System and method for automatically gathering information relating to an actor in an environment

• US 20050240571A1
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Dewing, Wende L., Geib, Christopher W., Haigh, Karen Z.
• Application Number:
  US10/830,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240571A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home

Abstract

A system and method for automatically gathering information to assist in evaluating an actor in an environment. The method includes monitoring information relating to the actor. The existence of a querying situation is then automatically recognized. The querying situation implicates a mental of physical status of the actor or environment, and is based upon at least one factor apart from a direct request by the actor for assistance. In response to the recognition that a querying situation exists, a query is formulated and then automatically posed. In one embodiment, the query is posed to the actor. In another embodiment, the query is posed to a person having knowledge of the actor'"'"'s activities. In yet another embodiment, the monitored information is used as the basis for recognizing the existence of a querying situation.

Claims

1. A method for automatically gathering information to assist in evaluating an actor in an environment, the method comprising:

monitoring information relating to the actor;

automatically recognizing existence of a querying situation implicating a mental or physical status of the actor or status of the environment, wherein the recognition is based upon at least one factor apart from a direct request by the actor for assistance;

formulating a query relating to the querying situation; and

automatically posing the query to the actor or another person.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein recognizing existence of a querying situation is based upon the monitored information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein recognizing the existence of a querying situation includes:

determining whether an event relating to the actor is relevant to an evaluation of the actor'"'"'s mental or physical status or status of the environment; and

designating that a querying situation exists when it is determined that the event is relevant to an evaluation of the actor'"'"'s mental or physical status or environment status.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the method is characterized by not indiscriminately designating that a querying situation exists in response to the event without first evaluating relevance of the event to a mental, physical, or environment status evaluation.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the method is characterized by the absence of a stimulus-response mechanism.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the event is the actor performing an unexpected action.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the event is the actor failing to perform an expected action.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the event is the actor engaging in an unexpected activity.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the event is the actor failing to engage in an expected activity.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the event is the actor engaging in a task.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the actor is engaging in a task based upon the monitored information; and

monitoring progress of the actor in completing the task.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the event is the actor completing the task.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the event is the actor abandoning the task prior to completing the task.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the event is the actor ignoring a reminder.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

automatically issuing a reminder to the actor; and

monitoring a response of the actor to the reminder.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assessing a situation of the actor based upon the monitored information;

wherein recognizing existence of a querying situation is based upon the situation assessment.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein recognizing existence of a querying situation includes identifying a symptom of a condition of interest based upon the monitored information.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein recognizing existence of a querying situation includes evaluating a property of an activity.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein evaluating a property of an activity includes comparing a current activity property with previous activity property data.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein recognizing existence of a querying situation includes receiving a prompt from a person other than the actor.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording a response to the posed query.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

providing the recorded response to a person concerned with a well being of the actor.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein posing the query includes:

delivering the query via at least one automated medium.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the automated medium includes at least one of an audio and visual component.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of queries are formulated relating to the querying situation.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of sensors are provided in the environment, and further wherein monitoring the actor includes processing the data signaled by the sensors.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein recognizing existence of a querying situation includes evaluating information provided by at least two of the sensors.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deciding whether the query should be posed to the actor or to another person other than the actor.

29. A system for automatically gathering information to assist in evaluating an actor in an environment, the system comprising:

at least one sensor for monitoring the actor;

at least one user interface; and

a controller electronically connected to the sensor and the user interface, the controller being adapted to;

automatically recognize existence of a querying situation implicating a mental or physical status of the actor or status of the environment based upon at least one factor apart from a direct request by the actor for assistance,

formulate a query relating to the querying situation,

prompt the user interface to pose the query, and

record a response to the posed query.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the controller includes a query module adapted to recognize existence of a querying situation.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the controller further includes a monitoring module and a situation assessment module linked to the query module.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the controller is adapted to recognize existence of a querying situation based upon on event relating to the actor.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the controller is adapted to recognize existence of a querying situation based upon an identified condition of interest.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein the controller is adapted to recognize existence of a querying situation based upon an evaluation of a property of an activity.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the controller is adapted to decide as to whether the query should be posed to the actor or another person other than the actor.

36. The system of claim 29, wherein the controller is adapted to recognize existence of a querying situation apart from a hard coded, stimulus-response mechanism.

37. The system of claim 29, further comprising a plurality of sensors electronically connected to the controller.