Wireless Fault Monitoring System

• US 20080268831A1
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Handicare Accessibility Limited (Handicare Group AB)
• Original Assignee: Handicare Accessibility Limited (Handicare Group AB)
• Inventors: Hall, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,660,565 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/424
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/0031 for safety reasons
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 9/08 associated with stairways, e.g. for transporting disabled persons facilitating access of invalids to vehicles A61G3/02
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33209 Protocol, mailbox, email, mail system
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

If a mobility aid develops a problem, the person controlling the aid may be unable to move or request assistance or call for help. Furthermore, even if someone was alerted to their predicament, that person may not be able to identify and thus rectify the problem expediently without expert assistance. A system (10) for monitoring for a fault in a mobility aid (12) includes a fault detector for detecting a fault in the mobility aid. The system also includes a signal generator (14) for generating a signal representative of the fault is also provided. A wireless transmitter (16) for transmitting fault signal, and a wireless receiver (18) for receiving the fault signal are also provided. The receiver is also operable for causing an alert to be sent to an operator that the mobility aid (12) requires attention.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring for a fault in a mobility aid, comprising:

a fault detector for detecting a fault in the mobility aid;

a signal generator for generating a signal representative of the fault;

a wireless transmitter for transmitting the fault signal;

a wireless receiver for receiving the fault signal;

wherein the receiver is further operable for causing an alert to be sent to an operator that the mobility aid requires attention.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobility aid is a stairlift.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the fault signal comprises a code indicative of the type of fault that has occurred.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is located in the mobility aid, and the receiver is located remotely from the transmitter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the fault signal is an SMS message.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the receiver is a GSM or GPRS network operator.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a destination SMS server, the GSM/GPRS operator being operable for transmitting the SMS message to the SMS server for transmitting the alert to the operator.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter is also operable as a receiver for receiving data to correct or control the stairlift, and the wireless receiver is also operable as a transmitter for transmitting data to the stairlift.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a panic button.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising audio and/or visual communications devices that allow a user of the stairlift to speak to and/or see an operator.

11. A system for the monitoring for a fault in a mobility aid, comprising:

a fault detector for detecting a fault in the mobility aid;

a signal generator for generating a signal representative of the fault; and

a wireless transmitter located in the mobility aid, for transmitting the fault signal to a remote wireless receiver.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the mobility aid is a stairlift.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the fault signal comprises a code indicative of the type of fault that has occurred.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the fault signal is an SMS message.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless transmitter is also operable as a receiver for receiving data to correct or control the stairlift.

16. A method of monitoring for a fault in a mobility aid, comprising:

checking for a fault in the mobility aid;

generating a signal representative of the fault in the event that a fault is detected;

wirelessly transmitting the fault signal;

receiving the fault signal at a wireless receiver; and

alerting an operator that the mobility aid requires attention.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless transmitter is also operable as a receiver for receiving data to correct or control the stairlift, and the wireless receiver is also operable as a transmitter for transmitting data to the stairlift.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein generating said fault signal comprises a generating code indicative of the type of fault that has occurred.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining what action is required in response to said alert.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing means for two-way communication between the user of the mobility aid and a remote location.