US6611206B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic system for monitoring independent person requiring occasional assistance
Assignee: Lifeline Systems Co
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Filing: 2001-03-15
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Granted: 2003-08-26
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Expires: 2021-03-15
Abstract
Abstract Briefly, an alarm system monitors conditions of an independent person, yet one requiring some supervision, such as an elderly person living alone at home. The system monitors a variety of independent signals and combines them to recognize subtle cues that may indicate there will be a need for intervention by a supervisor.
Inventors
- 👤 Larry J. Eshelman
- 👤 Srinivas Gutta
- 👤 Daniel Pelletier
- 👤 Hugo J. Strubbe
- 👤 John Milanski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:06
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B21/00; G08B21/02; G08B21/04; G08B21/0407; G08B21/0423; A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/72; A61B5/7235; A61B5/7264; A61B5/7267; G08B21/0438; G08B21/0453; G08B21/0476; G16; G16H; G16H40/00; G16H40/60; G16H40/67; A61B5/0002; A61B5/0004; A61B5/0013; A61B5/02; A61B5/0205; A61B5/02055; A61B5/024; A61B5/145; A61B5/14532; G10; G10L; G10L25/00; G10L25/48; G10L25/51; G10L25/66; G16H50/00; G16H50/70; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S128/00; Y10S128/92
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A device for monitoring a first person, in a zone, who may intermittently require supervision, comprising: a controller programmed to receive at least one monitor signal from an environment monitor located in a monitored zone; said monitor signal including at least one of a image data, a video signal, and an audio signal; said controller being programmed to be responsive to a change in at least one of a physical pathology and a mental state detectable in said monitor signal and to generate an alarm signal responsively thereto, herein said alarm signal includes at least a portion of said monitor signal immediately prior to an incidence of said alarm condition.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
A device for monitoring a first person, in a zone, who may intermittently require supervision, comprising: a controller programmed to receive at least one monitor signal from an environment monitor located in a monitored zone; said monitor signal including at least one of a image data, a video signal, and an audio signal; said controller being programmed to be responsive to a change in at least one of a physical pathology and a mental state detectable in said monitor signal and to generate an alarm signal responsively thereto, herein said alarm signal includes at least a portion of said monitor signal immediately prior to an incidence of said alarm condition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein said controller is programmed to implement a network model responsive to produce respective outputs for multiple physical pathologies.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein said at least one monitor signal includes an image of a face of said first person.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein said at least one monitor signal includes an audio signal representing speech, said controller being programmed to detect word patterns in said speech, said alarm signal being responsive to said word patterns.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein said controller is programmed to distinguish between a normal voice of said person and an abnormal voice of said speaker and to generate said alarm signal responsively thereto.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein said alarm signal includes at least a portion of said monitor signal immediately after an incidence of said alarm condition.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device as in claim 1 wherein said alarm signal includes at least one of an audio signal, text data signal, and a video signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein said zone is a living space of said person.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as in claim 1 , wherein said alarm signal is in the form of a symbolic representation of the changed condition.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of monitoring a person requiring occasional supervision, comprising the steps of: programming network model to classify a change in at least one of a mental state and a health status of said person responsively to at least one of a video, image, or audio signal; using said network model to generate a first signal indicative of said at least one of a mental state and a health status to generate a class signal; outputting a signal to elicit a behavior from said person to produce other class data; combining said class signal with said other class data and determining an alarm condition responsively thereto; transmitting a signal responsive to said class signal to a remote supervisor responsively to a result of said step of determining.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of monitoring a person requiring occasional supervision, comprising the steps of: programming network model to classify a change in at least one of a mental state and a health status of said person responsively to at least one of a video, image, or audio signal; using said network model to generate a first signal indicative of said at least one of a mental state and a health status to generate a class signal; outputting a signal to elicit a behavior from said person to produce other class data; combining said class signal with said other class data and determining an alarm condition responsively thereto; transmitting a signal responsive to said class signal to a remote supervisor responsively to a result of said step of determining.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device as in claim 10 , wherein said signal responsive to said class signal is in the form of a symbolic representation of the changed condition.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of monitoring an individual in a residence, comprising the steps of: receiving a video signal; determining pattern of movement of said person in said residence responsively to said video signal over a period of time; detecting a change in said pattern of movement responsively to a result of said step of determining; generating a alarm signal responsively to a result of said step of detecting, wherein said alarm signal includes at least a portion of said video signal immediately prior to an incidence of said alarm condition.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of monitoring an individual in a residence, comprising the steps of: receiving a video signal; determining pattern of movement of said person in said residence responsively to said video signal over a period of time; detecting a change in said pattern of movement responsively to a result of said step of determining; generating a alarm signal responsively to a result of said step of detecting, wherein said alarm signal includes at least a portion of said video signal immediately prior to an incidence of said alarm condition.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device as in claim 12 , wherein said alarm signal is in the form of a symbolic representation of said changed pattern of movement.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of monitoring a person living alone, comprising the steps of: detecting first and second signals; filtering each of said first and second signals through a respective classifier to detect at least one of a physiological and a mental change in the monitored person; generating a alarm responsively to a result of said step of filtering, wherein said alarm includes a portion of at least one of said first and second signals immediately prior to an incidence of said alarm.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of monitoring a person living alone, comprising the steps of: detecting first and second signals; filtering each of said first and second signals through a respective classifier to detect at least one of a physiological and a mental change in the monitored person; generating a alarm responsively to a result of said step of filtering, wherein said alarm includes a portion of at least one of said first and second signals immediately prior to an incidence of said alarm.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of monitoring a person, comprising the steps of: detecting first and second events occurring in said person's environment an said person's state or behavior temporally close to at least one of said first and second events; generating first and second signals, respectively, responsive to a change in said user's state or behavior temporally close to at least one of said first and second events; said first and second events being distinct in a way other than by the time of incidence; filtering said first and second signals through a network classifier; generating an output signal from said network classifier responsively to said step of filtering.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of monitoring a person, comprising the steps of: detecting first and second events occurring in said person's environment an said person's state or behavior temporally close to at least one of said first and second events; generating first and second signals, respectively, responsive to a change in said user's state or behavior temporally close to at least one of said first and second events; said first and second events being distinct in a way other than by the time of incidence; filtering said first and second signals through a network classifier; generating an output signal from said network classifier responsively to said step of filtering.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 15 , further comprising the step of generating an alarm signal responsively to said step of detecting.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as in claim 16 , wherein said alarm signal is in the form of a symbolic representation of said changed state.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as in claim 15 , wherein said step of detecting a first event includes capturing an image and processing said image, said first signal being responsive to a result of said step of processing.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of monitoring an unsupervised person living at home, comprising the steps of: classifying image data to detect a change in one of a mental state and a health status; classifying audio data to further detect said one of a mental state and a health status; classifying an alarm state responsive to both said first step of classifying and said second step of classifying; and generating an alarm signal responsive to said third step of classifying, wherein said alarm includes a portion of at least one of said image and audio data immediately prior to an incidence of said alarm signal.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of monitoring an unsupervised person living at home, comprising the steps of: classifying image data to detect a change in one of a mental state and a health status; classifying audio data to further detect said one of a mental state and a health status; classifying an alarm state responsive to both said first step of classifying and said second step of classifying; and generating an alarm signal responsive to said third step of classifying, wherein said alarm includes a portion of at least one of said image and audio data immediately prior to an incidence of said alarm signal.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-08-25 | 2007-02-24 | 2007-08-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-08-25 | 2011-02-24 | 2011-08-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-08-25 | 2015-02-24 | 2015-08-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |