Personal assistance monitoring system

• US 8,660,517 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2012
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David Michael Lazoff, Jason Paul Demont
• Original Assignee: David Michael Lazoff, Jason Paul Demont
• Inventors: DeMont, Jason Paul, Lazoff, David Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Huy C
• Application Number:
  US13/558,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20130090083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/08 Elderly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/07 Home care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0204 Acoustic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1101 Detecting tremor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/747 in case of emergency, i.e. alerting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/043 detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• 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 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 : for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A personal assistance monitor for estimating whether a person needs assistance or not, and for requesting assistance, when appropriate. Some embodiments of the present invention can request help for a person even if the person is unconscious or paralyzed. The illustrative embodiment comprises two bracelets—one is worn on a person'"'"'s right wrist and the other is worn on the left wrist. Each bracelet comprises an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the wrist to which it is affixed. The measures of motion detected by both bracelets are analyzed for insight into the person'"'"'s well-being. When the illustrative embodiment estimates that the person needs assistance, the illustrative embodiment prompts the person to decline assistance. When the person declines assistance, the illustrative embodiment continues monitoring the person. In contrast, when the person fails to decline the offer of assistance, the illustrative embodiment requests help.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a motion sensor, a first measure of motion of a location on a person'"'"'s body;

generating, by a processor, a motion profile based on the first measure of motion;

when the motion profile exhibits a sign of distress, generating, with a first output device, a prompt for the person to decline assistance;

receiving, from the motion sensor, a second measure of motion;

generating an estimate of whether the person has declined assistance based on the second measure of motion; and

when the estimate of whether the person has declined assistance indicates that the person has failed to decline assistance, transmitting, with a second output device, a request for assistance for the person.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first output device is a tactile vibrator.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sign of distress is a pattern of distress.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the pattern of distress is periodic.

5. A method comprising:

receiving, from a motion sensor, a first measure of motion of a location on a person'"'"'s body;

generating, by a processor, a first motion profile based on the first measure of motion;

when the first motion profile exhibits a first sign of distress as characterized by a parameter, generating, with a first output device, a prompt for the person to decline assistance, wherein the first sign of distress suggests distress that is independent of a fall;

when the person declines assistance, modifying the parameter to generate a modified parameter;

receiving, from the motion sensor, a second measure of motion of the location on the person'"'"'s body;

generating a second motion profile based on the second measure of motion; and

when the second motion profile exhibits a second sign of distress as characterized by the modified parameter, transmitting, with a second output device, a request for assistance for the person.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first output device is a tactile vibrator.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the first sign of distress is a pattern of distress.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the pattern of distress is periodic.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, from a motion sensor, a measure of motion of a location on a person'"'"'s body;

generating, by a processor, an estimate of well-being based on the measure of motion;

when the estimate of well-being fails to reach a threshold of well-being, generating, with a first output device, a prompt for the person to decline assistance; and

when the person fails to decline assistance, transmitting, with a second output device, a request for assistance for the person;

wherein the threshold of well-being suggests distress that is independent of a fall.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first output device is a tactile vibrator.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving an estimate of the location of the person; and

wherein the estimate of well-being is also based on the estimate of the location of the person.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving a measure of ambient light level in the vicinity of the person; and

wherein the estimate of well-being is also based on the measure of ambient light level.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving a measure of ambient sound level in the vicinity of the person; and

wherein the estimate of well-being is also based on the measure of ambient sound level.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a first output device;

a second output device;

a motion sensor to;

(i) generate, at a first time t₁, a first measure of motion of a location on a person'"'"'s body, and

(ii) generate, at a second time t₂ that is after t₁, a second measure of motion of the location; and

a processor to;

(i) generate a motion profile based on the first measure of motion,

(ii) when the motion profile exhibits a sign of distress, direct, after time t₁ and before time t₂, the first output device to prompt the person to decline assistance,

(iii) generate an estimate of whether the person has declined assistance based on the second measure of motion, and

(iv) when the estimate of whether the person has declined assistance indicates that the person has failed to decline assistance, direct the second output device to transmit a request for assistance for the person.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first output device is a tactile vibrator.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the sign of distress is a pattern of distress.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the pattern of distress is periodic.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a first output device;

a second output device;

a motion sensor to;

(i) generate a first measure of motion of a location on a person'"'"'s body,

(ii) generate a second measure of motion of the location of the person'"'"'s body; and

a processor to;

(i) generate a first motion profile based on the first measure of motion,

(ii) when the first motion profile exhibits a first sign of distress as characterized by a parameter, direct the first output device to prompt the person to decline assistance,

(iii) when the person declines assistance, modify the parameter to generate a modified parameter,

(iv) generate a second motion profile based on the second measure of motion, and

(v) when the second motion profile exhibits a second sign of distress as characterized by the modified parameter, direct the second output device to transmit a request for assistance for the person;

wherein the first sign of distress suggests distress that is independent of a fall.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first output device is a tactile vibrator.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first sign of distress is a pattern of distress.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the pattern of distress is periodic.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a first output device;

a second output device;

a motion sensor to generate a measure of motion of a location on a person'"'"'s body; and

a processor to;

(i) generate an estimate of well-being based on the measure of motion,

(ii) when the estimate of well-being fails to reach a threshold of well-being, direct the first output device to prompt the person to decline assistance, and

(iii) when the person fails to decline assistance, direct the second output device to transmit a request for assistance for the person;

wherein the threshold of well-being suggests distress that is independent of a fall.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first output device is a tactile vibrator.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising:

a location finder to generate an estimate of the location of the person; and

wherein the estimate of well-being is also based on the estimate of the location of the person.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising:

a light sensor to measure an ambient light level in the vicinity of the person; and

wherein the estimate of well-being is also based on the measure of ambient light level.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising:

a microphone to measure an ambient sound level in the vicinity of the person; and

wherein the estimate of well-being is also based on the measure of ambient sound level.