JP2001067576A - Abnormal state notification system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily monitor the living state of an old person or a sick person, etc who lives alone. SOLUTION: This system is equipped with (a) a sensor unit 6a which is installed in a lavatory in a house where a monitored person lives and outputs a specific signal on detecting the use of this lavatory, (b) a 1st communication means (radio terminal device 5) which is installed in the lavatory and outputs a specific signal on receiving the signal from the sensor unit 6, and (c) a monitor timer which starts clocking the time on receiving the signal from the 1st communication means and further equipped with a 2nd communication means (main device 4) which notifies a monitor center 1 of an abnormal state when the signal from the 1st communication means is ceased for a specific time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an abnormal situation notifying system, and more particularly to an abnormal situation notifying system capable of notifying a monitoring center of an abnormal situation occurring in an elderly person or a sick person living alone. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In Japan, there is a tendency that the aging of the population will continue to increase and the elderly population will increase. In addition, administrative agencies such as municipalities have conventionally provided nursing homes that are living alone with caregivers regularly as a part of welfare services, and provided services such as confirmation of living conditions.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION However, 200
With the nursing care insurance system, which goes into effect in April 2008, the number of cared people is increasing, and as a result, the absolute number of carers is insufficient, making it difficult to visit all nursing homes frequently. Could be. Therefore, how to save labor in home care is an issue for the future. An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an abnormal situation notification system that can easily monitor the living conditions of an elderly person or a sick person living alone.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, an abnormal situation reporting system according to the present invention provides an abnormal situation reporting system for reporting an abnormal situation occurring to a person to be monitored to a predetermined monitoring center. (A) a sensor unit that is installed in a toilet where the monitored person lives and outputs a predetermined signal when the use of the toilet is detected, and (b) a signal that is installed in the toilet and receives a signal from the sensor unit. Then, first communication means for outputting a predetermined signal,
(C) a monitoring timer is provided for starting timing when receiving a signal from the first communication means, and when the signal from the first communication means is interrupted for a predetermined time or more, the monitoring center notifies the monitoring center of the occurrence of the abnormal situation. And second communication means for reporting.

[0005] On the other hand, the present invention includes the following configurations as other aspects. That is, in an abnormal situation notification system that reports an abnormal situation that has occurred to a monitored person to a predetermined monitoring center, (a) a predetermined signal is installed in a toilet where the monitored person lives and when the use of the toilet is detected, An output sensor unit; and (b) a monitoring timer that starts timing when a signal from the sensor unit is received,
First communication means installed in the toilet for notifying the occurrence of the abnormal situation when a signal from the sensor unit is interrupted for a predetermined time or more; and (c) notification from the first communication means to the monitoring center. And second communication means for notifying

Further, the first communication means and the second communication means may be means for wirelessly communicating with each other via radio waves. A third communication device that is carried by the monitored person and performs wireless communication with the first communication means via radio waves.
Communication means, wherein the second communication means includes an electric field intensity detecting means for detecting an electric field intensity of the radio wave, and the notification to the monitoring center while the electric field intensity is equal to or less than a predetermined value. May be provided. Further, the sensor unit may be constituted by any one of an infrared sensor, a microswitch, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, and an optical sensor.

[0007]

Next, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, by monitoring the use of a toilet that will be used at least once a day, an abnormal situation that has occurred in an elderly or sick person living alone can be notified to a predetermined monitoring center at an early stage. It is characterized by doing so.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the abnormal situation notification system according to the present embodiment has a monitoring center 1, a public line network 2, a main device 4, a wireless terminal device 5, and a sensor unit 6a in a nursing home 3. Toilet seat 6. As described above, the toilet seat 6 in which the sensor unit 6a for detecting a human body is attached or built therein is installed in the toilet in the nursing home 3. Sensor unit 6a
Is constituted by, for example, a pressure sensor, a microswitch, or the like, and can detect whether a person is seated on the toilet seat 6 by detecting a change such as a pressure change.
That is, based on the output of the sensor unit 6a,
The use state of the toilet can be determined.

Main device 4 and wireless terminal devices 5 and 8 are each provided with a personal handyphone system (hereinafter referred to as P
HS) and a wireless terminal device. The wireless terminal device 5 has a function of transmitting the use state of the toilet detected by the sensor unit 6a to the main device 4 as a seat notification signal, and does not have a call function. On the other hand, the wireless terminal device 8 is an ordinary PHS-type slave unit that is always carried by an elderly person, and has a call function, and transmits voice signals and the like to the public line network 2 via the main unit 4. The call is transmitted, and a call can be made with the other party's telephone. Of course, when the wireless terminal device 8 is taken out of the room, a call can be directly made via the nearest base station without going through the main device 4. That is, the wireless terminal device 8 functions as a cordless telephone indoors and functions as a mobile telephone outdoors.

Further, since the wireless terminal device 8 is always carried by the elderly, the electric field strength between the wireless terminal device 8 and the main device 4 in the nursing home 3 becomes "strong", and the outdoor wireless terminal 8 The electric field intensity between the device 8 and the main device 4 is in a "weak" state. Specifically, based on the electric field intensity when the wireless terminal device 8 is inside the toilet, when it becomes weaker than the reference value, it is determined that the wireless terminal device 8 is outdoors. Therefore, the monitoring center 1 can determine whether the monitored elderly person is indoors or outdoors by checking the strength of the electric field strength.

The above-mentioned sensor unit does not always need to be attached to the toilet seat. For example, an infrared sensor for detecting infrared rays emitted from a human body, and an optical sensor for detecting light incident upon lighting of lighting in a toilet or opening / closing of a door may be installed on a wall or ceiling in the toilet. Further, a temperature sensor may be attached to the toilet seat to detect a temperature change when the seat is seated, or it may be detected whether or not the lighting is turned on (energized state) or whether or not there is drainage. Further, in the above, the PHS system is used as the communication means between the main device 4 and the wireless terminal device 5, but it is apparent that other wireless means may be used.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing details of main device 4 and wireless terminal device 5 according to FIG. As shown in the figure, a main unit 4 includes a network control unit (hereinafter, referred to as NCU) 4a for performing line control, a unit 4b to which a microphone 4c and a speaker 4d are connected to perform voice processing of a speaker, A power supply unit 4e that supplies power to each unit of the main device 4, a modem 4f that modulates and demodulates a signal,
A PHS module 4i including a control unit 4g for controlling each unit of the main device 4, an electric field intensity detection unit 4k for detecting electric field intensity during communication, and an antenna 4j for performing wireless communication with the wireless terminal device 5; , A monitoring timer 4h that is configured by a counter or the like and that starts timing based on a signal from the wireless terminal device 5. The NCU 4a has a telephone function by the telephone unit 7.

The wireless terminal device 5 includes a PHS module 5a having an antenna 5b for performing wireless communication with the main device 4.
And a power supply unit 5d for supplying power to each unit of the wireless terminal device 5
And a control unit 5c that controls each unit of the wireless terminal device 5. The sensor unit 6a is connected to the control unit 5c in the wireless terminal device 5 via a cable or infrared rays,
It is composed of a sensor for detecting a human body such as a pressure sensor, and is used for monitoring the use state of the toilet. In the present embodiment, the monitoring timer 4h is installed in the main device 4, but a similar monitoring timer may be installed in the wireless terminal device 5 instead.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the wireless terminal device 5, which is realized by the control unit 5c. First,
It waits until a human body is detected by the sensor unit 6a (step 101). Then, when it is detected, a seating notification signal is sent to main device 4 (step 10).
2).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the main unit 4, which is realized by the control unit 4g. First, after the monitoring timer 4h is initialized, timing is started (step 201). Thereafter, if there is a seating notification signal from the wireless terminal device 5, the process returns to step 201 (step 202), and if not, waits until the monitoring timer 4h times out (for example, the time-out period is set to 24 hours) (step 203). . If the timeout has occurred, the electric field intensity of the radio wave from the wireless terminal device 8 is detected (step 204), and it is determined whether the elderly person is out or in the nursing home 3 according to the electric field intensity (step 205). . That is, if the detected electric field strength is larger than a preset threshold value, it is determined that the elderly man exists indoors, and if the detected electric field strength is smaller, it exists outdoors. If the electric field strength is smaller than the threshold value, the elderly person has gone out, and the process returns to step 201 to initialize the monitoring timer 4h.

If the seating notification signal is not received for a certain period of time or more even though the electric field strength is larger than the threshold value (if the toilet seat 6 has not been used for a certain period of time or the It means that the old man is not using the toilet even though he is indoors, and it is probable that something abnormal has occurred. At this time, the main unit 4
Immediately notifies the monitoring center 1 that an abnormal situation has occurred (step 206). As a result, the monitoring center 1 can know that an abnormal situation has occurred in the old man's body, and can confirm the safety of the old man by calling the old man's house or dispatching personnel to the old man's house 3. it can.

As described above, by using this embodiment, even if the elderly fall down and cannot move due to illness, it can be detected and rescued early. If the monitored person is a bedridden elderly person or sick person and does not go out (however, it is assumed that he / she can use the toilet by himself), the mobile terminal 8 and the functions of steps 204 and 205 are omitted. May be.

[0018]

As described above, the present invention provides (a) a sensor unit which is installed in a toilet where a monitored person lives and outputs a predetermined signal when the use of the toilet is detected, and (b) which is installed in the toilet. A first communication means for outputting a predetermined signal when a signal from the sensor unit is received, and (c) a monitoring timer for starting timing when receiving a signal from the first communication means, the first communication means comprising: Second communication means for notifying the monitoring center of the occurrence of an abnormal situation when a signal from the means is interrupted for a predetermined time or more. Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to easily notify an abnormal situation that has occurred in the elderly to a predetermined monitoring center without manual intervention, and greatly contributes to elderly care in an aging society. Further, by using the PHS system, an abnormal situation notification system can be easily configured without requiring complicated wiring.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing details of a main device and a wireless terminal device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of the wireless terminal device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of a main device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Monitoring center, 2 ... Public line network, 3 ... Elderly home, 4 ... Main apparatus, 4a ... NCU, 4b ... Unit, 4c ... Microphone,
4d: speaker, 4e, power supply unit, 4f: modem, 4g
... Control unit, 4h ... Monitor timer, 4i ... PHS module, 4j ... Antenna, 4k ... Field strength detection unit, 5 ... Wireless terminal device, 5a ... PHS module, 5b ... Antenna,
5c: control unit, 5d: power supply unit, 6: toilet seat, 6a: sensor unit, 7: telephone unit, 8: wireless terminal device.

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5C087 AA37 AA44 BB03 BB12 BB20 BB64 BB74 DD03 DD24 EE13 EE18 FF01 FF04 FF10 FF17 FF20 FF23 GG09 GG30 GG42 GG46 GG51 GG83 5K101 KK14 KK14

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An abnormal situation reporting system for reporting an abnormal situation that has occurred to a monitored person to a predetermined monitoring center, comprising: (a) installing in a toilet where the monitored person lives and detecting a use of the toilet; (B) a first communication unit that is installed in the toilet and outputs a predetermined signal when receiving a signal from the sensor unit; and (c) a first communication unit that outputs a predetermined signal. And a second communication means for notifying the monitoring center of the occurrence of the abnormal situation when the signal from the first communication means is interrupted for a predetermined time or more. An abnormal situation notification system characterized by the following. 2. An abnormal situation reporting system for reporting an abnormal situation which has occurred to a monitored person to a predetermined monitoring center, comprising: (a) installing in a toilet where the monitored person lives and detecting a use of the toilet; And (b) a monitoring timer that starts timing when a signal from the sensor unit is received, and reports the occurrence of the abnormal situation when the signal from the sensor unit is interrupted for a predetermined time or more. (C) second communication means for notifying the monitoring center of a report from the first communication means, wherein the first communication means is provided in the toilet. system. 3. The abnormal situation notification system according to claim 1, wherein the first communication means and the second communication means are means for wirelessly communicating with each other via radio waves. . 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: third communication means carried by the monitored person and performing wireless communication with the first communication means via radio waves, wherein the second communication means comprises: Electric field intensity detecting means for detecting the electric field intensity of the radio wave, and stopping means for forcibly stopping the notification to the monitoring center while the electric field intensity is equal to or less than a predetermined value. Abnormal situation notification system. 5. The abnormal situation notification system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is constituted by any one of an infrared sensor, a microswitch, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, and an optical sensor. .