Personal emergency response (PER) system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9351640-B2
Application number	US-201314071603-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2013
Priority date	Jun 30, 2006
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A method of method of automatically requesting assistance for a patient by verbally communicating with a user through a base unit; wearing a mobile device with a plurality of different sensors on the patient to detect patient motion, wherein the mobile device transmits data to the base unit; and determining if a fall has occurred and requesting help through the base unit without a user pressing a button to call for help.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of automatically requesting assistance for a patient, comprising:
verbally communicating with a user through a base unit;
wearing a mobile device with a plurality of different sensors on the patient to detect patient motion, wherein the mobile device transmits data to the base unit, wherein the patient motions form a sequence of elemental motions;
identifying each elemental motion of a sequence of elemental motions of the accelerometer; and
identifying the activity of the patient, comprising matching the sequence of identified elemental motions with a library of stored sequences of elemental motions, wherein each stored sequence of elemental motions corresponds with an activity; and
determining if a fall has occurred and requesting help through the base unit without a user pressing a button to call for help.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising determining a location of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising providing an indoor location determination system based on WiFi or Bluetooth to supplement a global positioning system (GPS).

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising estimating an indoor location of the mobile device based on a radio frequency transmission.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising distinguishing between falls and other types of normal body movement.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising notifying an emergency service for assistance automatically without a user pressing a button to call for help.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising detecting a fall, waiting for a predetermined period before sending an alert to a call center which contacts the patient and sending local emergency services if needed.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising capturing movement activities and comparing the movement activities to fall patterns and determining if a fall has occurred.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising sending fall alert data and location to a call center.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the call center calls a user on the mobile device and sends help as needed to a current location for the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the mobile device sends accelerometer pattern matching workload to a remote server to conserve battery power.

12. A method of automatically requesting assistance for a patient, comprising:
verbally communicating with a user through a base unit;
wearing a mobile device with a plurality of different sensors on the patient to detect patient motion, wherein the mobile device transmits data to the base unit;
identifying each elemental motion by:
generating an acceleration signature based on sensed acceleration of the device;
matching the acceleration signature with at least one of a plurality of stored acceleration signatures, wherein each stored acceleration signatures corresponds with a type of motion;
identifying the type of motion of the device based on the matching of the acceleration signature with the stored acceleration signature; and
determining if a fall has occurred and requesting help through the base unit without a user pressing a button to call for help.

13. A method of automatically requesting assistance for a patient, comprising:
verbally communicating with a user through a base unit;
wearing a mobile device with a plurality of different sensors on the patient to detect patient motion, wherein the mobile device transmits data to the base unit;
refining identification of the activity, comprising analyzing timing of the identified activity, and
determining if a fall has occurred and requesting help through the base unit without a user pressing a button to call for help.

14. A method of automatically requesting assistance for a patient, comprising:
verbally communicating with a user through a base unit;
wearing a mobile device with a plurality of different sensors on the patient to detect patient motion, wherein the mobile device transmits data to the base unit;
refining identification of the activity, comprising analyzing at least one identified location of the identified activity; and
determining if a fall has occurred and requesting help through the base unit without a user pressing a button to call for help.

15. A method of automatically requesting assistance for a patient, comprising:
verbally communicating with a user through a base unit;
wearing a mobile device with a plurality of different sensors on the patient to detect patient motion, wherein the mobile device transmits data to the base unit;
refining identification of the activity, comprising analyzing a rate of change of a location of the patient; and
determining if a fall has occurred and requesting help through the base unit without a user pressing a button to call for help.

16. A method of automatically requesting assistance for a patient, comprising:
verbally communicating with a user through a base unit;
wearing a mobile device with a plurality of different sensors on the patient to detect patient motion, wherein the mobile device transmits data to the base unit;
refining identification of the activity, comprising analyzing patterns of a plurality of identified activities; and
determining if a fall has occurred and requesting help through the base unit without a user pressing a button to call for help.

17. A method of automatically requesting assistance for a patient, comprising:
verbally communicating with a user through a base unit;
wearing a mobile device with a plurality of different sensors on the patient to detect patient motion, wherein the mobile device transmits data to the base unit;
identifying a behavior of the object by:

identifying each activity of a sequence of activities of the patient; and
identifying the behavior of the patient, comprising matching the sequence of identified activities of the object with a stored sequences of activities, wherein each stored sequence of activities corresponds with an identified behavior; and
determining if a fall has occurred and requesting help through the base unit without a user pressing a button to call for help.

18. A method of automatically requesting assistance for a patient, comprising:
verbally communicating with a user through a base unit;
wearing a mobile device with a plurality of different sensors on the patient to detect patient motion, wherein the mobile device transmits data to the base unit;
identifying changes in at least one behavior of the patient; and
determining if a fall has occurred and requesting help through the base unit without a user pressing a button to call for help.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising analyzing timing of the identified activity, at least one identified location of the identified activity, a rate of change of a location of the patient.

20. The method of claim 18 , comprising
analyzing patterns of a plurality of identified activities; and
identifying a behavior of the object by:
identifying each activity of a sequence of activities of the patient; and
identifying the behavior of the patient, comprising matching the sequence of identified activities of the object with a stored sequences of activities, wherein each stored sequence of activities corresponds with an identified behavior.

Assignees

• Koninkl Philips Nv

Inventors

• Tran Bao

Classifications

• G16H40/67

  for remote operation · CPC title

• G16H20/30

  relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising · CPC title

• G16H80/00

  ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring · CPC title

• A61B8/00

  Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves · CPC title

• A61B5/0022 Primary

  Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet · CPC title