Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06V—IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
  • G06V40/00—Recognition of biometric, human-related or animal-related patterns in image or video data
  • G06V40/10—Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
  • G06V40/12—Fingerprints or palmprints
  • G06V40/1347—Preprocessing; Feature extraction

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for detecting an exceptional situation for a person.
• a method for detecting an exceptional situation of a person, in particular a fall of a person is described for example in the document EP1278457B1.
• the method disclosed in this document is based on the fact that a person's exceptional situation is determined by measurements of body functions such as, for example, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rhythm and / or respiratory throughput.
• body functions such as, for example, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rhythm and / or respiratory throughput.
• Kang et al. Monitoring of Activities of Daily Living in Home Environment, Proceedings of Is Joint International Pre-Olympic Conference on Sports Science & Sport Engineering, Volume I: Computer Science in Sports, p 97-102 ,
• EP 1974662A1 discloses a method according to which a change in the kinetic energy of a person, which is measured by the acceleration of the person, over a period of time detects an extraordinary situation for the person.
• EP0849715A2 a method is described according to which the fall of a person is detected on the basis of inclination and position changes of the person as well as by measurements of the speed and the acceleration sequences of the person.
• the present invention has as its object to detect a situation exceptional for a person by means of an extremely simple measurement, wherein the simple measurement is controlled by further, more complicated constructed measurements.
• a contact measuring device such as a contact and / or pressure and / or photosensor and / or distance measuring device, which bears the person directly or indirectly on the body, a contact status and / or a pressure of a body part such as a person's foot to a reference surface such as a floor is detected such that the exceptional situation is detectable by changing the contact status and / or pressure of a body part such as a person's foot to a reference surface such as a floor from a variety of situations.
• the person wears the contact measuring device such as the contact or pressure and / or photosensor and / or the distance measuring device directly or indirectly on the body.
• the wearing of the sensors may be accomplished by attaching sensors by means of adhesive or patch-like applications.
• An indirect wearing of the sensors on the body is also given if such a sensor is integrated, for example in a clothing and / or accessory piece, which carries the person on the body, as in the sole of a shoe.
• the method discussed here for the detection of an exceptional situation for an animal, such as a horse can be applied as it were.
• the occurrence of a situation which is exceptional for a person is, for example, to be understood as the fall of an elderly person.
• an older person In a normal situation, an older person always has at least one foot on the ground, assuming that an older person is not walking. Even if a person is walking, the duration in which the current person does not directly or indirectly contact any of the feet with the feet, does not exceed 500 milliseconds.
• the detected event is to be considered as an extraordinary event, such as a fall, on the basis of these measured values.
• the contact measuring device such as contact or pressure and / or photosensor and / or distance measuring device, which is integrated in a shoe.
• the normal situation can be detected by measuring quantities such as the sequence of steps et cetera. In case of a fall, the elderly person loses contact with the floor with both feet.
• the method described here for detecting movements of athletes such as a runner can be applied to investigate movement sequences in unusual situations such as injuries or wrong movements. The same applies, for example, to the analysis of the movement of a dressage horse during a competition or training.
• the advantage of measuring a contact or pressure status as a primary measurement signal is certainly that a simple, very efficiently detectable signal provides a very good basis for further, not necessarily to be performed differentiations that can be made on the basis of further measurements.
• An exceptional situation detected by the contact measurement device is not always uniquely interpretable based on the contact or print status.
• An elderly person who does not measure the feet to the floor can either fall or sit on a chair, in which case the legs are kept clear of the ground.
• a detection of a situation that is harmful to the person (fall) it makes sense to apply further algorithms for the differentiation of situations.
• the invention is further developed in that a physiological index of the person is determined, which is related to the contact status and / or pressure.
• a physiological index is understood to mean the averaging of at least one body-related measured value, such as pulse, heart rate and conductance (sweat) over a period of time.
• the length of the time span has to be defined with regard to the acquired measured values.
• the body-related measurements before, during and after an event that is harmful to a person differ from those measured values basic events.
• the detection method for detecting abnormal events may be extended by determining an activity index of the person related to the contact status and / or pressure and / or the physiological index.
• An activity index is understood to mean the averaging of at least one measured value relating to the kinetic energy of the body over a period of time. The length of the time span is again to be defined with regard to the measured values recorded.
• the measured values related to the kinetic energy of a body before, during and after a person's harmful events are fundamentally different from the readings of ordinary events.
• the method according to the invention can involve a signal being output if the exceptional situation is detected and / or an exceptional situation is to be expected.
• Such a signal can be sent both to the information of the person who is in the exceptional situation, as well as subsequently or simultaneously to a third party. It is advantageous that a device emitting the signal is located in the person in the exceptional situation as well as in other places.
• Signals may be output in the form of sirens, tones, stimuli, messages via telephone or other media, and in all other forms known to those skilled in the art.
• an exceptional situation can also be predicted on the basis of the acquired measured values, even before they occur with a high probability.
• dizziness body-related measured value
• a tumbling of a person salivance of steps detected by the determination of the contact status
• a signal is output before a situation that is harmful to the person occurs.
• the inventive method can be further developed in that an output of the signal is controlled by the person or another person.
• the physiological index is determined on the basis of body measurements such as pulse, blood pressure, skin conductance (sweat), body temperature, etc., which are preferably averaged over a time interval and / or evaluated by means of an analysis method .
• body measurements such as pulse, blood pressure, skin conductance (sweat), body temperature, etc.
• the physiological index based on body measurements such as pulse, blood pressure, body conductivity (sweat), body temperature, etc. of a first body part relative to measured values such as pulse, blood pressure, body conductivity (sweat), body temperature, etc a second body part is determined, which are preferably averaged over a time interval and / or evaluated by means of an analysis method.
• the inventive method may also include that the activity index of the person is determined based on activity measurements such as acceleration, movement, position, etc. of the body, which are preferably averaged over a time interval and / or evaluated by an analysis method.
• the inventive method can also be supplemented in that the activity index of the person is determined on the basis of activity measurement values such as acceleration, movement, position, etc. of a first body part of the person relative to the measured values such as acceleration, movement, position, etc. of a second body part of the person which is preferably averaged over a time interval and / or evaluated by means of an analysis method.
• the measurement of the measured values to determine the physiological index and / or the Activity index should be carried out in the appropriate places on the person.
• the body conductance or sweat is very easy and efficient to measure in an area behind the ears of the person. Performing measurements in this area has the advantage that the devices required for the measurement can be integrated into a hearing aid. The same applies to carrying out measurements at other places where the person wears supporting equipment, such as the integration of a pulse measurement in a clock.
• the analysis of the measured values can be carried out according to one or in combination of the following methods or methods known to the person skilled in the art, such as threshold value analysis, Fourier analysis:
• the choice of the time interval between the individual measurements preferably takes place according to the best possible analysis of the measured data and that of the efficiency with regard to the amount of data to be processed.
• the above analysis methods are preferably supplemented by self-learning algorithms.
• the measurement of values or with reference to a first and further body parts represents a further possibility of a differentiation of recorded situations.
• it may be important, for example, to measure the position of one body part to another. The same applies to the measurement of body values.
• An apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention comprises a contact measuring device such as a contact and / or pressure and / or photosensor and / or a distance measuring device for determining a contact status or pressure of a body part to a reference surface, wherein the device further comprise one of the following further devices can: - physiological index measuring device,
• an apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention may comprise devices for evaluating data on the basis of which, in addition to the detection of unusual situations for the person, such as the state of health of the person, evaluates the person's behavior in situations of daily life can be.
• the evaluation of the data concerns both short periods of time as well as daily routines as longer periods of time such as the recovery after injury or surgery.
• the device may also comprise devices for determining the position of the person.
• the location of the position or the transmission of the position of the person to other persons or other devices may be limited to the case of the occurrence of a situation exceptional for the person.
• a device for carrying out the method according to the invention can be constructed such that the device consists of a first unit and optionally a second unit, the first unit containing at least one of the devices and possibly the second unit the same or at least one further device, wherein the first Unit and the second unit are in communication with each other.
• An apparatus for performing an exceptional situation for a person may also include means for the apparatus to include positional control so that a signal is output when the apparatus or a unit of the apparatus is removed from the person and / or communication between the first unit and the second unit is interrupted.
• positional control so that a signal is output when the apparatus or a unit of the apparatus is removed from the person and / or communication between the first unit and the second unit is interrupted.
• a device for carrying out the method according to the invention can be designed such that the device or at least one unit is integrated in a device which is fastened to the person.
• the device or at least individual units for carrying out the detection in medical auxiliary devices such as hearing aids, spectacles, heart rate monitors.
• medical auxiliary devices such as hearing aids, spectacles, heart rate monitors.
• the comfort for the wearer is increased to a high degree, especially since the person is used to wearing this medical auxiliary device.
• the device or individual units in garments or accessories such as watches, jewelry et cetera.
• the device for carrying out the method according to the invention can be configured such that second and / or further measured values are only acquired and / or values transferred from the first unit to the second unit if, on the basis of at least one measured value, occurrence of an extraordinary event is possible assessed and / or determined.
• establishing a communication link between the first and the further units has an energy-saving effect in order to make the power supply of the mobile units carried by the person as long as possible.
• FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram for the detection of a situation which is exceptional for a person.
• FIG. 2 shows an exemplary arrangement of the measuring device necessary for carrying out the method according to the invention.
• Figure 3.4 shows a diagram over the time course of the acceleration during a fall of a person backwards.
• Figure 5 shows a diagram of the time course of the pulse rate of a person over a period in which the person falls.
• FIG. 1 shows a flow chart for detecting a situation 5 which is exceptional for a person 1, wherein a contact measurement device and / or a pressure sensor and / or a distance measuring device KS 2 indicate a contact status and / or a pressure of a body part such as, for example a foot 3 of a person 1 to a reference surface 4 such as a floor is detected, so that the exceptional situation 5 is detectable from a plurality of situations 6.
• the contact status and / or print data is forwarded to a data acquisition system DES 201.
• the relevant body data are determined with a measuring device for physiological index PI 7, such as a pulse measuring device, body conductivity measuring device etc., and the relevant movement data of the person 1 with an activity measuring device AI 8 such as acceleration and speed measuring device.
• a measuring device for physiological index PI 7 such as a pulse measuring device, body conductivity measuring device etc.
• an activity measuring device AI 8 such as acceleration and speed measuring device.
• the measured values, which are determined by a contact measuring device 2, activity index measuring device 8 and measuring device for physiological index 7, are forwarded, if necessary, to a central computing and reporting module ZRM 202, preferably via radio.
• the central computing and reporting module 202 is configured to request the data regarding the congestion or pressure, physiological index and / or activity index as needed from the data acquisition system DES 201.
• the data will be sent via the Those skilled in the known methods over a time interval analyzed and related to each other. The analysis of the data is based on individual or a combination of the data.
• a control call is initiated by the rescuers at the fallen person 205. If rescue workers receive no response, an emergency call is made to emergency services 297. In the case of a response from person 1, the emergency services intervene upon consultation 208. If there is no detection of an exceptional situation 204, no actions 209 are initiated.
• FIG. 2 shows an exemplary arrangement of the device for carrying out the method according to the invention on a person 1.
• a contact and / or pressure sensor is for determining a contact status of a foot 3 of a person 1 to a reference surface 4 such as a floor on the foot 3rd or attached to a shoe.
• a physiological index measuring device 7, such as a pulse measuring device, thermometer is arranged at a position of a body part at which the relevant body data can be measured.
• the device comprises at least one activity index measuring device 8 such as an acceleration, inclination sensor or a speed measuring device.
• the apparatus preferably further comprises an alarm device 9 which outputs a signal when the exceptional situation is detected and / or an exceptional situation is to be expected, the output of the signal being controllable by the person 1 or another person to avoid false alarms ,
• the device for carrying out the method according to the invention comprises a device for recording and evaluating data 10 and a position measuring device 11.
• the arrangement of the mentioned Device is advantageously carried out in units, wherein a first unit contains at least one of the devices, a second unit the same or at least one more Device contains.
• the hearing apparatus 13 or in the temple of the spectacles 12 preferably devices for determining the body conductance (sweat) are integrated, while the device for pulse measurement in the worn on the wrist clock 14 is installed. All units of the device are configured such that measured values are only acquired and / or values transferred from the first unit to the second unit if, on the basis of at least one measured value, an occurrence of an extraordinary event is evaluated and / or ascertained as possible.
• the device includes positional control so that the signal output device 9 outputs a signal when the device or unit of the device is removed from the person and / or the communication between the first unit and the second unit is interrupted.
• FIG 3 and Figure 4 show the time course of accelerations during a fall 108 'and 108 "The graphs 101' and 101" show the course of each resulting acceleration during two falls. The acceleration values are plotted on the ordinate, the time on the abscissa of the diagram.
• the graphs 102 'and 102 show the acceleration in the x direction 103, the graph 104' and 104" the accelerations in the y direction 105, the graphs 106 'and 106 "show the accelerations in the z direction 107.
• the falls occur at about times 108 'and 108 ".
• the fall or fall of the person begins at the time at which the acceleration in the z-direction is less than 1, 0g.
• the time of impact 110 ', 110 "of the falling person 1 on a reference surface 4, such as a floor, can be seen in Figure 2 from the high acceleration values during that period.
• a comparison of the graphs 101' and 101" shows that the occurrence of a characteristic of the graph such as increased acceleration values during the period of impact 110 'is not mandatory is. For this reason, a detection of an extraordinary event on the basis of several data or measured values makes sense, in order to avoid a misinterpretation.
• an evaluation of the activity measured values such as acceleration, movement, position etc. of a first body part of the person relative to the measured values such as acceleration, movement, position etc. of a second body part of the person is possible.
• Figure 4 shows the time course of a before and after the time points of a fall of a person typical course of a pulse curve, wherein the pulse rate is plotted on the ordinate, the time on the abscissa.
• the extraordinary event 5 begins with the fall 108, which causes an abrupt increase in the pulse rate.
• the increased pulse rate lasts during the fall and during the impact of the person, reaches a normal value again after the extraordinary event has expired.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Measurement Of The Respiration, Hearing Ability, Form, And Blood Characteristics Of Living Organisms (AREA)
• Measuring And Recording Apparatus For Diagnosis (AREA)

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• 2009
  • 2009-03-02 AT AT0034009A patent/AT507941B1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2010
  • 2010-02-23 EP EP10710988A patent/EP2403407A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2010-02-23 US US13/254,665 patent/US20120123277A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2010-02-23 WO PCT/AT2010/000047 patent/WO2010099554A1/de active Application Filing

Patent Citations (10)

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