TW201819861A - Self-tracking homecoming guiding device and method being worn when a patient or the elderly person suffering from the Alzheimer disease (dementia) is required to go out alone - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention provides a self-tracking homecoming guiding device and method in which a global positioning system (GPS) technology is utilized. The device can be worn when a (dementia)patient or the elderly person suffering from the Alzheimer disease is required to go out alone, the positioning information of a path the patient has gone through is recorded after the patient leaves home. When the system automatically determines that the current patient suffers from dementia or labyrinthine, then the remote monitoring center starts or the patient actively starts the guiding system, the system can plan homecoming path navigation according to the recoded positioning information of the path passed in the past, and display the positioning information recorded at the moment before the direction is guided by virtue of a direction guide projection module, and guide the patient suffering from dementia to be located along former tracks step by step so as to ensure that the patient suffering from dementia can be self-tracked to be guided back to a safe and well-known region or home. In addition, the present invention can instantly integrate Geographic Information System (GIS) maps and resources so that caregivers or their families can instantly see the user's position and status in the cloud.

Description

Self-tracking home guiding device and method

The invention relates to a guiding method, in particular to a self-tracking home guiding method that allows a user to go back to a familiar area with a guiding arrow even when he is lost or suffering from dementia.

As the global population ages, the number of people with dementia (Alzheimer's) is increasing rapidly. The World Health Organization WHO also pointed out at the International Conference on Dementia in March 2015 that there are currently 47.5 million dementia patients worldwide, and that it is growing at an annual rate of 7.7 million, that is, one new disease every 4 seconds. By. The Taiwan Dementia Association also pointed out in 2014 that the total population of dementia in Taiwan is currently 227,137, accounting for 8.09% (including 91,673 people with mild dementia, accounting for 3.26%, and 135,464 people with mild dementia, accounting for 4.82%), and most of the patients with dementia are mostly elderly.

Because the elderly or patients with dementia are quite sudden when they suffer from dementia, the symptoms of dementia are not only memory loss, but also affect other cognitive functions, including language ability, sense of space, calculation Degradation of functions such as ability, judgment, abstract thinking ability, attention, etc. At the same time, symptoms such as disturbing behavior, personality changes, delusions or hallucinations may occur. According to statistics, the global recovery rate due to dementia is only 51%, and the medical and care expenses directly or indirectly used by dementia cost about 600 billion U.S. dollars, which is roughly the world's 18th largest economy. body.

At present, preventive measures for patients with dementia still mainly rely on the care of security institutions, the co-ordination of local police units, or the remote passive care based on the global positioning system (GPS) mounted on patients.

Therefore, how to provide a self-tracking home guidance device and method, so that patients with dementia can still rely on their own capabilities and guide arrows to go back to nearby areas or their homes at the time of the onset of the disease, so as to avoid demented patients due to tension. Dangerous state, can save a lot of unnecessary manpower expenditure is a technical problem that the industry needs to solve urgently.

The purpose of the present invention is to reduce the social cost of finding lost persons and demented patients, and to effectively reduce the burden on patients, caregivers and families. At the same time, it is more important to enable Alzheimer's patients to "go home" Effect.

In order to achieve the above objective, the present invention adopts the following technical means to achieve it. Among them, the present invention provides a self-tracking home guidance device, including: a global positioning module, a data processing control module, and a memory module. Group, a guidance start timing determination module, a guidance path planning module, and a guidance assistance module. The global positioning module is used to record a positioning data of a user. The data processing control module is electrically connected with the global positioning module. The memory module is electrically connected to the data processing control module, and the positioning data is sequentially stored as a walking path. The guidance start timing judging module is electrically connected with the data processing control module. The guidance path planning module is electrically connected with the data processing control module to plan a home path, and the home path is sequentially returned by the positioning data recorded by the user in the past. The guidance assistance module is electrically connected with the guidance path planning module to assist the user in walking the home path. Wherein, when the guidance activation timing determination module determines that the user needs guidance, the data processing control module activates the guidance function, plans the home route, and guides the user with the guidance assistance module Take that home path.

In addition, the present invention also provides a self-tracking home guidance method, including the following steps: a providing a global positioning module, a data processing control module, a memory module, a guidance start timing judgment module, A guidance path planning module and a guidance assistance module. b When a user leaves the home, record a positioning data of the user. c The positioning data are sequentially stored as a walking path. d Determine whether the user needs guidance. e If the user needs guidance, a home route is planned according to the walking path, where the home route is the positioning data recorded by the user in the past and sequentially returned. f Use the guidance assistance module to assist the user in walking the home path. g. Determine if the user has returned home smoothly. h If the user returns home smoothly, the guidance ends.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object and effect, the technical means and structure adopted in the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the preferred embodiments of the present invention. The features and functions are as follows. It is fully understood, but it must be noted that these contents This constitutes the limitation of the present invention.

Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 at the same time, which are a schematic structural diagram and a method flowchart of a preferred embodiment of a self-tracking home guidance method according to the present invention. The present invention provides a self-tracking home guidance device and method, including the following steps:

Step 110: Provide a self-tracking home guidance device 10. The self-tracking home guidance device 10 provided by the present invention includes a global positioning module 1, a data processing control module 2, a memory module 3, a guidance start timing determination module 4, and a A guidance path planning module 5 and a guidance assistance module 6. The global positioning module 1 (Global Positioning System, GPS) can be used to record a user's positioning data. The data processing control module 2 is connected to the global positioning module 1 by telecommunications, and is used to perform functions such as peripheral chip initialization, positioning data coordinate conversion, data integration, and guidance control. The memory module 3 is electrically connected to the data processing control module 2 and sequentially stores the positioning data as a walking path. The guidance start timing determination module 4 is electrically connected to the data processing control module 2. The guidance path planning module 5 is connected to the data processing control module 2 by telecommunications to plan a home route. The guidance assistance module 6 is connected to the guidance path planning module 5 by telecommunications to assist the user in walking the home route.

Step 120: When a user leaves the home, record a positioning data of the user. The user may be a person who is prone to getting lost or demented, such as the elderly, Alzheimer's (dementia) patients, but is not limited to this, and it can also be a general user (such as mountaineers, children, personal navigation) ). When the user needs to go out alone, the self-tracking home guidance device 10 can be worn on the user, and the global positioning module 1 records the positioning data of the path the user has taken after leaving home Among them, the global positioning module 1 can acquire the positioning data at a fixed time, pressure sensing data, or physiological information.

Step 130: The positioning data is sequentially stored as a walking path. The data processing control module 2 can convert the positioning data into latitude and longitude coordinates, and sequentially store the data in the memory module 3 to form a walking path.

Step 140: Determine whether the user needs guidance. The guidance activation timing determination module 4 is used to determine whether the user needs guidance, and may include a voice unit, a pressure sensing unit, a physiological information sensing unit, and the like, but is not limited thereto. In this embodiment, The guidance activation timing determination module 4 determines whether the user needs guidance in the following five ways:

1. Symptoms of the sunset: The guidance activation timing judgment module 4 automatically issues a family voice through the voice unit at a specified time (for example, at 5 o'clock in the evening) to ask the user if he needs to go home at the moment. When the sentence is correct (for example: "go home", "OK", etc.), the automatic guidance function of the present invention will be activated.

2. Automatic determination mechanism (loop repeat path): Since the self-tracking home guidance device 10 of the present invention has a path recording and tracking function, the system will pass the voice unit when it is found that the user repeatedly loops the same path. Ask the user if they need to activate, and they can also activate the guidance function remotely through a remote monitoring center or a family member.

3. Automatic determination mechanism (physical signal information): When a lost or demented behavior occurs, the user may experience nervousness and anxiety, resulting in changes in the physiological signal. Therefore, the amount can be measured by the pressure sensing unit and the physiological information sensing unit. Measure the physiological signal as the basis for activating the guidance function.

4. Pre-definition (circle distance): For users with severe dementia, family members can set a fixed circle range centered on home. When the user leaves the circle range, he will actively initiate the guidance function.

5. Self-starting: For ordinary users, the navigation function can be activated through voice or smart phone systems.

Step 150: If the user needs guidance, plan a home route according to the walking path. If the user does not need guidance, repeat step 120. If it is determined that the user is still capable, the guidance mechanism is not activated, but the self-tracking home guidance device 10 will continue to track and record the user's movement path. When it is confirmed that the user needs guidance, the system will plan the home route based on the current positioning data, initial positioning data (safety, familiar area or patient's home) and positioning data of the path recorded by the patient in the past. Among them, The home path is a sequence of the positioning data recorded by the user in the past. In addition, you can also use the Google Maps application programming interface (API), Baidu Maps application programming interface (API), and other positioning functions to optimize navigation planning.

Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 for more details. The walking path stored in the memory module 3 may be in a matrix format as shown in FIG. 3. The matrix is actually constructed by representing the latitude and longitude of a partial area map. Points 310 and 311 represent the positioning positions (latitude and longitude) where the size of the map is to be defined. The size of each grid can determine the size and accuracy of the map. The memory module 3 gives the recorded positioning latitude and longitude data points to each positioning point (A ~ H) tag code (301-308), which represents the time priority order of passing these positioning points, so that not only the path is not It will be repeatedly recorded and covered, and when the guidance is activated, it can be used in chronological order to facilitate the use of the correct original route to guide users back to a safe area or their own home. When the guidance mode is activated, the guidance path planning module 5 will take out the corresponding data for cross-comparison according to the current user's positioning information, and plan the correct direction. Take Figure 4 as an example. At the position of the positioning point G (label code 307), the guidance path planning module 5 will perform data comparison for the eight cells around the positioning point G through the memory module 3 (the number of peripheral cells depends on the positioning accuracy of each cell) , Can also be defined by yourself, not limited to this). If there are numbers in the surrounding comparison data where the number of the label code is less than 307, it can represent the path the user has traveled in the past (the location of the positioning point F that was memorized at the previous moment, and the label code is 306). Go home to anchor point A.

Step 160: Use the guidance assistance module 6 to assist the user in walking the home path. The guidance assistance module 6 may include a directional guidance projection module 61 and an inertial measurement module 62. The direction-guided projection module 61 may use a micro-projector, an LED dot-matrix display screen, and the like to display directions, symbols, or patterns, and project or display the guided directions for the user to follow. And the inertial measurement module 62 may include measurement units such as an electronic compass and a three-axis gyroscope to identify the user's forward walking direction, so that the user can intuitively follow the displayed direction, symbol or pattern to return on his own Go to a familiar area or home.

After knowing the position of the user at the previous moment, the user can be guided by the guidance assisting module 6 from the positioning point G to the positioning point F, and proceed in order to return to the positioning point A (label code 301). ) Location (initial departure location can be defined as safe area, user's home, police station, etc., but not limited to this). Among them, since the direction the user's head is facing needs to be taken into account, so that the projection module projects the correct direction, it is necessary to combine measurement units such as an electronic compass or a three-axis accelerometer, a gyroscope to estimate the current patient's orientation. And provide the correct projection direction guidance based on the direction the patient is currently facing.

Taking FIG. 5 as an example, the direction estimated by the aforementioned guidance path planning module 5 is the direction 401 estimated from the latitude and longitude position defined by the map itself, where the direction 401 is actually the map ’s north direction 400 at an angle of 0 and The angle 404 calculated when the counterclockwise is the positive direction. The inertial measurement module 62 can be used to estimate the direction 402 that the user is currently facing, and then the electronic user can know the difference angle 403 between the current user and the positive north pole direction. Therefore, the direction 401 that the projection device wants to project is The angle of the user's current gesture direction 402 is the sum of the angle 404 and the angle 403. Therefore, an electronic compass can be used to estimate the positive north pole direction as a reference magnetic field, and then modify the actual guidance direction to be projected. The calculation process of the guidance direction correction can be shown in FIG. 6. After calculating the correct guiding direction, the guiding module 61 can be used to project the guiding direction for the user to follow. Guided by the path taken in the past to assist the user to "go home" by themselves.

Step 170: Determine whether the user returns home smoothly.

Step 180: If the user returns home smoothly, the guidance is ended, and if the user has not returned home successfully, repeat step 160. If the user has not returned home successfully, the user's position is continuously recorded, and calculations and display guidance are performed. If the user has returned to the home, the guidance ends and the user continues to determine whether the user has left the home.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the self-tracking home guidance device 10 can integrate geographic information system (GIS) map data in real time, so that caregivers or family members can instantly monitor the user's current Location and status, and footprints that users have walked in the past.

Through the above device and method, the self-tracking home guidance device provided by the present invention can not only effectively reduce the social cost of finding a demented patient, but also effectively reduce the burden on patients, caregivers and families. Patients with Alzheimer's disease have achieved the effect of going home on their own, which is quite forward-looking and creative. In addition, the inventive idea can also be applied to mountaineers, knights, children or pet tracking systems, etc., and it can also solve the problems of large area and manpower consumption.

After the above detailed description, it has been fully shown that the present invention has a progressive nature for implementation, and is a new invention that has not been seen before, which fully meets the requirements of the invention patent, and has filed an application in accordance with the law. However, the above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention. When it cannot be used to limit the scope of the present invention, that is, the equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the scope of the patent of the invention should all fall within the scope of the invention patent. .

10‧‧‧Home tracking device

1‧‧‧Global Positioning Module

2‧‧‧Data Processing Control Module

3‧‧‧Memory Module

4‧‧‧Guide start timing module

5‧‧‧Guide Path Planning Module

6‧‧‧Guide Auxiliary Module

61‧‧‧Direction guidance projection module

62‧‧‧Inertial measurement module

310, 311‧‧‧ points

301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308‧‧‧ tag code

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H‧‧‧ Anchor points

400, 401, 402‧‧‧ directions

403, 404‧‧‧ angle

110 ～ 180‧‧‧step

1 is a schematic structural diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a walking path matrix of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a partial schematic view of a walking path matrix of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of determining a guiding direction of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a flowchart of determining a guiding direction of the present invention.

Claims (10)

A self-tracking home guidance device includes: a global positioning module for recording a user's positioning data; a data processing control module for telecommunication connection with the global positioning module; a memory module Connected with the data processing control module by telecommunications, and sequentially storing the positioning data as a walking path; a guidance start timing determination module, connected with the data processing control module by telecommunications; a guidance path planning module, Telecom connection with the data processing control module to plan a home path, which is the orderly reversal of the positioning data recorded by the user in the past; and a navigation aid module, connected to the navigation The telecommunication connection of the path planning module is used to assist the user in walking the home path. Wherein, when the guidance activation timing judgment module determines that the user needs guidance, the data processing control module activates the guidance function. The home path is planned, and the guide assist module is used to guide the user to walk the home path. The self-tracking home guidance device according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the guidance assistance module includes: a direction guidance projection module for projecting or displaying the guidance direction for the user to follow ; And an inertial measurement module, which is electrically connected to the direction guidance projection module to identify the walking direction of the user. The self-tracking home guidance device according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the mechanism for determining the timing of the guidance activation module to determine whether the user needs guidance includes the same time factor, voice judgment, and repeat cycle. Path, physiological signal changes, square range, and active activation. The self-tracking home guidance device according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the guidance start timing determination module includes a voice unit, a pressure sensing unit, and a physiological information sensing unit. The voice unit It is used to send and receive voice information. The pressure sensing unit and the physiological information sensing unit are used to measure the physiological signal of the user. A self-tracking home guidance method includes the following steps: a providing a global positioning module, a data processing control module, a memory module, a guidance start timing determination module, and a guidance path planning module Group, and a guidance assistance module; b when a user leaves the home, records a positioning data of the user; c stores the positioning data as a walking path in sequence; d determines whether the user needs guidance; e If the user needs guidance, plan a home path according to the walking path, where the home path is the positioning data recorded by the user in the past and back in order; f use the guidance assistance module to assist The user walks the path home; g determines whether the user returns home smoothly; h if the user returns home smoothly, the guidance ends. The self-tracking home guidance method described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the guidance assistance module includes: a directional guidance projection module for projecting the guidance direction for the user to follow; and An inertial measurement module is electrically connected to the direction guide projection module to identify the walking direction of the user. The self-tracking home guidance method described in item 6 of the patent application scope, wherein step e further includes: if the user does not need guidance, repeat step b. The self-tracking home guidance method described in item 6 of the scope of patent application, wherein step h further includes: if the user has not returned home successfully, repeat step f. The self-tracking home guidance method according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the global positioning module is used to record the positioning data of the user, and the data processing control module communicates with the global positioning module. Connection, the memory module is in telecommunication connection with the data processing control module, the positioning data is sequentially stored as the walking path, the guidance start timing judgment module is in telecommunication connection with the data processing control module, the guidance The path planning module is electrically connected to the data processing control module to plan the home route, and the guidance assistance module is electrically connected to the guide path planning module to assist the user in walking the home route . The self-tracking home guidance method described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the self-tracking home guidance device can integrate geographic information system graphics in real time, so that caregivers or family members can instantly monitor in the cloud To the user ’s location and status.