Node-enabled monitoring of activity of a person using a hierarchical node network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9775126-B2
Application number	US-201414539027-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2014
Priority date	Nov 29, 2013
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for monitoring an activity of a person using a hierarchical node network having at least an ID node, a master node, and a server. The ID node is associated with a person, can monitor the person's activity, can communicate directly with the master node but is unable to directly communicate with the server. The master node can directly communicate with the server and separately communicate with the ID node. The master node associates with the ID node upon detecting a signal broadcast from the ID node. The server determines a location of the ID node. The ID node detects an actionable event related to the person's activity based upon the ID node location, and transmits a message to the master node reporting the actionable event. The master node notifies the server about the event. The server initiates a responsive action based upon the notification.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for monitoring an activity of a medical patient using a hierarchical node network having at least an ID node, a master node, and a server, the medical patient being located in a healthcare facility and the ID node being integrated into a healthcare facility identification, the method comprising:
associating, by the master node, the master node and the ID node when the master node detects a signal broadcast from the ID node, wherein the ID node is associated with the medical patient and operative to monitor the activity of the person medical patient and to communicate directly with the master node but is unable to directly communicate with the server, and wherein the master node is operative to directly communicate with the server and separately communicate with the ID node;
determining, by the server, a location of the ID node;
detecting, by the ID node, a movement status as an actionable event related to the activity of the medical patient based upon the location of the ID node;
transmitting, by the ID node to the master node, a message reporting the actionable event;
notifying the server by the master node about the actionable event; and
initiating, by the server, a responsive action based upon the notification by
tracking the movements of the medical patient to determine a pattern of movement;
correlating the determined pattern of movement to a recorded change in patient behavior; and
notifying, by the server, a user access device associated with a healthcare provider affiliated with the healthcare facility, the notification indicating the relationship between the determined pattern of movement and the recorded change in patient behavior.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the associating step further comprises establishing a passive association between the master node and the ID node without requiring a prior authority granted by the server.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the associating step further comprises establishing an active association between the master node and the ID node, the active association reflecting an authorized connection between the master node and the ID node based upon an authority granted by the server.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the authorized connection between the master node and the ID node is preauthorized by the server to avoid the need for the master node to request the authority from the server after detecting the signal broadcast from the ID node.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the movement status indicates the medical patient has left the healthcare facility based upon the location of the ID node.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the movement status indicates the medical patient has entered a part of the healthcare facility based upon the location of the ID node, the part of the healthcare facility being a location where the medical patient is not anticipated to be within the healthcare facility.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of initiating the responsive action further comprises notifying, by the server, a user access device associated with a relative of the medical patient.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of initiating the responsive action further comprises notifying, by the server, a user access device associated with a healthcare provider affiliated with the healthcare facility.

9. A method for monitoring an activity of a medical patient using a hierarchical node network having at least an ID node associated with the medical patient, a master node, and a server, wherein the ID node comprising a mobile sensor node associated with the medical patient, the mobile sensor node being operative to sense a quantifiable health characteristic related to the health of the medical patient, the method comprising:
associating, by the master node, the master node and the ID node when the master node detects a signal broadcast from the ID node, wherein the ID node is associated with the medical patient and operative to monitor the activity of the medical patient and to communicate directly with the master node but is unable to directly communicate with the server, and wherein the master node is operative to directly communicate with the server and separately communicate with the ID node;
determining, by the server, a location of the ID node;
detecting, by the ID node, an actionable event related to the activity of the medical patient based upon the location of the ID node, wherein the step of detecting the actionable event further comprises:
sensing the quantifiable health characteristic using the mobile sensor node, and
detecting the actionable event when the sensed quantifiable health characteristic meets a predetermined condition;

transmitting, by the ID node to the master node, a message reporting the actionable event;
notifying the server by the master node about the actionable event; and
initiating, by the server, a responsive action based upon the notification.

10. A method for monitoring an activity of a medical patient located at a residence, the method using a hierarchical node network having at least an ID node, a master node, and a server, the method comprising:
associating, by the master node, the master node and the ID node when the master node detects a signal broadcast from the ID node, wherein the ID node is associated with the medical patient and operative to monitor the activity of the medical patient and to communicate directly with the master node but is unable to directly communicate with the server, and wherein the master node is operative to directly communicate with the server and separately communicate with the ID node;
determining, by the server, a location of the ID node;
detecting, by the ID node, a movement status as an actionable event related to the activity of the medical patient based upon the location of the ID node, wherein the movement status indicates the medical patient is moving with a pattern of movement indicative of a medical condition;
transmitting, by the ID node to the master node, a message reporting the actionable event;
notifying the server by the master node about the actionable event; and
initiating, by the server, a responsive action based upon the notification.

11. A method for monitoring an activity of a medical patient located at a residence, the method using a hierarchical node network having at least an ID node, a master node, and a server, the method comprising:
associating, by the master node, the master node and the ID node when the master node detects a signal broadcast from the ID node, wherein the ID node is associated with the medical patient and operative to monitor the activity of the medical patient and to communicate directly with the master node but is unable to directly communicate with the server, and wherein the master node is operative to directly communicate with the server and separately communicate with the ID node;
determining, by the server, a location of the ID node;
detecting, by the ID node, a movement status as an actionable event related to the activity of the medical patient based upon the location of the ID node;
transmitting, by the ID node to the master node, a message reporting the actionable event;
notifying the server by the master node about the actionable event; and
initiating, by the server, a responsive action based upon the notification, wherein the responsive action comprises notifying, by the server, a user access device associated with a relative of the medical patient.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of initiating the responsive action further comprises notifying, by the server, a user access device associated with a healthcare provider.

Assignees

• Fedex Corp Services Inc

Inventors

• Skaaksrud Ole-Petter

Classifications

• G01S2205/01

  specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title

• H04W12/06

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04W12/08

  Access security · CPC title

• G01S5/0289

  of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks · CPC title

• G01S5/14

  Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location · CPC title