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Publication Number
US-8773269-B2
Publication Date
2014-07-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
A system, a method and an apparatus for autonomous monitoring, detecting and tracking of movement and orientation of a body or portion of a body. The apparatus comprises a device configured to monitor the translational and/or rotational movement of the body; and an altimeter configured to measure changes in height of the body. An alert condition is determined based on the translational and/or rotational movement of the body and changes in height of the body or portion of the body. The alert condition may comprise a hard fall event, a soft fall event, a susceptibility to a fall, or a near fall event.
Core Innovation
An autonomous fall monitor system includes a fall monitoring communicator that monitors at least one of translational movement and rotational movement of a body or portion of a body. The communicator also includes an altimeter configured to measure changes in height, where the altimeter comprises a high sensitivity pressure sensor. A processor determines whether an individual has experienced a hard fall event, has experienced a soft fall event, is exhibiting a susceptibility to a fall, or has experienced a near fall event based at least one of the monitored translational movement, the monitored rotational movement, and the measured changes in height.
The system determines an alert condition based on the translational and rotational movement of the body and changes in height of the body or portion of the body. The altimeter is implemented using a temperature-compensated, calibrated pressure sensor having a clamped output. Fall detection and classification integrate inertial and altimetry criteria to support event tracking and generation of fall status data and an event type classification including hard fall, soft fall, susceptibility to a fall, and near fall.
The system architecture further supports event tracking and communication of an alert condition by using a transceiver unit and a response unit, together with an access point/network, a database, and stored information for synchronous communication. The fall monitor generates fall status data and sends notifications to recipients using an acknowledgment and communication-session workflow.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent claims that collectively cover motion and height-change monitoring for fall-event classification, alert-status communication to recipients, and autonomous determination of fall event categories and an alert event. The inventive focus is the combination of translational and rotational monitoring with height-change measurement via a high sensitivity altimeter pressure sensor with temperature-compensated calibrated clamped output, and the determination of hard fall, soft fall, susceptibility to a fall, and near fall categories to form an alert condition or alert status data.
Motion and orientation monitoring with altimeter-based fall classification
A device configured to monitor at least one of translational and rotational movement of the body; an altimeter configured to measure changes in height, wherein the altimeter comprises a high sensitivity pressure sensor; and a processor configured to specifically determine if an individual has experienced a hard fall event, has experienced a soft fall event, is exhibiting a susceptibility to a fall, or has experienced a near fall event based at least one of the monitored translational movement of the body, monitored rotational movement of the body, and measured changes in height of the body.
Alert condition determined from translational/rotational movement and height change with clamped pressure sensor
An alert condition is determined based on the translational and rotational movement of the body and changes in height of the body or portion of the body; wherein the altimeter comprises a temperature-compensated, calibrated pressure sensor having a clamped output.
Receiving alert status data and notifying recipients
A transceiver unit configured to receive alert status data from a communicator that includes a processor configured to specifically determine if an individual has experienced a hard fall event, has experienced a soft fall event, is exhibiting a susceptibility to a fall, or has experienced a near fall event based at least one of the monitored translational movement of the body, monitored rotational movement of the body, and measured changes in height of the body using an altimeter configured to measure changes in height, wherein the altimeter comprises a high sensitivity pressure sensor; and a storage configured to hold recipient information associated with the communicator, wherein the transceiver unit is further configured to notify one or more recipients on the basis of the alert status data.
Autonomous monitoring with motion and height measurement to determine fall and alert event
Monitoring a translational and a rotational movement of the body or portion of the body; measuring a change in height of the body or a portion of the body using an altimeter configured to measure changes in height, wherein the altimeter comprises a high sensitivity pressure sensor; determining if an individual has experienced a hard fall event, has experienced a soft fall event, is exhibiting a susceptibility to a fall, or has experienced a near fall event based at least one of the monitored translational movement of the body, monitored rotational movement of the body, and measured changes in height of the body; and determining an alert event based on the translational and rotational movement of the body and the change in height of the body or portion of it.
Across the independent claims, the patent covers autonomous monitoring in which translational and rotational movement are monitored and changes in height are measured using an altimeter with a high sensitivity pressure sensor, where the altimeter is temperature-compensated, calibrated, and has a clamped output. A processor determines hard fall, soft fall, susceptibility to a fall, or near fall event categories based at least one of the monitored movement and measured height change, and generates an alert condition or alert status data that is used to notify recipients via a transceiver or as part of an alert event determination.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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