Personal emergency response appliance

• US 8,680,991 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BT Wearables LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bao Tran
• Inventors: Tran, Bao
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US13/052,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20110181422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/3.1, 340/539.1, 340/539.13, 340/540
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/42 where power is generated by conversion of mechanical movement to electricity, e.g. by piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/46 Global positioning system [GPS] sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/48 with transmitting devices, e.g. GSM or Wi-Fi®
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/384 : Recording apparatus or displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 : Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/395 : Details of stimulation, e.g. nerve stimulation to elicit EMG response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 : Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6806 : Gloves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 : Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 : Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 : Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 : Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 : Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 : Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 : Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 : Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/045 : Detection of Korotkoff sounds A61B5/0225 takes precedence; measuring blood pressure A61B5/021
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 : Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 : Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0808 : for diagnosis of the brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/488 : involving Doppler signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 : involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 : Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0423 : detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule
• 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 21/0461 : integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0476 : Cameras to detect unsafe condition, e.g. video cameras
• 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: 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: G16H 15/00 : ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 : delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 : for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 : ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 : for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A personal emergency system includes a motion sensor wearable by a human being to sense motion of the human being; a processor; wireless communications circuitry; computer code to match the acceleration signature with at least one of a plurality of stored acceleration signatures, wherein each stored acceleration signatures corresponds with one or more types of motion; and computer code to identify the type of motion of the object based on the matching of the acceleration signature. An optional positioning system can be included where the location of the user is determined based on times of arrival of signals.

Claims

1. A method of operating a base unit, comprising:

communicating with a wearable tag through the base unit, wherein a call center operator communicates with a user through a speaker on the base unit;

estimating a location of the wearable tag; and

determining if a fall has occurred and requesting help through the base unit and notifying a service automatically without a user pressing a button to call for help.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising distinguishing between falls and other types of normal body movement.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising tracking only movement to maintain privacy and independence.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising detecting a fall, sending an alert through the base unit over the phone line to a call center which contacts the wearer over a speaker on the base unit, determining if a responder can assist and sending local emergency services if needed.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising detecting motions with an accelerometer and determining daily activities based on detected motions.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising detecting motion with one or more accelerometers.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising periodically transferring activity data over the phone line.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising determining if a user falls when away from home and sending fall alert data to a call center using a cell phone.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the call center calls a user on the cell phone and sends help as needed to a current location for the cell phone.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein if the user does not respond, calling a designated responder or local emergency services as needed.

10. A method of operating a base unit, comprising:

communicating with a wearable unit through the base unit;

estimating a location of the wearable unit;

determining if a fall has occurred and requesting help through the base unit and notifying a service automatically without a user pressing a button to call for help; and

providing the wearable unit with a service subscription which includes access to a personal password-protected website.

11. A method of operating a base unit, comprising:

communicating with a wearable unit through the base unit;

wearing the unit that captures movements;

estimating a location of the wearable unit;

determining if a fall has occurred and requesting help through the base unit and notifying a service automatically without a user pressing a button to call for help; and

sending activity data by the base unit over a phone line to the website.

12. A method of operating a base unit, comprising:

communicating with a wearable tag through the base unit;

estimating a location of the wearable tag; and

capturing movement activities and comparing the movement activities to fall patterns and determining if a fall has occurred and requesting help through the base unit and notifying a service automatically without a user pressing a button to call for help.

14. A method of operating a base unit, comprising:

communicating with a wearable tag through the base unit;

estimating a location of the wearable tag;

determining if a fall has occurred and requesting help through the base unit and notifying a service automatically without a user pressing a button to call for help; and

determining a fall pattern from normal body movements.

15. A method of automatically requesting assistance for a patient, comprising:

wearing a wireless device with one or more accelerometers on the patient to detect patient motion;

determining a fall based on detected patient motion;

communicating with a call center and automatically requesting assistance on behalf of the patient if needed and notifying a service automatically without a user pressing a button to call for help.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising detecting if the patient has fallen based on a plurality of accelerometer signals and indicating the fall if the accelerometer signals indicate that the patient is unable to get up.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising

determining if the patient has fallen based on a plurality of sensor signals indicating changes in height or accelerations;

waiting for a predetermined period to detect if the patient can independently recover from the fall; and

requesting assistance if the sensor signals indicate that the patient is unable to independently recover from the fall.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising a wearable unit working with a service subscription which includes access to a personal password-protected website.

19. A personal emergency system, comprising:

a motion sensor wearable by a human being to sense motion of the human being, wherein

the motion sensor comprises a fall detector;

a processor;

wireless communications circuitry;

computer code to match an acceleration signature with at least one of a plurality of stored acceleration signatures, wherein each stored acceleration signatures corresponds with one or more types of motion; and

computer code to identify the type of motion of the human being based on the matching of the acceleration signature, wherein a call center operator communicates with the user through a speaker on the base unit.

20. The system of claim 19, comprising a base station that estimates a location of the motion sensor based on times of arrival of the signal of the tag and based on location information of the base station.

21. The system of claim 19, comprising a base unit connected to a call center over a telephone line, wherein the call center contacts a wearer over a speaker on the base unit to determine if a responder can assist or to send local emergency services if needed.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor distributes acceleration signature matching processing if the processing capability is available to the processor through available network connections, and distributes acceleration signature matching processing to save the processing power requirement or to increase processing speed of the processor.