Apparatus, method, and system for remote monitoring of need for assistance based on change in velocity

• US 20020116080A1
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovage LLC (Innovage)
• Original Assignee: Locast Corporation
• Inventors: Jorgensen, Serge D., Birnbach, Jeffrey M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,819,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/66
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/07 Home care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions

Abstract

The present invention is an apparatus, method, and system for remote monitoring of need for assistance based on change in velocity. One aspect of the invention includes a portable unit that may be comfortably wearable, having an intelligent control, and a detector capable of detecting a physical parameter related to acceleration, and a transmitter. When an acceleration is determined to exceed a particular threshold, the intelligent control device instructs a transmitter to send an alert signal. Another aspect of the invention includes a method of monitoring for need of assistance by monitoring a physical parameter of the person related to acceleration and transmitting a need of assistance alert. Another aspect of the invention involves a system including one or more monitor units for determining the need for assistance based on physical parameter related to acceleration, a communications network for receiving information from the monitored unit and notifying a third party.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring movement of a human body as a unit of mass for possible need of assistance comprising:

a portable sized housing adapted to be hand carried, held in pocket, or removably attached to a user or user'"'"'s clothing;

in the housing, a processor, a wireless transmitter operatively connected to the processor, and a detector operatively connected to the processor, the detector detecting one or more of the group comprising motion, velocity, acceleration, orientation;

the processor programmed to instruct the transmitter to send a signal upon detection of a certain type or types of movement of a user detected by the detector.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireless transmitter further comprises a wireless transceiver.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is selected from the set comprising a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an integrated circuit, a portion of an integrated circuit, and an embedded computer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the detector comprises an accelerometer.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the accelerometer does not need to have accuracy less than 10 mg'"'"'s.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the detector is a geographic position device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the detector is a velocity shift measurement device.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the detector detects changes in orientation or velocity of a mass.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising manually operable control on the housing adapted for operation by a user.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the control is adapted to create a signal through the processor to override a perceived need for assistance status.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said certain type or types of movement are indicative of need for assistance.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the detection and instruction to the transceiver are processed by the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transmission occurs only upon meeting a certain condition programmed into the processor.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the certain condition is programmed by a switch setting.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said signal causes generation of an alarm.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the alarm is sent to a central control.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said central control generates a call to a third party.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said comprises at least one of a telephone call, a page, an e-mail, a cellular network transmission, or a digital message.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the third party selected from the group comprising emergency personnel and one or more persons selected by the user.

20. A method of monitoring movement of a human body as a unit of mass for possible need of assistance comprising:

monitoring a physical parameter of a person comprising one or more of velocity, change in velocity, acceleration, change in position;

transmitting a signal of the physical parameter is indicative of need of assistance.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the physical parameter indicative of need of assistance is acceleration or change in position above a certain threshold.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising transmitting the signal to a wide area communications network.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the wide area communication network transmits a signal to one of a central control, a designated recipient, or the user.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the monitoring of a physical parameter comprises a carrying a relatively small portable, hand sized or smaller device on the user.

25. The method of claim 20 further comprising monitoring a physical parameter of a plurality of persons.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising a central control adapted to receive a signal from any of the users and iterate a responsive action.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the responsive action can be one or more of turning a query to the user, notifying third party, transferring signal to another entity.

28. The method of claim 20 wherein transmission of signals is accomplished over a wide area communications network.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the wide area communications network is a wireless paging system.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the wide area network is a cellular network.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the wide area network is a satellite based wide area communication network.

32. The method of claim 20 wherein the monitoring of a physical parameter comprises a programmable threshold related to the physical parameter.

33. A system for monitoring a human body as a unit of mass in order to detect possible need for assistance comprising:

one or more portable user devices each adapted to be worn or carried by a user, each device including a wireless transmitter and a monitor of position and change in position of a device;

a wireless wide area communication network;

each device programmed to generate a submission from the device transmitter into the communication network upon detection of the condition of indicative of a need for assistance by the monitor of the device.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the monitor comprises a device selected from the group of an accelerometer, geographic position sensor, a velocity shift detector, and a gyro.

35. The system of claim 33 further comprising a central control operatively connected to the communication network.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the central control includes a processor with programming to evaluate any transmission from the user device and take action based on one or more conditions.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the actions are selected from the set comprising:

sending a query to the user, notifying third parties, notifying an emergency responder, notifying a third party via telephone, notifying a third party via pager, notifying a third party via an electronic message.

38. The system of claim 33 wherein the monitor is set to detect movement or lack of movement suggesting potential need for medical assistance.

39. An apparatus for monitoring the human body as a unit of mass comprising:

a means for monitoring changes in velocity;

a means to transmit a signal if a change in velocity indicative of potential need for assistance is sensed.

40. An apparatus for monitoring a human body as a unit of mass in order to determine need of assistance, the apparatus comprising:

an accelerometer for measuring changes in velocity associated with a human body, the accelerometer capable of outputting a signal representing measured changes in velocity;

an intelligent control for receiving the signal from the accelerometer and determining if the measured change is indicative of a need for assistance;

a transmitter electrically connected to the intelligent control, the transmitter capable of sending a message to a remote location indicative of a need for assistance.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 further comprising a housing;

the accelerometer, intelligent control, and transmitter contained in the housing, the housing capable of being worn close to the human body.

42. The apparatus of claim 40 further comprising a geographic location device, the geographic location device capable of determining the geographic location of the apparatus, the geographic location device electrically connected to the processor.

43. The apparatus of claim 40 further comprising a deactivation component, the deactivation component electrically connected to the processor, the deactivation component capable of sending a signal to the processor indicative that there is no need for assistance.

44. A system for monitoring a human body as a unit of mass in order to determine need of assistance, the system comprising:

a monitor unit to be worn close to the human body, the monitor unit capable of measuring velocity changes, comparing the velocity changes to a threshold, and transmitting the measured velocity changes, the monitor unit further capable of determining a geographic location and transmitting the geographic location;

a communications network for receiving measured velocity changes and geographic location from at least one monitor unit;

a central control capable of receiving messages from the communications network, the communications network capable of forwarding measured velocity changes and geographic location from a monitor unit, the central control capable of forwarding to third parties.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 further comprising a means for detecting geographic location.

49. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the unit includes a mounting system to allow the user to removeably mount the device to the user, and where the unit does not require or rely on any invasive attachment or direct connection to the user.

50. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the mounting system comprises an adjustable strap.

51. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the mounting system comprises an adhesive.

52. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the mounting system comprises a clip or similar attachment to clothing or other wearable items.

53. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer.

54. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the sensor comprises some other device measuring change in velocity.

55. The apparatus of claim 48 further comprising a housing sized for wearability by the user and which is mounted to the sensor.

56. The apparatus of claim 55 further comprising mounting the processor and transceiver in the housing.

57. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the transceiver transmits and receives radio energy waves.

58. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the parameters include thresholds.

59. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein the thresholds have a value that if exceeded, triggers a reportable event.

60. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein a reportable event triggers a transmission by the transceiver.

61. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein the transmission comprises a code.

62. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein the code is correlated to a physiological condition of the user.

63. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein the transmission only occurs on request or on a reportable event.

64. The apparatus of claim 48 further comprising a processing center including a second transceiver adapted for communication with said transceiver associated with said sensor.

65. The apparatus of claim 48 further comprising a geographical location device.

66. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein the geographical location device comprises a global positioning system receiver.

67. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein the geographical location device comprises a triangulation processor.

68. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein said geographic device is operatively connected to at least one of the processor and transceiver.

69. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein both parameter exceeded and location of a user are generated and available for transmission by the transceiver.

70. The apparatus of claim 48 further comprising a manually operable component adapted to generate a transmission by the transceiver if so chooses the user.

71. The apparatus of claim 48 further comprising a second such apparatus independently programmed, both first and second apparatus adapted to communicate with a processing center transceiver.

72. The apparatus of claim 71 wherein said response comprises generation of a signal to a third party.

45. An apparatus for monitoring a human body as a unit of mass in order to determine need of assistance, the apparatus comprising:

a means for detecting changes in velocity;

a means for determining a need for assistance based on the detected changes in velocity;

a means for transmitting a signal indicative of a need of assistance.

47. A system for notifying third parties of a need for assistance of a human body based on changes of velocity of the human body comprising:

a monitor unit having a means for detecting changes in velocity;

a means for detecting changes in position;

a means for determining if changes in velocity indicate a need for assistance; and

a means of transmitting information indicative of a need for assistance;

a communications network having a means for receiving transmitted information indicative of a need for assistance; and

a means for forwarding transmitted information indicative of a need for assistance;

a central control having a means of receiving transmitted information indicative of a need for assistance from the communications network; and

a means of alerting a third party by telephone, pager, or electronic message of the need for assistance.

48. An apparatus adapted for monitoring acceleration and deceleration of the user comprising:

a sensor adapted to transduce the average acceleration of a user when operatively mounted on the user;

a programmable processor operatively connected to the sensor;

a transceiver operatively connected to the processor and/or sensor;

a location sensing receiver operatively connected to the processor to provide location data;

software operatively loaded on the memory of the processor and adapted to receive transduced information from the sensor, compare the transduced information to pre-defined parameters, and decide if any message should be transmitted through the transceiver based on that comparison.

73. A method for remote monitoring of an accelerated state of a user comprising the steps of:

transducing information related to this state at or near the location of the state;

comparing the transduced information to pre-determined criteria at or near the location of the state;

monitoring further motion or states of the user and comparing this to expected values;

transmitting code if indicated by the comparison.

74. The method of claim 73 wherein said step of transducing comprises one or more physical conditions.

75. The method of claim 73 further comprising deriving geographic location of the physical condition

76. The method of claim 75 wherein said code includes information about the accelerated state and geographic location.

77. The method of claim 73 wherein said pre-determined criteria is programmed into a processor at or near the physical location.

78. The method of claim 73 wherein said transmitted code is correlated to an event based on the comparison of actual transduced accelerated state to said pre-determined criteria.

79. The method of claim 73 wherein said transmitted code is correlated to continuing or future movements after the initial event, thereby showing possible degree of injury.

80. The method of claim 79 wherein an event is correlated to a status of the physical condition that is determined to require notification, treatment or response by a third party.

81. The method of claim 73 wherein the monitoring of physical condition is related to non-medical purposes.

82. The method of claim 73 further comprising providing for a processing center adapted to communicate to and from the location of the physical condition.

83. The method of claim 82 wherein communication from the processing center comprises a request for status or communication check.

84. The method of claim 82 wherein the communication to the processing center comprises transmission of periodic status reports.

85. The method of claim 82 wherein an accelerated state is transduced from a plurality of persons.

86. The method of claim 85 wherein the plurality of persons are correlated to a set.

87. The method of claim 86 wherein the set is defined by a geographic region.

88. The method of claim 86 wherein the set is defined by authorized subscribers.

89. The method of claim 87 wherein the geographic region is taken from the set comprising the world, a portion of the world, a country, a portion of a country, and a subdivision of a portion of a country.

90. The method of claim 73 further comprising generating a response upon reception of a transmitted code.

91. The method of claim 90 wherein the response comprises calling a third party.

92. The method of claim 91 wherein the third party is selected from the set comprising ambulance company, doctor, fire department, police, EMT, neighbor, or employer.

93. The method of claim 90 wherein the response is an automatically generated signal.

94. The method of claim 90 wherein the response may be a radio signal.

95. The method of claim 90 wherein the response may be an audible sound signal.

96. The method of claim 73 wherein the physical condition is related to a human being.

97. The method of claim 73 wherein the physical condition is related to an animal.

98. The method of claim 73 further comprising a plurality of processing centers geographically distributed.

99. The method of claim 98 further comprising a plurality of wearable sensor/processors associated with subscribers to an authorized processing center.

100. A system for remote monitoring of the accelerated state for a plurality of users comprising:

a wearable remote unit including an accelerometer, and wireless transceiver all operatively in communication with a processor;

a processing center including a wireless transceiver adapted for communication with the transceiver on the remote units;

pre-programmable parameters stored in the processor of each remote unit customized for the user of each remote unit;

software programmed in the processor of each remote unit adapted to compare a sensed acceleration with said customized parameters and causing transmission of a code to the processing center if indicated by the comparison.

101. The system of claim 100 further comprising an output at the processing center which signals an indicated response action upon receipt of a code from a remote unit.

102. The system of claim 100 further comprising a geographic location device capable of calculating geographic location of the remote unit in operative connection with at least one of the processor and transmitter of the remote unit.

103. The system of claim 100 further comprising a manually operable alert which causes transmission of a code by the transmitter.

104. The system of claim 100 further comprising a component associated with the processing center adapted to generate status and/or location calls to any remote unit.

106. The system of claim 100 wherein said sensor of a remote unit is removable and substitutable.

107. The system of claim 100 wherein said acceleration is related to a medical condition of the user.

108. The system of claim 100 wherein the acceleration is related to a non-medical condition involving the user.

109. The system of claim 100 wherein the sensor is integrated with the processor and transmitter.

105. The system of claim 105 further comprising software at the processor of a remote unit adapted to periodically provide status and/or location reports to the processing center.