Mesh network personal emergency response appliance

• US 10,307,060 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2018
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Tran, Bao
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US15/873,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20180184907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 340506, 340 31, 3405391, 34053911, 34053913, 340540, 3405731
• 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 5/389 : Electromyography [EMG]
• 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 telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• 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 monitoring system includes one or more wireless nodes forming a wireless mesh network; a user activity sensor including a wireless mesh transceiver adapted to communicate with the one or more wireless nodes using the wireless mesh network; and a digital monitoring agent coupled to the wireless transceiver through the wireless mesh network to request assistance from a third party based on the user activity sensor.

Claims

1. A method to monitor a person, comprising:

capturing and transmitting the person'"'"'s daily activities over a wireless network;

determining a pattern associated with the person'"'"'s daily activities using a statistical recognizer to distinguish between falls and other types of normal body movement; and

requesting assistance if the person'"'"'s current activity varies from the pattern or if a dangerous condition is detected;

wherein said dangerous condition comprises a symptom of a stroke.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said symptom of a stroke comprises a weakness in left half and right half of the person'"'"'s body.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said symptom of a stroke comprises a loss of balance or coordination.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said symptom of a stroke comprises abnormal movement of limbs in and reading accelerometer output indicating the abnormal movement.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said symptom of a stroke is detected by displaying a text image and asking the person to read back the text image one eye at a time;

and using a speech recognizer to detect confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said symptom of a stroke is detected by using a speech recognizer to ask the person if numbness is felt in the body.

7. A system, comprising:

one or more wireless nodes forming a wireless mesh network;

a user activity sensor including a wireless mesh transceiver adapted to communicate with the one or more wireless nodes using the wireless mesh network; and

a digital monitoring agent coupled to the wireless transceiver through the wireless mesh network to request assistance from a third party based on the user activity sensor if the digital monitoring agent detects a symptom of a stroke.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the symptom is a weakness in left half and right half of the person'"'"'s body.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the symptom a walking pattern indicating loss of balance or coordination.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the symptom is abnormal movement of limbs in and reading accelerometer output indicating the abnormal movement.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the symptom is abnormal movement of limbs in and reading accelerometer output indicating the abnormal movement.

12. A method for monitoring a person, comprising:

capturing and transmitting one or more of the person'"'"'s daily activities over a wireless network;

monitoring at least one environmental condition of the person'"'"'s home;

determining a pattern associated with the one or more of person'"'"'s daily activities using a statistical recognizer to detect a condition which deviates from the pattern;

requesting assistance if the person'"'"'s current activity varies from the pattern.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein one of the person'"'"'s daily activities is physical activity.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein one of the person'"'"'s daily activities is following directions for taking medication.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the medication is housed in a container which is monitored by a detector, wirelessly connected to a network, which detects if the medication has been taken at a prescribed time of the day.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the detector is housed in the container and keeps track of the amount of medication in the container.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein each item of medication is identifiable and wherein the detector can identify the type and dosage of medication.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the detector is connected to a pharmacy through the wireless network and where, when the amount of medication is detected to be at a specified level, the detector contacts the pharmacy to place an order for a resupply of the medication.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said detector determines if the medication in the container complies with a prescription specified by a prescribed medication regimen.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the person is notified by an alert that the medication in the container is not in compliance with the prescription.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the alert is transmitted to a remote location.