Method and system for fall detection

• US 9,959,732 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2016
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Electronics LLC (Micron Technology, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Micron Electronics LLC (Micron Technology, Inc.)
• Inventors: Xu, Jun, Cheng, Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T
• Application Number:
  US15/299,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20170109990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 34053911, 34053912, 340522, 340506, 3405731, 600300, 600301, 128903, 128904
• 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 21/0469 Presence detectors to detect unsafe condition, e.g. infrared sensor, microphone G08B21/0476 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0476 Cameras to detect unsafe condition, e.g. video cameras

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method and a system for fall detection. Measurement signals are received from a plurality of sensors to monitor user activities, the plurality of sensors including a motion sensor for collecting motion information and a biomedical sensor for collecting physiological information. According to a signal processing sequence, whether the measurement signals meet multiple qualifying conditions for a fall incident is determined. The multiple qualifying conditions include: a condition evaluating at least the motion information, and a condition evaluating at least the physiological information. The method further includes: when the measurement signals do not meet the multiple qualifying conditions, continuing to monitor the user activities; and when the measurement signals meet the multiple conditions, determining that a fall incident has occurred, and sending an alert message to a designated contact.

Claims

1. A method for fall detection, comprising:

receiving measurement signals from a plurality of sensors to monitor user activities, the plurality of sensors including a motion sensor for collecting motion information and a biomedical sensor for collecting physiological information;

according to a signal processing sequence, determining whether the measurement signals meet multiple qualifying conditions for a fall incident;

when the measurement signals do not meet the multiple qualifying conditions, continuing to monitor the user activities; and

when the measurement signals meet the multiple qualifying conditions, determining that a fall incident has occurred, and sending an alert message to a designated contact;

wherein the multiple qualifying conditions include;

a condition evaluating at least the motion information, and a condition evaluating at least the physiological information,

wherein the condition evaluating acceleration amplitude information of the device includes an amplitude threshold and a quantity threshold N, and the method further comprises;

obtaining M absolute values of amplitude readings in a gravity direction from the sensor by polling;

counting a number of absolute values that are below the amplitude threshold among the M amplitude readings, wherein M and N are preset positive integers and N is less than M;

determining whether the counted number is above the quantity threshold N; and

when the counted number is above the quantity threshold, determining that the condition evaluating the acceleration amplitude information of the device is satisfied.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein according to the signal processing sequence, determining whether the measurement signals meet multiple qualifying conditions for the fall incident further includes:

determining whether the measurement signals meet a first condition;

when the measurement signals meet the first condition, determining whether the measurement signals meet a second condition;

when the measurement signals meet the second condition, determining that the fall incident has occurred; and

when the measurement signals do not meet one of the first condition and the second condition, continuing to monitor the user activities;

wherein one of the first condition and the second condition evaluates at least the motion information, and another one of the first condition and the second condition evaluates at least the motion information.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein:

the second condition further includes a first range and a second range;

when the measurement signals meet a second condition, determining that the fall incident has occurred further includes;

determining whether the measurement signals are in the first range of the second condition;

when the measurement signals are in the first range of the second condition, determining whether the measurement signals meet a third condition;

when the measurement signals meet one of;

the third condition and the second range of the second condition, determining that the fall incident has occurred; and

when the measurement signals do not meet the third condition, continuing to monitor the user activities.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the alert message includes a user identification, a location of the fall incident, and characteristics of the fall incident obtained according to the measurement signals.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

when the occurrence of the fall incident is determined, evaluating a severity level of the fall according to the measurement signals, and including the evaluated severity level in the alert message.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein evaluating a severity level of the fall further comprises:

according to the collected motion information in the measurement signals, calculating a velocity of the fall and a height of the fall;

according to the collected physiological information in the measurement signals, calculating change rates of a physiological indicator during and after the fall incident; and

based on the velocity of the fall, the height of the fall and the change rates of the physiological indicator, evaluating the severity level of the fall.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a user interface to obtain user input on a monitored activity;

obtaining an activity type identified through the user interface;

analyzing the measurement signals corresponding to the identified activity type; and

updating at least one of the first condition and the second condition according to the analyzed result corresponding to the identified activity type.

8. A system for fall detection, comprising:

a plurality of sensors configured to collect measurement signals to monitor user activities, the plurality of sensors including a motion sensor for collecting motion information and a biomedical sensor for collecting physiological information;

one or more processor configured to;

receive the measurement signals from the plurality of sensors,

according to a signal processing sequence, determine whether the measurement signals meet multiple qualifying conditions for a fall incident;

when the measurement signals do not meet the multiple qualifying conditions, continue to monitor the user activities; and

when the measurement signals meet the multiple qualifying conditions, determine that a fall incident has occurred, and

a communication module configured to send an alert message to a designated contact when the fall incident has occurred;

wherein the multiple qualifying conditions include;

a condition evaluating at least the motion information, and a condition evaluating at least the physiological information,

wherein the condition evaluating acceleration amplitude information of the device includes an amplitude threshold and a quantity threshold N, and the one or more processor is configured to;

obtain M absolute values of amplitude readings in a gravity direction from the sensor by boning;

count a number of absolute values that are below the amplitude threshold among the M amplitude readings, wherein M and N are preset positive integers and N is less than M;

determine whether the counted number is above the quantity threshold N; and

when the counted number is above the quantity threshold, determine that the condition evaluating the acceleration amplitude information of the device is satisfied.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the one or more processor is further configured to:

determine whether the measurement signals meet a first condition;

when the measurement signals meet the first condition, determine whether the measurement signals meet a second condition;

when the measurement signals meet the second condition, determine that the fall incident has occurred; and

when the measurement signals do not meet one of the first condition and the second condition, continue to monitor the user activities;

wherein one of the first condition and the second condition evaluates at least the motion information, and another one of the first condition and the second condition evaluates at least the motion information.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein:

the second condition further includes a first range and a second range;

the one or more processor is further configured to;

determine whether the measurement signals are in the first range of the second condition;

when the measurement signals are in the first range of the second condition, determine whether the measurement signals meet a third condition;

when the measurement signals meet one of;

the third condition and the second range of the second condition, determine that the fall incident has occurred; and

when the measurement signals do not meet the third condition, continue to monitor the user activities.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein:

the alert message includes a user identification, a location of the fall incident, and characteristics of the fall incident obtained according to the measurement signals.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein the one or more processor is further configured to:

when the occurrence of the fall incident is determined, evaluate a severity level of the fall according to the measurement signals, and include the evaluated severity level in the alert message.

13. The system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a user interface configured to obtain a user configuration on the signal processing sequence.

14. A device for fall detection, comprising:

a sensor configured to collect measurement signals to monitor user activities, the sensor being a motion sensor for collecting motion information;

a processor configured to;

receive the measurement signals from the sensor,

according to a signal processing sequence, determine whether the measurement signals meet multiple qualifying conditions for a fall incident;

when the measurement signals do not meet the multiple qualifying conditions, continue to monitor the user activities; and

when the measurement signals meet the multiple qualifying conditions, determine that a fall incident has occurred, and

a communication module configured to send an alert message to a designated contact when the fall incident has occurred;

wherein the multiple qualifying conditions include;

a condition evaluating acceleration amplitude information of the device, and a condition evaluating a reverse impact of the device;

wherein;

the sensor is further configured to determine a measurement signal reaches an amplitude threshold, and generate an interrupt to wake the processor from a sleep mode to an active mode; and

the processor is further configured to;

in the active mode, receive the measurement signals from the sensor,

according to the signal processing sequence, determine whether the measurement signals meet a first condition in the multiple qualifying conditions in a first time duration corresponding to the first condition;

when the first time duration is not passed and the first condition is met, determine whether the measurement signals meet a second condition in the multiple qualifying conditions in a second time duration corresponding to the second condition according to the signal processing sequence;

when the first time duration is not passed and the first condition is not met, continue to determine whether the measurement signals meet the first condition; and

when the first time duration is passed and the first condition is not met, enter the sleep mode.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the condition evaluating acceleration amplitude information of the device includes an amplitude threshold and a quantity threshold N, and the one or more processor is configured to:

obtain M absolute values of amplitude readings in a gravity direction from the sensor by polling;

count a number of absolute values that are below the amplitude threshold among the M amplitude readings, wherein M and N are preset positive integers and N is less than M;

determine whether the counted number is above the quantity threshold N; and

when the counted number is above the quantity threshold, determine that the condition evaluating the acceleration amplitude information of the device is satisfied.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein:

the condition evaluating the reverse impact of the device includes a specific signal pattern of positive and negative sign occurrences; and

the one or more processor is configured to;

compare a signal pattern of the motion information collected in a time window starting a time the interrupt is generated, with the specific signal pattern; and

when the collected signal pattern matches with the specific signal pattern, determine that the condition evaluating the reverse impact of the device is satisfied.

17. The device according to claim 14, wherein:

the condition evaluating acceleration amplitude information of the device includes a preset movement level for a delayed time window, the delayed time window being started after the interrupt is generated for a preset time; and

the one or more processor is configured to;

obtain multiple readings from the sensor by polling during the delayed time window;

determine whether one or more of the multiple amplitude readings reaches the preset movement level; and

when the one or more of the multiple amplitude readings reaches the preset movement level, determine that a false alert is generated and enter the sleep mode.

18. The device according to claim 14, wherein the device is a smart pendant attached to a necklace or a collar.

19. The device according to claim 14, wherein:

the communication module is further configured to send the motion information to a remote server, and receive one or more parameters of the qualifying conditions from the remote server; and

the one or more processor is further configured to;

update the one or more parameters of the qualifying conditions;

wherein the remote server sends the one or more parameters of the qualifying conditions based on analysis of the motion information collected from a plurality of the devices for fall detection.