SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING OF A PERSON

• US 20110068931A1
• Filed: 05/06/2009
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifeline Systems Company (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Sinitsyn, Alexander, Abernethy, Simon George
• Granted Patent: US 8,587,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0423 detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule

Abstract

The system according to the invention comprises a plurality of sensors (10), (20) arranged to measure an ambient condition of a person. A movement of the person is being detected by the movement sensor (20) included in the system. The system further comprises interpretation means (110) arranged for interpreting a plurality of first output signals (100) and a second output signal (200). The plurality of first output signals (100) is provided by the ambient sensors (10) and the second output signal (200) is provided by the movement sensor (20). The interpretation means (110) are further arranged to determine an activity of daily living of said person. The interpretation means may provide an alarm signal (120) indicating that the person may need direct assistance and a warning signal (130) indicating a potential deteriorating health condition of the person.

Claims

1. A system for non intrusive monitoring of a person characterized in that the system comprises

at least one ambient sensor (10) arranged for measuring an ambient condition of said person;

a movement sensor (20) arranged for detecting a movement of said person;

interpretation means (110) arranged for interpreting a first output signal (100) provided by the at least one ambient sensor (10) and a second output signal (200) provided by the movement sensor (20) to determine an activity of daily living of said person.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the interpretation means (110) are arranged for providing a timestamp to the first output signal (100) of the at least one ambient sensor (10) in dependence of a detected movement as indicated by the second output signal (120).

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein the interpretation means (110) are further arranged for calculating a time difference between two timestamps.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the interpretation means (110) are arranged to determine the activity in dependence of a comparison of the first output signal (100) with a threshold.

5. A system according to claim 3 wherein the interpretation means (110) are arranged to determine the activity in dependence of a comparison of the first output signal (100) with a threshold and wherein the interpretation means are further arranged for generating an alarm signal (120) dependent on the determined activity of said person and the time difference.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein the determined activity of said person is taken from a group comprising eating, cooking, and washing.

7. A system according to claim 1 wherein the interpretation means (110) are further arranged to store the determined activity of said person in an activity profile of said person.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein the interpretation means (110) are further arranged to detect an irregularity in the activity profile, and wherein the interpretation means are further arranged for generating a warning signal (130) in response to the detected irregularity.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein the interpretation means (110) are arranged to determine a frequency of the activity in the activity profile, the detected irregularity being dependent on a change in the frequency.

10. A system according to claim 8 wherein the system is arranged to provide the generated warning signal (130) to the person or a caregiver.

12. A method according to claim 10 wherein the step of interpreting said measured ambient condition and said movement to determine an activity of daily living of said person comprises the step of providing a timestamp to the measured ambient condition in dependence of the detected movement.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the step of interpreting said measured ambient condition and said movement comprises the steps of

calculating a time difference between two timestamps;

generating an alarm signal (120) dependent on the determined activity of said person and the time difference.

11. A method for non intrusive monitoring of a person characterized in comprising the steps of

measuring an ambient condition of said person

detecting a movement of said person;

interpreting said measured ambient condition and said movement to determine an activity of daily living of said person.

14. A method according to claim 11 wherein the step of interpreting said measured ambient condition and said movement is further arranged to store the determined activity of said person in an activity profile of said person.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the step of interpreting said measured ambient condition and said movement further comprises the steps of

detecting an irregularity in the activity profile;

generating a warning signal (130) in response to the detected irregularity.