WO2015036633A1

WO2015036633A1 - Autonomous wireless system for preventing and detecting falls and monitoring people

Info

Publication number: WO2015036633A1
Application number: PCT/ES2014/000147
Authority: WO
Inventors: Montserrat CARRILLO NUÑEZ
Original assignee: Mcn Elea Soluciones, S.L.
Priority date: 2013-09-13
Filing date: 2014-09-15
Publication date: 2015-03-19
Also published as: ES2542316A1; ES2542316B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a low-cost autonomous wireless system specifically designed for controlling falls to which people may succumb and monitoring the person on the basis of behavioural patterns, all of the functions being built into the same device. The system includes means for sending alarm signals in the event of abnormal situations such as a disabled person leaving living accommodations, or the opening of doors and windows which present risks, or for alerts in the event of fire. The system also includes means for helping to prevent a fall by the performance of various actions and also for monitoring changes in the behavioural patterns of the person being monitored in order to allow the protection and early detection of a potential cognitive deterioration and to prevent or delay potential future emergency situations. The invention also relates to wireless communication means with mobile terminals, tablets or a PC.

Description

"AUTONOMOUS, WIRELESS SYSTEM FOR PREVENTION AND DETECTION OF FALLS, AND MONITORING OF PEOPLE"

DESCRIPTION

Object of the invention

The invention consists of an autonomous, wireless and low-cost system for prevention and detection of falls, and monitoring of people, based on behavior patterns, with all the functions integrated in the same device. Due to the characteristics of the system, it can also be used to send alarms to important situations such as the abandonment of housing by a person with Alzheimer's, opening doors and windows that miss some danger or fire warnings. The System can detect a fall that occurs at a given time, on the other hand it can help prevent a fall by executing different actions and finally the System also allows monitoring changes in behavior patterns (for example the user has stopped getting up to the time of always or throughout the day has not turned on the light) in order to protect and detect early possible cognitive impairment and avoid or delay possible emergency situations in the future.

Older people are living more and more years, so the risk of falling and presenting irreparable damage also increases especially in the most fragile or with health problems. Occasionally a fall could have been avoided if the person when getting out of bed had found the light switch on time, or if the relative who was sleeping in the next room could have been notified. The falls and their consequences can lead to a decrease in the quality of life of the person until they die, with the impact that this implies for both families and caregivers.

With this system it is intended on the one hand to protect all people, mainly elderly and people with disabilities, but also develops thinking of family members and caregivers who suffer great wear physical and emotional to have to be constantly aware of the sick person.

The prevention of falls and the care of the elderly and also people with reduced mobility is the main objective of the invention. Hence, the same System includes all three functionalities; detection, prevention and monitoring (care) in the same device so that it can be adapted to the needs of each person and at any time. It is possible that a person at night needs care so that in case of getting out of bed a light comes on and that during the day they have only the fall detection function activated.

The user will not have to carry any device on top since the System acts transparently for people, transferring to the environment the responsibility for the care and prevention of possible falls.

Its ease of installation and wireless communication with both dedicated devices and standard devices (mobile devices, computers, tablets) makes it possible for the System to be installed in any environment and alarms can reach any person capable of being a recipient (a family, caregiver, telecare company, etc).

The operating mode of the System (detection, prevention or care) can be changed easily and remotely, which means that the device itself can be managed by the user or caregiver without the need for external agents.

Technical sector

The invention belongs to the electronics and telecommunications sector State of the art

At present and as a reference to the state of the art, it should be mentioned that the applicant has knowledge of some similar elements of those mentioned here but that most of them are mainly focused on the detection of falls. In addition, these systems carry complex management elements, which sometimes means that they become high-cost solutions that are difficult to install.

Procedures for detecting falls are proposed in patent documents US8115641, GB-A-2323196 US 5905436 A and WO 1995032567 A1. None of them integrates the possibility of detecting, preventing and protecting fallen people or possible risks that cause them in a single autonomous device, easy to install and configurable to the needs of the user at any time. It must be borne in mind that on a day-to-day basis, people may suffer changes in their abilities and because of this they are often forced to change and look for a new technology that suits their needs. The System presented here has as one of its main objectives the adaptability to the user's capabilities without the need for changes in installation and technology.

The inventor has no knowledge to date of the existence of a System similar to the object of the present invention

Advantages.

The advantages of this invention are apparent from the present specification, although the most outstanding advantages are cited below with a purely enunciative and non-limiting nature;

- Three functionalities in a single device; fall detection, prevention so that no falls occur and monitoring of a person's behavior changes to help prevent possible emergency situations.

- Designed for people and thinking about the changes in abilities that occur throughout life.

- The user / professional himself can change the operating mode without the need for external configurations, being able to adapt the functionality of the System to the real needs of people at the time they need it. The change in the operating mode is done remotely via a wireless push button or a gateway with IP / Wireless communication.

- Low level of intrusion in the user's life

- Developed with standard wireless technology

- Portable system, which allows use by the same person but in different environments.

- Reliability in a wide range of situations

- The user does not have to carry any device with him.

- Pattern storage is not necessary. It works the same way regardless of the user.

Autonomous system (battery operated) and wireless. Ease of installation It does not depend on any home automation system or elements management complexes which helps convert it into a low cost system.

- Allows installation in the built environment without the need for works.

- Possibility of connection to any system of warning to caregivers of the market.

- Possibility of connection with redundant elements such as manual alarm buttons, light actuators, smoke sensors, flooding, etc.

- The same System can be installed in different types of environments; housing, hospitals, nursing homes, accessible public toilets, etc.

- Auditory and luminous feedback that the alarm has been transmitted to notify both deaf and blind people. This can be configurable because not in all cases it will be necessary.

- In case of an emergency situation, a communication with the user can be established from the checkpoint to confirm that your alarm has been received.

- The System itself can act as a repeater and the installation of additional elements is not necessary to extend the range.

Description of the invention

The present invention relates to a stand-alone, low-cost and wireless system for the prevention and detection of mainly fallen emergency situations. The System also allows you to monitor changes in behavior patterns in order to protect and detect early possible cognitive impairment and avoid or delay possible emergency situations in the future.

The System is composed of two motion sensors, a control module with wireless communication, LED indicators, acoustic warning and battery or connection to an external power supply. All the elements are integrated in the same unit, which allows easy installation. Motion sensors, LEDs and other additional elements such as buzzer and communication module will be connected to the control module which is the element that contains all the intelligence of the System.

The System allows several configuration modes depending on the needs of each user; fall, activity and care, although they can be added more easily as new needs are detected.

In the "fall" mode the System only detects an emergency situation caused by a fall. This configuration mode is intended for both public and private bathrooms, residential rooms, homes, hotels, etc.

In this mode of operation, initially the System is in a state of rest. When a user enters the coverage area where the System is installed, the sensors detect activity and put the System into operation. From this moment a few seconds are timed and a warning is issued. For the duration of the notice if a false alarm has occurred or if movement is detected in the upper sensor, the alarm can be canceled. During the time of the warning, if no movement is detected in the top pir, an emergency warning will be generated through the control module. The System, for its part, will start the luminous acoustic warning as feedback for the user. It is also possible that the device through the control module generates a light-up event when it initially detects activity. This option is especially useful as an energy saving system in public toilets.

Being a system where detection is done with motion sensors, there may be times when a fall without movement is difficult to detect. For these cases it will be possible to connect the System to a wireless input and output control module (input / output sensor) to an environment. In this way, if at a certain moment once the System has detected activity in the environment, it stops detecting activity and the input / output sensor has not detected that the person has left the environment, an alarm will be sent as a possible fall without activity.

The "activity" configuration mode is related to prevention to prevent falls. The System sends an alarm or an action (for example, turning on a light) in case it detects any activity on the part of the user in the environment where it was installed, without the need for a fall. This configuration mode is designed for residences and homes with a more prevention and care character. In this mode of operation the fall detection will also be active.

In this mode of activity the position of the device with respect to the user is important so that the sensors do not generate false alarms. It will be used mainly at night when the user is lying down. Sometimes a person can suffer a fall because when he wakes up at night he is disoriented. In this case the upper sensor is always active. If this sensor detects activity or movement by the user, it activates the lower sensor. Once both assets are active, both detect activity at the same time and the control module will send an alarm or send the event for which it has been configured since it will be considered that the person has stood up. These events can be to turn on a light, open a door, raise a blind, or any other device that helps the user not to have a fall.

Finally, the monitoring option will be called the "care" mode specially designed for residences, homes and hospitals. The control module integrated in the System allows collecting any information related to the sensors and storing it in a plain text file. The file contains data related to the moment when one sensor is activated or another is activated or both are activated. The time they are active. These data can be used to know if a person enters the bathroom, what time he enters and how long he is. Thanks to this information, it is possible to know if the person is suffering from any kind of change in their behavior that may indicate any abnormality in their health. The plain text file can be interpreted through simple software and, depending on the case, it can give one information or another depending on what it has been configured for. This software In this mode of operation the fall detection will also be active and an alarm will only be emitted if it occurs.

In the event that alarms are generated in any of the three modes of operation, these may be sent to a wireless control unit, or an acoustic / light signaling beacon, to a warning system for caregivers or to a mobile terminal or pe through an IP interface / wireless communication.

Thanks to the wireless control module integrated in the System, it can act as a signal repeater for other Systems installed within its scope in order to deliver the alarm to the receiving device. The alarm will arrive identifying the System that sent it. The main objective of this feature is to extend the scope without the need for installation of elements additional as repeaters and thus reduce installation costs.

Description of the drawings

For the best understanding of the System that we are carrying out and clarification of the characteristics of the invention, the document is accompanied by designs that consist of 11 figures in which;

Figure 1 shows an outline of the complete System, where the elements that compose it can be observed.

Figure 2 shows a scheme of the System with the additional elements that may be integrated if the user's needs or environmental needs are required.

Figure number 3 shows a diagram of the control module installed inside the System

Figure number 4 shows the way in which the sensor must be partially covered so that the areas of influence do not overlap.

Figure number 5 shows the different devices with which the System can communicate both to send information such as an alarm and to receive information to act in a certain way.

Figure number 6 shows how to install the System.

Figure number 7 shows System coverage area

Figure number 8 shows the repeater function of the System Figure number 9 shows the mode of transmission of information in the "care" mode. Sending the information of the sensors to a computer for further processing.

Figure number 10 shows an example of installation in a bathroom.

Figure number 11 shows an example of installation in a room.

Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

In view of the aforementioned figures, and according to the numbering adopted, an example of a preferred embodiment of the autonomous, wireless and low-cost system that integrates prevention, fall detection and monitoring of the person can be observed through behavior patterns in the same device. Which includes parts and elements that are indicated and described below.

Thus, as can be seen in these figures, the System (1) in question essentially comprises motion sensors (2) (3) that are responsible for detecting or not activity, indication LEDs (4) (5) that show at all times that sensor is capturing activity, a battery (6) for autonomous use of the system without the need for cable installation, a control module (7) where all the intelligence of the System is located. Both the sensors, as the LEDs and the battery are connected to this control module. For cases in which a higher consumption of the System is expected because it is going to be used in highly active environments, it may be powered instead of with a battery, with an external power supply through the connector located in the lower area of the system ( 8). Optionally, for cases where, as required by the user and / or the environment, it will be possible to install in the System (1) additional elements such as; a buzzer (9) to notify any person, but mainly a blind person after the emergency situation that their alarm has been transmitted correctly, a high intensity beacon (11) at the top of the System (1) to notify any person, but mainly to a deaf person that their alarm has been transmitted correctly, and a communication module (10) that allows two-way communication between the person who has suffered the emergency and a checkpoint. This communication will be wireless.

These three elements; buzzer (9), beacon (11) and communication module (10) may receive information from other emergencies that occur in the environment such as a fire and notify the person who is currently in the area of influence of the System ( one).

For a correct acquisition by the sensors (2) and (3) and so that the vertical transmission beams (18) do not overlap it is necessary to cover part of the sensor (12)

The control module (7) installed inside the System (1) will be responsible for collecting the information that the sensors (2) and (4) and processing the information according to the operating mode it has stored. For the treatment of this information and wireless communication, the control module (7) contains a microprocessor (13) which also allows wireless communication at the frequency 868Mhz. This microprocessor

(13) will also be in charge of exercising the option of acting as a repeater that System (1) offers.

The module also has two buttons, one link (17) and one delete

(14). These buttons (17) and (18) will be used to link the System (1) with elements such as a button (26) that will be used to make changes in shape. remote in the operating mode of the System (1) or to transmit an alarm manually by the user. For cases in which it is required to detect falls without activity, it will be necessary to install an input / output sensor (27) that sends information to the System (1) that the person has not left the environment. This sensor will be linked to the System (1) through the link button (17).

The control module (7) also contains a potential-free relay (16) to activate wired outputs to additional elements such as signaling beacons or connection to warning systems to caregivers with auxiliary inputs.

Finally, the control module (7) also has a connection module (15) where, for example, the power supply (6) and (8) or the relay (16) are connected.

The installation mode of the System (1) is superficial (32) to the wall and the height (19) will depend on the environment and the use you want to use. It is important to locate it in an area where the coverage area (20) is maximum.

Once the System (1) has detected a possible emergency situation, the alarms can be sent an acoustic / light beacon (28), to a switchboard with display (25) or using a wireless communication gateway 868Mhz to IP (24 ) the alarm can be sent from the System (1) to a mobile terminal, tablet or PC.

For careful operation mode the information will be sent from the System (1) to the gateway (24) wirelessly 868Mhz (29). The gateway will convert this information to IP and dump the data to a plain text file. The software installed on the computer (31) will collect this information and interpret it according to the previously established requirements.

Claims

1. - Autonomous, wireless system, for prevention and detection of falls, and monitoring of people, based on behavior patterns, characterized in that the three functionalities (detection, prevention and monitoring) are integrated in the same device that consists; motion sensors, battery or external power supply signaling LEDs and a control module that manages the information of the sensors and interpresates them according to the configuration mode for which it has been programmed.

2. - System according to claim 1 characterized in that it allows connection with redundant elements such as a buzzer, high intensity beacon or bidirectional communication module with a control post that allows the user to be given feedback that his alarm has been correctly transmitted. .

3. - System according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a push button of wireless type or in its case a PC software that allows the selection of the operating mode of the system, whose actuation activates the activity detection system and avoids possible falls during the night, and only to detect falls during the day, including the system means of internet connection that allow such selection from a remote position.

4. - System according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes means for the care of people who installed for example in the vicinity of a conflicting door (for example, the door of the street of a house) allows the activation of means to send a alarm to a mobile indicating that the person has left.

5. - System according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a single surface box capable of being installed in any type of environment.

6. - System according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes means of autonomous operation such as a long-lasting battery.

7. - System according to claim one, characterized in that the communication mode for sending alarms and / or any other information to both dedicated devices and mobile terminals or PCs, is always wireless.

8. - System according to claims 1 and 5, characterized in that the detection of the emergency situation is carried out through means installed in the surrounding environment.

9. - System according to claims 1 and 4, characterized in that it includes first communication means with a wireless and IP communication gateway to send the information to mobile terminals, tablets, or a PC.

10. - System according to claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises an input / output sensor for detecting a fall without activity, for sending information as to whether the person has left the environment.

eleven . - System according to claim 1, characterized in that said motion sensors managed by the control module are arranged so that they have a field of vision reduced by approximately half, where the upper sensor is arranged so that the upper half of its field of vision and the lower sensor is arranged so that the upper half of its field of vision is hidden, in order to avoid unwanted mixtures of the signals generated by both sensors and allow a correct discrimination of the origin of the generated signal

12. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the discrimination of the generated signal allows determining which of the sensors has been activated, with the particularity that the activation of the lower sensor occurs only after the upper sensor has been activated a first time