Methods for behavior pattern analysis

• US 8,583,399 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2010
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Yang-Ming University
• Original Assignee: National Yang-Ming University
• Inventors: Kuo, Bo-Jau, Yang, Ching-Hsiu
• Primary Examiner(s): Teixeira Moffat, Jonathan C
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, HIEN XUAN
• Application Number:
  US12/905,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20120029865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 702/19, 702/141, 702/188, 340/539.12, 340/573.1, 600/300
• US Class Current: 702/141
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• 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 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6813 Specially adapted to be attached to a specific body part A61B5/6802 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration

Abstract

A method for behavior pattern analysis is provided in which the behavior signals of a subject are continuously detected using tri-axis accelerator. The behavior signals are divided as a plurality of time windows based on a predetermined time length. The plurality of time windows are configured as an X-Y matrix, and cross analysis is performed on the time windows as X-axis and Y-axis to obtain a plurality of correlation coefficients as being the preferred correlation values. A pattern with bright spots and dark spots is plotted according to the preferred correlation values, and behavior pattern is evaluated from the number and distribution of bright spots and the pattern. The behavior consistency of a subject can be efficiently evaluated, and his/her behavior abnormality, disease development or other situations can be determined accordingly.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing a behavior pattern, the method comprising:

(a) continuously detecting behavior signals of a subject by using a device having a tri-axis accelerator;

(b) dividing the behavior signals as n time windows based on a predetermined time length, n being a plural number;

(c) configuring the n time windows as a matrix of an X-axis and a Y-axis;

(d) performing a cross analysis on the n time windows at the X-axis and the n time windows at the Y-axis to obtain a plurality of preferred correlation values, converting the plurality of preferred correlation values as bright spots or dark spots, the bright spots representing a first consistency of the behavior pattern, the dark spots representing a second consistency of the behavior pattern, and the first consistency is higher than the second consistency; and

(e) estimating a pattern according to the plurality of preferred correlation values to evaluate the behavior pattern.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (a) further comprises a step (a1) of amplifying or filtering the behavior signals.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the n time windows are distinguished as a zeroth time window, a first time window, . . . and an (n−

1)th time window, the zeroth time window at the X-axis is neighbored to the zeroth time window at the Y-axis.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (d) further is processed by a cross-correlation analysis or a cross-spectral analysis.