Position tracking and mobility assessment system
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring the location, movement and health of one or more individuals within an environment by a monitoring individual, the system comprising a plurality of access point devices in which each access point device includes at least one wireless transceiver, a central hub access point device including a wireless transceiver, a local computing device, and one or more optional monitoring devices including a wireless transceiver, the system having the capability of monitoring the location, movement and health of the one or more individuals with or without the monitoring devices being carried or worn upon the body of the individual, wherein:
- the one or more optional monitoring devices are configured to be carried or worn upon the body of the individual, the wireless transceiver of the monitoring device being configured to measure a time of flight (TOF) value of a radio signal sent between the monitoring device and the at least one wireless transceiver located within at least one access point device, wherein the one or more optional monitoring devices comprise software programmed to use the measure of time of flight value to determine the distance between the monitoring device and the one or more access point devices and transmit a signal representing the distance that has been determined;
the plurality of access point devices being configured to be mounted in at least one room, the wireless transceiver of each access point device being configured to broadcast to and receive radio frequency signals from the one or more optional monitoring devices, other access point devices within the room and the central hub access point device, wherein the transceivers within the access point devices measure a time of flight value of a radio signal sent between the one or more optional monitoring devices and the one or more access point devices optionally comprise software to use the measure of time of flight value to determine the distance between the one or more optional monitoring devices and each access point device and transmit a signal representing the distance data, and wherein the one or more access points are configured to transmit and receive signals between access points and measure a change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF of the transmitted signals and transmit a signal representing the measured change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF, whereby the change in signal strength, link quality or TOF are caused by multipath reflections and absorptions of the radio frequency signal off of the individual being monitored;
the central hub access point device being in communication with the one or more optional monitoring devices, the plurality of access point devices and the local computing device and configured to transmit data to the local computing device, wherein the central hub access point device is configured to receive the measure of time of flight value or distance from the one or more optional monitoring devices and change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF from the plurality of access point devices and to transmit the data received; and
the local computing device is configured to be operated in the vicinity of the central hub access point device to receive from the central hub access point device the measure of time of flight value and change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF and is programmed with software configured to aggregate the data, optionally store the data on a storage medium, analyze the data using one or more algorithms programmed in the local computing device to track the individual'"'"'s 3-d position, velocity and acceleration and assess mobility, and determine if the individual is experiencing an emergency situation, and provide a notification if there is an emergency situation,whereby the system has the capability to operate with or without the measure of time of flight value from the one or more optional monitoring devices such that the system has the capability of monitoring the location, movement and health of an individual whether or not the individual is wearing the monitoring device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a system and method for monitoring the location, movement and health of one or more individuals within an environment by a monitoring individual, such as a care giver. The system used includes optional monitoring devices including a wireless transceiver, access point devices including a wireless transceiver, a hub access point device including a wireless transceiver, and a local computing device. The system is programmed such that it has the capability to operate with or without the measure of time of flight value from the optional monitoring devices such that the system has the capability of monitoring the location, movement and health of an individual whether or not the individual is wearing the monitoring device.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring the location, movement and health of one or more individuals within an environment by a monitoring individual, the system comprising a plurality of access point devices in which each access point device includes at least one wireless transceiver, a central hub access point device including a wireless transceiver, a local computing device, and one or more optional monitoring devices including a wireless transceiver, the system having the capability of monitoring the location, movement and health of the one or more individuals with or without the monitoring devices being carried or worn upon the body of the individual, wherein:
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the one or more optional monitoring devices are configured to be carried or worn upon the body of the individual, the wireless transceiver of the monitoring device being configured to measure a time of flight (TOF) value of a radio signal sent between the monitoring device and the at least one wireless transceiver located within at least one access point device, wherein the one or more optional monitoring devices comprise software programmed to use the measure of time of flight value to determine the distance between the monitoring device and the one or more access point devices and transmit a signal representing the distance that has been determined; the plurality of access point devices being configured to be mounted in at least one room, the wireless transceiver of each access point device being configured to broadcast to and receive radio frequency signals from the one or more optional monitoring devices, other access point devices within the room and the central hub access point device, wherein the transceivers within the access point devices measure a time of flight value of a radio signal sent between the one or more optional monitoring devices and the one or more access point devices optionally comprise software to use the measure of time of flight value to determine the distance between the one or more optional monitoring devices and each access point device and transmit a signal representing the distance data, and wherein the one or more access points are configured to transmit and receive signals between access points and measure a change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF of the transmitted signals and transmit a signal representing the measured change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF, whereby the change in signal strength, link quality or TOF are caused by multipath reflections and absorptions of the radio frequency signal off of the individual being monitored; the central hub access point device being in communication with the one or more optional monitoring devices, the plurality of access point devices and the local computing device and configured to transmit data to the local computing device, wherein the central hub access point device is configured to receive the measure of time of flight value or distance from the one or more optional monitoring devices and change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF from the plurality of access point devices and to transmit the data received; and the local computing device is configured to be operated in the vicinity of the central hub access point device to receive from the central hub access point device the measure of time of flight value and change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF and is programmed with software configured to aggregate the data, optionally store the data on a storage medium, analyze the data using one or more algorithms programmed in the local computing device to track the individual'"'"'s 3-d position, velocity and acceleration and assess mobility, and determine if the individual is experiencing an emergency situation, and provide a notification if there is an emergency situation, whereby the system has the capability to operate with or without the measure of time of flight value from the one or more optional monitoring devices such that the system has the capability of monitoring the location, movement and health of an individual whether or not the individual is wearing the monitoring device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for using a system to monitor the location, movement and health of one or more individuals within an environment by a monitoring individual, the system comprising a plurality of access point devices in which each access point device includes at least one wireless transceiver, a central hub access point device including a wireless transceiver, a local computing device, and one or more optional monitoring devices including a wireless transceiver, the system having the capability of monitoring the location, movement and health of the one or more individuals with or without the monitoring devices being carried or worn upon the body of the individual, the method comprising the steps of:
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using the one or more optional monitoring devices carried or worn upon the body of the individual to measure a time of flight (TOF) value of a radio signal sent between the optional monitoring device and the at least one wireless transceiver located within each access point device; using the plurality of access point devices mounted in at least one room to one or both of measure a time of flight value of a radio signal sent between the one or more optional monitoring devices and access point devices and measure a change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF of the transmitted signals between access point devices; receiving at the central hub access point device the measure of time of flight value from the one or more optional monitoring devices and change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF from the plurality of access point devices and transmitting the data received by the central hub access point device to the local computing device; and using the local computing device to receive from the central hub access point device the optional measure of time of flight value and the change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF and aggregate the data, optionally store the data on a storage medium, analyze the data using one or more algorithms programmed in the local computing device to track the individual'"'"'s 3-d position, velocity and acceleration and assess mobility, and determine if the individual is experiencing an emergency situation, and provide a notification if there is an emergency situation, whereby the change in signal strength, link quality or TOF are caused by multipath reflections and absorptions of the radio frequency signal off of the individual being monitored; and whereby the system may be used with or without the measure of time of flight value from the one or more optional monitoring devices and whether or not the individual is wearing the monitoring device.
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19. A system for monitoring the location, movement and health of one or more individuals within an environment by a monitoring individual, the system comprising a plurality of access point devices in which each access point device includes at least one wireless transceiver, a central hub access point device including a wireless transceiver, and a local computing device, wherein:
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the plurality of access point devices being configured to be mounted in at least one room, the wireless transceiver of each access point device being configured to broadcast to and receive radio frequency signals from the other access points within the room and the central hub access point device, wherein the transceivers within the access point devices are configured to transmit and receive signals between access point devices and measure a change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF of the transmitted signals and transmit a signal representing the measured change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF, whereby the change in signal strength, link quality or TOF are caused by multipath reflections and absorptions of the radio frequency signal off of the individual being monitored; the central hub access point device being in communication with the plurality of access point devices and the local computing device and configured to transmit data to the local computing device, wherein the central hub access point device is configured to receive the measure of change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF from the plurality of access point devices and to transmit the data received; and the local computing device being configured to be operated in the vicinity of the central hub access point device to receive from the central hub access point device the measure of change in one or more of signal strength, link quality, or TOF and is programmed with software configured to aggregate the data, optionally store the data on a storage medium, analyze the data using one or more algorithms programmed in the local computing device to track the individual'"'"'s 3-d position, velocity and acceleration and assess mobility, and determine if the individual is experiencing an emergency situation, and provide a notification if there is an emergency situation.
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20. A system for monitoring the location, movement and health of one or more individuals within an environment by a monitoring individual, the system comprising one or more monitoring devices including a wireless transceiver, a plurality of access point devices in which each access point device includes at least one wireless transceiver, a central hub access point device including a wireless transceiver, and a local computing device, wherein:
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the one or more monitoring devices are configured to be carried or worn upon the body of the individual, the wireless transceiver of the monitoring device being configured to measure a time of flight value of a radio signal sent between the monitoring device and the at least one wireless transceiver located within at least one access point device, wherein the monitoring device comprises software programmed to use the measure of time of flight value to determine the distance between the monitoring device and the one or more access point devices and transmit a signal representing the distance that has been determined; the one or more access point devices being configured to be mounted in at least one room, the wireless transceiver of each access point device being configured to broadcast to and receive radio frequency signals from the one or more monitoring devices, other access points within the room and the central hub access point device, wherein the transceivers within the access point devices that measure a time of flight value of a radio signal sent between the one or more monitoring devices and the one or more access point devices optionally comprise software to use the measure of time of flight value to determine the distance between the one or more monitoring devices and each access point device and to transmit a signal representing the distance data; the central hub access point device being in communication with the one or more monitoring devices, the one or more access point devices and the local computing device and configured to transmit data to the local computing device, wherein the central hub access point device is configured to receive the measure of time of flight value from the one or more monitoring devices and to transmit the data received; and the local computing device is configured to be operated in the vicinity of the central hub access point device to receive from the central hub access point device the measure of time of flight value and is programmed with software configured to aggregate the data, optionally store the data on a storage medium, analyze the data using one or more algorithms programmed in the local computing device to track the individual'"'"'s 3-d position, velocity and acceleration and assess mobility, and determine if the individual is experiencing an emergency situation, and provide a notification if there is an emergency situation, whereby the change in TOF are caused by multipath reflections and absorptions of the radio frequency signal off of the individual being monitored; and wherein the software of the local computing device is programmed with one or more of a sigma point Kalman filter algorithm, sigma-point Kalman smoother, sigma-point Kalman particle filter, or variant thereof that uses the measure of time of flight value measured between the monitoring device and the access points to compute one or both of the position, velocity and acceleration of the individual within the facility.
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Specification