System for generating periodic reports generating trend analysis and intervention for monitoring daily living activity

• US 6,108,685 A
• Filed: 11/18/1997
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel-GE Care Innovations, LLC (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BEHAVIORAL INFORMATICS, INCORPORATED
• Inventors: Kutzik, David M., Glascock, Anthony P., Hewett, Thomas T., Chute, Douglas L., Hornum, Barbara G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, HAROLD J
• Application Number:
  US08/972,425
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.3, 395/325, 395/650, 364/413.02, 364/413.03, 364/479, 364/146, 364/188, 364/479.12, 340/618, 340/506, 340/541, 340/551, 340/600, 340/825.54, 709/200
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0423 detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0469 Presence detectors to detect unsafe condition, e.g. infrared sensor, microphone G08B21/0476 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A system is provided for monitoring a user in a user living area. The system includes a system controller and an activity detection subsystem. The activity detection subsystem monitors a daily living activity of the user and provides information representative of the daily living activity to the system controller. The system controller includes a control circuit which generates a control signal in response to the daily living activity information obtained by the activity detection subsystem. Control information from the system controller is applied by way of a control information communication channel both to the activity detection subsystem and to a remote monitoring site. The activity detection subsystem may be a system for determining the movement of the user around the home, medication compliance by the user, problems with usage of stoves or other potentially dangerous appliances, and selected auxiliary appliances.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a user in a user living area, said system including a remote monitoring site comprising;

a system controller;

an activity detection subsystem decoupled from the user for monitoring a daily living activity of said user independently of physiological measurements, said activity detection subsystem having at least one detector device capable of being activated in response to an occurrence of said daily living activity and capable of determining at said user living area that said daily activity has occurred to provide information to said system controller representative of said daily living activity, said system controller having a control circuit for generating a control signal in response to said information representative of said daily living activity;

a control information communication channel for applying said control signal to said remote monitoring site;

a report generator for generating a scheduled periodic report on said daily living activity, said report having collections of said information representative of a selected daily living activity; and

circuitry for intervening in said user living area in accordance with said scheduled periodic report.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said activity detection subsystem comprises a detector for determining food preparation.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said activity detection subsystem comprises a detector for determining a user bath.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said activity detection subsystem comprises a detector for determining whether said user is out of bed.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said activity detection subsystem comprises a medication management system for determining medication use.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the report generator is disposed at the user living area.

7. A system for monitoring a user in a user living area, said system including a remote monitoring site, comprising:

a system controller;

an activity detection subsystem for monitoring a daily living activity of the user independently of physiological measurements, said activity detection subsystem having at least one detector device capable of being activated in response to an occurrence of said daily living activity and capable of determining at said user living area that said daily living activity has occurred to provide information to said system controller representative of said daily living activity, said system controller having a control circuit for generating a control signal in response to said information representative of said daily living activity;

a control information communication channel for applying said control signal to said remote monitoring site;

a generator for generating a trend analysis in accordance with said determined daily living activity; and

circuitry for intervening in said user living area in accordance with said trend analysis.

8. A system for monitoring a user in a user living area, said system including a remote monitoring site, comprising:

a programmable system controller;

a programming device disposed at the remote monitoring site for programming said programmable system controller;

an activity detection subsystem for monitoring a daily living activity of the user, said activity detection subsystem having at least one detector device capable of being activated in response to said occurrence of said daily living activity and capable of determining at said user living area that said daily living activity has occurred to provide to the programmable system controller information representative of said daily living activity, said programmable system controller having a control circuit for generating a control signal in response to said information representative of said daily living activity and according to said programming;

a control information communication channel for applying said control signal to said remote monitoring site in accordance with said remotely programmed system controller; and

circuitry for intervening in said user living area in accordance with said information representative of said daily living activity.

9. A method for monitoring a user in a user living area, in a system including a remote monitoring site, comprising the steps of:

(a) programming from the remote monitoring site a system controller located at the user living area to perform first monitoring operations;

(b) said first monitoring operations including monitoring a daily living activity of said user by said programmed system controller using an activity detection subsystem having a least one detector device capable of being activated in response to an occurrence of said daily living activity and capable of determining at said user living area that said daily living activity has occurred to provide to the system controller information representative of said daily living activity, said system controller having a control circuit for generating a control signal in response to said information representative of said daily living activity;

(c) applying said control signal to said control remote monitoring site by way of a communication channel in accordance with said first monitoring operations;

(d) altering decision protocols of the system controller from the remote monitoring site to perform second monitoring operations to determine at said user site that a daily living activity has occurred; and

(e) applying a further control signal to said remote monitoring site by way of said communication channel in accordance with said second monitoring operations.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein step (d) comprises transmitting reset information to the user living site.