Thoughtful elderly monitoring in a smart home environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10909832-B2
Application number	US-201916581926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2019
Priority date	Oct 19, 2017
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

Various arrangements are presented for monitoring a resident of a residence. A confidence assessment may be performed based on a plurality of smart home devices in the residence. The residence may be identified as eligible for monitoring of the resident based on the confidence assessment. A learning process may be performed to create an ordinary behavior model. Data that is received from the plurality of smart home devices may be monitored to identify data indicative of behavior considered unusual based on the ordinary behavior model.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for monitoring a resident, the method comprising:
performing a confidence assessment to determine whether a plurality of smart home devices present at a residence is sufficient to monitor for abnormal behavior of the resident at the residence with at least a threshold level of confidence, wherein:
the resident resides at the residence;
performing the confidence assessment comprises calculating a confidence metric; and
the confidence metric is based on a first number of the plurality of smart home devices that are eligible to participate in monitoring the resident for abnormal behavior;
the confidence metric is further based on a second number of the plurality of smart home devices that are eligible to participate in the monitoring the resident for abnormal behavior and are power constrained; and
the confidence metric is increased as part of the confidence assessment in response to a repeated pattern of behavior being detected based on data from the plurality of smart home devices;

determining that the residence is eligible for monitoring of the resident based on the confidence metric;
performing a learning process over a period of time during which resident activity data is collected from the plurality of smart home devices and used to create an ordinary behavior model; and
monitoring data received from the plurality of smart home devices to identify data indicative of behavior considered unusual for the resident based on the ordinary behavior model.

2. The method for monitoring the resident of claim 1 , wherein the confidence assessment comprises:
determining a type of each smart home device of the plurality of smart home devices that can assist in monitoring for abnormal behavior of the resident at the residence.

3. The method for monitoring the resident of claim 2 , wherein the confidence assessment comprises determining a number of video cameras that can assist in monitoring for abnormal behavior of the resident at the residence.

4. The method for monitoring the resident of claim 1 , wherein the confidence assessment comprises:
providing a questionnaire via a mobile device; and
receiving a plurality of answers to the questionnaire, wherein the threshold level of confidence is based at least in part on the received plurality of answers to the questionnaire.

5. The method for monitoring the resident of claim 4 , wherein the questionnaire requests one or more types of worrisome scenarios that involve the resident for which an administrator desires to be notified.

6. The method for monitoring the resident of claim 1 , further comprising:
activating a process at each exclusively battery-powered smart home device of the plurality of smart home devices that defines one or more rules indicative of when data indicative of a behavior of the resident should be transmitted.

7. The method for monitoring the resident of claim 6 , wherein at least some of the plurality of smart home devices are selected from the group consisting of: a smart home smoke detector; a smart home carbon monoxide detector; a smart indoor security camera; a smart outdoor security camera; a smart thermostat; a smart home assistant device; a smart security system; a smart window/door sensor; a smartphone; and a smart doorbell device.

8. A system for monitoring a resident, the system comprising:
a plurality of smart home devices installed within a residence;
an application executed by an administrator device; and
a cloud-based host system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
perform a confidence assessment to determine whether the plurality of smart home devices present at a residence is sufficient to monitor for abnormal behavior of the resident at the residence with at least a threshold level of confidence, wherein:
the resident resides at the residence;
the confidence assessment comprises calculating a confidence metric based on a first number of the plurality of smart home devices that are eligible to participate in monitoring the resident for abnormal behavior and a second number of the plurality of smart home devices that are eligible to participate in the monitoring the resident for abnormal behavior and are power constrained; and
the confidence metric is increased as part of the confidence assessment in response to a repeated pattern of behavior being detected based on data from the plurality of smart home devices;

determine that the residence is eligible for monitoring of the resident based on the confidence metric;
perform a learning process over a period of time during which resident activity data is collected from the plurality of smart home devices and analyzed to create an ordinary behavior model; and
monitor data received from the plurality of smart home devices to identify data indicative of behavior considered unusual for the resident based on the ordinary behavior model.

9. The system for monitoring the resident of claim 8 , wherein the processor-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform the confidence assessment further comprises processor-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
determine a type of each smart home device of the plurality of smart home devices that can assist in monitoring for abnormal behavior of the resident at the residence.

10. The system for monitoring the resident of claim 9 , wherein the processor-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform the confidence assessment further comprises processor-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more processors to determine a number of video cameras that can assist in monitoring for abnormal behavior of the resident at the residence.

11. The system for monitoring the resident of claim 8 , wherein the processor-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform the confidence assessment further comprises processor-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
provide a questionnaire via a mobile device; and
receive a plurality of answers to the questionnaire, wherein the threshold level of confidence is based at least in part on the received plurality of answers to the questionnaire.

12. The system for monitoring the resident of claim 11 , wherein the questionnaire requests one or more types of worrisome scenarios that involve the resident for which an administrator desires to be notified.

13. The system for monitoring the resident of claim 8 , wherein the processor-readable instructions which, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to
activate a process at each exclusively battery-powered smart home device of the plurality of smart home devices that defines one or more rules indicative of when data indicative of a behavior of the resident should be transmitted.

14. The system for monitoring the resident of claim 8 , wherein at least some of the plurality of smart home devices are selected from the group consisting of: a smart home smoke detector; a smart home carbon monoxide detector; a smart indoor security camera; a smart outdoor security camera; a smart thermostat; a smart home assistant device; a smart security system; a smart window/door sensor; a smartphone; and a smart doorbell device.

15. A non-transitory processor-readable medium, compr

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Stefanski Mark
• Matsuoka Yoky

Classifications

• G08B21/0423 Primary

  detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule · CPC title

• G08B17/10

  Actuation by presence of smoke or gases {, e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means} · CPC title

• G08B13/19613

  Recognition of a predetermined image pattern or behaviour pattern indicating theft or intrusion · CPC title

• G08B25/08

  using communication transmission lines {(G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G06N20/00

  Machine learning · CPC title