GB2443274A - Social alarm system and method of communicating therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

A social alarm system comprises a plurality of sensors (10) installed in a client dwelling to produce sensor data in response to activities of a client within the dwelling. A client unit (20) is installed in the client dwelling to receive the sensor data and raise an alarm call to a remote monitoring apparatus (40) - suitably over a PSTN network (30). Also, the client unit (20) stores the received sensor data as a sensor data log (25) for onward transmission to the remote monitoring apparatus (40). A user terminal (60) is arranged for communication with the monitoring apparatus (40) and sends a first request message thereto. The monitoring apparatus (40) send a reply message containing one or more status fields (500) derived from the sensor data of a particular client dwelling. The present invention allows an authorised user, such as a carer, relative or health professional, to access the data stored at the monitoring apparatus and remotely monitor the safety and wellbeing of the client in their dwelling. The authorised user at the remote terminal is able to obtain the immediate live status based upon current sensor data. This provides immediate reassurance as to the safety and wellbeing of the monitored client, such as when the client is known to be particularly unwell.

Description

SOCIAL ALARM SYSTEM AND METHOD OF COMMUNICATING THEREWITH

The present invention relates in general to a social alarm system and to a method of communicating with such a social alarm system A social alarm system monitors the safety and wellbeing of a client in their dwelling.

Traditionally, the social alarm system comprises a client unit that is installed in the dwelling and is arranged to initiate an alarm call to a remote monitoring apparatus. In the event of an alarm being triggered, an operator at the remote monitoring apparatus is able to communicate with the client via the client unit More recently, such social alarm systems have become more complicated and have been provided with a wide variety of sensors As examples, the sensors may include passive infra-red movement detectors, a bed or chair occupancy sensor, and electrical appliance usage sensor, and a door usage sensor, amongst others. However, a problem still arises in that it is difficult for another interested party such as a care worker, family member, friend or neighbour to easily obtain information about the safety and wellbeing of the client.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus and method as set forth in the appended claims. Other optional features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent claims, and the description which follows It is desired to provide an improved social alarm system and a method of communicating therewith At least some exemplary embodiments of the present invention aim to provide a social alarm system and a communication method of a social alarm system which improves access to data gathered by the system.

In one aspect of the present invention there is provided a social alarm system, comprising: a plurality of sensors for installation in a client dwelling and arranged to produce sensor data in response to client activities within the dwelling; a client unit for installation in the client dwelling to receive the sensor data from the plurality of sensors The client unit is arranged to raise an alarm call dependent upon the sensor data received from the plurality of sensors, in real time. Also, the client unit stores the received sensor data as a sensor data log for onward transmission to a monitoring apparatus, suitably periodically A user terminal is arranged for data communication with the monitoring apparatus and sends a first request message. The monitoring apparatus replies with a response message containing one or more status fields data derived from the sensor data of a particular client dwelling Suitably, the data is sent over the Internet, preferably under HTTP or an equivalent protocol In a further aspect of the invention, the remote monitoring apparatus includes a data management unit which receives the sensor data forwarded from the client unit In this further aspect, the data management unit is arranged to select a subset of the sensor data corresponding to a subset of the sensors. The data management unit aggregates the selected data subset Preferably, the data management unit counts a number of sensor events in the selected sensor data for each sensor, and sums the selected counts to provide an index.

Preferably, the data management unit provides a nutrition index, mobility index, daytime/night-time activity index, cognitive skills index, personal hygiene index and a social interaction index Each index is based upon a different subset of the sensor data and combines a different set of sensors Preferably, the data management unit receives the sensor data periodically and ideally daily The data management unit preferably updates the index each time sensor data is received. The data management unit preferably stores a historical record of the index.

In a preferred embodiment the remote monitoring apparatus further includes an operator station which receives graphical data representations from the data management unit Ideally, the operator station displays a graph including at least a time-variant index record. Preferably, a histogram of individual sensor data is also provided For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which Figure 1 is schematic plan view of a client dwelling having an exemplary social alarm system installed therein; Figure 2 is a schematic overview of a social alarm system of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention; Figure 3 is a more detailed schematic diagram of the exemplary social alarm system; Figure 4 is a schematic flow diagram showing a communication method of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing a status result message provided by in exemplary embodiments of the present invention, Figure 6 is a schematic representation showing a data management function in the exemplary social alarm system according to a further aspect of the invention; Figures 7, 8 and 9 are schematic diagrams showing examples of a graphical output by the data management function Referring to Figure 1, an example client dwelling 1 is shown for illustration having an exemplary social alarm system installed therein. Here, a variety of sensors 101-106 are installed at various points around the client dwelling such as in the living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. The sensors are arranged to communicate with a client unit 20, which in this example is located in a hallway near a main entrance of the dwelling The sensors suitably include any one or more of a movement sensor 101, an occupancy sensor 102, a door sensor 103, an electrical appliance sensor 104, a communication sensor and an instant activation sensor 106, amongst others.

The one or more movement sensors 101 are located to monitor movement of a client in different areas of the dwelling and are conveniently passive infra-red (FIR) detectors.

The one or more occupancy sensors 102 measure occupancy of specific positions in the dwelling or occupancy of specific items of furniture, including, for example, a bed sensor 1 02a and a chair sensor 1 02b The one or more door sensors 103 are provided to monitor movement of a door or drawer and are typically contact sensors, such as magnetic switches. In this particular example, a fridge door switch 103a and an exit door switch 103b are provided. As further examples, door sensors 1 03c and 1 03d are installed in the kitchen area to monitor movement of a cutlery drawer or the door of a food cupboard, or movement of a microwave oven door.

The one or more appliance sensors 104 are provided to monitor usage of electrical appliances in the dwelling and are suitably current sensors. In particular, the appliance sensors 104 monitor the use of interactive appliances such as a television, radio or other entertainment device The appliance sensors 104 may also be employed to measure the use of cooking appliances such as a kettle, a fridge, a washing machine, a microwave oven or an electric cooker.

The one or more communication sensors 105 are arranged to monitor communication activity by the client. In the exemplary embodiment, a communication sensor 105 is integrated within the client unit 20. Here, a PSTN telephone line 31 carries telephone calls through the client unit 20, conveniently by connecting the client unit 20 with a customer termination point from the PSTN (Fublic Switched Telephone Network) 30 or similar wide area speech communication network The communication sensor 105 is thus arranged to monitor activity of a voice telephone by monitoring activity of the PSTN telephone line 31.

The one or more instant activation sensors 106 may include an instant activation button on the client unit 20 Also, the instant activation sensors 106 may include an alarm pendant worn by the client, or alarm buttons or pull-cords mounted near to floor level for easy access by a client who has fallen The instant activation sensor 106 may include automatic sensors, such as an automatic fall detector.

In the exemplary embodiment, the client unit 20 is arranged to raise an alarm call dependent upon the sensor outputs received from the sensors 101-106 A primary responsibility of the client unit 20 is to actively monitor the outputs from the sensors 101-1 06 in real time according to a predetermined set of rules and then, when appropriate, raise an alarm call over the PSTN 30 The exemplary social alarm system discussed herein is intended to be retro-fitted into an existing dwelling. Conveniently, the sensors are installed appropriate to the needs of the client living in the dwelling and thus it is common for each dwelling to have a specially adapted set of sensors. Most commonly, the client is elderly or infirm but is able to remain in their home with appropriate care, monitoring and assistance, by installing the social alarm system However, it is desirable to minimise disruption and intrusion while the social alarm is installed.

Also, it is desired in many cases to adapt the social alarm system as the needs of the client change over time. Further still, it is desired to remove the social alarm system easily, such as if the client moves to more specialised care facilities. Hence, a social alarm system has many different needs and demands, particularly when compared to alarms for other purposes such as a fire alarm system or an intruder alarm system.

As a further constraint, it is often necessary to provide the social alarm system at a low capital cost and with low maintenance costs. Many clients who purchase such social alarm systems are elderly or infirm and thus cost is a key consideration. Even when the social alarm system is provided by a health agency or care agency, cost is still a key factor.

In another exemplary embodiment, the social alarm system is integrated into the fabric of the building such as when a group of dwellings are designed and built together as a sheltered housing complex. However, this is less common, particularly in the United Kingdom and many other countries. Even so, the needs of each client are different and over time a particular dwelling may accommodate several different clients Thus, even in a dedicated social housing complex, there is a need for a social alarm system which is readily installed, modified and removed with minimal disruption to the structure of the building and which can be provided at a low capital cost and with modest maintenance costs.

Figure 2 is a schematic overview showing the social alarm system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The system comprises a set of sensors 10, one or more of the client units 20 installed in various different dwellings, a monitoring apparatus 40, and at least one remote user terminal 60 Figure 2 also shows a wide area communication network which in this case is a PSTN 30 As shown in Figure 2, the sensors 10 generate sensor outputs 12 by monitoring conditions within the respective client dwelling Each client unit 20 receives the sensor outputs 12 and will raise an alarm call if needed, in real time, over the PSTN 30 including initiating a speech communication path. Also, each client unit 20 creates a sensor data log 25 derived from the received sensor outputs 12. The monitoring apparatus 40 is located remote from the client dwellings and is operable to receive the alarm call from the respective client unit 20 over the PSTN 30 and establish the speech communication path. Also, the monitoring apparatus 40 is arranged to receive and store the sensor data log 25 from each of the client units 20 in a main sensor data store 45. The user terminal 60 is arranged to send a request message to the monitoring apparatus 40 over a wide area communication network such as the PSTN 30. The monitoring apparatus 40 sends a response message comprises one or more status fields 400 derived from the sensor data logs 25 stored in the main sensor data store 45. Thus, the remote user terminal 60 is able to obtain status data derived from the senor outputs at one the client dwellings Figure 3 is a more detailed schematic overview showing the social alarm system according to two particular exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

As shown in Figure 3, the sensors 10 communicate with the client unit 20 over a local communication link 11 In the exemplary embodiment, the sensors 10 communicate over a short-range local wireless link, most suitably using the 869 MHz frequency band which has been reserved for social alarm systems in the United Kingdom. In other embodiments, the sensors 10 communicate with the client unit 20 using any other suitable wireless or hard-wired local links.

In the exemplary embodiments, the collected sensor data is relatively-simple. Typically, the sensors 10 provide binary (on" or off") state information Conveniently,the client unit 20 stores the sensor outputs 1 2 as sensor data in a data storage unit such as a hard disk drive or solid-state memory Optionally, the client unit 20 adds to the sensor data log 25 upon receipt of each sensor output 1 2 Each sensor output 12 is suitably time-stamped by the client unit 20 The first embodiment shown in Figure 3 is a dispersed system where each client unit 20a is suitable for use in a single dwelling. Here, the client unit 20a comprises a client interface module (CIM) 21 and a data communications module (DCM) 22 A primary function of the CIM 21 is to provide a speech communication path over the PSTN 30 from the client unit 20 to the monitoring apparatus 40. Suitably, the CIM 21 is arranged to dial a predetermined telephone number (i e a using a preset speed-dial) over the PSTN 30 and act as a customer premises equipment (CPE) on the PSTN. The speech communication path is then available for communication between the client and an operator at the remote monitoring apparatus 40. In particular, this speech communication path is initiated automatically when an alarm condition is identified in response to the sensor data from the sensors 1 0 Also, the CIM 21 provides a primary data path which allows data to be exchanged between the client unit 20 and the remote monitoring apparatus 40, as shown with solid arrows in Figure 3 Suitably, the client unit 20a comprises an ITU-T V.34 modem and is thus able to dial on demand over the PSTN 30 to the remote monitoring apparatus 40 to establish the primary data path. The modem is suitably integrated within the client unit 21. The client unit 20a is then arranged to deliver the logged sensor data to the remote monitoring apparatus 40.

Optionally, the CIM 21 receives instructions and/or programming information from the remote monitoring apparatus 40 over the V.34 modem Here, it will be appreciated that the client unit 20a is readily installed to use an existing PSTN customer line, as found in substantially all dwellings in the UK and elsewhere, as part of the communication infrastructure of the social alarm system The system does not rely on the provision of additional communications overheads The DCM 22 is arranged to store sensor data obtained from the various sensors 10 In the exemplary embodiment, the DCM 22 holds up to 10,000 sensor events. The DCM 22 is arranged to communicate the stored data to the remote monitoring apparatus 40. The data transfer suitably occurs periodically, such as every 24 hours. Alternatively, data is transferred on demand, i.e. in response to a request from the remote monitoring apparatus 40 In one embodiment, the data gathered by the DCM 22 is sent to the remote monitoring apparatus 40 using the V.34 modem of the client unit. This secondary data path is shown schematically with broken arrows in Figure 3. Suitably, data which has been successfully transferred to the monitoring apparatus 40 is then deleted from the DCM 22. Here, the DCM 22 is a temporary storage of the sensor data obtained from the sensors 10 for a limited period such as up to one day or one week of activity A second exemplary embodiment of the client unit 20b is also shown in Figure 3, which is a grouped product most appropriate to a group of client dwellings in close proximity, such as a sheltered housing scheme Here, the client unit 20b includes a telecommunications overlay unit (IOU) 23 and a communication control unit (CCU) 24, which monitor several different client dwellings simultaneously. Here, the sensors 10 in each separate dwelling report the sensor data to the central IOU 23. When an alarm condition is identified, a call is raised over the PSTN 30 to the remote monitoring apparatus 40 through the CCU 24 and a speech communication path is established through to a speech terminal unit (not shown) in the appropriate dwelling The remote monitoring apparatus 40 includes an operator management unit (OMU) 41 and a data management unit (DMU) 43. The operator management unit 41 is primarily responsible for managing and responding to alarm calls from each of the client units 20 Suitably, the OMU 41 routes incoming alarm calls to individual operator stations (OS) 42 for an immediate response action to be taken. Typically, the first response action taken by the system is to complete the speech communication path with the client unit 20. However, the operator may if appropriate direct the system to initiate other responses, such as placing an outgoing telephone call to contact a warden or other carer so that they may visit the dwelling and assist the client The DMU 43 is arranged to manage data transmissions sent from each of the client units 20. In the exemplary arrangements, the sensor data 10 is transmitted from the client unit to the DMU 43 at regular intervals such as every hour or 24 hours. Conveniently, the same sensor data as employed at the client unit 20 for real time alarm monitoring is also stored and forwarded to the data management unit 43 The one or more remote user terminals 60 are arranged for data communication with the remote monitoring apparatus 40 In a first embodiment, the remote user terminal (RUT) 60 communicates with the monitoring apparatus 40 over the Internet 50. In a second embodiment, the RUT 60 communicates with the remote monitoring apparatus 40 through the PSTN 30. In a third embodiment, the RUT 60 communicates with the remote monitoring apparatus 40 through a wireless wide area speech communication network such as a OSM or UMTS cellular telephony network 70.

Figure 4 is a flow diagram showing a method of operation of the exemplary social alarm system in more detail At step 401, the RUT 60 sends a first request message 310 to the monitoring apparatus over one of the available communication networks 30, 50 or 70 The first request message 310 suitably contains identity data of the requestor such as with an identity or login name of the remote user, optionally along with authentication data such as a password. Further, the first request message 310 suitably contains a client identifier to identify a respective client whose dwelling is monitored by the social alarm system. Alternatively, the monitoring apparatus 40 comprises a database unit (not shown) which correlates the requestor identity with a respective client unit 20.

At step 402, the monitoring apparatus 40 generates a first response message 320 which is despatched to the RUT 60 over one of the available communication networks 30, 50, 70.

The RUT 60 thus receives the first response message 320 and suitably provides a user interface to display information content derived from the first response message 320 to the remote user.

In a first embodiment, the first response message 320 is generated from data held at the monitoring apparatus 40 in the DMU 43. That is, the first response message 320 suitably contains the latest data held in the main sensor data store 45 at the DMU 43 in relation to the specified client unit 20.

In a second embodiment, at step 403 the monitoring apparatus 40 generates a second request message 330 that demands current data from a client unit 20, in response to the first request message 310 received from the RUT 60. At step 404, the respective client unit 20 then responds with a second reply message 340 containing current sensor data 12 from the client unit 20 For example, the DMU 43 makes an outgoing telephone call across the PSTN to the client unit 20 and receives current sensor data 12 from the CIM 21 and/or the DCM 22. The DMU 43 then generates the first response message 320 based on the newly downloaded sensor data.

These embodiments of the present invention allow an authorised user, such as a carer, relative or health professional, to access the data stored at the monitoring apparatus 40 and remotely monitor the safety and wellbeing of the client in their dwelling 1 Further, in the exemplary embodiments the authorised user at the RUT 60 is able to obtain the immediate live status based upon current sensor data. This provides immediate reassurance as to the safety and wellbeing of the monitored client, such as when the client is known to be particularly unwell.

Inspecting the current sensor data store 45 at the RMC 40 provides a carer or other visitor with appropriate information about the activities of the client, which will in most cases provide immediate comfort and reassurance that the client is safe and well Also, it allows the carer to monitor the client unobtrusively, even for example in the middle of the night, and without disturbing the client.

In a first exemplary embodiment, the remote monitoring apparatus 40 acts as a web server and comprises a secure access unit which allows access only by authorised remote users over the Internet 50 The first response message 320 is preferably formed as HTML data and is supplied to a web browser at the RUT 60 under HTTP or HTTPS protocols The web browser then displays the HTML response data In a second exemplary embodiment, the RUT 60 is arranged to send the first request message 310 as an email message to the remote monitoring apparatus 40 via the Internet 50.

Then, the DMU 43 creates and sends the first response message 320 by e-mail (i e. as SMTP protocol) That is, an e-mail message is automatically generated by the DMU 43 and is sent to an e-mail account associated with the RUT 60.

In a third exemplary embodiment, the RUT 60 is arranged to send the first request message 310 as an SMS text message to the remote monitoring apparatus 40 via the GSM network 70 Here, the DMU 43 sends the first response message 320 as an SMS text message in reply with summary data reflecting the sensor data held by the DMU 43 for a particular client dwelling In further exemplary embodiments, the incoming request message 310 and the outgoing response message 320 are sent over different communication channels using the available communication networks 30, 50, 70. For example the request message 310 is sent by SMS and the response message 320 is transmitted by email, and so on, in any suitable combination.

Figure 5 shows an example response message 320 as output by the RMA 40 to the RUT 60 In Figure 5, the sensor data obtained from the sensors 10 is grouped by location and sensor type. The example message 320 comprises one or more status fields 500, which in this case include room name fields 501 for the various rooms of the client's dwelling, sensor name fields 502 for the various sensors 10 in those locations, and corresponding sensor status fields In further embodiments of the invention, the first response message 320 contains status fields appropriate to a plurality of different client units 20. That is, a single request message 310 from a respective requestor at the RUT 60 results in a response message 320 for each of a plurality of client dwellings of interest to the requestor.

A further aspect of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail referring to Figures 6 to 9.

In addition to real time monitoring, it is also desired to monitor activities of the client over a period of time. That is, the exemplary system of the present invention also monitors a client's lifestyle over a period of time. In particular, the system is useful to assess the current needs of a client. Further, the system is useful in monitoring changes in client behaviour and changes in their needs over time.

It is particularly desired to use the social alarm system in order to enable a client to live independently for as long as possible A particularly important application is to support the increasing number of people who are likely to suffer from a cognitive impairment as they get older. It has been estimated that one in five people over eighty years old is likely to suffer from a dementia. In particular, significant numbers of people have short term memory problems or confusion Difficulties arise such as with a tendency to have accidents in the kitchen, in the bathroom or at night. However, there is a need for the social alarm system not only to respond to the emergency situations as they happen, but also to provide a mechanism which allows that situation to be predicted and if possible averted through intervention of a carer.

In practice, very few clients need the high level of automation and control offered by a fully wired "smart home" with a corresponding high level of technical complication and expense. Instead, there is a challenge to adapt existing dwellings individually to the needs of the client.

Many papers have been published suggesting that deviations from normal activity trends could be used to provide an early warning signal of an impending problem, using computerised analysis. One example is Barns NN, Edwards NH, Rose DAD & Ghana P Lifestyle Monitoring -Technologies For Supported Independence" lEE Computing And Control Engineering Journal, Volume 9, Number 4, pages 8-12 (1998) However, such computerised analysis tends to be complicated and also inaccurate. It has also been reported that, despite recording an enormous wealth of data, the data could not be fully analysed because the sensor information did not map directly to episodes where additional care intervention is required or the client's needs have changed. Such computerised analysis tends to increase the number of interventions, rather than making the system more responsive to the requirements of the client being monitored. That is, there is a tendency to overcomplicate the system with too much data.

Figure 6 illustrates a data management mechanism for client monitoring in the exemplary social alarm system of the present invention.

The sensors 10 in each dwelling generate a set of sensor data 12 and this sensor data 12 is sent from the DCM 22 of the client unit 20 over a PSTN link 30 to the DMU 43 of the remote monitoring apparatus 40 from the local sensor data log 25 Then, as shown in Figure 6, data from a selected subset of the sensors 10 is combined over time to generate an activity index 120.

In the exemplary embodiment, a plurality of activity indexes 120 are provided. Each activity index 120 is created by summing sensor data 12 from a predetermined set of sensors over time In a particular embodiment, each activity index is generated by summing the number of logging events from each of the selected set of sensors over a 24-hour period. The index is then recorded daily over a lengthy period such as weeks, months or years, to give a 1 5 historical trend.

In a first embodiment, four activity indexes are generated including a daytime movement index, a night-time movement index, a kitchen usage index and an interaction index.

The daytime movement index is the sum of all room visits plus bed transfers plus chair transfers plus exit door activity during daytime hours Room visits are counted as the first FIR activation for a particular room. Alternatively, all activations are counted without discrimination.

In the exemplary embodiment, six FIR sensors 101, one bed usage sensor 102, one chair usage sensor 102, and one door usage sensor 103 together provide the sensor data 12 for the daytime active movement index.

Similarly, the night-time movement index uses the same counting procedure during non-daytime hours The kitchen usage index is the sum of kitchen visits plus fridge door openings plus kettle uses plus cooking appliance uses. The interaction index is the sum of television appliance usage, exit

door usage, outgoing telephone calls and incoming telephone calls.

In another embodiment, seven indices are provided.

A nutrition index is the number of visits to the kitchen, food cupboard accesses, fridge accesses, cooking events plus kettle events. This index uses one movement sensor, two door sensors and two electrical usage sensors.

A second nutrition index is the number of 20-minute stays in the kitchen, plus food cupboard accesses, fridge accesses, cooking events and kettle events This uses the same sensors as the first nutrition index.

A mobility index is the number of room visits plus bed transfers plus chair transfers.

This index combines data from ideally six movement sensors 101, and two occupancy sensors A daytime activity index is the number of room visits plus bed transfers plus chair transfers plus exit door usage. In addition to the sensors of the mobility index, the daytime activity index also combines a door sensor 103 The daytime activity index does not monitor in a night time period such as 12 am to 6 am A cognitive skills index is the number of room visits, plus bed transfers, plus chair transfers, plus exit door usage plus a number of social alarm calls Like the mobility index and the daytime activity index, the cognitive skills index further combines a communication sensor or instant activation sensor 106.

A personal hygiene index is the number of bathroom visits plus average occupancy time for each visit, using a single movement sensor 101.

A social interaction index is a number of exit door uses plus telephone calls made or received. Here, a door sensor 103 and a communication sensor 105 are combined In an exemplary embodiment, one or more of the activity indexes 120 are output to an operator station 42 Figure 7 shows an example output of the data management function 43, as a graphical representation. This example shows a mobility index (I) for a period of one week (t). The index shows that mobility is dropping over the week and declines to zero on the last day. 35. -

In addition to displaying the mobility index 120, the representation also displays the individual sensor data 12 In this example, a count of each movement sensor 101 is displayed for each 24- hour period This example shows that one FIR did not activate at any point in the week. By combining both an index 120 and the individual sensor data 12, the operator is better able to interpret the data gathered by the social alarm system Figure 8 shows another example representation This time, a plurality of indices 120 are displayed over a long period, e g. of several months. This representation allows the operator to appreciate trends in the data, and gain an overall impression of the client's condition over the monitored period Ideally, a plurality of different representations are provided, and the operator station 42 includes a selector to select between the offered representations. In this way, a more detailed investigation, such as by looking at a shorter time period in more detail as in Figure 4, may then be used to better understand the changing circumstances of the client Figure 9 shows a further embodiment where an index 120 is compared against maximum and minimum threshold values 121, 122. The indexes provide a convenient mechanism to determine a historical pattern, and highlight when a significant change has occurred Ideally, the data management unit 43 raises an alert signal in response to an out of range condition. In this example, the data management unit 43 raises an alert to the operator station 42 at time Ti when the monitored index falls below the predetermined minimum threshold 121.

Although a few exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims (1)

1. A social alarm system, comprising.

a plurality of sensors arranged to produce a plurality of sensor outputs in response to conditions within a client dwelling; a client unit arranged at the client dwelling to receive the plurality of sensor outputs from the plurality of sensors over a local communication link, to create a sensor data log comprising sensor data derived from the received sensor outputs, and to raise an alarm call in real time according to the sensor data including initiating a speech communication path over a public switched telephone network, a monitoring apparatus located remote from the client dwelling and operable to receive the alarm call from the client unit over the public switched telephone network and establish the speech communication path with the client unit, and arranged to receive the sensor data log from the client unit and store the sensor data log in a main sensor data store; and a user terminal located remote from the monitoring apparatus and arranged to send a first request message to the monitoring apparatus over a wide area communication network; wherein the monitoring apparatus is arranged to send a first response message to the user terminal in response to the first request message, and wherein the first response message comprises one or more status fields derived from the sensor data in the main sensor data store.

2. The social alarm system of claim 1, wherein: the monitoring apparatus is arranged to transmit a second request message to the client unit, in response to the first request received from the user terminal, the client unit is arranged to respond with a second response message containing the sensor data log currently held at the client unit; and the monitoring apparatus is arranged to transmit the first response message based on the sensor data in the sensor data log received in the second response message.

3. The social alarm system of claim 2, wherein: the monitoring apparatus is arranged to transmit the second request message to the client unit over the public switched telephone network, and the client unit is arranged to transmit the second response message to the monitoring apparatus over the public switched telephone network.

4. The social alarm system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring apparatus comprises an operator management unit arranged to respond to the alarm call from the client unit, including routing the incoming alarm call to an operator station and providing the speech communication path from the client unit to the operator station; and a data management unit arranged to manage data transmissions from the client unit and store the received sensor data log in the main sensor data store 5. The social alarm system of claim 1, wherein the user terminal is arranged to communicate with the monitoring apparatus over the wide area communication network being any one or more of the public switched telephone network, the Internet, and a wireless cellular 6. The social alarm system of claim 5, wherein: the first request message and the first response message are sent over different communication channels using two or more available wide area communication networks.

7. The social alarm system of claim 1, wherein the first response message comprises the one or more status fields including one or more room name fields for the rooms of the client dwelling, one or more sensor name fields for the sensors in those rooms, and one or more respective sensor status fields indicating a status of the sensors.

8. The social alarm system of claim 1, wherein: the sensor data stored by the client unit in the sensor data log comprises a timestamp applied to each of the plurality of sensor outputs.

9. The social alarm system of claim 1, wherein: the client unit is arranged to transmit the sensor data log to the monitoring apparatus periodically at predetermined intervals.

The social alarm system of claim 1, wherein the sensors include any one or more of a movement sensor, an occupancy sensor, a door sensor, an electrical appliance sensor, a communication sensor and an instant activation sensor 11 The social alarm system of claim 1, wherein the client unit comprises: a client interface module arranged to provide the speech communication path over the public switched telephone network from the client unit to the monitoring apparatus by dialling a predetermined telephone number and acting as a customer premises equipment; and a modem arranged to dial on demand over the public switched telephone network to the monitoring apparatus to establish a data path to deliver the sensor data log to the monitoring apparatus.

12 The social alarm system of claim 1, wherein the client unit comprises: a telecommunications overlay unit arranged to receive the sensor data simultaneously from the plurality of sensors arranged in a plurality of separate client dwellings and thereby monitor conditions in each of the separate client dwellings; and a communication control unit arranged to raise the alarm call over the public switched telephone network to the monitoring apparatus and provide the speech communication path through to a speech terminal unit in a respective one of the client dwelling in response to an identified alarm condition according to the sensor data received from one or more of the plurality of sensors in the respective one of the client dwellings.

13. The social alarm system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of the client units each of which is arranged to receive the sensor data from a respective set of sensors and store the sensor data in a respective sensor data log.

14 The social alarm system of claim 13, wherein: the first request message comprises an identity data, and the monitoring apparatus is arranged to correlate the identity data with a respective client unit amongst the plurality of client units, and provide the first response message having the one or more status fields according to the respective client unit 15 The social alarm system of claim 13, wherein: the first response message comprises a plurality of the status fields appropriate to a plurality of different client units whereby a single said first request message from the user terminal results in a response message comprising status fields for each of a selected plurality of client dwellings.

16. A method of communicating with a social alarm system, comprising the steps of: transmitting a first request message from a user terminal to a monitoring apparatus over a wide-area communication network, wherein the first request message comprises identity data to identify a respective client whose dwelling is monitored by the social alarm system; generating a first response message at the monitoring apparatus comprising one or more status fields derived from data stored in a main sensor data store reflecting conditions at the dwelling given by sensor outputs from a plurality of sensors gathered into a sensor data log by a client unit and transmitted to the monitoring apparatus; sending the first response message to the user terminal over a wide area communication network; and displaying information content derived from the first response message on a display interface at the user terminal 17. A social alarm system, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

18. A method of communicating with a social alarm system, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.