Thoughtful elderly monitoring in a smart home environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11398145-B2
Application number	US-202017133281-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2020
Priority date	Oct 19, 2017
Publication date	Jul 26, 2022
Grant date	Jul 26, 2022

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 that a plurality of smart home devices present at a residence is sufficient to monitor for abnormal behavior of the resident at the residence, wherein:
the resident resides at the residence;
performing the confidence assessment comprises calculating a confidence metric;
the confidence metric is based on a number of the plurality of smart home devices that are eligible to participate in monitoring the resident for abnormal behavior; and
the confidence metric is increased in response to a repeated pattern of behavior of the resident being detected based on data from the plurality of smart home devices;

determining eligibility for monitoring of the resident based on the confidence assessment;
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 1 , wherein the confidence assessment comprises:
determining a second number of smart home devices that can assist in monitoring for abnormal behavior of the resident at the residence and are exclusively battery-powered.

4. The method for monitoring the resident of claim 3 , 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.

5. The method for monitoring the resident of claim 1 , 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.

6. The method for monitoring the resident of claim 1 , wherein the confidence assessment comprises:
providing a questionnaire; and
receiving a plurality of answers to the questionnaire, wherein the confidence metric is based on the received plurality of answers to the questionnaire.

7. The method for monitoring the resident of claim 6 , wherein the questionnaire requests one or more types of scenarios that involve the resident for which a notification is to be generated.

8. The method for monitoring the resident of claim 1 , 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.

9. A system for monitoring a resident, the system comprising:
a plurality of smart home devices installed within a residence;
an application executed by a computerized 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, wherein:
the resident resides at the residence;
the confidence assessment comprises calculating a confidence metric based on a number of the plurality of smart home devices that are eligible to participate in monitoring the resident for abnormal behavior; and
the confidence metric is increased as part of the confidence assessment in response to a repeated pattern of behavior of the resident being detected based on data from the plurality of smart home devices;

determine eligibility for monitoring of the resident based on the confidence assessment;
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.

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 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.

11. 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 second number of smart home devices that can assist in monitoring for abnormal behavior of the resident at the residence and are exclusively battery-powered.

12. The system for monitoring the resident of claim 11 , 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.

13. 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.

14. 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:
provide a questionnaire; and
receive a plurality of answers to the questionnaire, wherein the confidence metric is based on the received plurality of answers to the questionnaire.

15. The system for monitoring the resident of claim 14 , wherein the questionnaire requests one or more types of scenarios that involve the resident for which a notification is to be generated.

16. The system for monitoring the resident of claim 9 , 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 win

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Stefanski Mark
• Matsuoka Yoky

Classifications

• G08B25/08

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

• G08B13/19613

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

• G08B21/0423 Primary

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

• G06N20/00

  Machine learning · 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