged for calculating a time difference between two timestamps.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the interpretation means are arranged to determine the activity in dependence of a comparison of the first output signal with a threshold.

4. The system according to claim 2 wherein the interpretation means are arranged to determine the activity in dependence of a comparison of the first output signal with a threshold and wherein the interpretation means are further arranged for generating an alarm signal dependent on the determined activity of said person and the time difference.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the determined activity of said person is taken from a group consisting of:

eating, cooking, and washing.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the interpretation means are further arranged to store the determined activity of said person in an activity profile of said person.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the interpretation means are further arranged to detect an irregularity in the activity profile, and wherein the interpretation means are further arranged for generating a warning signal in response to the detected irregularity.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein the interpretation means are arranged to determine a frequency of the activity in the activity profile, the detected irregularity being dependent on a change in the frequency.

9. The system according to claim 7 wherein the system is arranged to provide the generated warning signal to the person or a caregiver.

10. A method for non-intrusive monitoring of a person characterized in comprising the steps of

measuring an ambient condition of said person

detecting a movement of said person;

interpreting said measured ambient condition and said movement to determine an activity of daily living of said person, wherein a time-stamp is provided to the measured ambient condition in dependence of the detected movement.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the step of interpreting said measured ambient condition and said movement comprises the steps of

calculating a time difference between two timestamps;

generating an alarm signal dependent on the determined activity of said person and the time difference.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the step of interpreting said measured ambient condition and said movement is further arranged to store the determined activity of said person in an activity profile of said person.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the step of interpreting said measured ambient condition and said movement further comprises the steps of

detecting an irregularity in the activity profile;

generating a warning signal in response to the detected irregularity.