Monitoring activities of daily living using radio frequency emissions

• US 8,798,573 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2007
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Care Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Intel-GE Care Innovations, LLC (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuris, Benjamin, Denning, Donald R Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Obayanju, Omoniyi
• Application Number:
  US11/843,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20090054028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,540 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 340/539.22, 340/539.26
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• 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: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a monitoring system is capable of monitoring the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) of one or more persons occupying a building. The monitoring system includes an information handling system having a radio-frequency (RF) scanner capable of scanning the RF ambient environment of the building. When an individual uses devices in the building that emit RF signals or emissions, the RF signals are detected by the RF scanner and analyzed by the information handling system. The characteristics of the detected RF signals are compared to a database of signature of known devices. If a detected RF signal matches the signature of a known device, the use of the device is logged into a database for ADL analysis.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

passively scanning an RF spectrum of the RF ambient environment of a building;

detecting an RF signal in the scanned RF spectrum emitted from a device in the building, the detected RF signal comprising an RF signature of the device as the device is operated or used by a user;

determining an identity of the detected device by finding the RF signature of the detected RF signal in a local database of known device RF signatures in the RF ambient environment of the building and obtaining a device identification associated with the RF signature in the local database, wherein determining the identity of the detected device comprises determining a device type of the detected device based on the RF signature of the device;

if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in the local database, storing, in a log of activities occurring in the building, usage information of the detected device as the detected device is operated or used by the user; and

analyzing the log of activities occurring in the building to determine a status of the user in the building.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising executing said determining if the detected RF signal has a level greater than a level of RF ambient background noise in the building.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising recording an anomaly if the RF signature of the detected RF signal does not match any known device RF signature in the local database.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determined device type is a personal computer, a motor, a fan, a gaming device, a personal digital assistant, a remote control, a phone, a television, a microwave, a light, an alarm, or a wireless doorbell.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is not found in the local database, whether the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in a master database;

and

recording in the local database, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in the master database, a device identification that is associated with the RF signature in the master database.

6. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising determining, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal does not match the known device RF signatures stored in the local database, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal matches a known device RF signature stored in a master database, and if the RF signature of the detected RF signal does not match any known device RF signature stored in the master database, logging an error.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising implementing an inference engine to analyze the log of activities occurring in the building to determine a status of the user in the building.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the scanned RF spectrum comprises a frequency range that is from 1.92 GHz to 1.93 GHz.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

an RF scanner coupled to an antenna to passively scan the RF spectrum in the RF ambient environment of a building; and

a processor coupled to said RF scanner, said processor being capable of;

detecting an RF signal in the scanned RF spectrum emitted from a device in the building, the detected RF signal comprising an RF signature of the device as the device is operated or used by a user,

determining a device type of the detected device based on determining an identity of the device by finding the RF signature of the detected RF signal in a local database of known device RF signatures in the RF ambient environment of the building and obtaining a device identification associated with the RF signature in the local database,

if the RF signature of the detected RF signal matches a known device RF signature in the database, storing, in a log of activities occurring in the building, usage information of the detected device as the detected device is operated or used by the user, and

analyzing the log of activities occurring in the building to determine a status of the user in the building.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processor is further capable of executing said determining if the detected signal has a level greater than a level of RF ambient background noise in the building.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processor is further capable of recording an anomaly if the RF signature of the detected RF signal does not match any known device RF signature in the local database.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processor is capable of implementing an inference engine to analyze the log of activities occurring in the building to determine a status of an individual in the building.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processor is further capable of

determining, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is not found in the local database, whether the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in a master database, and

recording in the local database, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in the master database, a device identification that is associated with the RF signature in the master database.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the processor is further capable of determining, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal does not match the known device RF signatures stored in the local database, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal matches a known device RF signature in a master database, and if the RF signature of the detected RF signal does not match any known device RF signature stored in the master database, logging an error.

14. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the device type is a personal computer, a motor, a fan, a gaming device, a personal digital assistant, a remote control, a phone, a television, a microwave, a light, an alarm, or a wireless doorbell.

16. A method, comprising:

scanning an RF spectrum of the RF ambient environment of a building;

detecting an RF signal in the scanned RF spectrum emitted from a device in the building, the detected RF signal comprising an RF signature of the device as the device is operated or used by a user;

determining an identity of the detected device by finding the RF signature of the detected RF signal in a local database of known device RF signatures in the RF ambient environment of the building and obtaining a device identification associated with the RF signature in the local database, wherein determining the identity of the detected device comprises determining a device type of the detected device based on the RF signature of the device;

if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in the local database, storing, in a log of activities occurring in the building, usage information of the detected device as the detected device is operated or used by the user; and

analyzing the log of activities occurring in the building to determine a status of the user in the building.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is not found in the local database, whether the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in a master database;

recording in the local database, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in the master database, a device identification that is associated with the RF signature in the master database.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

an RF scanner coupled to an antenna to scan the RF spectrum in the RF ambient environment of a building; and

a processor coupled to said RF scanner, said processor being capable of;

detecting an RF signal in the scanned RF spectrum emitted from a device in the building, the detected RF signal comprising an RF signature of the device as the device is operated or used by a user,

determining a device type of the detected device based on determining an identity of the device by finding the RF signature of the detected RF signal in a local database of known device RF signatures in the RF ambient environment of the building and obtaining a device identification associated with the RF signature in the local database,

if the RF signature of the detected RF signal matches a known device RF signature in the database, storing, in a log of activities occurring in the building, usage information of the detected device as the detected device is operated or used by the user, and

analyzing the log of activities occurring in the building to determine a status of the user in the building.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the processor is further capable of determining, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is not found in the local database, whether the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in a master database;

recording in the local database, if the RF signature of the detected RF signal is found in the master database, a device identification that is associated with the RF signature in the master database.