EP1128349A1 - Sturzdetektor und Computerprogramm zu seiner Regelung - Google Patents

Sturzdetektor und Computerprogramm zu seiner Regelung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1128349A1
EP1128349A1 EP01301297A EP01301297A EP1128349A1 EP 1128349 A1 EP1128349 A1 EP 1128349A1 EP 01301297 A EP01301297 A EP 01301297A EP 01301297 A EP01301297 A EP 01301297A EP 1128349 A1 EP1128349 A1 EP 1128349A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
signal
user
signals
impact
housing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP01301297A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Dennis Edward Charles Holdsworth
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Tunstall Group Ltd
Original Assignee
Tunstall Group Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tunstall Group Ltd filed Critical Tunstall Group Ltd
Publication of EP1128349A1 publication Critical patent/EP1128349A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
    • G08B21/00—Alarms responsive to a single specified undesired or abnormal condition and not otherwise provided for
    • G08B21/02—Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
    • G08B21/04—Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons responsive to non-activity, e.g. of elderly persons
    • G08B21/0438—Sensor means for detecting
    • G08B21/0446—Sensor means for detecting worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a fall detector apparatus and relates particularly, but not exclusively, to fall detector apparatus for use by infirm persons such as the elderly.
  • the invention also relates to a method of detecting a fall by means of such apparatus, and a computer software product for controlling such apparatus.
  • Alarm apparatus are known for use by elderly or infirm persons living alone or in sheltered accommodation. Such apparatus is designed to be manually operated in an emergency situation to summon assistance, for example by automatically initiating an alarm call to an external control centre.
  • prior art apparatus of this type suffers from the drawback that if the user of the apparatus should fall and lose consciousness or otherwise become incapacitated, the user may be prevented from manually activating the apparatus to summon assistance.
  • UK Patent Application No GB2323196 which relates to an automatic fall alarm designed to be worn on the clothing of a user, for example clipped to a belt, and which can automatically generate an alarm signal in response to an impact on the device if certain conditions are not met, such as the user re-setting the apparatus to indicate that there is no emergency.
  • the device includes an impact detector such as an accelerometer, and an attitude monitor which can detect whether the user is horizontal after an impact and supply signals to a processor which executes an algorithm to decide whether to generate an alarm signal, based upon data about the number, frequency and severity of impact above a minimum threshold.
  • Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to overcome the above disadvantages of the prior art.
  • a fall detector apparatus comprising:
  • this provides the advantage of improving the quality of automatic assessment carried out by the processor means regarding whether an alarm signal should be generated, thus minimising the incidence of false alarms.
  • said processor means includes prioritising means for allocating greater significance to a said third signal for a later said interval than for an earlier said interval
  • this provides the advantage that the apparatus takes greater note of the user remaining in a predominantly horizontal orientation for a significant period after an impact, or failing to recover sufficiently to stand up.
  • the processor means may include multiplier means for multiplying a plurality of said third signals by a respective coefficient and summing means for summing said multiplied third signals to provide said fourth signal.
  • the processor means in use preferably generates each said third signal of larger magnitude when said amount of the corresponding interval exceeds the respective threshold value than when it does not.
  • This provides the advantage offacilitating processing of signals by the device by increasing the magnitude of signals corresponding to the user being in a predominantly horizontal orientation.
  • the device may be adapted to enter a power saving mode if no alarm signal is generated.
  • the processor means may be adapted to generate said third signals only if said amount of an initial interval spent by the user in a substantially horizontal orientation exceeds a predetermined value.
  • the device may be adapted to enter a power saving mode if said amount of said initial interval does not exceed said predetermined value.
  • the impact detector means preferably generates a first signal dependent upon the acceleration applied thereto.
  • the impact detector means may comprise a plurality of accelerometers.
  • the apparatus preferably further comprises discriminator means for causing the processor means to generate said third signals only in response to impacts exceeding a predetermined magnitude.
  • the orientation detector may comprise at least one electronic inclinometer
  • the apparatus may further comprise removal detector means for detecting removal of the housing from the user.
  • the removal detector means is preferably connected to a clothing attachment clip.
  • a processor means in a fall detector apparatus to detect whether a user has fallen, the apparatus comprising:
  • the method may further comprise the step of allocating greater significance to a said third signal for a later said interval than for an earlier said interval.
  • the method preferably further comprises the step of multiplying a plurality of said third signals by a respective coefficient and summing said multiplied third signals to provide said fourth signal.
  • the method preferably further comprises the step of generating each said third signal of larger magnitude when said amount of the corresponding interval exceeds the respective predetermined value than when it does not.
  • the method may further comprise the step of entering a power saving mode if no alarm signal is generated.
  • the method may further comprise the step of generating said third signals only if an amount of an initial interval spent by the user in a substantially horizontal orientation exceeds a predetermined value.
  • the method may further comprise the step of entering a power saving mode if said amount for said initial interval does not exceed said predetermined value.
  • the method preferably further comprises the step of generating said third signals only in response to impacts exceeding a predetermined magnitude.
  • a computer programme element for operating a processor means of a fall detector apparatus to detect whether a user has fallen comprising:
  • the computer programme element preferably further comprises computer programme code means for allocating greater significance to a said third signal for a later said interval than for an earlier said interval.
  • the code means in use multiplies each of a plurality of said third signals by a respective coefficient and sums said multiplied third signals to provide said fourth signal.
  • the computer programme element may further comprise computer programme code means to make the processor means generate each said third signal of larger magnitude when a said amount of the corresponding interval exceeds the respective predetermined value than when it does not.
  • the computer programme element may further comprise computer programme code means to make the apparatus enter a power saving mode if no alarm signal is generated.
  • the computer programme element may further comprise computer programme code means to make the processor means generate said third signals only if the said amount of an initial interval spent by the user in a substantially horizontal orientation exceeds a predetermined value.
  • the computer programme element may further comprise computer programme code means for causing the apparatus to enter a power saving mode if said amount for said initial interval does not exceed said predetermined value.
  • the computer programme element preferably further comprises computer programme code means for causing said processor means to generate said third signals only in response to impacts exceeding a predetermined magnitude.
  • a fall detector apparatus 1 for detecting a fall by a user comprises a housing 2 to be attached to the clothing of a user, for example to a garment by means of a clip (not shown).
  • An impact detector 3 detects changes in acceleration applied thereto, such as an accelerometer which will be familiar to persons skilled in the art, for example the EG&G IC Sensors Model 3022.
  • the electrical output signal 4 from the accelerometer 3 is input to a discriminator 5 for generating an output signal 6 in response to impacts above a threshold magnitude.
  • the output signals 6 and 8 are fed to a processor 9, such as a microprocessor, which also receives outputs from a removal detector switch 10 which detects removal of the apparatus 1 from clothing of the user (for example by being connected to a clothing attachment clip) and from a re-set switch 11, the purpose of which will be described in greater detail below.
  • a processor 9 such as a microprocessor
  • An output signal of the processor 9 is fed to an alarm generator means 12 which generates an alarm signal for feeding to an antenna 13 to transmit an alarm signal to a remote location.
  • the alarm generator means 12 may cause an emergency call to a control centre to be dialled on the public telephone network
  • the accelerometer 3, discriminator 5, orientation detector 7, processor 9 and alarm generator 12 are powered by means of a power supply 14.
  • the processor 9 in response to the discriminator 5 generating an output signal 6 indicating that the accelerometer 3 has detected an impact above a threshold value, the processor 9 operates at step S10 on the output signal 8 from orientation detector 7 to determine the percentage of time spent by the user in a horizontal orientation during an initial interval of x seconds. If this percentage is determined at step S12 to be less than a threshold value, the processor 9 determines that no emergency situation exists (for example because the user, having fallen over, has stood up again) and the apparatus passes into a power saving mode at step S14, in which only a limited number of the components of the apparatus 1 are supplied with power from power supply 14, in order to preserve the lifetime of the power supply 14.
  • step S16 the processor measures the percentage of time spent in a generally horizontal orientation in a further interval of x seconds.
  • step S18 it is determined whether that percentage is greater than or less than a threshold value, a variable P n being set to 0 at step S20 if the percentage is less than the threshold value and set to 1 at step S22 if the percentage is greater than the threshold value. The process then passes to step S24, after which the steps S16 to S24 are repeated n times.
  • a reset button (not shown) provided on the housing may be actuated by the user to actuate reset switch 11 to prevent an alarm signal being transmitted via antenna 13 if no emergency situation exists.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Emergency Management (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Emergency Alarm Devices (AREA)
EP01301297A 2000-02-17 2001-02-13 Sturzdetektor und Computerprogramm zu seiner Regelung Withdrawn EP1128349A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0003591 2000-02-17
GB0003591A GB2359403B (en) 2000-02-17 2000-02-17 Fall detector apparatus and computer software product for controlling such apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1128349A1 true EP1128349A1 (de) 2001-08-29

Family

ID=9885736

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP01301297A Withdrawn EP1128349A1 (de) 2000-02-17 2001-02-13 Sturzdetektor und Computerprogramm zu seiner Regelung

Country Status (2)

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EP (1) EP1128349A1 (de)
GB (1) GB2359403B (de)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2004114245A1 (en) * 2003-06-25 2004-12-29 Ist International Security Technology Oy A device for indicating a fall
WO2008037797A1 (fr) 2006-09-29 2008-04-03 Vigilio Procedes et systeme pour la detection de situations anormales d'une personne dans un lieu de vie
DE102007034037A1 (de) 2007-07-20 2009-01-22 Robert Bosch Gmbh Bekleidungsmittel mit einem Sensorelement zur Detektion einer Linkslage
US20110246114A1 (en) * 2008-12-15 2011-10-06 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Method and apparatus for calibrating a fall detector
CN105205985A (zh) * 2014-06-27 2015-12-30 中兴通讯股份有限公司 一种报警方法、装置及终端
US9615777B2 (en) 2004-12-09 2017-04-11 Christian Cloutier System and method for monitoring of activity and fall
US9974908B2 (en) 2009-07-22 2018-05-22 Koninklijke Philips N.V. Fall detectors and a method of detecting falls

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2401466A (en) * 2003-05-08 2004-11-10 Koninkl Philips Electronics Nv Detecting a fall
WO2006075970A1 (en) * 2005-01-13 2006-07-20 Cisco Security Pte Ltd Monitoring system and method
TW200737056A (en) * 2006-03-31 2007-10-01 De-Xiang Huang Emergency device for warning falling-down

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2760116A1 (fr) * 1997-02-26 1998-08-28 Inst Polytechnique De Sevenans Dispositif permettant de declencher automatiquement une alarme en cas de chute d'une personne
GB2323196A (en) * 1997-03-11 1998-09-16 Keith Henderson Cameron Automatic fall alarm
JPH10295649A (ja) * 1997-04-28 1998-11-10 Matsushita Electric Works Ltd 携帯型事故監視装置及びその装置を用いた携帯型事故監視システム
EP0877346A1 (de) * 1997-05-06 1998-11-11 CSEM Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique S.A. - Recherche et Développement Anordnung zur überwachung der Aktivität einer Person und/oder zur Erfassung eines Sturzes

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2310521A (en) * 1996-02-23 1997-08-27 Motorola Bv Orientation responsive radio communication apparatus

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2760116A1 (fr) * 1997-02-26 1998-08-28 Inst Polytechnique De Sevenans Dispositif permettant de declencher automatiquement une alarme en cas de chute d'une personne
GB2323196A (en) * 1997-03-11 1998-09-16 Keith Henderson Cameron Automatic fall alarm
JPH10295649A (ja) * 1997-04-28 1998-11-10 Matsushita Electric Works Ltd 携帯型事故監視装置及びその装置を用いた携帯型事故監視システム
EP0877346A1 (de) * 1997-05-06 1998-11-11 CSEM Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique S.A. - Recherche et Développement Anordnung zur überwachung der Aktivität einer Person und/oder zur Erfassung eines Sturzes

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2004114245A1 (en) * 2003-06-25 2004-12-29 Ist International Security Technology Oy A device for indicating a fall
US9615777B2 (en) 2004-12-09 2017-04-11 Christian Cloutier System and method for monitoring of activity and fall
US10299704B2 (en) 2004-12-09 2019-05-28 Groupe Everclose Inc. Method for monitoring of activity and fall
WO2008037797A1 (fr) 2006-09-29 2008-04-03 Vigilio Procedes et systeme pour la detection de situations anormales d'une personne dans un lieu de vie
US8223011B2 (en) 2006-09-29 2012-07-17 Vigilio Processes and system for detection of abnormal situations of a person in a living space
DE102007034037A1 (de) 2007-07-20 2009-01-22 Robert Bosch Gmbh Bekleidungsmittel mit einem Sensorelement zur Detektion einer Linkslage
US20110246114A1 (en) * 2008-12-15 2011-10-06 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Method and apparatus for calibrating a fall detector
US9974908B2 (en) 2009-07-22 2018-05-22 Koninklijke Philips N.V. Fall detectors and a method of detecting falls
CN105205985A (zh) * 2014-06-27 2015-12-30 中兴通讯股份有限公司 一种报警方法、装置及终端
CN105205985B (zh) * 2014-06-27 2019-10-29 中兴通讯股份有限公司 一种报警方法、装置及终端

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0003591D0 (en) 2000-04-05
GB2359403A (en) 2001-08-22
GB2359403B (en) 2003-09-10

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